Jump through a hoop
and walk a tightrope
pull off a jig on the side
laugh like you like it.
They toss you in the air
and jeer at your jest.
You hang on to a pole,
waltz through the vault,
it’s all about flexibility —
twisting to their humour.
You have your training,
in swinging and spinning
whether a club or your head,
you look like a buffoon,
part of the human zoo.
Life’s a circus, ain’t it?
I scroll through drafts
old rants, and musings
interesting, a few boring
so much of controversy
splashing enlightenment.
Perhaps I should rework,
rekindle dying flames.
People love old stories,
advice from grannies.
I could just rephrase
the title and the lines
No one would know
that I’ve reused words.
No one needs to know
of that great block
blocking my world.
Because none knows
it is that intimidating
to stare, sitting on a table,
at a blank page, unable.
Children in groups,
they knock on doors
and step on the toes
of unpleasant foes
they sing old carols
and cheeriness befalls
they eat chocolate balls
and ignore mother’s calls
‘Cos they find their calling
in a season’s greeting.
Flurry skirts swirled
Tropical shirts followed
The Beatles bug surfaced
And flip phones were hip
Jumpsuits and wristbands
Meant fashion, not health
Curly blondes and redheads
Had dinner with Jackson
With a pop tart for dessert
They turned the page over
That turns the world over
Mini’s the new skirt
And tank tops make the day
Beatles are broken records
While phones have an extra i
Jumpsuits mean business
Semi-casual and sensuous
Straight cuts date pixie styles
While Harry Styles hums away
But let’s skip the dessert
Cos’ I’m on a strict diet.
I screamed, and screamed, and screamed.
I swore, I cried, and I tried
I want you back to rest on my back
And love like we swore we would
But when you went under that bumper
And I saw just your jumper
I knew you were gone.
I knew we were gone.
But then came Jimmy,
Someone, they said, to love,
To heal the scars you left me with.
But one dog for another —
Love doesn’t work that way.
The Chaos Within 