Front

Does it look all pretty
Have I done it well
Repaired the facade
So that no one could tell

What it looked like before
How it fell in to disrepair
Unkept and unwanted
No one showed it love or care

Are there any cracks still showing
Do the doors look grand
Strong and resistant
To the abuse that is planned

I think so, and I hope you do too
They've turned a corner, all brand new

Does he look better
All fit and well
Repaired the facade
So that none could ever tell

What had happened before
How it almost came to an end
Save for the actions
Of a devoted friend

Are there cracks showing
Yes, I'm afraid that there are
Can't be filled with love or mortar
New house or a new car

Can't be repaired easily
And the damage won't fully go away
Looks like some remnants
Are forever here to stay

I think so, though I'd hoped it wasn't true
Wish you'd turn a corner and be back to you

Places please

Where do you go
When assistance calls
Front of house
Or the orchestra stalls

What do you do
When you've spotted a niche
Shout from the rooftops
Or slip quietly underneath

The slings and arrows
Run and hide from the gallows
Avoid the mirror looking back
Know you're a sheep so black

Put them in their place
Is what I recommend
Bring all the tears and
Anguish to an end
Put them in their place
Make them all see
That what it was
Was simply not meant to be

Phone's ringing loudly
Can I just ignore
It's shrill tone of calling
For evermore

Want a little space
Where I alone can reside
Call it my sanctuary
Or the place that I hide

From the slings and arrows
I don't fear the gallows
And in the mirror looking back
I see that sheep so black

Put me in my place
Is what I recommend
Bring all the longing and yearning
To an end
Put me in my place
One day I'll see
That what it is
Is just not meant to be

Round

I like the theatre
Especially in the round
It shows everything, you see
It never fails to astound

There's no fancy sets
Or sparkles to distract
You closely watch every move
Each sound and every act

It feels more....honest
Everyone's laid bare
It's almost as if you're held
In a glaring, intense stare

You see the front and back
All sides on display
I like the theatre in the round
Come what may

I like people
Especially in the round
So you can see simply everything
They never fail to astound

You see the good and bad
A person as a whole
Nothing hidden from your view
As you gaze in to the soul

It feels more .....honest
You can say 'I know you'
When a book is opened wide
And each page you flick through

And it makes things closer
When walls don't keep you at bay
I love people in the round
Come what may

Singing

The song plays on the radio
As you drive along
Happy, bouncing melody
Nothing could be wrong
No traffic lights, or lack of flow
Can halt your mood, it's green for go
The words or meaning pass you by
It's the tune that makes you fly
In your step there's a definite spring
As you let the music sing

The ditty plays in the supermarket
As you stroll around
You're not yourself at all today
Echoes of strange thoughts abound
Just like the queue, you're moving slow
Absorbed in yourself, a private show
But the tune resonates inside
A connection in which you confide
In your mood there's a small upswing
As you let the music sing

The iPod picks a random track
Doesn't matter where you are
The words stop you cold, stone dead
As the solo's belted out by guitar
It's like it was written just for you
A very personal point of view
Memories brought up from below
Of something, or somebody that you used to know
Each word and line is jarring, stinging
Brings an end to all the singing

Deep

It's two fifty-three
And I'm writing this verse
In slumber it seems
I can't fully immerse
It's the same every night
But in truth getting worse
And in all honesty
It's making me terse
Sandman
Please bring me sleep
My rest is so shallow
Not deep

When morning brings light
And the sun rises again
The battle will commence
On the same old campaign
Though my interest
I'm trying to maintain
And in all honesty
I know I shouldn't complain
Everything
Just falls in to a heap
Time seems so shallow
Not deep

I hear the clock ticking
And I'm approaching that age
Where one often takes stock
Tests their years on some gauge
Do you measure it all
By your wealth or your wage
Or where the spotlight finds you
When you stand on the stage
Achievements
Barely make an audible peep
My vocation seems so shallow
Not deep

It's three fifty-two now
Time to stop banging my drum
I'll be tired tomorrow
Guess I should try to sleep some
Sorry if tonight
I've sounded rather glum
May be I can dream of
What I could still become
Ha!
What you sow you reap
May be it's me that is shallow
Not deep

Shiver

Falling softly from the sky
Each flake is unique
It makes adults groan with despair
And children scream and shriek

What is this magic substance
That changes our whole world
In one fell swoop a pretty blanket
Has been gloriously unfurled

Don our wellies and snowballs make
Or stay in front of fire and bake
Gather up your carrot and coal
Complete your snowman, make him whole

I love, love, love the snow
Don't know if I've ever told you so

Can we get to the Lickey Hills
It's the perfect place to sledge
A chance to test our mettle
As we push over the edge

Racing down, fast we go
Screaming out so loud
Watch others laughing as they go
As one, a joyous crowd

Leave a snow angel where you lie
Giggle endlessly as you look up at the sky
It's more precious than diamonds or gold
I rarely notice that it's cold

I love, love, love the snow
Don't know if I've ever told you so

Spring is due now, any day
Our last chance of snow has gone away
But I hope next winter the clouds deliver
When I watch it fall, in delight I shiver

Subterfuge

Without drive
Without purpose
Everything is
Superfluous
Without drive
Without purpose
What's the point
In being pointless

To disguise the fact
You'll have to use
Well placed lies
Subterfuge
To cover up
The cracks inside
Or there'll be
No place left to hide

Without drive
Without purpose
All of this
Is just a circus
See the ringmaster
Resplendent in red
Watch his soul
Turn to pure lead

Post

Letterbox clatters
Mail falls to the floor
Footsteps race loudly
To collect it from the door

Faces look so happy
Excitement in their eyes
What could have landed
It's all a great surprise

No matter the occasion
What ever is the day
Everyone is galvanized
It's always been that way

Everyone, except for me
The writer here, Mr Three
Even if I'm the addressee
There's no interest or energy
For now can we all agree
The post is not my cup of tea

Envelopes torn apart
What lies inside
Is it a bill or a statement
Or something else besides

Could it be a party invite
A piece of genealogy
A little fact or snippet
To help build the family tree

Have we won a competition
Go on, what is our prize
There's no containing them now
Listen to their cries

Everyone, except for me
But then you know that already
This is the way I'll always be
I tell you all now, honestly
And before you all I do decree
The post is not my cup of tea

Hard

Five steps back
One more to the right
Everything's lined up
Ready for flight

Focus, concentrate
Eyes on the ball
Take a deep breath
Stand tall, stand tall

But it misses again
And not just by a yard
Why is it suddenly
So hard, so hard?

Reset everything
Just like before
Come on man, think
And try it once more

But it misses again
And it puts me on my guard
Why am I making this
So hard, so hard?

I've done it a million times
I can do it eyes closed
But all of a sudden
I'm completely uncomposed

And it misses again
But I've played every card
Why am I making this
So hard, so hard

It's not the technique
I've got that down pat
It's upstairs that's the problem
Don't know how to handle that

Let's go back to basics
All the fancy stuff discard
And may be then this won't be
So hard, so hard

A couple fly through
My shoulders sigh in relief
There's a glimmer of light
And a drop of self belief

But I won't get too cocky
For it's only a shard
Time to stop making this
So hard, so hard

Soft

Some things are hard
Diamonds or stone
Their toughness, robustness
Is very well known
It takes something special
To break them in two
And render them useless
They're not easy to get through
But still it can happen
You can burst through their wall
Then even the hardest
Will eventually fall

Some things are soft
And pliable too
Warm smiles or fair skin
Or a friendship that's new
It's ever so easy
To just tear them to shreds
With a harsh word or bad look
Ending with tears in their beds
But still it can happen
And with little remorse
And sometimes the softest will
Then turn somewhat coarse

Some things are neither
Or both soft and hard
A heart that beats for new love
Or one that's lonely or scarred
It's ever so difficult
To get some to open up
Or heal ones that are hurt
Even when you're close-up
But still it can happen
Just needs someone to care
Keep on trying, it'll happen
I promise, I swear

Dadosaurus

Who's that beast
With the terrible growl?
Don't make it cross
It'll give you a scowl
Please, please, shush
It's got a horrible mush
It's the Grumposaurus

Quietly, quietly
Am sure it's here
That dreadful thing
That makes us disappear
Up to bed
Making our tears shed
It's the Moanosaurus

It's tummy is round
It's burps a truly horrible sound
With a hairy body
And DIY that's shoddy
It burns the dinner
Making us much thinner
It's blind as a bat without it's specs
And growls more than a big T-Rex

Where's the beast
When we want to play?
Probably necking
Some cabernet
It screams at the telly
Just look at it's belly
It's the Shoutosaurus

It loves it's girls
With their straight hair and curls
Even when they make a mess
And cause much stress
It wouldn't change a thing
They're it's everything
From the first light of day
Till the sun drifts away

Who's that beast
So soft deep inside
Telling everyone
They're it's joy and pride
No shouting tonight
Because they're gorgeous and bright
It's the Dadosaurus

Applause

Stop to listen
Hold the thought
Imagination's
Captured, caught

Wait for a response
Eye meets eye
Connected again
You can't deny

The role was played
Beautifully
Beyond compare
Exemplary
Lines delivered
Without a pause
So stand and wait
For your applause

But nothing's heard as you bow
Tell me, what will you do now?

Curtain rises
On another show
Time to act
It's all you know

Does the crowd smile
When you play this part
Do you feel them tug at
Your intellect or heart?

The role was played
Dreadfully
Beyond contempt
I pity thee
Lines delivered
Without a pause
So stand and wait
For boos from the stalls

They won't listen as you bow
Tell me, what will you do now?

The sound of Sunday

Pitter patter rain drops
Coffee cups clink
Tired eyes open slowly
And give a little blink
It's the sound of Sunday

Tv plays far too loud
As they're tucked up in their bed
Tweets ping quite a few times
Some things must be said
It's the sound of Sunday

Key turns, engine thrums
Empty seats are filled by bums
Dash, splash, the morning's cool
Off to dancing, acting, singing school

Trolleys rattle endlessly
The supermarket's full
People jostle in the queue
There cries are oh so dull
It's the sound of Sunday

Cooker beeps, the roast is ready
Pour the gravy, keep it steady
Peas, please, pile it on
They'll loudly munch till it's all gone

Then Monday morning
Rings a loud bell
It's everyone's
Idea of hell
It's the sound of Sunday

And finally we head upstairs
To toss and turn and snore
The weekend's passed so quietly
When we'd hoped for something more
It's the sound of Sunday

Morning after

Daylight calls
With stomps on floor
Bangs and rattles
Just like before

Do they not know the time?
Or volume control
I just want to stay
Sleeping in my hole

But alas dear reader
It's not meant to be
Look at the clock
It's six thirty

They never wake
This early for school
Is this some unwritten
Torturous rule

Created by
My good friend Sod?
I know him well
He gives a friendly nod

The morning after
The sleepover before
Doesn't bring an end
To task or chore

Hungry tummies
Need filling you see
While Zack and Cody
Play on tv

Best leave here now
There's things to do
Enjoy your lie in
Wish I were you

Practice

It makes perfect
So they say
But who wants perfect
Anyway?

It's the little flaws
That makes us unique
The chinks in the armour
That proves we're weak

That little blemish
On beautiful fair skin
That shows the flaws
That reside deep within

Who wants to become seasoned
Polished or prepared
When there's a myriad of blind spots
That need to be shared

And must be explored
Without malice or intent
Then as friends together
We can better compliment

Our moods and dispositions
Melancholy or glad
Can be better prepared
For happy or sad

So let's practice together
Share all eventually
But who wants perfect?
Not me.