Oh I do dislike doves.

They coo with such a mournful sound.

They wrecked our tree they ate the new leaf shoots.

I really don’t like pigeons they’ve eaten our honeysuckle flowers.

I really don’t like pigeons they eat our curly kale.

I would really like to shoot the pigeon fry its breast and eat it with curly kale.

I put my hagstones by the doors, I don’t have to worry any more

I know that the witches will not be creeping through my door

I’ll be safe and can sleep, knowing that no hags will be walking on my floor

I have locking bolts and security lights but you can’t beat a hagstone picked up on the sea shore

I go to bed at night with a string of garlic round my neck

In my bedside cabinet I keep a mallet and a wooden stake

Vampires don’t like crucifixes but that would be one superstition to far

Like not walking under ladders that’s just silly

Our government decided we need austerity.

Mainly for the workers, not their friends in the city.

The disabled and the unemployed can take a benefit cut.

Workers’ wages are frozen, it’s the same as a pay cut.

The cuts are being funded by the poorest in society.

While the government voted themselves a pay rise.

We are all in it together one of our leaders cries.

They are standing on the bodies of broken people.

They don’t mind as long as their heads are above the shit.

The unions stand by like paper tigers, defanged and witless.

They haven’t reduced their dues, no wonder workers don’t join.

When you can’t afford to feed your kids, a food bank is what you join.

We need a political party that has the courage to address the poverty.

We need to have a choice not given by our current traitorous party’s.

We need a leader to come forward who, can rally the people get them to vote.

Give us all a voice that can be heard, and start a revolutionary honest government!

A government that serves the people not just the wealthy few.

Put back the manufacturing jobs they gave away.

Reinstate the National Health Service and the welfare state.

Give people the dignity of work that pays a living wage.

If our lives were spread before us, like a map on crepe paper, would we tread more lightly on our path?

If our path was littered with shards of broken glass, would we take more care and consider every step.

If every step was counted and taken off our allotted total, would we pause to look around us?

If every pause could be our last, would we see more of the beauty that surrounds us?

If we saw more of the beauty that surrounds us, would we appreciate more the world we walk upon.

If we appreciated the world we walk upon would we be less likely to destroy it.

If we were less likely to destroy our world perhaps we could restore its inherent beauty.

These are all ifs and ifs and buts very rarely lead to positive action

The little boy sitting in the high chair.

Sitting by his mother who didn’t notice he was there.

She didn’t notice he was crying.

For all she knew he could have been dying.

His Nan tore herself away.

Got him out and told him to play.

As soon as he was on the floor he ran away.

His Nan chased after, sat him down in the area where children play.

Nan returned to her seat tutting.

Mum didn’t even know they had been away.

Nan said you will have to watch him.

Mum looked up didn’t say a word.

Nan said I’m of now you will have to watch him.

Mum gave her a glance then looked back to her tablet screen.

The child stood with a toy in each hand, not old enough to say interact with me.

Three generations isolated by technology.

Dainty was a murderer

His wife was not to know

He didn’t mean to kill her

But dealt a mighty blow

She’s buried in a shallow grave

No monument to see

He moved away, his skin to save

He got away Scot free

But we dug up the patio

To sink a post or two

As we know where he did go

His actions he will rue

Dainty was a murderer

His wife was not to know

He didn’t mean to kill her

But he dealt a mighty blow

Walking with the dog along the greening hedgerows

The spring sunshine bringing life back to our world

Drying out the ground that didn’t get frozen or a covering of snow

Now the trees are coming into life their leaves unfurling

The days grow longer more hours to spend in the garden

Beach hut cleaned and repaired ready for the long summer days

Caravan uncovered plans being made for holidays

Winter clothes put away waterproofs we will still be needing.

No more bundling up in layers of clothes to keep out the chill

Shorts and a t shirt will do perfectly well

Our garden will become oh so hot we will have to retreat to the beach hut

There we will find the pleasantest sea breeze oh joy.

I don’t carry a big stick, but I walk where I want to walk.

I don’t fear every stranger that I meet.

I often stop and sometimes we have friendly talk.

It is within my nature to see a stranger and in kinship greet.

I don’t differentiate I say hello to male and female.

Young or old why should I not, it’s the way I am.

From childhood I have been sociable without fear.

I think this is fortunate, as is being born male.

If half of our population feel vulnerable we need to act.

We should all feel safe to walk our streets.

We have enough people feeling oppressed by religious zealots and racist loonies.

We must not let a person’s sex give them a lifetime of fear.

The little boy who rode back and forth

The ferry man was his friend

He saw the elephants wade across the river

He grew up and strong, fished the seaward shore.

Became a man shot ducks across the marsh

Had amorous adventures good and bad

Met and married my mum

Moved away for the benefit of family

The family all grew up left home had family of their own

His wife grew sick and sadly passed away

He seemed ok but didn’t like to be alone

His social ability stopped him from being lonely

Until the day his illness became too much

His once strong body couldn’t take any more

We gathered at the place where he started

Now his ashes flow in and out with the tide

They move past where the ferry used to run

Now he has been joined by his eldest son

The footsteps we leave get worn away

But our descendants are always moving forward

The circle is never closed

When I was a young man many years before today.

I went off with my two best mates to dig bait in Dovercourt bay.

We trundled of bleary eyed at the break of day.

In search of lugworms hiding in the clay.

We hadn’t come for fun it was how we earned our pay.

The work was so engrossing we didn’t notice the waters creeping in.

It filled the holes that we had dug it slowly filled the creeks.

We tried to find a path to shore wading through the marsh with wellies that had leaks.

Eventually we had no choice no path could be found.

We made a plan that they would swim and leave me on high ground.

The high ground wasn’t high enough up to my knees the waters swirled around.

I had to face the fact with acres of water all around I could be drowned.

My mates went off in my van happy to be free.

I stood around wondering how long would I be standing in the sea.

Like a Maldives resident after the ice cap has melted.

Up to my thighs in water damn it my cigarette papers had been wetted.

A childhood spent around water and I never learned to swim.

I suppose it was my own fault that my future was looking grim.

My mates were coming back for me when the waters had receded.

There I was a local boy but now my local knowledge could be derided.

My mates set of for home a cup of tea and a change of clothes.

As they drove they talked and decided to turn around.

They had made up their minds they had better call the lifeboat out.

I was glad to see them and they gave a friendly shout.

Praise be I am saved.

PS

After a dry out and warm up we returned for the next tide more cautious than last time