A few
poems
Paul Butler
Training Day
(dedicated to all like me who did many years in the public sector)
Alf empties bins
But not this Tuesday
This Tuesday is training day
Sally works for training people
And teaches Alf at great expense
About contract compliance
And self-reliance
And staff investment
And risk assessment
Of mission statements and core objectives
And customer focus and EU directives
Of managing time and managing stress
And managing his assertiveness
What a wonderful, wonderful day they say
For Sally pleased her boss today
As the company earned their contract fee
And the Council met its targets you see
And the Director is so enlightened they say
Forward thinking will win the day
Our development plan helps people grow
And it’s all such good PR you know,
Human Resources are on the ball
The charter-marks are on the wall
And management cares about them all
On Wednesday Alf empties bins
Not You Again
‘Oh no, not you again’
It’s early morn
And daylight breaks
And a new day waits
And at the mirror in the hall
I stare at the face.
And our eyes meet
And a whisper greets
The stillness of dawn.
More a sigh than words
‘Oh no, not you again’
And the meaning is clear.
But it’s the reflection that speaks
Fields of Love
Would you tempt me
Would you take me
To a daisy laden lawn
Would you kiss me
Would you love me
A thousand stars I'd feel above me.
And shower me with oaths of always
Carve our names- make daisy chains
Or play she loves me –she loves me not
Or will he won't he with forget-me-nots
And sing me songs and write me rhymes
Fingers locked till eventide
Would you tempt me
Would you take me
To a bed where roses grow
Would you hug me
Would you hold me
Throw your arms till they enfold me.
And singing yes in tunes undreamt of
Screaming yes at spinning trees
She answers me with lace and linen
Loosened on the summer breeze
And helpless like the windblown pollen
I watch and wait and gently follow
Would you take me
Soon forsake me
In a wood where bluebells grow
Would you feel me
Would you know me
So innocence can flee before me.
Take me now before the sunset
Take me ‘til the seeds have blown
Let me feel the warmth within me
Embrace me where the bluebells grow
Then colder comes the flush of madness
When all desire and hope has flown
Would you go back
Could we go back
To that daisy laden lawn
Would you hold me
Say you missed me
Since barks were carved when you first kissed me.
Come my dear we'll chase the sunset
Hand in hand, it can be done
‘Cross the meadow, through the rosebed
Onward to that setting sun
And breathless to the garden’s end,
We’ll run until our day is done
Catholic Stillbirth
Understood: Nothing
Knew: Nothing
Did: Nothing
Said: Nothing
Felt: Nothing
Saw: Nothing
Heard: Nothing
Thought: Nothing
Remembered: Nothing
Harmed: No-one
Laughed: Never
Chances: Nil
Joys: None
Fairness: No
And riddled with sin to boot?
And you claim to follow the messiah of love?
Get real…..
An Affair in the Bar by the Old Harbour
She stares at him, then the boat, then the man in the mac
He stares at the bar, the man in the mac then her
She stares at him; then looks at her book,
He stares at her; she's reading.
She looks up, he turns away
He wasn’t looking at all; foolish girl. She reads.
He looks at the boat, then her.
She’s not looking. Damn!
She glances back
He looks, she stares, he glares; at last, they gaze; it’s all for an age
Oh too obvious! - he turns to the boat, she turns to the book,
He turns to the bar, she turns to look.
She fixes her gaze, and staresBe brave - it’s forever
Again, please see me...!
At last he stares; she’s there, he glares; damn too late
She’s reading.
He looks at the bar
She looks at the sea
The man in the mac looks at his boat
And that was that.
©Paul Butler