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i
Michael John May 2024
i
i

i was ****** lily laughs
but why bother i ask you
if not for lot´s of money
and applause..

the green room of god
the creative urge and you
know so effing bored
and look at this-

pip pip another rejection
slip..
not suitable..!?
ha!

(a suitable epitaph..)
they called me
a star..
is a star is a star..

ii

dancing under the stars
i say lord above
out and out
savage loved

once but that
amigos
is enough
la..!
i
Michael John Aug 2024
i
i

i scratch a little more
at the head
at the door
one or either-c´mon
grumpy..w**..!

why,happy
it´s you!?
no,it´s the arch-angel..
look,what you have done
to the paint-work-consider,

it a work in progress..
nice of you to come home?!
yeah..i was bored and hungry
passive/agressive one..i got
to sleep eat and dream..

mum,it´s happy!
he looks tired out..
i´ll give him a can
and a drink-o he´s all
wet?!-chase the ducks-man....(shakes)
sorry,  got you in the mouth..

ii

dream o dream of love
the line with in one
and gone..

to cry to god
to have a friend
all written..
i
Michael John Jun 2024
i
i

why do we want to be
loved by strangers?
for a plate of stew
or is there more..

i mean, lily taps her
pipe-like this-
i write and send it off
into the ether..

for your delectation?
do i have owt to prove?
am i clever?
do i want love?

am i small again
pulling at some obscure
apron- string- pain
like a lost dove..

or do i just enjoy writing
after breakfast
in the sunny garden-
just butterfly stuff..

ii

creation a little piece
left over-some fluff
some mote of dust

just as the washing up
calls and time kicks
she  examines a twig..
i
Michael John May 28
i
i spoke with some people
i once knew
it was good to do..

we did nt speak then
and had not much to say
but it was nice to hear them..

surprised we had survived..
there was some fear too
what the future will hold..
i
Michael John Jan 8
i
i

lily looks up from a page
why do i feel guilt
when i have done nothing..

what is she reading?
in patagonia-
because you are..

by bruce chatwin-
like winnie the poo
and ******

ii

when they pull out
your finger nails your to say ow
not be clever..

witches were clever
or are..
freedom a little shack

by the ocean..
dinosaurs and great open spaces
sailing the albatross..

iii

a certain penguin with
comical name
send out the a team

they make a glittering home
and the rest follow..
they are monogamous

iv

until death..
both raise the chick
in turn

they are generous
they share
there is no blame..
i
Michael John Jul 2024
i
i would trust you
but i would end in a cavern
effed by the devil

there are times one
gets only one chance
so i was careful

to say yes might be
the end..happy..
innocence can be deceptive..

ii

a smile is just a co-
ordination of muscle
and teeth..

moments in every life
look to intent
the reality hussle..
i
Michael John Jan 5
i
i

i have a recurring dream
it is infuriating
i thought it had gone
but it returns..

it is best not to dwell
on and on
that only makes it
return..

there are worse things
in the subconscious
dissolution and murdering
someone..

like waking from a
drunk with blood on
one´s hands..
no mind..

ii

i knew a dentist
who did the same
i suppose he is out

by now..
losing your guitar is
small potatoes..
i
Michael John Mar 30
i
i

there is inate flaw in words
but black and white apart
awesome hotdog..man

why bother writing?
and time, when we loose
and gain at a whim..

her eggs  have stuck
to the pan..
sunday morning..

ii

postcard from berlin
i met a man who saved
his *****-easily done..

he worked on the stock exchange
his brother a murderer
close to pneumonia

i returned to the slaughter
house
we had run out of co-co and cream..

the keys to three houses
a cat and an egg
i said au revoir..
i
Michael John Jan 10
i
i

EVERY WRITE IS A BRAND
new day-except without the caps
which is ok

i never know what i want
to say
lily eats her toast..

outside the thorn tresspass
she lost in reverie
slips her knight gown

and a glimse of her breast
very nice
and wraps her self warm again..

ii

like eve and marmite
sweet genesis..
the king will come

o
no, i never know what to say
like the stars
but usually  mix

the surreal with the mundane
myth not usually ****
but they exist

iii

books and music..
encroaches the thistle
she opens an epistle-

listen to this?!
the radio station wants me
to guest dj..?!

mm..mmm...mmmmm.
mmm,...mmmmmm...
m-no mention of money..

just select a list of your
favorite mmmmm..
and some relevant commentary..

read some of your poetry..
mm..mm..mm
as you will-yours in perpertuity,

steve..
ps..no effing swearing..lol..
what do you think..?

iv

when-tomorrow!?
that´s tomorrow!!
not much prep..

i´ll get ****** and be
spontaneous-never let me
down yet..

what is it-no publicity
is bad publicity..?!
mmmm..
i
Michael John Apr 2024
i
i

   you touch on the duality
of laughter and tears-even
when you laugh the sadness
does not leave your eyes..

she says, she does not write
pointless-in you there is
hurt that will never be ex-
tinguished..

like a child they were one
but for you nothing..
you will fish
the last thought of dying..

ii

sorry i spoke
sorry i breathed
sorry for sorry..

funny word
repeat it
what you got..
i
Michael John Dec 2024
i
i

at the supermarket they treat me
like a thief yet it is they who
steal from off of me..

(and for so little too)
they have cameras and two way mirrors
and private detectives and yet

they are the thieves..
not just the prices but in
other ways too prosaic to mention..

lily wonders and wonders when
the revolution comes and blood runs
in the gutter..will they remember..

ii

and if i complain they say
something but in their
eyes is hate..

it is 14 cents-yes-but i notice
you never give me too much-now,
i am an anarchist communist  trouble maker

they make millions
why be so petty
don´t understand..
i
Michael John Jan 23
i
i have a plethora of idea
but i think of my last word
instead and this is or was
blank..or agnosia-

(which is a new one on me)
the strange or unrecognised familliar
when doctor p looks at a glove
and has no ideas as to

what it is..he has become abstract as
a computer..due to a tumour..
so when he mistakes his wife for a hat
and tries to put her head on his head..

he is a muscian,a teacher and a
painter and continued working until
his death..i will not say my life is hard
and try not to complain..
i
Michael John Dec 2024
i
i

as i recall lily
stare off the ball
beyond the spacey
in the walls-

it was the less well
off who were most generous
who enjoyed their selves and
gave freely..

ii

gave small things
made by themselves
maybe..

some utilitarian
or arty object
with imagination..

iii

like children understand
a gift is in the unknowing
they watch and smile

hardly containing..
some what small and
magical..
i
Michael John Feb 2
i
i

i say to lily
(without the power of speech-)
it is funny
what i think is mediocre

is genius and vice-verse
i intimate my poetry
that is why we share
says she-

that is why we have critics..
it does nt really matter
what of silence
do we feel better?

ii

what is this creation
is it god left over
a thingm-jig of the brain..

is it money or boredom
what is funny?
nothing..
i
Michael John Jul 2024
i
i

what to say today
that has not been said
a million times before

i offer you the chalk..
you who are clever
and such beauty

like the spring flower
put forth-
your petals of

originality-prince of
harm!
let us hear yourn..

ii

i am a quick study-
i know before what
needs to be done

it rattles off my tongue
or i appraise silently
waiting..

don´t mention it
my son
to the manner born..
i
Michael John May 2024
i
i

people can be cruel-
well,i did n´t care but
these morons could n´t

pull their socks on..
they said the same things
every time..

i tried to divert  them
but in the end
stayed quiet and

drank my wine..
after about an hour
they said,you don´t

say much do-do you
no,i was dreaming of nirvarna
hope and beauty..

heaven and hell
just recurring  themes
crime and punishment

the futility of it
all..
back is underated..

ii

..and then lily
stagger the long road
to the beach

and lay my head
in among the bugs
and distant song..
i
Michael John Mar 15
i
i

hello-are you there?
you look
you find-

like gold in
the red desert
or love-

phrenology
ontology-
in your mind

or a butterfly minding
it´s own
do we choose..

ii

what is mineis
mine and whatis
yours..

civilization has been
in place for 2000 years
but as tennyson said

let ten thousand years pass
and then we wil talk of progress..!
possession will not last..

iii

shall we share
some universal tune
a magical aire

like the air
or will we have to
say we are through-

die away-
greed wins
live on the moon..
i
Michael John May 27
i
i like to be free
she says three
is marvelous

a bowl of glass-
that says-
so long, and thanks for all

the fish..
i
Michael John Jan 17
i
i

do not fear the reaper!peripatetic
we have fame and fortune
on line one-
ask me a question, lily..

ok-wisdom in a matchbox?
ok..
what happens when an unstopable
force hits an immovable object..

ok..
that´s right-something to consider-
on line one
can i play my violin..it´s a poem..
(go on..)

ii

peripatetic-to wander upon
one
to find one

d has come and gone
we will miss him
so grounded in dream..

he said,all is what it seems
love and beauty, a whim-
look and find..

iii

well,this hour has sped
are we not the dead
this is lily saying sayanora-
hope you enjoy as much as

i..
yours forever
cross eyed and painless
over to you steve..
much love and thanks..
i
Michael John Oct 2024
i
i

the people i met later
said they never really
knew me..

that is because they
were not interested
i spoke

and the tumbling weeds
blew
the birds sang

sometimes i would say
i am an alien and
as we waited

in the silence and for them
to talk about themselves..
(which turned out to be

not far from the truth)
but in solitude
i found myself..

ii

maybe,lily says
archly-you were boring..
they were no more

interesting-believe me
one story-
i knew better than they..
i
Michael John Jan 2
i
i

suddenly silence
fell with a crash
scales fell from the
eyes like fish..

lily thinks-what do you
think?an interesting
begining?
she refers to reality

of course..a horse
a horse..a horse..
war was just around
the corner..

ii

i read war and peace last
summer-is long here-
it concerns the napoleonic
wars-the invasion of white russia
by the french-quite an under-
taking-1200 pages..but something
soon becomes apparent that
no-one from the emperor down
to the lowly peon,has any idea
of what is happening..the chattering
classes and society-who should know
the tacticians and generals..the politicians,
the media..no-one knows..if the war has begun
where the enemy is..and so on..and when the opposing
armies actually locate each other,that is when
the misunderstanding really begins..and the confusion
is with tolstoy himself-he kills off one of five or six main
characters on the field of battle to resurect him-prince andrei,and bring him home safe to his family..

iii

one thing is sure
once begun war
is rather difficult
to stop..
i
Michael John Jan 16
i
i

jason,is on line sevwen
paper on the lip
what you say,jase..?
lily,you think youre the

cat´s miaow.. ****..
you ain´t nothing..
well,i think..
and don´t give it

that old double-negative
jive asss wise ***
cause i aint even listen..
look, i could spend an eternity

fighting (and one fight leads
to another)-we  destroy,preserve
or create-up to us-we get what
we give..

o middle of the road with
a bit of bob..on mine line nine
shared bread and wine
purple the very soul..

is christopher-hey chris-did
you know st christopher is no
longer patron saint of travellers
******..

you are through to lily-seer to
the stars..what is your pregunta..?
can i read a poem lily i wrote
it for you..

on you go, my simple kind of man
try  not to swear
we are live-
in theory..

ii

you make me happy
like a lemon tree
sometimes, the lombardy

your refferences
obscure
see

an answer
no longer a
question..

rootless and parched
you bring the rain
you can

i can
why not
can..
i
Michael John Aug 2024
i
i

to wait patiently
to construct a moment..
to play a full note

beauty and faith..
a heavy load
take´s courage..

heaven in hell
and vice-versa
to wait at a door

ii

for a yes or no
to be paid
for an echo..

a coin tossed into
a well
or just the plain boredom..

to be terse
in a verse
in a poem..

or just bite the paintwork
or sin
(later regret-)

iii

to be lugubrious
or happy
to howl in

a nonchalent
unaffected by it all
kind of a style..

iv

hello?!happy!
what are you doing here?
waiting for you-!

and through..
into what..
that is closed..
i
Michael John Jan 2024
i
i

why do we like butterflies?
for their colours
and their silence

covering with dust-
flight of a higgledy-piggledy muse
a lost youth-

tattooed on the shoulder
from flower to flower
yet resilient

a peacock
a cabbage white
free and aloof-

aplomb!
a song-
ding-****..

ii

she goes back to her book,
what is she reading?
metamorphosis-kafka..

i retire to the sky,
where all them little squiggles
are doing their thing..

lily musters her thoughts-
imagine waking up a giant insect
only the cleaning lady can cope

(sounds familiar
i read a novella by phillip roth
in which an individual

wakes up a breast!
it was too distressing
to finish..)
i
Michael John May 2024
i
i

so that is natural
in the jungle-
one ´s beans are one´s
own..

and woe to anyone
who doth encroach..(poe)
(o lily we are nearly
poached..)

she sighs and says
and what for civilization
then..a plastic duck?
information?

nomadic man effed or
fought and then
he constructed a fence
planted a bean and said

mine..

ii

that´s all fine
but what of a hot bath
peace and tranquillity-

all history is gossipp
any way
live for today..
i
Michael John May 2024
i
i was a dissapointment
not so much to myself
but to the human race

they would say-
speaking as an outsider
what do you(me) think

of the human race?
i had no answer..
inwardly,

i berated their lack
of originality
pass the soap lily..

ii

what did i think
(i thought i could
die for a drink..)

i thought of hope
and beauty-
that sort of thing..
i_
Michael John Sep 2024
i_
i_

lily says, sometimes i like
my stuff and then others it is
interchangeable as a shopping-list-

don´t forget!
the washing up liquid or
what does that say..

just one more pantheist
another god-bread or
lost in the snack aisle..

ii

no,there is nothing memorable
(when nearly home will
i remember..)

but i ask nothing
only pleasure
a smile at the check-out..

iii

and the receipt-what i
paid (and the correct change
would be nice..)

she says if i got my moneys´
worth, how i changed
from death..
i-
Michael John Mar 2024
i-
i-


the trick is not to
look back (or as
dennis hopper says
in his movie, so
elegantly,
no looking back..)

but since the future
is only accessible to
a few
we have to make do..
learn to sew
the difference re-new
circling true..

ii-
i?
Michael John Sep 2024
i?
i?

how she changed from death,
there must have been a moment,
illusive as jam on toast..

there must have been a breath,
what they call an epiphany,
maybe..

she said long time dead!?
not so much left
what alternative..?

ii

what is better then why
it is a beginning-
the aroma of fresh java!

what next?
a jump into the unknown
eggs benedict..

life
and ketchup
the only way..
i/
Michael John Sep 2024
i/
i/

bogged down in
raw material
will you toss me a vine?

will you stand
at the peripheral
giving advice-

don´t struggle!
will you smile?
as the mire gets

higher and higher
will i see god in
glorious techni-colour or/

or the devil in
art-house sepia..
o the price of pop-corn..

some such thought
be my last..
blowing bubbles..
i)
Michael John Jun 2024
i)
i)

it is hard to judge your
own creation
ask any mother or god

(i am neither)
and i write and forget
or to forget

that i might write
another-something that
means something

or might change the
cosmos and everything in it
or just go-do-ray-mi..

ii

this is the fun-never knowing
but using my thumb and
middle can create

indifference puzzlement
love and hate
in some ambigousness-

left handed fate..
or a play with words
some loch ness

iii

monster at the gate
going-ahhhhhhhh!
when it turns absurd

but keep on going
regardless-what might occur
something of interest

like art or wait..
life is short
and death is long..

iv

try not to say
what is the point
(cause it´s an oblong)

pointless questions
a dirge or some long lost song
that has no effing ending

but goes ding-****
but makes millions
happy..

or why bother?
long long the flow
of tiny little things..!

v

once i dreamed of
fame and fortune..
lily, are you listening?

why,she says marking
her page-what is she reading-
her own poems..here´s one-

a)

i wanted money
so i could eff off
the factory

(or office..)
the time piece
like a ***** or rack

-the monster of
silver and black
that nailed

into my head and
heart
so lost but accurate...

(i might rise late
and drink good coffee
yawn and be happy..)

b)

fame seems a bit
of an oversight
who to trust..

when it´s lost
something indefinable
the strangers babble..

i was me
now,what to say
what is it i

thought it was
things change
but to what..

vii

what is she reading
her own poems still
here is another one..

it is called


just to
**** time:
in the mind
if you stick pins in mine-

a second hand..stretching
on a rack never to come
back..elongating and breaking
(thumbs *******)

you see me
in the factory
looking up at three
and again at five..
i)
Michael John Aug 2024
i)
i)


grumpy on the couch:
i was never loved, doc,
q:(a common whine-)

what makes you say..?
a:a void of feeling..
a vaccum..

q:you are defficient in
everyday emotions?
a:how do i know-

q:you can not communicate?
a:words, they hurt..
q:how so?

a:i try to relate..
q:you feel isolated..
a:i feel alone

a:i feel nothing..
q:you are repressed by
life..

a:i am repressed by life
i would hurt myself but
i am a coward..

i would die..i want to..
nothing to do but how..
life is pointless..

q:tell me about your
poetry-
i got out of bed

ii)

and in my head a
cacophony
that enticed and

bored in about equal
measure
mum,put my eggs on..

where is my paper-
the dog had ripped it
asunder..

mum,put the television
on..
i look out the window-

mum,when did you last
clean the windows..?
everything the same..

what about the weather..
rain..
in my heart a vacuum..

i have to vaccum, dear,
sorry..
where are my soldiers..?!

same as yesterday-where
is my life..
same as tomorrow..

iii)

meanwhile,happy does
a back to back boogie
with a little doxie

he met by rumblelows,
they look in the window
caught in flangrante..
i)
Michael John Aug 2024
i)
i)

well..down at the
pickled, it is quite still,
(after happy hour some tears, perhaps..)

johnny crash, and the sad rehearse,
you aint nothing but a hound dog!
ernie,lone star, on the dance-floor

with a move reminiscent of
travolta
threatens to throw a hip..

ii)

a god points at a silver star-
edna and gb take their drinks to
a quiet corner..

do you remember..?!some
laughter..two heads close but
not too close

silhouettes
like shy flowers..
time´s illusionary petals

iii)

fall away..
well, quite a long time ago..
(but behind and in the window

happy stands-like
hal in the lip-reading scene
of 2001..)

iv

*** the doorman approaching
with his raffle-tickets
but they seem like

they have won
a cruise to a sunny horizon
do you guys need refreshing?

no,we are fine-not a cloud,
johnny sings of a thing called love
and even the sad are smiling..

iv

a happy ending..
he makes his way to the door
*** is solid-gone

happy waits patiently
sniffs his paw
he will go say, howdy..
i)
Michael John Jul 13
i)
i)

she wakes and says eeyore
has lost his tail though blissfully
unaware

she has a cornflake stuck to her
cheek above her  lip
which of course is libertine-

though blissfully unaware
clever rabbit is unaware and scholarly
owl too..

so they look and pooh calls
at owl´s house and pulling the bell-rope
thinks he´s seen it some-place before..?

owl says he found it over a bush
and through and after endless conjecture
it´s current use..

pooh sees what it is-an empty mind
is valuable for finding pearls and tails
a clear mind hears the birds singing..

so, pooh returns the tail to eeyore
and he feels much better..
(there he is pictured doing a handstand..)

ii

tao a philosophy which became
a religion..music is the space between
the notes..

said debussy-a man who knows
living in harmony with nature
a simple cure..
i)
Michael John Mar 2024
i)
i)

no trouble to rhyme..
(spelling that is my aim)
i, took about ten minutes..

and how about, grok?!
you ever hear that one?-
to understand profoundly..

what?..yeah..grok..man..
death is..
(***,says lily..)

ii

not a question of demand
and supply
not a picnic

not do or die
same for all the pixies
or a return..

obituaries-burn
in hell or heaven
bound..

one line-or
a single word-
like, why..
i)
Michael John Jul 2024
i)
i)

what you expect is seldom
what you get
but expectation is art

wishing into come
magical and dissapointment
is learning..
i)
Michael John May 2024
i)
i)


scrub my soul
she says waving a
proffered foot-

in the heat
eyeing one through
onyx slits-

and tell a story
of youth
infinite..

(poe sits by her shoulder
eyeing one..
in egypt)-

ii

in egypt
i would breakfast
by the nile..

i smoked strong hash..
-and in the night
the call to the faithful

for prayer..
i was very ill..
i had  hepatitis..

the waiters dressed in fine
style..!
like a dream

the little dhows
went hither and thither
o the greens

the blue and brown..!?
the crisp croissant-
i was young..
i))
Michael John Mar 2024
i))
i))

people love to impart their prob-
lems on to you-
they like to tell you their secrets?
it´s a way of listening
without seeming too..

they want to manipulate
and end manipulated
for,if they are not manipulating
then,in some obscure fashion-

i am pulling the strings..
and this may be an end or dawn
like eyes meeting accross a crowded room
like some wave crashing..

the ones to watch out for
are the ones who want nothing
ippity-bippity
serendipity..

lily waves a finger
a spiralling trigger
the quiet linger
never say never..
i))
Michael John Sep 2024
i))
i))

a delayed write about a
monster-how often have you heard
it-?
we create our own monsters..

like we dig up graves by night
and by day fit
ill-assorted brains into
huge bodies...!?

but there is the lonely laughter
there is a corner
a brother,a sister
a mother, a father

my friend igor..
a creator
a destroyer
an idea

a notion
an obsession
complexion-
a god likened

ii

and around the mountain
come the locals
torches and cries..!-

once we have done
never to be undone!
rises the sun..
Michael John Oct 2024
i

40 years on lily
and i hate every-one
such is life..

what happened
you tell me-
(be brief..)

ii

maybe,
you put your existentialistic
finger on it-

brevity..death looms
we fall apart
our hearts grow cold..

sickness
madness
there is reality..

iii

and far too quickly
when twenty
how the sea was blue

and like wise the sky
eternal, just innocence
a sixpence

in the floating ether
the sun and tide
the evening done..
Michael John Sep 2017
i actually talked to my heroes
and they were pretty interesting
some say never meet your heroes..
some say there are no more heroes..

but i found them modest interesting
and fearful in about the same measure..
so..
i noticed the rats did too..
Michael John Nov 2018
i always envisaged me
as a man met everyday
but who was never met..
stepped to a non exist

from some far imagined
some distant punch line
a question marked
a low mirror signed

waiting for my wine
but a glass of neither
half
arrived..

and yet immersed in
to white trees
to a magnificent
blue..

i began to feel
where else
underneath
the stars
(and you.)
Michael John Dec 2023
i am getting too old to
sin
when she asks
where you been..?

i was feeding the
birds
or counting clouds
that sort of thing..
Michael John Oct 2024
i am tired lily
cries
from the red eye

i will supine
just here
in the dusty road

and read the clouds
in the reflected
decked in glory

wonder at you and
me
the same and yet

cosmically apart
(just go around)
alive and yet dead..

i shall prostrate for
peace are we not
kith and kin

brother and sister
do we not all want
the same..?!
Michael John Mar 2022
(i am 500 today!)
and how odd
life is say-
why me,lord,
not to betray
the still road
a long way!
a lost word-
to what may-
a heavy load
undeniably
but o
young to old
hey presto!  
time´s fold
crazy..
Michael John Jan 2022
i am a king in exile
but weep ye not
for love in reason
soon return

and a sacred crown
to albion!
new pagan britain
a great people..!

yeah..
Michael John Jan 2022
i am a king in exile
(been here a while)
but return in style
dear people..yeah..
yeah..

and in my trail
freedom and love
a muse royal!
a new age!
a new pagan britain!
Michael John Jan 2022
i am a king in exile
but fear not
my people
i shall return soon

and a golden age
of freedom
and happiness
rule

yeah..
Michael John Apr 2018
i



long wind
about 40 second
s..
from begining to end..
but in rewind..

effing eternal..!
ah..the cool park bench
then we got the cops
they were cool too..

under the beautiful orbs
we shared a cigarette
and watched the stars
like so many ghosts..

getting older in
same moment..
never never
repeated..

ii


i reminisce lily girl friend..


iii

before i am dead..
i will sonnet it

how
start at the end
lily backward..

iv

sitting we by the great will of god head,
we shared a smoke and watched the brightest stars,
any,we were alive of stoutest hearts,
not ghosts..never..never..never..she said,
we laughed..and gave yesterday´s old sad bread
to the ducks..we will recall the past war-
they say go to hell go there go very so far,
for i would rather expire...yet....be dead,

we were blanked and from the ******* harbour,
he ran off for his gun after a ghosts
stance and i thought this cost..(and i so lost..)
she hurled stuff at the night right manager,
then soon about second we were like hosts
reflected and shiny it´s love the most..
Michael John Mar 2021
i am an enchanter
look deep to the star
twin and singular

far and far
for and for
lovers

as we are
and will be
circulars
to eternity..!
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