21 Minutes

In twenty ones minutes
The bell will ring
Smiling faces
From school will spring

Jubilant to escape
At the end of the day
Well, that's probably the teachers
Anyway

So can I write a verse
In that short space?
Make some sense
In all that haste?

Especially as
I'm not feeling so chatty
Truth be told
I'm off-colour and ratty

Don't know what's
Led to this strange mood
Probably lack and sleep
And an absence of food

My hunger goes
When I don't feel all tip top
Not sensing I'm Three
And not looking like Drop

Six minutes are gone now
With fifteen to go
Considering I'm so quiet
It's got a good flow

May be I should come here more
When things are 'off'
Not at the top of my game
With some cold or a cough

Yes, I do think so
I shall visit the place
When I'm missing my smile
And seem off the pace

Cause it's easy to talk
When no one replies
My words just fly off
In to the grey skies

It's comforting to know
There's an outlet for me
Where everything's safe
And I can be Three

Fifteen twenty one now
I'm ahead of the game
If only in verses
Pity not everything's the same

Time to lock up
Both my voice and the car
May be tomorrow
I won't be so below par

Stop to listen

What are you thinking?
What crossed your mind?
There was a look in your eyes
I'm struggling to find

An answer to. A response
To unlock what's inside
Nothing to do with
My selfishness or pride

Want to know, understand
What makes you tick
Apologies if you
Consider me thick

But I have a small flaw
In this armour of mine
And it's always reoccurring
Time after time

I don't stop to listen
Just get carried away
Excited, enthused
Call it what you may
I don't stop to listen
As much as I should
Don't often hear bad
And never hear good
So make me stop and listen
Please, I implore
It's the only way
I can be certain, or sure

I didn't understand
That message you sent
Can't read between lines
Or pick your intent

I rarely get the message
Unless you tell me straight
I'm useless at subtle
I need a bull at the gate

I have such a flaw
In this armour, I know
And only one thing
Will channel the flow

I don't stop to listen
Just get carried away
Excited, enthused
Call it what you may
I don't stop to listen
As much as I should
Don't often hear bad
And never hear good
So make me stop and listen
Please, I implore
It's the only way
I can be certain, or sure

Please make me stop and listen
I'll never learn otherwise
Don't want the depth of your feelings
To be a surprise

Aisle

I wander along
Singing my song
Don't get the words right
And sometimes the tune's all wrong

But it belongs to me
Each verse and melody
Mistakes will often be made
And there'll be plenty, you'll see

And here's where you come in
Through thick and thin
Help me make it better
Show me where I should begin

Walk in my aisle
Show me a smile
Spend a little while
Please, take my hand
Play in my aisle
Free from guile
And sooner or later I'll
Start to understand

I'll stop to browse
For as long as time allows
Your patience is appreciated
I'll try to keep my vows

Help me up when I fail
It's a learning curve, a steep scale
And with me common sense
Doesn't always prevail

Walk in my aisle
Just for a while
And I promise that I'll
Try to understand
Play in my aisle
Hope I don't rile
You and spoil that smile
It's not what I planned

Walk in my aisle
Be it wrong or be it right
So that I finally understand
And sleep better at night

Whisper

Don't know what I want to say
But I'll type here, anyway
Not sure what words I need
To cast my line or plant a seed

Everything seems in limbo
Don't know where to turn or where to go
Everything seems in limbo
You know?

I stopped and took a breath or two
But nothing's clearer, it's not shone through
That beam of magic, that shining thought
Can't be begged, borrowed pinched or bought

Everything seems in limbo
Unspoken words never flow
Everything seems in limbo
You know?

So whisper to me
Let's talk, let's see
Where the path takes us
What we'll be
So whisper it all
I'm prepared for the fall
Let it go softly
Set out your stall

Still don't know what to say
Can't bluster or babble, not today
Gonna sit in silence, internally
Find the essence, hopefully

Everything seems in limbo
Time to put it all in stow
But I'll still be here in limbo
You know?

Whisper to me
You know I'll be
Just what you want
Eventually
Whisper without care
Be firm, of fixed stare
Take a moment, deep breath
Give those thoughts air

Whisper to me
Honestly
And all will be fine
You'll see

Clear air

Step outside in to clear air
Feel the wind blow through your hair
Take a second to stop and stare
Internally, forget every care

What do you feel when there's just you?
Is it something you never do?
Clear the clouds to just leave blue
Everyone should feel brand new

So close your eyes, let yourself fly
Dare you dare to ride so high?
To the place where you can't deny
The dreams that sparkle in your eye

It there a voice, a word or sound
That brings you back down to the ground?
That swallows your dreams that fly around
Till all are silently sadly drowned

Can I help to find your wings?
Pull just one or a hundred strings
Fight battles with a thousand kings
Face arrows and their stones from slings

For something now just must be done
So your dreams from thread are weaved and spun
Till all that's left is just the one
You keep in your heart till forever's run

Interval admission

Curtain falls
A break in proceedings
The actors depart
The end of dancing or readings

Audience stay seated
Or stand and take a walk
The room fills with chatter
And excited talk

Mini-reviews
Can be heard all around
'That was exciting'
'That made me frown'

'His dancing was exquisite'
'He flew through the air'
'Was that meant to happen
When he fell from the chair?'

Ice-creams appear
Folk head to the bars
Others drink in the ambience
Left by the stars

The energy created
From the bright stage
Makes it very simple
For us all to engage

With each other and them
Those playing the parts
Tugging at our intellect
And sometimes our hearts

With their softly spoken words
Or footfalls so sweet
Lighting all so subtle
Sets splendidly replete

I love the theatre
Musicals and ballet too
From grandiose production
To back-room revue

I love the theatre
And really should go more
Why don't you come with me
And I'll show you the score

It doesn't matter

It doesn't matter
Is what I'll say
Because 'it doesn't matter'
Is just a phrase anyway
Like 'fine' or 'ok'
Or 'I'll be alright'
Things you think to yourself
In the dead of night
It doesn't matter
Is what I'll say
Because it doesn't matter
Anyway

What wrong with you
Are some words I'll ignore
Pretend I'm distracted
Or being a bore
Locked in my own world
For an hour or three
Want some quiet time
Am just not feeling me
What's wrong with you
Are some words I'll ignore
Because it doesn't matter
That's for sure

Debt of words

There are many

There are a few

Words that I'm torn

On saying to you

So many thoughts

Each day I see

Floating in my head

Endlessly

Round and round

No noise, no sound

Without beginning, and no end

Know that I should have penned

Every drip, every drop

That ran non-stop

Through my heart and my mind

In which you're entwined

Days breaks slowly

Awake I've long been

Many different scenarios

I have seen

Some good, some bad

Flashed before my eyes

Have I won or lost

What was the prize

Round and round

No noise, no sound

Without beginning, and no end

Know that I should have penned

Every drip, every drop

That ran non-stop

Through my heart and my mind

In which you're entwined

Find myself

In no man's land

Don't always

Genuinely understand

Where it's all at

As the day grows

With the beats of my heart

And how my blood flows