What can I do?

I've given up drinking cos its bad for my liver.

Given up waiting for the post to deliver.

Given up watching the news cos its sad.

Given up smoking cos we all know its bad.

What shall I eat when its time for my tea?

Is there anything left thats good for me?

Cant use my car cos I cant ever park.

Cant walk about cos I'm scared of the dark.

My bike isn't safe in the cycle lane.

The doctor's too busy to sort out my pain.

Oh dear, what a sorrowful state I've become.

Any offers of help or advice anyone?

The Cuckoo Bird (Feb 1976)

The old lady sits on her window stool, watching the days go by.

She watches the spring flowers growing and follows the birds to the sky.

Her life was so full of romantic things, until one day her husband was gone.

Then all the windows clouded with tears and the cuckoo bird stopped in mid song.

Alone in her house on the top of the hill, her garden a forest of green.

Shambles and thickets overgrown in a heap, how tidy and neat it had been.

She once had a daughter with long auburn hair, her husband had gloated with pride.

But she grew to a woman and wanted her life, so she upped and sailed with the tide.

Leaving her mother and father so hurt, they wondered where they’d gone wrong.

Her father collapsed with a broken heart and the cuckoo bird stopped in mid song.

The house was so dusty and musty and old, so dark with the years it had stood.

Then one day the wind brought the rain from the town, so it dampened and rotted the wood.

The old lady sits on her window stool, thinking the days won’t be long,

Till her husband would come and take her away and the cuckoo will finish his song.

I wish

I cried that day my father died,
I cried for the daddy he was to me.
I cried for my mother, my brothers and me.
I long for his warmth, his strength, his great pride,
Oh God, I wept the day he died.

I love him, I miss him, I want him to be,
Back here with my mother, my brothers and me.
I wish I had told him I'd loved him so,
I wish I had said it years ago.
It would have been nice, I wish I had tried.
I cried that day when my father died.

My son's son

My first born child, my eldest son,
So warm, so sweet, such joy.
Now all grown up to be a man,
That gorgeous little boy.
You‘ve always had my father’s heart,
So strong and proud and true.
And now a son for you to hold,
A carbon copy too.
Your boy if lucky will be just like you,
How good that makes me feel,
I gave you what I hoped you’d need,
A world that’s true and real.
Thank you for this lovely boy,
Already my heart he’s won,
A mother’s love, a nanny’s tear,
My son , has now a son.

Chris, James and Andrew (for my sons)

It is never too late to remember,
and it is never too soon to forget.
You are never too low to go under,
and never too high to regret.
You can never repair what is broken,
but always kiss better what's sore.
You can never retract what is spoken,
and never walk back through the door.
Living will never be simple,
and people will always be fools.
But remember I'll always be there,
when life means you break all the rules.

The guy in the bowler hat 1973 (for my brother Steve)

The street corner shivers with darkness,
The people that died were too fat.
Their minds were possessed by the fear,
Of the guy in the bowler hat.
The scar on his face was too ugly,
The people who died were too thin.
Their minds were possessed by the fear,
Of the guy with the coloured skin.
He lives in a world full of magic,
The people who died were not sure.
Their minds were possessed by the fear,
Of the guy who lives with the whore.
In fact the whole damn world was uncertain,
The people who died were not planned.
Their minds were possessed by the fear,
Of the guy with the case in his hand.
The bible said Jesus would return to the Earth,
The people who died believed that.
Their minds were possessed by the fear,
Of the guy in the bowler hat.

Dreams

Dream a dream thats full of sun,
Not sadness hurting anyone.
Dream of me and wake and smile,
The hurt will leave you in a while.
I'll always be there in your heart,
I always have, right from the start.
I cannot ever go away,
I'll always be here every day.
And when I'm there inside your sleep,
Smile for me, don't wake and weep.
I come because I need to see,
You are okay, - without me.
Dream no tears but love and pride,
I'll always be right by your side.
Sleep a nice dream always then,
Love from me forever, Len x

Brown eyes that turn so blue

A sweet young man you were back then,
So strong, so brave and true.
And now you look into my eyes,
Brown eyes that turn so blue.
I wish I'd said I love you,
A sadness I will hold,
Forever in my broken heart,
Thats turned an icy cold.
Please think of me in your hurt mind,
I cry for you each day.
I wish I had you back with me,
I wish there was a way.
Please don't forget me ever dad,
I love you more you see.
Your heart is always very near,
A living part of me.

Into the sea

We give you away today,
Mum, Steve, Rob and me.
We give you away to this place,
The place where you wanted to be.

A last parting gift from us all,
Your wish, then your soul we set free.
In our hearts, in our eyes, close to us,
We will leave you to sleep with the sea.

We love you, goodbye,
With that smile in your eye,
You'll watch us,
As we set you free.

A beautiful day

A monster came to my head last night,
It drove all my daydreams away.
It asked me to give it my innermost thoughts,
I didn't know what to say.
It grew and it grew till my thoughts all spilled out,
Crying and screaming outside.
I scrambled to push them back in again,
I thought that I must have died.
Blackness and darkness, nothing but space,
The silence was deafening to me.
The monster came back to finish me off,
But this time I'm ready you see.
I dreamt of a meadow, a peaceful place,
The monster it couldn't get in,
It tried to break down the wall I had built,
But I knew I was going to win.
The monster was thrashing and writhing about,
But I kicked it and pushed it away.
It got down on its knees and begged me to leave,
I awoke to a beautiful day.

Hannah my angel (for my granddaughter)

An angel came into my life today,
She came and she blew my world away.
She came with her innocence, her charm and her smile,
She shook my heart and my head for a while.
And if I could hope for a thousand things,
I'd wish for Hannah who came, without wings.

My Dad

I remember the landings, the hurt from the war,
But what's that chaps name, the one from next door?
What is the time now, should I get dressed?
Two pairs of pants, three pairs of vests.
What are they saying, what do they mean?
Are those clothes mine? are they dirty or clean?
Is she my daughter, my wife or my aunt?
Do I really have to water that plant?
I cannot remember the month or the day,
I don't understand you, what did you say?
I sometimes get muddled, an ache in my head.
Did I eat dinner, or breakfast instead?
The doctors appointment, I cant think when,
I'll fold up those tissues again and again.
I know I' a muddle and hard to be with,
and don't understand the world that I live.
Where are my keys, are they left by the door?
How can I remember, how can I be sure?
You look like my daughter, she doesn't live far,
and I am happy to see you, whoever you are.

My Mum

M is for making the best out of me.
O is for the others you always see.
T is for the troubles we both have shared.
H is for the home with you always there.
E is for ever that I'll tell everyone.
R is the reason that I love you mum.

Home and Free (for my grandmother)

So sweet, so warm, so nice to be,
So close to you, so home and free.
A mother's love, a warmth so true,
A love you shared, a love we knew.
We will miss you, our own way,
We'll meet again another day.
We leave you now to go to sleep,
But only sweet tears we will weep.
So sweet, so warm, so nice to be,
So close to you, so home and free.

Can’t you see?

You are a bully, can’t you see,
What your hate has done to me?
I cannot dream, I cannot sleep,
All I do is fret and weep.
I sweat, I itch its nerves you see,
Look what you have done to me?
I hate your face, I hate your eyes,
I hate my pain and all the lies.
I want to be a different way,
Not dreading school another day.
Can’t you see its you that’s bad,
It’s you that’s weak, you that’s sad.
I think tomorrow, I’ll change my way,
I’ll hit you back, not run away.
Standing smug in front of me,
Is that the way you have to be?
I dream about a time that’s good,
You’d like me if you tried, you could.
You are a bully can’t you see?
Leave me now, let me be free.

Do you care? (for Winnie)

Alone she was, when she died in her bed.
Did you care when she died?
Were you there when she cried?
She died with a heart that hung heavy with pain.
Did you care? you weren't there,
When she died on her side.
No one looked at her, no one saw through.
No one could care, people like you!
I cried when they told me, she died all alone.
With no warmth of her skin,
That clung to her bone.
No food in her stomach, no one to care.
Why did she die? why weren't you there?
Because you were busy, you just didn't care!
Alone she was, when she died in her bed.
I'll not forget, she is stuck in my head.
Bless you old lady, now you are free,
Remember her sorrow, she could have been me!
Were you there when she cried?
Do you care that she died?

London is burning

London is burning, our city is red,
Red with the blood, the blood from our dead.
London is burning on the seventh of July,
Why do our friends our loved ones die?
Wicked and cruel, no justice for us,
A battlefield? no, a tube and a bus.
Have you no sorrow, no love like me?
What do you have where your heart should be?
London is burning, our city is red,
Red with the blood, the blood from our dead.

Remember, remember them.

Those soldiers, those young men, so made up with pride,

Remember, remember them, we lost them , they died.

Those fathers, those husbands, those daughters , those sons,

We lost them ,we loved them and they are the ones.

Who stood up with courage all dressed green and grey,

Remember, remember them, and forever we pray.

A small little token, one poppy of red,

To remember those brave ones, the injured, the dead.

One minute of silence, to recall and reflect,

For the fatherless babies these sad wars have left.

We will buy one more poppy , and think once again,

They did it for us, and we will remember, remember them.

My wall

Sometimes I feel so bad, confused,
A woman choked, a woman used.
It’s hard, it’s like a wall for me,
A veil of black, a dream so free.
At times I feel a guilt so bad,
I ache to laugh and not be sad.
I dig so deep to hide the pain,
This hurt will never rise again.
This pain, the anger, this fear I see,
That you will do the same to me!
I have a cut a wound so sore,
I bled, I cried, can’t cry no more.
I hate it but I have to hide,
I build my wall, it’s safe inside.
Inside my shell, I’m soft, it’s me,
One day I hope you’ll set me free

It's perfect

Its the perfect way that a perfect day,

Smothers the night with a calm.

Its the perfect way that you look today,

As you shelter me under your arm.

Its the perfect way that a perfect smile,

Can brighten and colour your face.

Its the perfect way that a perfect mile,

Can end with a four minute race.

Its the perfect way that the things you say,

Can turn my eyes into tears.

Its the perfect way that a perfect day,

Can turn into perfect years.

Mother's day love

I wish a happy mothers day, to you my dear ole mum.

I thank you for my nice blue eyes but blame you for my bum!

You did you're best to bring me up, I think that job was good.

You gave me two nice brothers and a love for home cooked food.

You gave me love for music, although classics aren't my thing.

But we can jig a good wee while to Chuck Berry's ding a ling!

We love to read and swap our books, those classics aint for us.

But we like to shop until we drop, then go home on the bus.

We go abroad together and laugh till we can cry,

You are under shady spots, but me? I burn and fry.

But all in all I love you mum, my fondest thought I send.

I know you'll always be my mum, but also my best friend.

Well, thank you mum and if I could grant you one last wish.

Please be honest what do you think? does my bum look big in this??

My mother’s eyes.

Sometimes I look and swear I see,

My mother looking back at me.

Sometimes I sit and wonder why,

You care for me then walk on by.

It’s easy just to stop and stare,

But do you really, really care?

What do you do when you are free?

Do you ever – think of me?

Do you ever peer inside?

What do you see, where do you hide?

My heart is open, clean and true,

My eyes are clear, bright and blue.

I see that look, I feel those lies,

I’m looking through my mother’s eyes.

Now I know what I must do,

Choose myself- instead of you.

Sometimes I look and swear I see,

My mother looking back at me.

A Million Miles (to Steve)

I want to see what’s in your eyes,
I want to play your game.
I need to understand your fear,
I need to feel your shame.
I never saw what you became,
What happened on that day?
A change, your eyes became opaque,
You drifted, soared away.
I try, it’s very hard to hear,
It’s very hard to see.
You hide behind a crying smile,
A million miles from me.
I cannot ever feel for you,
You turned their hearts away,
Something I could never lose,
I feel it every day.
I’ll not forget, I never will,
The hurt, the black they see.
But you will never read these words,
A million miles from me.

Sky (for my dad)

The sky is an opening book today,
It brightened, it darkened it took you away.
The grey of the clouds, the grey in my heart,
The sky is forever, like us now apart.
We look to the heavens, to seek out your smile,
The sky turns blue, like your eyes for a while.
The sun will start shining and just only then,
We’ll see you and touch you all over again.

Invisible.

Am I still here, can you see me young man?
Did I wake up one day, with a wall in my way?
Did I grow old overnight, did I not put up a fight?
Or, am I just invisible?
I can't use a mobile phone my dear,
My eyesight is failing and I cannot hear.
It's true what they say, that you grow old every day.
Or, am I just invisible?
I am a mother of three wonderful boys,
I can still see them playing surrounded by toys.
I'm not old - I can't be, I won't let them see,
That they too will be, invisible one day - just like me!

Ground Zero

There’s nothing left, all gone I fear,

The loving hearts, we held so dear.

The empty space, no mercy there,

An aching heart, a train of care.

Two bleeding towers, all gone to dust.

Where were you God, in whom we trust?

Our thoughts are with the ones that cry,

The loved ones walked to work to die.

We’ll never forget, your memory will grow,

Forever asleep in ground zero.

Sue's Song

We know your eyes are sleeping,
We know your days are long.
The birds will always sing for you,
That sweet and lovely song.
We know the love you feel for us,
Your thoughts are always true.
Forever you will stay with us,
Our hearts are close to you.
Sleep, sweet Sue and rest your eyes,
We will say a prayer for you.
The birds will rise and sing so proud,
A special song for Sue.

The trouble with our Ann!

Oh Ann, oh Ann, what did you do?
That gutter got the best of you!
One minute you were quick of pace,
The next you were flat on your face!
A nice black eye and swollen lip,
All because your feet did trip.
I hope the scars are not too deep,
Just close one eye and go to sleep.
I know you like to look all fab,
But fret you not, I like that scab.
Oh deary me what did you do?
That gutter got the best of you!