I do not ask for forty years To H on his birthday I do not ask for forty years,Forty months, or forty days What use are numbersWhen, in one moment,who cares when or how long ago,I threw my garden openAnd you, a little dizzy or read more

Just a garden To Stuart I do not ask for forty years,Forty months, or forty days What use are numbersWhen, in one moment,who cares when or how long ago,I threw my garden openAnd you, a little dizzy or out of control perhaps,Dashed in and dared read more

The Homeopath What about your anger she saidClipboard angled, biro poisedWhat makes you angry? Jeez – I thought – that would need years Rational or irrational rage, I said – I like even saying rage – Buying time. Irrational she supposed, thrownThe rational tap I read more

You’ve Gone To Stuart You’ve goneA few hours ago I left you at the pierUnlike the glass we dumped yesterdayYou stared as I drove up the braePowerless to objectUnable to prevent another routine parting Almost colliding with a careering late comerI reached home intactInternal wounds read more

All Dreams Die I enter my other world where pain – a brutal sun – rises so slowly I hardly know its pointless orbit has begun Then – too late – it floods my landscape. Higher, harsher more violent rays find my soul and all read more

Caring To Isabel Cecily Dowling I have cut up credit cardsTaking care no number, name or signatureCould be read I have run panting after new technologiesFearing the world would spin off without me In betweenI flew in hasteTo wheel my mother’s chairThrough Lower HuttSinging hymnsTo read more

Communicating is Tricky This year I’ve decided to learn to talk To myself That way – once I’ve got the hang of it And do it so well I don’t know I’m doing it – I can branch out and begin talking to Well … read more

In The Drawer with Your Socks He was a “where did you put my” manAlways on the moveas soon as he saw a woman he’d say“where did you put my” – and stare. His brother was a” have you seen my” manAnd they had a read more

The Interview Well now – let me seeA pretty face – that’s a start Can you smile, make teaFetch, carry,clean up messes, finish sentencesRemember, remind, respond, react Can you shop, decorateLie for me, type for meLook lovely to me Can you stare at fleshHairy chests, read more

If you could only make something of yourself I could love you It’s as simple as that My child Why not knit yourself up into say a lawyer Or a doctor – even a teacher would do There are lots of patterns these days And read more

No Stopper When she said she was coldHe bought her a huge red hot water bottleWith a fluffy cover And no stopper He meant wellIt looked lovely to him I’m cold, she said (shaking)I need a stopper Cold!I bought you a huge red hot water read more

Best Before I should have noticed your best before dateNot assumed your ardour was freshWell rooted in nourishing experience I should have checked your shelf lifeInvestigated that hissBefore it became a whooshYour passion a wrinkled balloonFlaccid like your grin