Poetry

It's 1095 days since we first met
We went to the art gallery at Southbank
And you spent most of the time admiring my arse
You were obviously confused
Although I suppose they do sound similar, art and arse
I didn't know this until afterwards
But I didn't mind as long as it made you happy
I was flattered that you thought my arse was better to look at than the Spanish masters
This was the beginning of how you made me feel good about myself and comfortable in the shadow of your smile
We went for a walk across the Kurilpa Bridge, but your shoes weren't made for walking so we came back
Our first taste of flexibility and doing what felt right for each other
We never looked back
1095 days sounds longer than 3 years
But every day has been a good one
At first we looked forward to seeing each other
Then we looked forward to spending more time together
Then we looked forward to waking up together
Now we just look forward to being together and not so much to being apart
Anticipation is a powerful aphrodisiac
I don't think one of those 1095 days has been without laughter
I know none of them have passed without thinking of each other
The recipe is simple
Honesty, Transparency, No drama, Thoughtfulness, Caring, Sharing , Listening
And lots and lots of laughter and smiles
I look forward to seeing that number grow from 1095 to 6000 and beyond

Can it be that long
Since you became a part of my song
Not just a chorus
But many verses long

6 years have gone since we first met
On a Sunday afternoon in Brisbane
How lucky can we get
I don't think that we expected
It would turn out quite this way
When we first met on that very special day

And while the time just seems to vanish
We've packed a whole lot in
We have memories to cherish
That often make us grin

Sometimes we forget more than we remember
But it always makes us laugh
And to help our ageing memories we have lots of photographs
Your plan's to get me into onesies
Mine's to avoid at any cost
But the one thing we're agreed on is we're glad our journeys crossed

If you see a door then knock on it
Because if you don't you'll never know
What's behind that door of opportunity
You only reap what first you sow

Our paths crossed 9 September
Eleven years since mum passed on
Was it by chance another Catherine was sent to love her son
I don't think that it was chance; I think it was always meant to be
She would have loved you dearly
Just as she loved me

So thank you for six perfect years
And here's to many, many more
I'm so glad that you didn't hesitate
To knock upon my door

Did we meet by accident or was it meant to be?
Did I go online with purpose
Knowingyou were waitingthere for me
Or did we just coincide on that first date and every second since
If you told me you were seeking me
I would be easy to convince

In the end it doesn't matter
Because meet we did and together we remain
And whatever happens now
Our lives will never be the same

I didn't think that I was looking
I was happy as I was
But looking or not looking I'm happier because
I knowI've found my soul mate
The one I've been looking for
I need look no longer
I've found who I was looking for

A soul mate is not something
That everybody finds
But It's wonderful when the same thing goes through two completely separate minds
But maybe that's the secret
They're not separate minds at all
They just got parted for a while
And we're just waiting for the call

Someone who's heart beats in time with yours
Someone who doesn't just accept you as you are
Someone who enjoys you faults and all
And who's always on your mind
No matter if you're near or far

So no we didn't meet by accident
I know that we were meant to be
We just took some time a travelling
To where we both could see
That our souls were joined together
And our hearts were so much lighter for the pleasure
Of travelling different journeys at our leisure
Through the rest of life's sweet mystery

Like a diamond in a silver mine

She shines her light on me

Something I did not expect to find

Maybe she found me

She tells me what I need to hear

Not what my ears can bear

And I trust her implicitly

So, I listen without fear

She guides my star along the way

So that my path is true

Where would I be my darling girl

If I did not have you

To find someone so late in life

That fits you like a glove

Is like a diamond in a silver mine

The perfect kind of love

I have no further need for mining

I found the secret lode

My diamond in the silver mine

I found my happy road

You're all I ever wanted

You're all I really need

You fill up all my spaces

You're the book I love to read

You're the smile that I come home to

You're the smile that starts my day

You fill my thoughts even when I'm busy

You make everything ok

Sometimes we get lucky

and things fall into place

I got lucky, darling girl

when I first saw your face

So happy birthday darling girl

The fifth since we first met

On that day back in September

By virtue of the internet

It took a long time for our paths to cross

Through all the journeys that we made

But cross they did & blessed we are

Before our days began to fade

Rumi in his wisdom said

Lovers don't finally meet somewhere

They're in each other all along

It's hard to argue with the man

You were always in my song

You grew up in London

North of the border's where I'm from

And yet our paths crossed in Brisbane

Many years after we were born

Rumi in his wisdom said

Lovers don't finally meet somewhere

They're in each other all along

It's hard to argue with the man

You were always in my song

If your dad didn't come back to Australia

If I hadn't sought adventures new

I'd never have ended up in Brisbane

To cross my path with you

Rumi in his wisdom said

Lovers don't finally meet somewhere

They're in each other all along

It's hard to argue with the man

You were always in my song

It took too long to happen

We spent too many years apart

But now you're in my song forever

Two souls beating in one heart

We met, we clicked
Our Luck was in
You made me the happiest I've ever been
We didn't have to work at it
We were in that perfect place
I knew I'd found what I was looking for
The first time I saw your face

I didn't want a substitute
I wanted you to be the one
I can't begin to thank you
You're the full moon to my sun
And now we're heading off to Stanthorpe
For Cath & Ben part two
And I can't wait to spend my dimming days with you

So happy anniversary my darling girl
Waking up with you is still a thrill
Six years have gone so fast
But it has really been a blast
Soon it will just be thee and me
(And Noodle of course)
The perfect three

Another Christmas with you
What could be better than that?
Last year around this time we were just getting to know each other
Who could have guessed it would come around again so fast
And we'd still be together and thinking now of future Christmases to come
Not even considering that next Christmas we wouldn't be together
Making plans for the future
Doing things we want to do and visiting places we've always wanted to visit
Sharing dreams and daring to dream of new adventures
How did we get this lucky you and I
How did our worlds collide and place us in such perfect symmetry
Were we always heading along some parallel path leading to the same destination?
But how did those parallel lines converge so that we crossed paths when we did
Did an angel intervene and bring those lines together so we could see each other
And then left it up to us to seize the opportunity or not as the case may be
How many people don't see the opportunities in front of them
Or even worse see the opportunity but don't grab it and live the rest of their lives regretting what might have been
No regrets for you and I darling girl
We saw those lines converge and we understood what that meant
Not overtly but instinctively and we grabbed that opportunity with both hands because angels don't intervene for just any old souls
Another Christmas with you darling girl and many more to come

Another page has turned
The book is building up its leaves
more to look back on than yet to come
But nothing there to grieve

It's not a bad read so far
These somewhat tattered pages
Looking back throughout my ages
From birth to where I am right now

There's more smiles than tears
More comfort than fears
More friends than foes
More successes than woes

And I think the best is yet to come
From where I'm sitting now
With each blank page in front of me
And pastures fresh to plough

I think I've got a bit more life to give
And it's all yours Mrs White
You're my beacon, my great big shining star
You'll be on every page I write

So let's write the next chapters together
Let's write them hand in hand
Let's walk into the sunset
In our bare feet on the sand

Let's fill each and every page
With adventures big and small
Let's laugh and sing and dance
Until the piper calls

And when we look back
On however many years we had
We will know that it was perfect
The best time we ever had

So this is my birthday wish to me
And my birthday wish to you
May I have many birthdays more
To dance and laugh with you

I want to walk down a thousand strange streets with you
Eat a thousand new dishes sitting next to you
Share kisses in a thousand new rooms with you
Blow out a thousand candles one by one as I make slow love to you
Travel a thousand, thousand miles with you
Share a thousand smiles with you
Run my fingers down your back a thousand times for you
Create a thousand effervescent bubbles in the night for you
Spend a thousand lives with you
Declare my love a hundred thousand times for you
And watch the sunset in your eyes a thousand times with you
Rub a thousand vials of oil into your skin for you
Make you a thousand times happier than you thought you could be
And tell you a hundred thousand times how much you mean to me
My love my darling girl my thousand carat gift to me

I get a great big ball of warmth
Welling up inside of me
Every time I think of you
That's how you make me feel

And the anticipation of your smile
Keeps me going for a while
I'm truly blessed by knowing you
That's how you make me feel

That's how you make me feel
You make me feel I'm real
And the feeling deep inside of me
Confirms that you're the real deal

It's a special thing we have
We're lucky and we know it
And we know it's well worth working for
That's how you make me feel

That's how you make me feel
You make me feel I'm real
And the feeling deep inside of me
Confirms that you're the real deal

And I know you feel the same
I know I have the same effect
Our pulses beat in harmony
What else would you expect?

That's how you make me feel
You make me feel I'm real
And the feeling deep inside of me
Confirms that you're the real deal

You are beautiful in so many ways
And I cherish every day
I bask in the glow of your smile
You simply don't understand
How beautiful you are
But I hope that you will learn it in a while

You don't realise the effect you have
On the people in your space
You're such a kind & thoughtful human being
You live your life with such simple grace
And it shines out through your face
And you're the only one that isn't seeing

So thank you for simply being you
Thank you for the gift you are to me
Thank you for the special times we share
Thank you for the Cath you let me see
Thank you for the smile you put upon my face
Thank you for the style you've added to my place
Thank you for the way you make me feel
Thank you for the things about me you reveal

Dearest darling Cath
I can't believe you don't think you're beautiful to me
When the smile that fills your face
Is like the morning sun I see

When the light that fills your eyes
Is everyday a sweet surprise
That fills me full of so much joy
And makes me feel just like a boy

When the way you move turns me on
When your touch on my skin is like the breaking dawn
How can you ever believe I think of you
As anything but beautiful

I love that girlish look you have
Each and every time you see me
That special look I know
Is reservedfor only me

I love the touch of your skin
When I run my fingers down your spine
I love the touch of your hands
When you're holding yours in mine

I know you know I love you
In many different ways
But hear me when I tell you
Your beauty brightens up my days

I know that as a woman
You judge yourself in the way that women do
But I cannot be constrained by that
I just love the beauty that's uniquely you

I can't explain it any better
Than the words I've used above
I just see all kinds of beauty
In the darlingCath I love

I look at ample women differently because of you
I can appreciate their beauty because of you
Although my eyes still wander over long-legged blondes
Of course, you know they do

I laugh a lot because of you
I rarely cry over things you do
I smile on waking up each day because of you
Long-legged blondes don't really interest me because of you

Because of you, I can be me
Not some perfect being that's never really free
To evolve in my own imperfect way
Dealing with the challenges of each and every day
And I love you just the way you are
My own imperfect superstar

You were born in a faraway land
Not far away from me
But we didn't get the chance to meet
until the internet let you see
I wasn't there for the past
But I'll be there for the rest
I'll be there for the best
And I hope that we will be blessed
By many more years

To find your best friend
In your twilight years
Someone who helps you
deal with your fears
Is a blessing indeed
A blessing so sweet
That it peels away years
So don't shed any tears
For another birthday

I breathe easily with you
Because you make me free
You make the breath flow through me
Like the river to the sea

So breathe me in
And let me be
The energy
That sets you free

I sleep easily with you
Because you make me free
You make my heart beat with a different rhythm
The rhythm that is you and me

So breathe me in
And let me be
The energy
That sets you free

I love easily with you
Because you make me free
You energise my soul
Like the sun and the rain feed the roots of the tree

So breathe me in
So you can be
The energy
That sets me free

You're a lawn mower operator baby
You cut those stupid people down to size
They know not to mess with you
When they see that look in your eyes

You're an electrician baby
Fully charged and ready to go
You're totally wired for electric love
You're ready to go go go

You're a doctor baby
Write me a prescription for hot love
But you don't do it on the bottom
You prefer to be above

You're a mechanic baby
You've got my engine roaring
Fuel injection high octane
There's no way that you're boring

You're a baker baby
You know how to make me rise
Put me in your oven baby
Fill me full of sweet surprise

You're a computer programmer baby
You apply pure logic to the task
You talk in coded language
But you do anything I ask

You're a politician baby
You tell me what I want to hear
But you like erections not elections
On that you are quite clear

You're a psychiatrist baby
You understand my mind
But when you analyse me
All my imperfections you will find

You're a truck driver baby
Oh yes you like to - drive your truck
But when you shift to top gear
I know that I'm in luck

You're a dentist baby
You like to play inside my mouth
But when you lecture me on oral hygiene
You encourage me to go down south

You're a rocket scientist baby
But you don't like to get there fast
You're about the journey not the destination
You much prefer to make it last

You're a teacher baby
You've taught me such a lot
I was such an ingenue
But now I know how to do the fox trot

You're a vet baby
But you don't treat my like a dog
After we've been together
I sleep just like a hog

You're a policeman baby
And while I've never been arrested
The quality of your truncheon
Has surely been attested

You're a businessman baby
And you sure mean business with me
You check out all my assets
And forget my liabilities

You're an astronaut baby
You take me to the stratosphere
When I'm with you baby
I don't see nobody else here

You run a delicatessen store baby
But small goods a'int for you
You want Everything in full measure baby
When I make sweet love to you

Your'e a hairdresser baby
Give me a wash & cut
Get down & dirty with me baby
But don't Treat me like a slut

You're a green grocer baby
But you're anything but green with me
You give me full measure baby
Your ample shelf more than satisfied me

You're a banker baby
Yes you heard me right
I don't plan to make no withdrawal
When we get up close tonight

You're a lumberjack baby
But I'll cut you down to size
I'm less interested in the size of your tree
Than how you look into my eyes

You're an accountant baby
So I guess you're good with money
But the figures won't add up
Unless you treat me special honey

You're an economist baby
But don't make assumptions 'bout what I need
I'm looking for inflation
So my expectations you'll exceed

You're an artist baby
Your palette is so fine
Paint me any colour you choose
Just promise you'll be mine

You're a train driver baby
But you never run out of steam
You keep my engine running
And maintain my self esteem

You're a fireman baby
I want to slide up and down your pole
And when my fire's burning bright
You can satisfy my soul

You're a beekeeper baby
You extract honey from my hive
And when you're around my honeypot
It feels good to be alive

You're a trainer baby
Teach me how to do it right
And when I've perfected my technique
We can fornicate all night

You're a sous chef baby
Cook me long & slow & tender
Baste me with your juices
Good feelings to engender

You're a sea captain baby
Set your compass heading south
Then lie down here beside me
And I'll tell you where to put your mouth

You're a songwriter baby
You write such beautiful rhymes
And when I spend time with you
We have such wonderful times

You're a lawn mower operator baby
You cut those stupid people down to size
They know not to mess with you
When they see that look in your eyes

You're an electrician baby
Fully charged and ready to go
You're totally wired for electric love
You're ready to go go go

You're a doctor baby
Write me a prescription for hot love
But you don't do it on the bottom
You prefer to be above

You're a mechanic baby
You've got my engine roaring
Fuel injection high octane
There's no way that you're boring

You're a baker baby
You know how to make me rise
Put me in your oven baby
Fill me full of sweet surprise

You're a computer programmer baby
You apply pure logic to the task
You talk in coded language
But you do anything I ask

You're a politician baby
You tell me what I want to hear
But you like erections not elections
On that you are quite clear

You're a psychiatrist baby
You understand my mind
But when you analyse me
All my imperfections you will find

You're a truck driver baby
Oh yes you like to - drive your truck
But when you shift to top gear
I know that I'm in luck

You're a dentist baby
You like to play inside my mouth
But when you lecture me on oral hygiene
You encourage me to go down south

You're a rocket scientist baby
But you don't like to get there fast
You're about the journey not the destination
You much prefer to make it last

You're a teacher baby
You've taught me such a lot
I was such an ingenue
But now I know how to do the fox trot

You're a vet baby
But you don't treat my like a dog
After we've been together
I sleep just like a hog

You're a policeman baby
And while I've never been arrested
The quality of your truncheon
Has surely been attested

You're a businessman baby
And you sure mean business with me
You check out all my assets
And forget my liabilities

You're an astronaut baby
You take me to the stratosphere
When I'm with you baby
I don't see nobody else here

You run a delicatessen store baby
But small goods a'int for you
You want Everything in full measure baby
When I make sweet love to you

Your'e a hairdresser baby
Give me a wash & cut
Get down & dirty with me baby
But don't Treat me like a slut

You're a green grocer baby
But you're anything but green with me
You give me full measure baby
Your ample shelf more than satisfied me

You're a banker baby
Yes you heard me right
I don't plan to make no withdrawal
When we get up close tonight

You're a lumberjack baby
But I'll cut you down to size
I'm less interested in the size of your tree
Than how you look into my eyes

You're an accountant baby
So I guess you're good with money
But the figures won't add up
Unless you treat me special honey

You're an economist baby
But don't make assumptions 'bout what I need
I'm looking for inflation
So my expectations you'll exceed

You're an artist baby
Your palette is so fine
Paint me any colour you choose
Just promise you'll be mine

You're a train driver baby
But you never run out of steam
You keep my engine running
And maintain my self esteem

You're a fireman baby
I want to slide up and down your pole
And when my fire's burning bright
You can satisfy my soul

You're a beekeeper baby
You extract honey from my hive
And when you're around my honeypot
It feels good to be alive

You're a trainer baby
Teach me how to do it right
And when I've perfected my technique
We can fornicate all night

You're a sous chef baby
Cook me long & slow & tender
Baste me with your juices
Good feelings to engender

You're a sea captain baby
Set your compass heading south
Then lie down here beside me
And I'll tell you where to put your mouth

You're a songwriter baby
You write such beautiful rhymes
And when I spend time with you
We have such wonderful times

Your Christmas present didn't arrive
It got returned by the courier damaged
And they didn't have a replacement
I thought at first it was a scam
Because I had already received a message
To say it hadn't been picked up yet
But no I think it was genuine

Anyway it was perfume
And I'm sure it would have been lovely
But that's life in 2019
I'm a retiree now
things don't always go to plan
In fact I have to say there is no plan
Other than spending more precious time with you
Which is more of a dream than a plan
A luxury in fact
Aye lass a luxury

As we approach the new year
And plan for the next stage of our life together
I am full of delight at the simple pleasures
we have to look forward to
Up early, nap in the middle of the day
Eat when and what we want
With nobody but us to worry about
Aye lass a luxury

I'll pop into the office every now and then
But even now a few days after retirement
I can feel the pressure's gone
And I don't have a care in the world
I'll miss coming home to you every night
Because I enjoyed the anticipation
But I'll enjoy being in the same space
Rather than just having you in my thoughts

So a happy gift free Christmas darling girl
You can unwrap me later if you feel inclined
Or wrap me in your arms
Just you and me combined
Christmas 2019 and many more to come
With just thee and me
and Noodle makes three
Until the setting of our sun

I brushed my lips against your eyes

Just to hear you sigh

I pressed my lips against your lips

So you could taste the coffee I'd just sipped

I said my fond farewells

And wished you smiles throughout the day

And looked forward to your smile when I got home

And then I stepped into the fray

I'm driving home and I'm smiling
In anticipation of you
Sitting at the kitchen bench
Lying sleeping on the couch
Preparing dinner
It doesn't really matter
It's YOU I'm anticipating
Not what you're doing
I'm anticipating the smile on your face
As I walk through the door
Glasses misted over
from the aircon in my car
You laugh as my eyes gradually appear through the mist
We hug and we hold that hug for a while
We read that a 30 second hug is good for your health
But hey we knew that
Didn't need the research to tell us
But we don't do it for our health
Hell that's just a bonus
We do it because we love it
There's nothing better than that physical contact
At the end of the working day
First thing in the morning
Every time's a good time to hug
And we're together again just the way we like it
You and me
My skin on your skin
Your skin on mine
One skin
Our skin
Perfect

There are no consequences of loving you
Everything just plays out as it is
I don't have to change who I am
To be captured by your kiss

I don't have to modify my behaviour
I don't have to dress a particular way
I can just be who I've grown up to be
I don't have to worry about the price I have to pay

You can't imagine how empowering that feeling is
Just to be accepted for the man I am
because I didn't get here lightly girl
It took a while to grow into this man

I used to worry about what people thought
But I gave that up long ago
Now I do what I feel is right
And those who don't like can blow

But you fit my jigsaw perfectly
The missing piece that makes it feel complete
You love my strengths and accept my weaknesses
Because of you, my soul's replete

There are no consequences of loving you
Everything just plays out as it is
I don't have to change who I am
To be captured by your kiss

From the curve of her smile
To the curve of her arse
She's the one that makes me smile
She's the one that I would walk 100 miles for
She's my sweetheart from the Emerald Isle

She's the one that makes me wake up
With a smile upon my face
She's the one that reassures me
That I'm in exactly the right place

She's the one that I'll retire with
That I'll gift my remaining years to
That I'll travel my last journey with
Happy that it's just we two

From the curve of her smile
To the curve of her arse
She's the one that makes me smile
She's the one that I would walk 100 miles for
She's my sweetheart from the Emerald Isle

She's the one that makes me happy
Each and every single day
She's the one that I come home to
At the end of each day

From the curve of her smile
To the curve of her arse
She's the one that makes me smile
She's the one that I would walk 100 miles for
She's my sweetheart from the Emerald Isle

I'm so lucky that I met her
Back in September 2012
God bless the World Wide Web
It didn't leave me on the shelf

From the curve of her smile
To the curve of her arse
She's the one that makes me smile
She's the one that I would walk 100 miles for
She's my sweetheart from the Emerald Isle

When the darkness comes upon you
Let me be your light
Let me chase away the shadows
And make everything alright

If ever you are troubled
Let me be the one to ease your pain
Let me be the one to ease the pressure
So it doesn't bother you again

When you're chasing off your demons
And the pressure's getting hard to bear
I know how hard you're struggling
And I know it isn't fair

When you're feeling fragile
Let me be your strength
Let me be your patience
You know I'll go to any length

Wherever I am,darling girl
Even when you're home in bed
You know you're right beside me
Right here in my head

So let me push away the darkness
Let me be your light
When you feel a little flat
I'll be your Mr Right, Mrs White

I met this lovely girl called Cath
She took me down a brand new path
She calls me her darling man
So I know I'm not some also ran
She holds me tightly to her heart
And I'm partial to her other parts
Life is good life is sweet
Since Cath I did chance to meet
On the interweb it was one day
Who says browsing doesn't pay

I laughed in your dream
And you laughed in mine
Apparently at random
But at the same time

Are we really that tight?
That we share dreams as well
You laughed and I laughed
Like we were under a spell

Or were we just laughing
At two different things
Just laughing while sleeping
Is that what love brings

You don't understand it
And neither do I
But the laughter was real
Not something money can buy

To be so truly happy
That we laugh while we sleep
Is a treasure worth having
And one that we'll keep

We'll remember forever
And one day we'll say
Do you remember the night?
We laughed at the same time
And in the same way

I am just a drifter when you're not here with me
Do things really happen if you're not here to see
Does the sun come up each morning
Without your head upon my shoulder
Does time stand still without you or am I still growing older

You've become a part of me as I am part of you
When we're not together we both feel somewhat blue
We work on the same frequency
We're tuned to the same things
And as we edge in closer our hearts begin to sing

I am just a drifter waiting for my sails to fill
Hoping for a headwind but the sea is very still
But when you come back home to me
I will drift no more
I'll head in your direction, my safe haven on the shore

You say that I'm easy
And yes, that's the way I roll
I don't care for drama
Because drama takes its toll

I don't care for complications
And the games that people play
Because in my experience
Folks get hurt that way

We share thoughts before they become words
We breathe the same ideas and exhale them like the mist of breath on a cold winter's night so they mingle and we can't tell one thought from another
We laugh in tandem having seen the same joke at the same time.
We are entwined we two
each separate but our roots nurtured by the same sustenance
making us stronger with each waking day.
We are not one
we are our own separate beings with our own individual essence
created by the years we have travelled separately in this world
but without the need of a map or a compass or a torch
to see our way forward on the next part of our journey.
We will guide each other on this next stage
without fear of losing our way
trusting each other to provide the guiding light to keep us on our path.

I'm glad that I make you feel happy
I'm glad that I don't make you sad
I'm glad that I make you feel good
I'm glad I don't make you feel bad
I'm glad that I make you feel safe
I'm glad you don't feel insecure
I'm glad that I met you
I'm glad I've still got you
I'm glad that our love has endured

If I'm feeling God-like it's because of you
If I can do anything I want it's because you empower me to
The smile upon my face is all because of you
And if I can steal a line from another song
You make me feel brand new

I didn't think it possible that I could feel this way
I didn't think that's the way my life would play
But you brought something out from deep inside of me
That set my heart, my soul my very essence free

Life is simple life is sweet
Since you I chanced to meet
In the ether on the Internet
I truly bless the day we met

You're so good to come home to
and so hard to leave
I love the way
you wear my heart on your sleeve

You're always on my mind
Always in my thoughts
You complete me
And join up all the dots

You're the salt to my pepper
The light to my shade
The day we connected
Best call I ever made

We share the same kind of crazy
The same sense of fun
If I am the bullet
Then you are the gun

You're the peanut butter on my toast
The crackling on my roast
You're all the little things that added up make something great
You're the tonic in my gin
You're my lover, my best friend
I'm so glad we didn't leave it all too late

Hands soft on skin like a warm summer breeze
Like a butterfly resting on its way past
Fingers caressing, looking for pleasure spots
And finding them every time
Magical hands, hands that never hurt
Hands that smooth away worries
Hands that comfort and heal
Hands that give, that never steal
Bless those hands

Have I told you how important you are to me
Have I told you how much I love the way you make me laugh
Have I told you how much I enjoy waking up with you and going to sleep with you and all the bits in between
Have I told you how glad I am we stepped outside our comfort zones and met each other
Have I told you what a special place you hold in my heart
Have I told you that I want to walk hand in hand with you into the sunset after the cooling of our days
Have I told you how I love you in oh so many ways
If I haven't told you these things - I'm telling you now. (Just so you know) xxx

Home is where I'm living
But the places that I've lived in
Have etched their stories on my heart
And it doesn't matter where I am
I know that there are places
of which I am a part

I started off in Caledonia
The land of the pibroch and the thistle
And this ancient place will always be
A strong part of my epistle

The Scottish sense of humour
Will always make me smile
And the memories I have from there
Have travelled many miles

I'm a Bathgate bairn and proud of it
It was a great place to grow up
It's where I learned my values
Supping from my parent's cup

The sights and sounds of Aotearoa
will always make me proud
Because I became a Kiwi
In the land of the long white cloud

The kiwi sense of humour
Also makes me smile
And kiwi ingenuity
Has its own creative style

The sound of Pokarekare Ana
Brings sweet tears to my eyes
And the performance of the haka
Makes my heartbeat rise

So Scottish blood flows through my veins
But the All Blacks are my team
One by birth and one by choice
I hold them both in high esteem

But now I'm in Australia
Been here for 10 years now
It's not Scotland or New Zealand
But it's my here and now

I had to travel all this way
To meet my darling Cath
Even though she was born in Ireland
It was in Brisbane that she crossed my path

So home is where I'm living
And it's the people that make it home
I don't know which future path I'll take
I don't know where I'll roam

But I know who will be by my side
When I wake up each day
So home will be where Cath is
And that is where we'll stay

Location can be north or south
It can be east or west
Home will be where we are
And wherever we are will be best

I can't believe how good this is
And how easy
It's not that we don't work at this relationship
Because we do
It just doesn't feel like work
It feels like the most natural thing
It feels just like breathing
And sure you sometimes have to work at that!!
But when all you want is to make someone happy
How hard can that be
And yet so many people get it wrong
I've got it wrong before so I know it's not easy
But this is easy and it's so good
We do simple little things for each other
And the good vibrations come right back
Reinforcing that what we did was right
But then we knew that didn't we
We didn't have to think about it
We just knew it was the thing to do
And we didn't expect anything in return
The smile we received was enough
I mean HOW GOOD IS THAT?

When I think it can't get any better
and it does, I'm humbled
If you didn't hear me say how good it is
Perhaps I mumbled

But believe me when I tell you
it's much better than expected
And you need to hear
that you are loved & you're respected
More than you could ever dream of in a hundred thousand years

So when you look next in the mirror
See yourself with my clear eyes
And know that you are simply
My little piece of paradise

I am blessed by your presence in my life, even before you became my wife.

We had travelled apart for many years but perhaps in parallel directions and yet something caused our lines to cross until we both arrived at the same place at the same time and nothing would ever be the same again.

Could we have planned it better if we had worked at it for years?

I don't think so because this simple perfection could not be improved. Some things are meant to be and not even a God can make it not be so.

The simplicity of what we have is undeniable but it has layers of complexity woven into it so that it is beautiful to behold like an ancient tapestry of many colours and shapes and each day some new shade appears that complements those already uncovered and the picture becomes more and more uniquely ours.

I am blessed by your presence in my life.

I am unafraid because of you
You make me strong when I feel weak
You hold me up when I am fragile
You give me strength when things look bleak

You give me everything to live for
You help me grow in many different ways
You are the rainbow in my storm clouds
The mistral wind that cools my days

You make me glad that I was open
To meeting someone new
I just wish our paths had crossed much sooner
So I could have spent more time with you

I am unafraid because of you
Because of you, my shoulders brush the sky
There is nothing I can't do
With you walking by my side

I hope I make you feel the same
I hope you are empowered by my love
And the image in your mirror
Reflects the wife I'm so proud of

Of all the women in all the world

I choose you

The tall and the short

The round and the slim

I choose you

The young and the old

The timid the bold

I choose you

I choose you because you fill the cracks in me

I choose you because you shine your light on me

I choose you because you satisfy the need in me

I choose you, I choose you, I choose you.

You've always been there
I just didn't know where
But I knew you were out there waiting
Like the oxygen in the air

And now that I've found you
I won't let you go
Because you make me feel alive
You build me up and let me grow

I don't believe in magic but I do believe in luck
But I believe we must create it for ourselves
I don't believe things happen just because we want them to
We must act; we can't rely on anybody else

When I found you;
you found me too
Like a lighthouse finds a ship that's drifting
And guides it back to shore

We'd both spent time working on improving who we were
So that when we at last connected we did it without fear
I don't believe in magic but I do believe in luck
But I believe we must create it for ourselves

I don't believe things happen
just because we want them to
We must act;
we can't rely on anybody else

Loving you was easy
Things just fell right into place
We didn't rush we didn't worry
We just went at our own pace

We never felt under any pressure
We didn't have a single thing to prove
We just trusted our own judgement
And fit into each other's groove

I don't believe in magic but I do believe in luck
But I believe we must create it for ourselves

I don't believe things happen
just because we want them to
We must act;
we can't rely on anybody else

So now we're in this special place
Where everything feels right
Where everything feels perfect,
morning, noon and night

Where there's still adventure and surprises every day
And smiles, and lots of daftness in the things we do and say
Where every day brings another reason
To be thankful for the way

We did not rely on someone else's magic
We created magic every day
We created luck from actions
We grabbed our luck and held it tight

We'd waited too long not to take our chances
We just knew that we were right

I don't believe in magic but I do believe in luck
But I believe we must create it for ourselves
I don't believe things happens just because we want them to
We must act; we can't rely on anybody else

I don't want to own you
I just want to behold you
In all your majesty
I don't want to contain you
I just want to enfold you
So I don't lose anything you bring

I don't need to fill your space
I just need to see your face
From time to time looking at mine
And smiling with your eyes
Directing me into the coffee place
To make your two spoonfuls with one sugar

I like the way we occupy our space
So it doesn't fill up and we are able to grow
I like the way we learn new things together
I like the way we learn new things on our own and share
I like having you in my space, our space
I like your smiling face

(And your eyes are like limpid pools) :-)

If you were here with me
That would be really sweet
I'd look at you and our eyes would meet
Your face would break into a smile
And we'd lie like that for a little while
You'd rest you head in your favourite place
And I'd stroke the hair away from your face
I'd touch my lips to yours
You'd stroke me with your tongue
I'd feel the breath expanding in my lungs
And we would make gentle love slow& long
If I was there with you - it won't be long xxx

I hear your voice and I can't quite tell where you are from
But the way it makes my heart skip
There's no doubt where you belong
You're in my heart you're in my mind
Best friend I'll ever find
And I'm just waiting, waiting, waiting for your return

When you're not here this space is not the same
Although it looks no different it's like I'm in someone else's game
I can't feel your vibrations bouncing off my soul
So I go out wandering to some different watering hole

It's not that I'm lonely
It's not that I'm sad
I still feel good
I don't feel bad

But you're the one who makes it feel like home
You're the one who removes the need to roam
You're the one who makes this a special place
And I don't feel the same urge to be there when I can't see your face

It's not that I'm lonely
It's not that I'm sad
I still feel good
I don't feel bad

I love you Cath without regret
For who you are
As an individual with all your fragilities
Because you don't always get it right
Because you don't expect me to always get it right
Because of your kindness which I never take for granted
Because of your love for your sons despite their imperfections
Because you understand my love for my son despite his imperfections
You're harder on yourself than on others
I love you, you, you and I like you, you, you
You're my favourite person to spend time with
I don't have to find things to do with you
I can do absolutely nothing with you and still be happy
Just being in your space is enough
Just feeling the air you move around you makes me smile
You are my best travelling companion through life and across the globe
The one I want to share my successes and failures with
The one I travel home to with a smile on my face wherever I've been
You are Cath and I'm eternally grateful that you welcomed me into your life
You are Cath, my best friend, my lover, my wife

She said i love you more than shoes
I said I love you more than listening to the blues
She said i love you more than chocolate
I said I love you that much too

She said i love you more than thigh high leather boots
I said I love you more than Italian designer suits
But baby wont you wear those boots for me
I got some passion that's just
screaming to be set free

She said I love you more than all the blue up in the sky
I said I'm still thinking about how far those boots go up your thigh
She said I love the way your thinking
I'm having beer what are you drinking
I said I'll have a cider I must confessI'm rather dry

She said I love you more than coffee
I said you're sweeter than ice cream
She said come right over darling man
I think you could make me scream

I said baby I can make you scream
I can make you quiver
I can make you ripple
Like a breeze blowing on a river

She said I love you more than bird song
I said I want to love you slow and long
She said I don't want to describe how I'm feeling any more
I just want you. I just want you. I just want you knocking down my door

I said you can hang up the phone and close your eyes
I'm here baby and I'm looking at your thighs
So let's not waste any more time whispering on the phone
I'm tired of talking baby
I just want to hear you moan

The rest of this story is x-rated I'm afraid
We've built up such a head of steam
Now we're going to get laid
I'd love to tell you more
But I'm sure you know the score
There's going to be reverberations, best leave things to your imagination

When you wake up in the morning
And I'm not lying by your side
Don't worry darling girl
I'm still there

You occupy my waking thoughts
You come to me in dreams
My heart beats in tandem
With your heart

And when you leave for work
My lips will still touch yours
My lips will still caress your eyes
And when you come back at the end of the day
Just think of me as your sweet, sweet surprise

Friday seems a long, long, time away
But I'll be thinking of you
Each and every single day
It won't be if you can't be with the one you love
Love the one you're with
I love you, love you, love you, Mrs Smith
(oops White)

I want to touch you oh so gently
I want to kiss you oh so sweet
I want to make sweet love to you
From your head down to your feet
I want to feel your softness
I want to feel your tension peak
I want to work my way inside you
Until you're so happy you can't speak
I want to take you to nirvana
I want to set your limbs on fire
I want to take you over hours and hours
And satisfy your sweet desire
I want to lift you to a point
Where you have never been before
And when you think you're satisfied
I want to give you more
I want to make your body tingle
I want to make our juices mingle
I want to run my fingers up and down your thighs
I want to blow softly on your nipples until I can feel the ripples
I want to take you to the pointwhere you might cry
I want to run my fingers through your hair and down your neck
I want you to look down from up on high
And see you as just a speck
On the beach of pleasure
That I want to take you to
I want each grain of sand to represent
The love that's in my heart for you
So you can never ever feel you've had it all
I want to take you to a placethat you've never been before
I want you to feel like Cinderella at the ball
I want to cup your ample bottom
I want to get you wet, wet, wet
I want this to be your greatest pleasure
I want to savour our sweet duet
I want to feel your skin vibrate
When I stroke you soft and tender
I want to go deep inside you
In a way that you'll always remember
For you to feel me hard and long
And to know that we belong
In this special place forever
that we're in no hurry whatsoever
I want to make you happier than you have ever been before
I want to satisfy you
I want to make your senses soar
I want you to know and you to hear
That you've make my life complete
Since that day back in August 2012
When we agreed to meet
And it all comes down to this
You fit me like a glove
And it really is quite simple
You're the one I love

I'm jealous of the clothes you wear
That keep you warm when I'm not there
I'm jealous of the sheets on your bed
That caress the skin I should caress instead

I'm jealous of the sunrise
when he sees your smile before I do
Because you got up early
Before the sun came shining through

I'm jealous of the chocolate
You caress with tongue so soft
And the smell of chocolate covered peanut butter
That from your breath does waft

I'm jealous of the red wine
That makes you warm inside
I'd rather it was me that made you glow
With the skills that I have plied

But actually I'm not jealous
Of these things at all
Because I know that when you need something
I'm the one you'll call

A year has passed
It's going to last
Soul mates forever
Joined at the lip
Who would have guessed it would be this good?
I sure didn't think that it could
What makes it work?
That's easy to guess
Honesty, transparency
No need to confess
If you do the right thing
Consequences don't fill your head
You follow the path
You don't need to be led
Predictable but not boring
Listening not ignoring
Trying to find what will make each other smile
It's the little things that matter
That make the doubts scatter
Give you no cause for concern
And you know that you'll learn that given time
You'll forgot all the bad stuff
Wake up smiling at the good stuff
Go to sleep dreaming of the best stuff
We didn't think it would be this good
We were wrong, because it is
It's better than good
Good doesn't even come close
To what we're feeling right now
There are better words, but I don't know what they are
And even if I did
They still wouldn't come close
To describing the effervescent bubbles that flow through me
When I'm on my way to you
The anticipation is almost as good as the reality
There is no separateness just a sweet duality
Being in your presence is the warmest thing I know
And I'm grateful for the day I chose to go
To OK Cupid and saw the twinkle in your eye
My gut was right - my instincts didn't lie
I took a new and untried path
And it led me to my sweet darling Cath

Just to touch you is enough
To feel you shiver with delight
To run my fingers over you
With just the softest touch

Knowing that I've got it right
To wrap myself around you
To feel your breathing in my ear

To know that this touch is enough
To know that you are satisfied
Is all I really need to hear

As lovers do we both need to excel
Perfect technique in every move
Or is the key the way we make each other feel
The only thing that matters being in the perfect groove

I feel your heartbeat in my head
Sometimes racing sometimes calm
And the expression on your face
Tells me I'm doing something right

Seduction's perfect balm. As lovers do we both need to excel
Perfect technique in every move
Or is the key the way we make each other feel
The only thing that matters being in the perfect groove

I caress your lips with mine
And press my lips against your eyes one by one
I kiss the middle of your head
And hold you tightly for a while
It's time to leave for work
that place that exists between leaving you and arriving home at the end of the day
to your sweet, sweet smile

Knowing that you love me
Is the rain that feeds my roots
And makes my heart sing out with joy each day
Knowing that I make you smile
Is all I really need
to complete me and make everything ok

Sometimes I don't say I love you
As often as I should
I love you
If I thought - you were in any doubt
You know I would
Because I love you

Sometimes you need to hear the words
It makes you feel secure
I love you
But never be in any doubt
Of how you make me feel
I really love you

So if I don't say the words as often as I should
It's just because it's obvious to me
But just because the sound of it is music to the ear
I say
I love you
I love you
I love you
Just so you can hear - how good you are for me

Oh yes I love you
Just so you can hear - how good you are for me
Oh yes I love you

It's the last Christmas at Orange Grove Road
We're on a new adventure
Nurturing the seeds we sowed
Lots of memories here some good some bad
But for me, they've been the best I've ever had

It's always hard to dig up those roots
Move on to new things
Try on a new pair of boots
It's easier to stick with what you know
But that is not the way we grow

We've got our whole life in front of us
New experiences to nurture
But just you and me that has to be a plus
Just working out the steps together
Looking forward to some cooler weather

So as we put up the tree for the last time (hooray)
And pack our lives up for the trip
Looking forward to the first act of a new cabaret
Just you and me and Noodle makes three
Oh how exciting it's going to be

There is more light in my world
Since you came along
There are still shadows of course
But in the shadows nothing ever goes wrong
No monsters hide there
And there's nothing to fear
The shadows are simply thingsnot yet quite clear
But each day that I spendwith you close by my side
Makes the shadows recedeand any worries subside
And the trust that I have
That you'll protect my old heart
Gives me faith - that you and I won't ever part

I want lightness in my friends my soulmate my lover
I want people who add to not subtract from who I am
I want people who smile not frown
I want people who try to swim rather than drown
I don't want to have to be right every day
I don't want to be walking on eggshells
Being careful of everything I say

I want to be able to speak my mind
Because there's nothing bad in there
even 'though some people might not agree with what I say

I might not always say the right thing
But there is no intention to get it wrong
Just like I haven't got it perfect
When I try to write this song

That doesn't mean I don't want to share your problems
It doesn't mean I don't care
I'll gladly wipe the tears from your eyes
I'll gladly listen all night while you tell me about someone else's lies
I'll try and understand your perspective
But I might have more shades of grey than you because I'm not good in black &. white
I'm not good at always being right
I have no experience in that area

When I see you I want to think of sun and fun
I don't want to run unless it's in your direction

I want someone who'll help me become a better me
Not someone who wants to make me into the me they want me to be

You fit the bill
You bring this lightness to me
Lightness in the sense that I float with the support you offer
And lightness in the sense that you shine on me in so many ways
So much light that I can see for miles
I could light up a city with the power you create in me to just be me and nobody else but me
You make me better just because you care
By allowing me to evolve rather than change
By allowing me to learn rather than be taught
By allowing me to discover things that can't be bought

You're a wonderful lover Ben
That was all she said
But the sound of it echoed
All around my head

If what I do for you Cath
Satisfies your soul
Then I am truly blessed
Because I see that as my role

To see you truly happy
Puts a smile upon my face
To see the look of joy you have
Makes this a truly happy place

To know that what I do
Makes such a difference to your days
Is a privilege and a blessing
In so many different ways

So thanks for the gift of love you bring
Thanks for the songs you encourage me to sing
Thanks for appreciating what I do
Thanks for simply being you

Loving you is as easy as smiling
And you know how easily I smile
From the first time we met it has been easy
Easy in the most positive way
I never had to think of things to say
I never tried to fill the spaces In our comfortable silences
I never felt the need to DO things
Just being in your space is enough
Leaving you is always hard
And coming home so easy
We've grown to a place where the spaces are fewer
and the mingled thoughts more regular
Where two minds exist in their own right
but still meld in perfect moments full of shared smiles
And so much laughter throughout the day
Like rain in the heat of a Queensland summer
to lighten the air and lower the heart rate,
spreading good vibrations throughout the day
Loving you is as easy as smiling and you know how easily I smile.

A year's gone past since we first tied the knot. So I wanted to give you something you haven't got. The first anniversary is a paper one. And you're the page I'm written on.

A message in a bottle I thought might do the trick
As a memory of the day, we confirmed we were a perfect fit
The sun came out but not too hot
Our friends came round to our favourite spot
To help us celebrate the day
And hear the words that we would say
I read my proposal and tears were shed
Happy tears though eyes were red
You promised me that you'd be true
But not that I could be the boss of you
I wouldn't have it any other way
You're my equal on this or any other day
So with this message in a bottle sealed
I pledge that I will be your shield
To keep you safe my cherished one
Until the final setting of our sun

You look at me and I see myself through your eyes

Much more comfortable than a mirror

The image is softer - much more forgiving

I wish that your mirror could be like my eyes

So when you faced it each morning

The reflection you'd see

would be the view from my heart

And you'd be satisfied with what you saw

When I woke up this morning you weren't there
Just an empty pillow by my side and my shoulder bare
As Joni Mitchell sang
Me and them lonesome blues collide
The bed's too big the frying pan's too wide
But missing you is simply part of loving you
It's nothing to be sad about
I can still feel you by my side
I've plenty to be glad about
For many people don't have a special one to miss
Many people don't have the memory of that sweet, sweet kiss
So I won't cry because you're not here
Because I feel you close as though you were
I'll still miss your body next to mine
But missing you is so much better than having no one to care

Missing you is what I do
When you are there and I am here
But memories are powerful things
And I remember every minute that I spend with you

Being where you are
Is where I'd rather be
But not everything works out
The way we want it to be

So I'll just count my blessings and the minutes
Until you're back where you belong
In my arms under my wing
And so I wrote this little song

Missing someone dear to you
Really isn't all that bad
I'd rather miss you darling girl
Than never have the times we've had

So miss me, darling Cath
And I will miss you too
But don't be sad, instead be glad
That you have me and I have you

And tomorrow we'll be together
Just like we were before
And then we'll be together again
With little spaces in between - but for evermore

I've got so much more to do with my happiness
Than I ever realised
It's something I must contribute to
It won't just materialise

But since I met you baby
It's much easier than it was
Because being in your presence
Gives me cause to pause

About how one person
Can make such a difference
To the way we feel
One person can make each experience absolutely real
Can take away the sadness and replace it with pure joy
Can make it so the simplest things I totally enjoy

So thank you for the joy you bring
For the way you make my old heart sing
For the way you always make me smile
Even when we're separated by the miles
For the warmth that's always waiting in your arms
For your honesty, transparency and simple charm

When asked how long I've known you
I respond for ever - but we just met
It just took a while for our paths to cross
And now she's here - no more a silhouette

She said I'll never live with another man again
Based on previous experience that made a lot of sense
But I blew away the history and disposed of all the mystery
And now the pleasure of each morning is immense

Never say never unless you know what lies ahead
Never say never, it's a word that simply should not be said
Keep your options open to the world that lies ahead
Never say never until you're dead

When you base your life on what has gone before
There's a risk that you might miss a magic door
That's designed to take you where you have not been
Expose you to adventures that you would not have seen

Never say never unless you know what lies ahead
Never say never, it's a word that simply should not be said
Keep your options open to the world that lies ahead
Never say never until you're dead

As long as we're together and I hope that it's forever
I hope you wake up every day with a smile upon your face
In anticipation of the day that lies ahead
The things you'll do, the things you'll learn the laughter that we'll share
Rather than the things you might have done instead

Never say never unless you know what lies ahead
Never say never, it's a word that simply should not be said
Keep your options open to the world that lies ahead
Never say never until you're dead

2013 was a year of nurturing what we planted in 2012
We confirmed that there are no consequences
We can be ourselves strong and weak
Resilient and fragile
It doesn't matter
We confirmed that we really like each other as people not just as lovers
We became best friends
We gave each other space
We didn't cling
We didn't sulk
We didn't do anything that made the other feel less than they were
We didn't strive for ownership
Sharing each other was sufficient
We didn't have an argument
We didn't feel the need to be right
So when we were wrong it didn't make a difference
We made each other laugh and smile and sing and dance
We made pictures and we wrote words
We looked after each other and wiped away the occasional tear caused by things outside our control
We talked - often into the night and we listened
We took our time and savoured each other
We each became more and more important to each other without diminishing the other things that were important to us
Our lovemaking was new and fresh each day and we cherished the fact that it was more than sex even 'though the sex was unsurpassed
We cherished waking up together and holding each other close in the knowledge that there is no better way to start a day and we went to sleep in the same way
The love flowed from one to the other and energised us to face each day without fear
So what do I look for in 2014 - just to continue to nurture and sustain the seeds we sowed in 2012 and which have provided such bountiful fruit

It's nine years today since you came into my life
Who would have guessed
That you'd become my wife
The strangest things happen
When you least expect them to
I bless this special day, the day that I met you

Ten years before on this same day
A sadder one for sure
My dear old mother passed away
A hard thing to endure
But you and she were named the same
Another Catherine to reignite my flame

And so the circle keeps on turning
And so the flame keeps on burning
And old mother bless her heart
Would have loved you from the start
Would have welcomed you with open arms
Succumbing to your Irish charms

We never know what lies ahead
Our lives are short, we're longer dead
So we should fill the time, the days, the hours, the minutes
With all the love there is within it
So we can catch up on the years we missed
While waiting for our first kiss

There's no place like home

But there's a space where you lie

So this place called home is not the same space without you filling it

Your voice on my phone is a poor substitute for your head on my shoulder

The bed's colder without you

Too big too empty

I can't hear you breath

I've got used to that

The home that there's no place like is the one with you in it

Home is not the same without you

You are my oasis
My safe port in astorm
You make my heart beat faster
You make me safe and warm

You feed my soul
You warm my heart
You cherish the things I do
I'm ding things I thought were lost
All because of you

Seven years since we first met
Five years since we tied the knot
Who'd have guessed in 2012
We'd be in in this sweet, sweet spot

As another birthday comes along
Another anniversary too
I'm so glad I went to cyberspace
I'm so glad that I found you

So happy birthday darling girl
And happy anniversary number five
May we have many more together
Feeling great to be alive

So, dance with me and hold me tight
Let us dance into the night
As the morning sun lights up your face
We will be in our happy place

As we move out to the granite belt
So, in the summer we don't melt
It will just be thee and me
And with noodle we'll be three

We'll go for walks down by the creek
We'll chat to people that we meet
We'll grow young together hand in hand
Aye lass it will be just grand

She wandered into my life like she'd been searching for me for years.
She looked at me like she was seeing me through the mist you see after a heavy summer rain.
With a faint hint of recognition but still a little unsure.
But she was right.
We hadn't met before because our paths had taken different turnings.
But that faint recognition turned into sweet relief
when we realised that at last our paths had run alongside each other and finally crossed.
She smiled, I smiled and we haven't stopped smiling since.

The End

She was like oxygen
Her very presence made me breathe more easily
When she walked into the room
The air grew lighter
And my thinking became clearer
She energized me
Gave me the strength to do things I'd struggled with before
She was a window letting light in
And a door to new experiences
She was laughter
She was peace
She was music
She was art
She was words that created images sublime
And she was mine
All mine

2 is for the two of us
Zero is because without us there is nothing
1 is for the oneness that is us
2 is for the fact that 1+1 is 2 you and me; me and you

I didn't get you anything for your birthday
Except for all the love I have to give
I know you don't want to be sixty-four
But you still have a lot of life to live

I didn't get you anything for your birthday
But I'd give you everything I own
I know you don't want to be sixty-four
But you know you're not there on your own

I didn't get you anything for your birthday
But I thought of you every day throughout the year
I know you don't want to be sixty-four
But it's really just another year

I didn't get you anything for your birthday
But I hope I make your life complete
I know you don't want to be sixty-four
But my gift to you is love replete

So let my gift to you in your 64th year
Be the smile on my face when I look at you dear
Let my eyes be your mirror so that you see what I see
And know that you're loved more than you dreamed you would be

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
And remember I'll always be older than you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
See, through my eyes the best version of you

I love the way we interact
In our own way we have a pact
You do your thing and I do mine
And often both things intertwine
You give me space and I do you
I spend many hours ignoring you
But to be sure you're always on my mind
You're never far away from me I find
Even when we're separated
We are somehow aggregated
Each of us an individual
But there's always some residual
Thing that joins us at the lip
So of the same cup we will sip
As we both ignore each other
Agreeing that we'll never smother
What we have as separate souls
Each with our own unique set of goals
Together always but separate still
We drink in each other 'till we've had our fill
And then we go our separate way
Thinking of each other throughout the day
But never needing to consume
Always giving each other room
To grow and be in our unique way
The best we can be each and every day

You are my shining rainbow

My bright arc in the storm

You send your brightness down on me

And guide me through the storm

You are my coat of many colours

My technicolour dream

You make me smile to think of you

Like a lighthouse shines its beam

You add colour to my palette

You add texture to my life

You're my pot of gold at the end of the rainbow

Soulmate, sweetheart, wife

You make me feel safe & loved
Who could ask for more
Like being in a storm at sea
Knowing someone's waiting on the shore

You accept me as I am
Not seeking change in any way
Such a comfortable feeling
Waking up with this each day

I am better because of you
Because I'm more true to who I am
I just try to be the best I can
Don't need to be some other man

So thank you for the gift you give
The gift of love and security
The ability to make mistakes
And not have to prove maturity

And if I get it wrong from time to time
I don't worry how you'll feel
You'll know I tried my best
And any damage I will heal

So be yourself, my sweetheart,
Because you're the one I love
I don't require perfection
I only need your love

We've been in love before
but we were younger then
We didn't know ourselves as well
as we do now - Cath & Ben

We know who we are now
We know what we want
We know what's important
Don't need a clairvoyant

Second chances don't always come around
Second chances don't abound
Your second chance came with me and mine with you
A chance for you and me to start anew

We've both come from different places
some good, some bad, some in-between
We don't need to put on different faces
to express exactly what me mean

The lives we've lived, the things we've brought
contribute to what we've now got
No need to erase what's gone before
Let old and new mix freely on our shore

As we move forward hand-in-hand
we take with us what we've learned
Not burdened by the pressures of growing up
Embracing the happiness we've earned

We take the time to give and not to take
to nourish, to cherish, to grow
Enjoying the differences between us
like contrasting shades in the afterglow

Two people changing and growing
living our lives to the full
Welcoming this second chance
not constrained by younger people's rules

Each day's a blessing to enjoy
trusting, keeping each other safe
No surprises, no consequences
No need for caution, no open wounds to chafe

It's beautiful in its simplicity
this love based on reciprocity
To find new love at our time of life
without drama, stress or strife

Let's appreciate this love we've found
this love that keeps us young
Like an orchestra in perfect tune
like bells in celebration rung

I thank you, Cath, for what you bring
and I know you thank me, too
I have not fitting adjectives
to describe my love for you

She warms me
She warms my body
She warms my spirit
She warms my soul
She warms my heart

There is warmth in everything she does.
And warmth is such a basic need for everyone in this sometimes cold world
where people isolate and insulate themselves from anything that might touch them
and cause them to get involved with another human being
in case they might get hurt or get asked to do something outside their comfort zone

I don't really have a comfort zone.
Life is my comfort zone and she makes life such a comfortable place to be
She warms me with her body
With her mind
With her thoughtfulness
With the way, she thinks of me and includes me in her space
She warms me and I love her so

Don't shed your tears
At the thought of 60 years
You've many more to live
For us to share and give

So push away your fears
Let's laugh away our remaining years
As we move forward hand in hand
Leaving footprints in the sand

Remembering journeys we have taken
Crusty bread and crispy bacon
Walking by the Seine in gay Paris
Getting drunk in Hoi An down by the sea

Weekends at the hideaway just you and me
Listening to Cohen as the sun sets on the sea
Writing songs and drawing tangles
Seeing you and me from different angles

You've got many miles to travel
Lots of places still to see
Lots of days to laugh in
Lots of synchronicity

You've got many years of sharing
Much wisdom to impart
Many memories to cherish
Many journeys still to chart

So don't worry about the big six o
It's just a point along the way
It's really no more significant
Than any other day

Let's not focus on the number
Or count the days gone past
Let's just cherish each and every day to come
And make every minute last

The 60 years that have just gone past
Are part of who you are
They've moulded you and crafted you
Don't view them as your "bete noir"

And every minute that you have from now
Is a minute shared with me
So let's cherish each and every one
Like birds on the wing, let you and I be free

Your skin on my skin
My skin on yours
Your skin IN my skin
My skin IN yours
Where do you begin
Where do I end
Does it really matter
In the end

It's strange for you to be so far away
For us not to see each other for yet another day
But nothing really changes
And we are just the same
Distance doesn't change things
It's not that kind of game
Because you are still inside my heart
Inside my head, inside my soul
And I know that I occupy your mind
Even as you explore and appreciate the things you find
Because we are one not separate

And distance doesn't split us up
It simply means we cannot touch
In ways that we've got used to doing
But it won't be long before we're renewing
The closer contact we enjoy
because what we have's the real McCoy

I will always miss you when you're not here by my side
But our love is strong enough and cannot be denied
So whether we are near or whether we are far away
We will always be together for ever and a day

Sometimes I'm happy

Sometimes I'm sad

But for you precious lady

I'll always be glad

Sometimes I'm stupid

Sometimes I'm wise

But I always feel smarter

When viewed through your eyes

You are the window

Where the view's always good

When my soul feels hungry

You are my food

You are my sunshine

You are my rain

You are the codeine

To ease all my pain

You are my shelter

And my adventure

You are my sunrise

And my sunset

You're my beginning

You are my end

You are my lover

And my best friend

You are the smile

On my face every day

You are my heartbeat

My favourite cafe

You are my reason

My journey my path

Love me forever

My wifey my Cath

They asked how long I'd known you
All my life I said
Although we've just recently met
She's always lived inside my head

Some paths wind more than others
Some never find their way
But when our paths crossed it just felt right
I played Lou Reed's Perfect Day

Patience is a virtue, good things come to those who wait
I wasn't in a hurry a new future to create
But all the angels sang in tune and made quiet the devil's voice
You picked me and I picked you and we made the perfect choice

When someone lives inside your soul
When they fill you full of peace
When they permeate your every breath
Wonders never cease

It took too long to happen
But it was surely worth the wait
We will treasure every second now
Soulmate to soulmate

Take the weight off your feet
and lie beside me for a while
Lay your head on my shoulder
and let me see you smile

Laugh a little with me
Be daft with me tonight
You're the smile that brings me homeward, Mrs White

Take the weight off your feet
and throw your worries to the floor
There's just you and me here
And I love you to my core

Lay your hands upon me
Brush your lips across my face
You're the heartbeat that flows through me
The one that gives me breathing space

Take the weight off your feet
let me be the one to bear the load
Let me love you
Let me care for you

Let me tend the seed you sowed
Let me keep you young at heart
Let me hold your gentle hand
Let me tell you how I love the one who wears my golden band

I want to wear you
like a tattoo
So I can't tell the difference
between me and you
So close to my skin
The ink in your picture
Inside you for life
a permanent fixture

Thank you for being you
For making me smile
when I feel blue
For making me glad to be alive
For making life better
than something just to survive

Thank you for being you
For making me happy
Just to be me
For encouraging me
to be the best I can be
For allowing You and I to be We

Sitting at the hideaway watching all the gorgeous girls go by
Couldn't get you off my mind
Although it's unlikely that I'd try
Wishing you were here with me
Listening to the singing
Smiling at the joy that all this music's bringing

I love to listen to the music
With my hand upon your hand
To feel your fingers linked to mine
In our own special little land

I love to hear your laughter
I love to see you smile
When the music so delights you
My darling oenophile
:-)

I love that I've brought this new dimension to your life
Live music, smiles & laughter
You'd missed it for a while

So don't worry that I'm out here in the valley having fun
There may be lots of gorgeous women but you're the only one
That I want to be with
That I wish was here with me
That whatever, wherever you're the one I want to see

The light hasn't dimmed
In fact it's brighter now
Things are much different
No need to tread carefully now
Waiting for that wrong word that might be misunderstood
We walk confidently through this life
Hand in hand, completely in step
One trusting the other
Feeling safe, cherished, loved
We laugh in the morning when we wake
We laugh throughout the day at each silly mistake
But there's no malice in that laughter
It's a laughter based on trust and vulnerability
Neither one of us fearing that a mistake or fumble will expose them to ridicule
Or cause them to be anyone but who they are - their own imperfect self
There's a peace and calmness in all of this
A comfort in knowing someone cares enough that souls can be bared
And hearts exposed throwing caution to the wind because caution has no place in this world we have created
To share one's innermost thoughts even in their incomplete state
To be appreciated for the little things one does without thinking of the consequences
To share the same thoughts at the same time as though they were but just one single thought
There is beauty in all of that, more than can be described
To know that such a big slice of someone's life is filled by you
There is great responsibility in that
And yet it doesn't weigh heavily
It floats in the lightness of just being who you are and knowing that thisis enough
No the light hasn't dimmed one little bit
It shines brighter every day and illuminates everything that comes within its glow
So that every single thing is made better
And the things that used to trouble and test you are diminished
And everything is easier
Who indeed would have believed that life could be this easy, this simple?
With this astounding lack of complexity
This life so full of anticipation of more good things to come
This wonderment of what we must have done to deserve this very special life
Did we perchance save an angel in a previous life?
Or did we just by being who we are earn this special bonus in our twilight years
To be honest I don't really care why
I just want to grab this sweet miracle with both hands outstretched
In a kind of supplication that we two should have bumped together
In some cosmic collision that we did not expect or even look for
But which has taken us on such a journey
Even in this short time we have been together
Oh the joy, the bliss of things to come as this sweet mystery of life unfolds and we two come out of the chrysalis and fly together
It doesn't have to get better because that would be hard to imagine but simply to think of this love unfolding through another lifetime when we might have expected life to be slowing down into a more predictable pattern is such a great joy to even contemplate
So yes what did we do to deserve all this?
Quite simply I was me and you were you and it seems that this was enough to make it happen

You wrote me a list
A beautiful list of things I do that make you happy
That made me happy too
I've never had such a list and it was all simple stuff that just comes naturally to me
That sort of made it even better
To feel appreciated for the little things I do is the greatest blessing
To know that what I do makes you smile, makes you laugh, makes you bounce with joy
Is an even greater blessing
I think appreciation is a very underrated characteristic in the human race
We don't say thank you enough for the little things
We don't appreciate enough what we have and how blessed we are
Sometimes we know we got it right but hearing it said out loud or reading about the effect it had magnifies the pleasure of what was done a hundred fold
I always thought I was different
I never felt one of the pack
But you absolutely make me believe in myself so I know it's not just my ego talking
And the beauty of this reinforcement is that it encourages more of the same to the benefit of both of us
You could just have enjoyed the things I do
But you took the trouble to acknowledge your appreciation
And that makes you special too
You say that I'm unique and that I don't really understand just how unique I am
I think unique may be too strong a word but I can live with different or even special
But this also applies to you and I suspect you haven't been told that often enough
So I'm telling you now that I truly appreciate the light you've brought into my world
It was a world that was already light because I've never been one to hide in the shadows
But you brought a different kind of light
One that exposed things that had been hidden and brought them into stark relief, highlighting my potential to be myself.
And increasing my desire to explore myself and discover who I really am
So thank you for taking the time to write me a list of the things I get right
So that I know that these things truly make you happy
Walking side by side with you we can achieve anything we like and we've only scratched the surface of how good this can be
Darling girl you rock my world

Sitting on the Sala in the early hours of the morning
Wife's feet in my lap
Caressing, feeling the muscles relax
Cold beer in hand
Froth on lips
Favourite songs playing on the Bose
The surrounding houses and trees silhouetted against the clear Queensland sky
It doesn't get any better than this

You came into my life
while I was alone for a while
It was as though our spirits collided
And they each produced a smile

And said I think there is some magic here
We have some work to do
And so they worked their magic
And the magic it was you

And if it had been another time
We would not have come together
Because the space you filled just simply wasn't there
But space is such a funny thing
It creates its own dimension
And opportunities come for those who dare

So the secret is to grab those opportunities that come along
Because they may not come again
I'm so glad we took that opportunity
Glad we had that chance encounter
Glad the time was right and the space for you was free
Because we were meant to be together
And I guess our spirits knew it
And they worked their magic so you could be with me

I bought her cakes from the sweet spot
I said we can share them
She said, do I know you - what a strange idea"?
As she dug her fork into the paqoquinha - dark chocolate cup filled with Brazilian peanut and salted caramel cheese filling, topped with peanut brittle, her eyes went a little misty and I knew she loved me more than ever at that moment (or was it just the taste of the paqoquinta melting in her mouth?)
I guess I'll never know.

Sometimes a thought just wells up from inside of me
that I'm blessed to have you in my life
That I'm blessed to have finally found you
and you agreed to be my wife

It comes from nowhere in particular
but feels like the sun on a cold, cold day
or a cool breeze in a Queensland summer

It starts with a smile, not just on my lips
but in my eyes and a quickening of my pulse

This is a fine feeling you gift to me darling girl
A feeling so good there are no words that can truly capture it
But I know you understand because
I know you share that feeling

I love the way you love me
Full on no punches pulled
You give me all and ask the same
You don't want to be fooled
You've learned to ask for what you want
Knowing there's zero consequences
To be open & free and vulnerable with me
No need for false pretences
You appreciate the little things I do
Which to me seem like nothing at all
But you think they're so important
And I guess that says it all
If life for all could be this simple
The world would be a better place
No games, no deviant behaviour
Just behaving with good grace
We are two very lucky people
We receive we give we share
We were meant to be together
We were meant to be a pair
And it just keeps getting better
That's the amazing thing
I would sing it from the rooftops
But alas I'm a writer - I can't sing

The world is round we all know that

But when you're not there my world is flat

Without your smile to light my day

The journey home's a long, long way

I'm walking down the street
And a smile comes on my face
And I realise I'm thinking about you
It's amazing how the thought of you
Can make me smile on cue
But I guess that's the way it is
It's a crazy kind of bliss
That makes me smile and laugh out loud
I'm sitting at my desk
Focused on what I have to do
And I realise I'm thinking about you
It doesn't matter what I'm doing
Thoughts of you just filter through
But I guess that's the way it is
It's a crazy kind of bliss
That makes me smile and laugh out loud
I'm sitting at the pub
Listening to music on the stage
And I'm writing a song for you
Even the gorgeous woman on the stage
Can't stop thoughts of you from flowing through
But I guess that's the way it is
It's a crazy kind of bliss
That makes me smile and laugh out loud

You wrap me up in your threads
Like a cocoon
not enclosing me
Just keeping me safe
Not constraining me
Empowering me
Nurturing me
Adding to me
Not subtracting from me
Your many coloured threads
Adding vitality to me
Your fine threads
Winding their way around me
Your strong threads supporting me when I need support
But allowing me to run free when I need to run free
Your threads and my threads weaving together to create the tapestry that is uniquely us
All the colours of us
All the patterns of us
All the texture of us
All the being of us

I'd like to write a blues
But I don't have a clue
I'm simply much too happy
And it's all because of you
I'll sing you any other colour
any other hue
But my life is full of rainbows
since the day that I met you
It's hard to write the blues
When you don't have unhappy news
But even for a happy guy like me
You add colour to my life and set me free
So I guess I'll just write a happy blues
A lighter shade of blue
Or perhaps a pink or yellow one
That reflects my love of you
I've never really figured out
why the colour blue was picked
To reflect sadness and unhappiness
It's really got me licked
If you have colours in your life
Then your blessed whatever hue
It shouldn't really matter if they're
Red, yellow, green or blue
So thank you for the rainbows
You've brought into my world
The colours that you rain on me
The beauty you've unfurled
Because I think I'm a better person
Since the day I met you darling Cath
And I'm really grateful for the day
You came across my path
So I won't write a sad blues song
I'm much too happy for that hue
I've got all the colours that I need
To spend my life with you

I'd like to write a blues
But I don't have a clue
I'm simply much too happy
And it's all because of you
I'll sing you any other colour
any other hue
But my life is full of rainbows
since the day that I met you
It's hard to write the blues
When you don't have unhappy news
But even for a happy guy like me
You add colour to my life and set me free
So I guess I'll just write a happy blues
A lighter shade of blue
Or perhaps a pink or yellow one
That reflects my love of you
I've never really figured out
why the colour blue was picked
To reflect sadness and unhappiness
It's really got me licked
If you have colours in your life
Then your blessed whatever hue
It shouldn't really matter if they're
Red, yellow, green or blue
So thank you for the rainbows
You've brought into my world
The colours that you rain on me
The beauty you've unfurled
Because I think I'm a better person
Since the day I met you darling Cath
And I'm really grateful for the day
You came across my path
So I won't write a sad blues song
I'm much too happy for that hue
I've got all the colours that I need
To spend my life with you

You looked at me with frightened rabbit eyes
waiting for the blow to land
Not realising yet, that I'm not that kind of man
You opened up your heart to me, looking for a sign
That I'm playing straight with you and not giving you a line

Transparency is what we need
Transparency is what will feed
The life we want to lead
That will be our creed

Roses are red and violets are blue
And one plus zero doesn't add up to two
And two is my favourite number since you came along
And became my inspiration for yet another song

I wake up every morning
With a smile on my face
And I know you're smiling too
Because you put it there

The gaps between my Cath days
And all the other ones
Are filled with bits and pieces
But not nearly as much fun

So enjoy your travels darling girl
And then come home safe to me
And I'll enjoy hearing your stories
From far across the sea

And while I don't enjoy the parting
And the absence of your smile
The memories are strong enough
To last me for a little while

And knowing you are thinking of me
as I'm thinking now of you
Is what makes the absence bearable
And helps to get me through

So enjoy the sun, enjoy the food
Enjoy the lovely friends you make
Enjoy the sounds, enjoy the smells
Enjoy the oriental break

I'll be there waiting at the airport
On the sixth when you get home
To do the things that we both love
Until together we can roam

I've got 2020 vision
I can see you very clearly
You're always in my thoughts
And I love you oh so dearly

When we met in 2012
We both were on the shelf
But I'm glad that I withdrew you
from the library of love

We've grown closer every day
And I'd just like to say
That I want you as my Valentine
Until the very end of time

In 2020 we can't get too close
Two metres apart if you don't want a dose
Of CV19, it's not very nice
If we don't play by the rules
We will pay the price

But I really don't mind
Being stuck in with you
It's what we do best
You know that it's true

We don't need to go out
In fact, we'd rather stay in
Out is way overrated
In's not such a sin

So let's just do what feels right
On this Valentine's Day
Let's just sit in the light of our smiles
Let's just be grateful for the love that we have
Let's forget all the CV19 trials

Walking through the city
On a warm Brisbane winters day
Enjoying the sight of gorgeous girls
And the way their bodies sway

But I'm sorry gorgeous ladies
You don't move me like my Cath
She moves me in ways you couldn't comprehend
She takes me down a whole new path

It's not about the way she looks
It's about the way she is
The way she thinks the way she acts
Gives her the right to say "I'm his"

So I'll enjoy my day of watching
Enjoying beauty at a glance
But I wouldn't want you with me
Even if I had a chance

Because I know that what I have
Is special way beyond the norm
And I'm not the kind of guy
Who goes for any port in a storm

I appreciate not everyone's
as lucky as I am
But that's for them to fix
My girls on her way back from Vietnam

So sway on past you gorgeous girls
I hope you find what you're looking for
And I hope that when you find it
You don't let it walk right out the door

Because having someone perfect
in your life is not a right
It's a gift you should appreciate
And for it be prepared to fight

Give it everything you've got girls
expect nothing less in return
Because if you've found the right one
Your love he will not spurn

And if you haven't found him yet
Just live your life without regret
Because love turns up in the strangest places
And often with unusual faces

And when you least expect it
It may catch you by surprise
It did for me. It did for Cath
You never know where your love lies

So just go out into the world
With an open heart
Don't limit your many options
And you'll find cupid's dart

I met her on an online site
We were looking for a second chance
At finding someone special
And having some romance
I kinda liked her profile
She seemed a straight no nonsense lady
I figured that she wouldn't cause me
any serious malady
I liked the way she looked
And she was articulate to boot
I didn't need a mute
Even one that was so cute
So we talked a bit on line
I wasn't in the country at the time
I was over there in Thailand
With that special son of mine
I said let's catch up for a coffee
And see if there's a spark
She said that she would like that
And was I into art
I said I had neglected
culture for a while
She suggested an exhibition
It was in the Spanish style
So we walked and talked
We laughed & smiled
And we got on well together
So we thought we'd do a picnic next
Depending on the weather
The weather it was good next week
So we went to Tambourine
We walked the shops & cafes
And had a picnic by the stream
We hadn't found a deal breaker
So we made another date
She asked me round for dinner Thursday
And I said I won't be late
Things were going well
So we thought we'd spend a day together
Let's try Eumundi markets
It will give us time to have a blether
We had a lovely morning
Then went up to Noosa for a while
We didn't want the day to end
We made each other smile
So we turned off to Mooloolaba
To prolong the day some more
And we walked along beside the sea
On Mooloo's sandy shore
She slipped in a shallow rock pool
And oh Lord she broke her ankle
I had to call the local ambos
And she was in a bloody fankle
They took her to Caloundra
And I followed close behind
She didn't expect me to stay
Said I was very kind
We spent a lot of time together
Because she couldn't run away
My friends said that it was sad
That I captured her that way :-)
Six months have passed since that event
And our love is strong & sweet
Even though it was an unusual way
To sweep her off her feet
I could make this story last
For another hundred pages
Because we are going to be together for ages and ages and ages
But I'll stop it here
And say only this
Cath & Ben
It's simply BLISS

I want to see the girl in you
Remove the reasons to conform for you
remove the years of grief from you
Remove any need for fear for you
Make every morning sweet for you
And every day a treat for you
Make all your dreams come true for you
Be everything you want me to
Put smiles on your face for you
Hear laughter pouring out of you
I never want to see you blue
Know that you're who you want to be
Proud to walk the town with you
What I want for you is me
And what I want for me is you
What I want for us is we
Living our lives like a bird so free
Flying so high breathing the air
Living our lives knowing there's someone to care
And I want you to know I love you
Just the way you are
Kind and sweet, sexy and smart and curvilinear

Your reflection in the mirror is not the only view I see
We're never ever happy with the image that is me
But I wish that you would see yourself
As I see you each day
Because you're beautiful and you should own it

I love you for the things
That will be there until the end
The intelligence, the sense of humour
The compassion you extend
I love you for your memory of poetry, books and the silver screen
And for all the things you don't remember
That I mumbled in between
I love the way you sway
When we're dancing in the night
I love the way you love me Mrs White

So when I look at you
I'm not looking for extra wrinkles
Or for any weight you've gained
I'm just looking to see that the qualities
I love have been retained

And those qualities are all intact
They have not been impacted by the years
I just wish that you could see yourself
Through my loving lens and not your fears

I only see the things
that will remain unchanged until we reach the end
Yes I look at you and I'm grateful for
the you that will be mine until the end
Yes I'm grateful for everything about you
that will be mine until the end

When she sways her hips
I want to cash my chips
And hold her in a long slow dance
When she strokes my face
It's like a warm embrace
As she holds me in a trance

When she sways
She moves me
In so many ways
When the music takes her
To her happy place

Out on the sala in the early morning light
Her silhouette fills me with delight
When she shakes her head to the beat
I want to lie down at her feet
When she moves her body to the beat
I want to lie down at her feet

When she sways
She moves me
In so many ways
When the music takes her
To her happy place

The road is long without your smile to guide me home
The night is long without you by my side
My heart beats a little slower without the echo of your pulse
As into sleep, I slide

So remember the feel of my hand on your back
as you slip into sleep tonight
And know that you've never been loved more
than you're loved by your husband Mrs White

Who would have thought on that day back in 2012 when we met at the art gallery for our first date that we'd be celebrating our 3rd wedding anniversary in 2017.

Who could have guessed the endless happiness we would experience & the laughter we would share. The mornings lying in bed with your head upon my shoulder arguing over who thought what first.

The perfect boiled eggs we would share or the ultimate eggs Benedict or omelette with smoked salmon & feta cheese.

Who would have thought in five years together we would have travelled so many miles together and woke up in so many different places together.

It took a long time for our paths to finally cross but good things are worth waiting for and patience is a virtue worth cultivating.

I cherish the day I saw your smiling face on OK Cupid and we decided to make contact. Sometimes you just know when something feels right and we've never made a better decision in our lives.

Happy anniversary darling girl. Dance me to the end of love.

She came up to me and said
Would you like to dance?
And I said sure if you're prepared to take a chance
That an old fella like me
Won't make you look uncool
She said I'll take the risk
And I don't think
you'll make me look a fool
So we danced and I could see she thought
That sometimes these old dudes rule
We danced all night - had lots of fun
And I felt I was the gun
There was absolutely no romance
But I was glad she took a chance
That the old guy in the corner could really dance
When the music stopped we talked a bit
She was at uni studying English lit
I told her I had a beautiful lady
Who was over in Vietnam
and that she'd be home soon
into my waiting arms
She said that's nice and I'm sure she's cool
Then she asked if I'd like a game of pool
I said I have no skill but I'll give it a go
She chalked her cue and lined up the balls
I could tell she spent some time in the snooker halls
She hit the white
and I knew I was right
As six balls hit the pockets
I didn't think I'd get a shot
As they flew around like rockets
The game was over before it started
And I thought it was time that I departed
So I said I think it's time that I went home to bed
And I knew what was going through her head
We exchanged a smile that said another time another life
But not right now my friend
We might meet again in a hundred years
and create another end
She kissed me on the cheek and said
You're a very lucky man
To have someone beautiful to love you
Because not everybody can
Then she thanked me for a fun filled night
And I thanked her for the same
We both had fun but we had to run
We'd had a night of fun and laughter
but it was time to end the game
And as I walked back home that night
I had a warm feeling in my heart
That someone who didn't even know us
Could tell we didn't want to be apart
And I thanked my lucky stars
that OK Cupid put me on the path
Of a life with a special lady
Yes that's you my darling Cath
Note: This was of course all a figment of my imagination but I'm sure it could have happened

I love your sense of direction
It's absolute perfection
You're a homing pigeon
You would never get us lost

I love your mountain goat balance
On the broken stones of New Orleans
I'm going to call you Sherpa
Because you've got mountain climbing genes

I love the things you know
The poetry you can recite
The lines from movies you can quote
And the fact you're (almost) mostly right

I love how you say I must have mumbled
When you don't remember what I said
I know the problem's not your memory
Because you remember everything you've read

I love the way you introduce me
To people I've met many times before
Because you don't remember
and you just want to be sure

There are many things I love about you
And I'm sure I've many more to learn
I just hope that I'll remember them
(By the way my name is Ben)

Started in New Orleans in May 2014 & finished 27/1/16

You are the bones that hold me up
You are the heart that pumps my lifeblood
Filling up my cup
You are the skin that holds me firmly in place
But gives me room to stretch
You are the eyes that help me find my way
The music in my ears
The poetry in my head
You are the food that sustains me until I'm dead
You are the one that gives me strength
The one that would go to any length
to fulfill my dreams
You are the smile upon my face
You are my happy happy place

You complete me you don't deplete me

You sooth me you don't confuse me

You make me smile,

you don't cramp my style

You fill my bowl with healthy fruits

You don't waste my time on trivial pursuits

You make my heart soar,

you never bore

You make me reach for the stars

You don't drive me out to the bars

You constantly amaze me

That you're so surprised when I praise you

You complete me that's what you do

You fill me full of energy
Power me up to do my thing
You're the battery that's charging me
So my soul can truly sing

You're the one that gives me the freedom
To be who I want to be
The one that removes all the obstacles
So I can just be me

And even when I'm flat
You don't take what you don't need
Giving plenty of time to recharge
So I can get back up to speed

You don't drain me
You don't constrain me
You don't chain me
You don't try to explain me
You don't try to train me
To be someone that I'm not

You hold me up
You don't pull me down
You make me laugh
You're my personal clown
You're my rain in a drought
The one I don't want to be without

My wife
My life
My best friend
To the very end

You enhance me in so many ways
With your smile and your warmth and your beautiful open heart
You take me down paths I haven't travelled in a while
It's like going right back to the start

You make me laugh
You make me smile
You bring things out of me
I haven't seen in a while

I've always been a lucky dude
But life these days just feels so good
You enhance me in so many ways
I bow my head and offer praise

You make me warm inside
With you, my soul can glide
I don't have to think about what to do
As long as I'm doing it with you

You make me smile
Not just on my face
But all over my body
In every little place
You make me sing
You make me tingle
Make me glad that I'm with you
Even 'though I was happy single
I start the day off happy
Just because you're on my mind
Knowing that I'll hear from you
That our thoughts will be aligned
It's a really cruisie feeling
Having someone who really cares
About all the little things in your life
That happen every single day
There's a really warm vibration
That pulses through my soul
You're the beat that makes it happen
The bass line that makes it roll
So thank you for the smiles
The laughter and the love
12 months of joy and peace
You fit me like a glove

She said - you melt me
You take me to the top of the mountain
And let me float endlessly, never wanting to reach the bottom
You make me explode like a geyser
Pumping my happiness out in joyful bursts getting higher & higher
You turn me into one sweet erogenous zone I didn't know I had
You go beyond tactile & sensuous
You redefine those words
You make me so happy I could burst
I said you're welcome darling girl
My ultimate pleasure is the smile on your face
There is nothing else I need to say in the face of such joy

I wake up with you in my head
Just wishing I was there in your bed
With your head on my shoulder
In your favourite position
Hoping that I can be some kind magician
Turning this into your perfect day
The touch of your skin
The smile in your eyes
That forms on your lips
With some kind of sweet surprise
To have someone fill your day with perfect smiles
Is such a gift and I'm truly blessed
I never thought it could be this good
In my wildest dreams
I could not have guessed
You fill my head with such warm vibes
I simply don't have the words to describe
The touch of your skin
The smile in your eyes
That forms on your lips
With some kind of sweet surprise
We must have been good in some previous life
To deserve this much love without any strife
We must have made some angel smile
To get this gift of love so versatile
So thank you for your gift of love,
your smiles your thoughtfulness
To have you in my life I'm truly, truly blessed
The touch of your skin
The smile in your eyes
That forms your lips
With some kind of sweet surprise
The touch of your skin
The smile in your eyes
That forms on your lips
With some kind of sweet surprise

Best friend, lover, soulmate, partner, wife
You've ticked all my boxes
Since you came into my life

You fill my thoughts
You fill my dreams
It is exactly as it seems

The longer this relationship goes on
The more that you become my song
The words I think of in my head
You speak as though my mind you read

My thoughts are yours
Your thoughts are mine
This is a feeling quite sublime

I could say more but there's no need
You understand you're up to speed
My thoughts are yours
They're in your head
You anticipate before it's said

As we grow old we'll save some time
I'll just read your thoughts
and you'll read mine

We won't need to talk at all
With just a thought we'll know it all
And we'll have time for other things
All the joy that true love brings

I woke up and you were gone
I didn't know to where
So I went through to our bedroom
And you were sleeping there
You were all curled up in a little ball
Just like a pussy cat
And I wasn't sure if should wake you up
Or leave you there like that
So I slipped in there beside you
Slipped my hands around your waist
And you woke up and smiled at me
And I guess you know the rest

I got tested for CV19
And they told me I was clear
Just waiting for the flu tests
Before I have another beer

They're testing me for A
And they're testing me for B
I'm moving through the alphabet
Until I get to Z

I'm getting lots of L for love
And it fits me like a glove
You can never get enough
Of L for love

I'm getting heaps of Ts for thoughtfulness
And Cs from those who care
I'm really truly blessed
by all my special friends out there

So have an S for safe out there
Have a C cos we all care
Have an M for Max our hero
Until we reduce CV19 to zero

A child is born
A son
A grandson
A great grandson
A brother
A nephew
A cousin
A citizen of the world
A world that is a whirlpool of opportunities and challenges
How can we prepare this boy for this world
We can teach him to care
We can teach him to love
We can teach him to think
We can teach him to see with his own eyes
We can teach him to be honest with himself and with others
We can teach him to listen before he speaks
We can teach him to trust and be trusted
We can teach him to respect
We can offer him our unconditional support
We can allow him to be vulnerable
We can allow him to learn from his mistakes
We can honour his dreams
We can wipe away his tears
We can acknowledge his fears
We can be everything to him that we would want him to be for everyone else
We can lead by example
We can shine a light into his dark places
We can be a father, a mother a brother a grandfather, a great grand father a grandmother, a great grandmother, a cousin, a nephew, an uncle, an aunt that he would be proud of.
In fact that is our responsibility when a new child is born and it is a responsibility we should not bear lightly

I’m 48% Scots, 48% Irish & 4% Norwegian (go figure)
So, tell me folks where should I show allegiance?
To the whole damn world, I think
We’re all part of the HUMAN race
I don’t want to be distinguished by the colour of my face

I’ve never seen the world as us and them
Where one is right and one is wrong
One side versus another
It’s simply not my song

My parents taught me tolerance
Not prejudice and hate
Until my own experience tells me different
I’ll happily call you mate

I know we’re not all the same
I’m not that naive
There are many different world views
Different things that we believe

But two people can arrive at the same place
By taking completely different routes
Some people walk in sandals
Some people walk in boots

Some people see different things
On the journey that they take
Some people get there quickly
Some people get there late

So, let’s not get our knickers in a twist
About who has a right to be here
Let’s all live and learn together
And maybe share a few beers

Most of us didn’t CHOOSE to be Australian
We’re just part of someone else’s journey
And whatever we think about other people’s culture
We’re all the same when we’re on the gurney

So, from a Scot who’s also a Kiwi
I say to you tonight
Treat people as you’d like to be treated
And you’re sure to get it right

We’re all different in our own way
Whether from Stanthorpe or Baghdad
Let’s focus on what we have in common
Trust me I’m sure it won’t be that bad
 

It's Christmas time in Sydney
And the Irish are all here
Singing songs and smoking
drinking whisky, drinking beer

Gina's nigga rapping and Jack is on guitar
It's like the musicians' corner in a good old Irish bar
There are sisters and cousins Brothers and sons
Young folks and old folks, all having fun

It's a long way from Ireland
A long way from home
To celebrate Christmas
It's a long way to roam

But there's nothing like family
Nothing like kin
As my grandmother said
If they're Irish bring them all in, bring them all in, bring them all in

If you're Irish come into the parlour
There's a welcome there for you
If you're Scottish, Kiwi or Australian (or even English)
Then you're more than welcome too

Cath's sitting in the corner a smile on her face
Surrounded. by her family, she's in her favourite place
So a happy Christmas to you all
On this very special day

May you cherish all the memories as you all go on your way
May you cherish all the good things
and put your problems to one side
As we gather here as a family celebrating Christmastide

He was the gentlest of men
And he taught me a lot
Like the respect of your peers
Just cannot be bought

If I can be half the man he was
I'll count myself blessed
He was somewhat unique
Not like all the rest

His life wasn't easy
He had his fair share of strife
The Japanese took four years
From him and his wife

He spent four years as a POW
Didn't talk about it much
Said my stories they would trouble you
But he didn't use it as a crutch

There was no hate in those eyes
When he thought of those times
But there's no doubt that it changed him
I could see it sometimes

But if everyone who suffered the things that he did
Behaved like my dad then we would be rid
Of the hatred and suffering we see in this world
And the flag of peace and tolerance would be unfurled

He and mum had such strong faith
And not once did they doubt
They'd be blessed by God's grace
And that Dad would come out

They'd be together again to restart their life
Bring up a family, be husband and wife
If their faith had been weak I wouldn't be here
To tell you this story of the man I hold dear

He was a man of simple tastes
His garden and his records
Johnny Cash and Jim Reeves
Endless hours of pleasure

When he'd had a drink, which wasn't a regular thing
We all knew the laughing policeman he would sing
Until the tears ran down his face and he could sing no more
And mum would watch and smile at him from the kitchen door

He was not an educated man
Left school at fourteen
But he was the wisest man I knew
Had seen things that never should have been

I've tried to live my life
In a way that would make him smile
Treating people with respect
Following his style

Everyone who knew him
Had a kind word for my dad
I never saw him do something
That could be described as bad

He taught me to keep it simple
And I've lived my life that way
I just wish we could be together
For just another day

I hope that he'd be proud of me
Of the things that I've achieved
But I know I have been blessed
Because his wisdom I received

He would never call it wisdom
Because he was such a humble man
But he taught me how to live my life
That's where it all began

So everything I have
Everything I am
Was instilled in me
By this very special man

I'm disconcerted
I've been disconnected
You don't talk to me anymore
The line we used for so many years
Just doesn't work anymore
You cut the line, you pulled the plug
From under my feet, you pulled the rug

All I hear is silence
Nothing, just nothing at all
No shouts, No threats, No Tears
Nothing for me to defend
Just this silence, forcing me to accept
that this is the end

I'm like Cinderella after the ball
But there's no glass slipper for me
No hope, no chance for you and I to be
Together like we used to be
Like we've always been
Like we should be

You've even changed your name back
To what it was when we first met
You've expunged me from your life
Like I am some fully paid-up debt

I couldn't figure out what it was that I did wrong
I've loved you forever and now it's gone, "so long"
But then I got to thinking, as sometimes you do
And I figured out, it's not about me
It's actually about you

It's not about me
It's not about me
It's not about me
It's about you and what you need to do
You need to be who you need to be
And it's clear that this doesn't include me

So I'll love you forever
And I'll give you your space
I'll respect your decision
Walk away with good grace

But I'll stay connected
just in case things could change
I'll keep my line open
I'll still be in range

But I know you too well
I know you've made up your mind
But I still reserve
The right to be blind

Greta Supertramp scientist and surfer
Just a small pocket rocket
With energy to burn
And an intelligent look in her eye
She takes photographs of interesting things and sees beauty in mundane things
With her scientist eyes
She made us real Italian pizza from scratch
Making her own yeast.
I guess that was the scientist in her
When I say she likes fruit, that's a bit of an understatement
I've never seen anyone eat as much fruit as Greta
She could pack in 10 apples a day and then some oranges to get a balanced diet
She brought colour and laughter into our home which she called the IHOP
The international house of people
The fridge is her drawing board and we often come back to a funny picture or a message which she adds a bit to each day
She was a good person to have in our home and we are blessed for having known her

He's on the gypsy caravan
A wild ride round the world
He sees the world through a different set of eyes
As his story gradually unfurls

He's wise beyond his years
But he's had his fair share of tears
His perspective is guaranteed to surprise
He lives his life and faces down his fears

But it's not all beer and skittles
Life on the road can be somewhat brittle
Sometimes he's up, sometimes he's down
When moving on to another town

You can't take it all with you
You have to leave some things behind
Even those that hold a special place in your heart
You have to find the strength to leave

He's a gypsy sometimes tipsy
But always up to facing each new day
You may think his life is glamorous
But he's just living life in his own way

And each day is always different
Not knowing what's in store
The only thing he can be sure of
Is that papa knows the score

And whatever the adventure
he ends up being on
He knows that I'll be with him
Through the sunshine and the storm

Because I made a promise to him
on the day that he was born
That I'd be with him forever
And that promise has been sworn

So we're joined at the hip
And we don't need a script
To know how this thing will play out
I'll be with him whatever should occur of that there is no doubt

Because I made a promise to him
On the day that he was born
That whatever happened to him
He would not regret the day I brought him home

I dreamed of you last night
My dear mum and my dear dad
You were so real to me
Best dream I ever had

You spoke to me in poetry
Word paintings in my head
I tried to sink into the mattress
Not wanting to ever leave my bed

Your words were like music to my ears
The sound of voices oh so dear to me
They brushed away all fears
You were both so very clear to me

I asked your view of Cath my wife
Although you haven't met her
She's a keeper you said as one
You could not have done any better

I wish you could have stayed longer
Because I loved to hear your voices
And it was good to hear you say
You supported my life choices

But all good things must end
And this dream was just a fleeting glimpse
Of the ones I call my mum and dad
And others call Cissie & Bimps

But if you'd like to visit
once again while I am sleeping
And leave some gentle poems
Here with me for safekeeping
I'd welcome that for sure
And I'd anticipate with pleasure
Every visit that you made
To bring such very special treasure

If I hurt you without knowing
Is the pain any less?
No it isn't

If I hurt you without intention
Does the pain not still endure?
Of course it does

If I didn't recognise your pain
Is it still as sharp?
Yes it is

If I didn't give you all you thought I should
Does that mean I had some left to give?
Perhaps I had but you didn't tell me how

You didn't feel you were the centre of my world
But no one else occupied that space not even me as you believe

I didn't give you what you needed
And you think I should have known just what that was
But I didn't and I can't change that
I'm just an imperfect person full of flaws
But then aren't we all

And sometimes when we need to be at our best we're not
And things fall through the cracks that life creates

I wish that you could have told me what you needed
And then I could have done better by you
And then I could have done better by us
In the end we missed too many connections to get where we needed to be
And if we'd planned our journey better, we might be in a different place

But it's hard this life
It throws things at you when you least expect and sometimes you drop the ball
And without knowing that it's so
The game is over even 'though there seems to be more time on the clock

When you said you loved me and then walked away
I knew you'd reached a point where love was not enough

I should have fought to change that but I felt so disempowered
Not telling me what I was doing wrong,
Even if you think I should have known , is not good enough

You knew I loved you even if I didn't show it in the way you needed me to
You didn't shine a light to show me the way
Maybe in your eyes if I couldn't see it for myself then it wasn't good enough
But it would have been good to see that light instead of fumbling around in the dark

I never wanted to hurt you
I wish I could have been there for you
But you feel I wasn't and I will always regret that

I didn't just tell people what a great midwife you were
I told them what a great human being you were
I told them you were beautiful and kind and thoughtful
I told them you were smart
I told them you were loving
I told them you were strong

But I forgot that even the strong need support sometimes
And you feel I let you down when you needed me most
We can't change that so we have to live with it
But there will always be a special place in my heart for you
Even though we will no longer be together

His name is Jake and he's a seriously cool dude
He's very good looking
Especially in the nude

You won't be disappointed girls
If you hook up with Jake
You won't want to go to sleep
You'll want to stay awake

He's tall and he's handsome
He told me so himself
But don't take his word for it
Check him out yourself

I'm sure you won't be disappointed
If Jakey is your choice
I'm absolutely sure that
He will make your heart rejoice

He's an easy guy to please
He's an easy guy to tease
Just buy him pork buns
That always puts him at ease

Just make sure you treat him good
He doesn't like it when you're rude
And let me know if you agree
That he's a seriously cool dude

He's a poet and a performer
Words flow from his lips Like honey
Nourishing you and refreshing your mind
He writes about Sri Lankan food, family, friends and his passion - cricket
He writes so eloquently about cricket that even a Scotsman like me could almost love the game although he still wouldn't understand it
But it's not just the words which are beautiful
It's the way he delivers them
Because I've read them myself and I can't do them justice
In normal life he speaks very quietly,
almost mumbling so you have to strain to catch each word
It's probably a deliberate strategy to ensure you're listening on the off-chance that
he might say something interesting
But when he reads his poetry his voice is strong and clear and resonant
as if he knows he has to get this right
As though he understands his audience will hang on every word
And we know he has turned every word over in his mind a hundred times to get it just right
So he rises to the occasion and doesn't disappoint
To hear Janaka read his poetry is a privilege
And we his audience are truly blessed to share in this experience
I write for my own pleasure
but he's working on a different plane to which I don't aspire
But the way he writes his poetry is still something that inspires
And one day I'd like to dream that I could put some words together
That would sound as good as his
Although mine would be in a Scottish/kiwi accent and I just know he'd take the piss

I came back home after a long time gone - from the other side of the world. Everything was different but nothing seemed better to my older eyes. I remembered things in a softer light

The field we used to play football in was filled with ticky tacky houses, all just the same. The bing we had adventures on was gone and you could see all the way to Armadale two and a half miles away

Through our childlike eyes this wasn't just a slag heap from a coal mine. This was OUR mountain, which we climbed without thinking of the dangers, even when we saw smoke spouting from the top like a poor man's volcano. And in the winter that slag heap was our mountain covered in snow. It wasn't the Alps but it was still beautiful and we liked it

We built makeshift igloos and sledged from the top of the hill in our field and when we hit the snow-packed ramps we'd built we'd go up in the air and land on our arses with a thump.

And when the field flooded as it did every year, we didn't see it as a field with poor drainage, we saw it as our own private lake. We sailed around in old spare tyres during the long summer holidays and played pirates

We carried trees all the way from our forest the snaky - there were actually 3 forests the daddy and the mammy and the baby and from above they joined together to look like a snake so I guess that's how it got its name. We carried back trees for a couple of miles to make goal posts for football and even though they were shaky, they were much more exciting than our jerseys placed 20 feet apart and we had a cross bar we could hit - and if we hit it really hard the whole lot fell down. Usually, on the goalie - happy days indeed except for the goalie!! And when Tam Walker the farmer arrived we grabbed them and ran, streaking across the field as fast as our wee legs would carry us

We used to play "race the bull" across the field and we managed this without a risk analysis or a contingency plan. We knew if we weren't fast enough we were fucked but hell that just made us run faster and we didn't stop until we were over the fence, over the burn and halfway up the hill with the bull still raging and stamping its feet at the fence.

Were we stupid - fuck yes but we lived to tell the tale so we couldn't have been THAT stupid could we?

We sometimes played football in our field with the "townies" and we'd dribble the ball among the cows knowing that as townies they'd be far too scared to chase us - not knowing the cows were probably more scared than they were

I remember when I was probably about nine taking my wee sister Anne down the burn road in her pushchair and we used to do wheelies, with her squealing with delight and me trying to keep it from rolling over. There was also a tree down there we called the aeroplane tree because it had a big branch that we would climb out onto and parachute off. It seemed so high at the time but I went down there years later as an adult and the branch barely came up to my waist.

Simple pleasures but I still remember them as though they happened yesterday.

However for the people who live there now I guess what I see as negatives might well be positives.

The trains are running again and you can be in Edinburgh or Glasgow in half an hour and you don't have to wait at bleak bus stops in the winter for buses that don't arrive.

There's a big shopping centre almost on the door step in Livingston and .... well I can't really think of any other positives but that's just me

I know for sure the kids growing up there won't have the memories that we do and they're the kind of memories that last for ever

Having a coal mine at your back door might not be the stuff of dreams, but we created our own dreams back then and they haven't been diminished by time

I remember when the first Chinese restaurant opened the Honey Flower. I was such a fussy eater that I had the same meal the first six times I went because it was really good and I couldn't believe I could possibly like anything else. The funny thing is that it wasn't really Chinese but I didn't know that then. It was called American Chow Mein with crispy noodles and came with a soft fried egg on top. I went back there in the eighties and they all had Scottish accents one of the boys went to school with my sister.

I guess this was another part of the way the town was evolving but I liked that part of the evolution. Up until that time we had fish and chip shops that sold fish suppers or haggis pudding suppers. My brother used to go into Pud's and ask for a rat supper when he was drunk and get chased out of the shop (Pud's didn't have a great reputation).

Then there was Serafini's where for a special treat mum used to take us for fish & chips sitting down inside. There was Boni's the ice cream shop and of course they used to come round the streets with the van and we rushed out as soon as we heard the chimes.

Dad used to get an oyster (sponge in the shape of an oyster filled with ice cream or a black man two chocolate covered wafers with ice cream in between. Probably wouldn't be able to call them that now.
We also had the chip van which was actually an old bus with a chimney to let out the smoke from the fryers.

The old shops have gone, replaced by nothing memorable and the pubs don't have any character although they do have a huge range of beer and you can get a decent meal. In my day it was limited to cheese and onion or smokey bacon crisps

The streets were so different I needed a map to find my way around

Brodies who used to make delicious rhubarb tarts, Seggies rolls, the home bakery where you could get great tattie scones and Blairs who made delicious mince pies had been replaced by shops without character or local history
Bathgate used to be the heart of the district but now it's just a satellite of Edinburgh or Livingston the new town they built in 1962 to cater for the overspill from Glasgow & Edinburgh

It seems that my birthplace and I have evolved in different ways and we are no longer as comfortable with each other as we used to be and I guess that's what happens when you move around and come back periodically. You don't get a chance to experience the good stuff you just hanker for the bits you remember fondly.

And this place Bathgate sitting midway between Edinburgh & Glasgow is still where my roots lie, even if those roots are not as deep as they once were

This place Bathgate is where my parents were born and where they brought me up and built the core of who I am now

This place Bathgate has a proud history going back to the time of Robert the Bruce who gifted Bathgate castle as a dowry for his daughter Marjorie at the beginning of the 14th century and it has a history long before that with the ancient Druid burial ground of Cairnpapple in the hills above the town going back for over 4,000 years

So while Bathgate and I have evolved in different ways so that we would find it hard to recognise each other in a crowd, it sits at the very core of who I am and 64 years later, living in far-flung lands I'm still proud to call myself a Bathgate Bairn.

I ain't doing anything wrong
I ain't doing anything right
But that's because I ain't
doing anything tonight

I think I'll play it cool
I think I'll hold my tongue
I think I'll keep my secrets
I think that I'll keep mum

I just don't need the trouble
I just don't need the strife
I think I'll pretend I don't exist
And leave things to my wife

She knows better anyway
And she's nearly always right
I've never felt the need to win
Every single fight

She did get it wrong once
But I wasn't brave enough to say
I thought I'd trust the law of averages
And live to fight another day

And based on past experience
I might just go to bed
I don't suppose she'll join me
It's some time since she has
So I think I'll keep my head down
And wait for things to pass

A Sri Lankan man into my life came
He was disrespectful to my age
But I liked him just the same
His blood was cold but his humour warm
And a friendship it began to form

Then he introduced me to his lady
A lovely mix of east and west
I thought she was far too good for him
But I guess that she knew best
She has far superior manners and a twinkle in her eye
And I don't know if he realises he's a bloody lucky guy

Janaka and Lana or Lanaka for short
Janaka finally proposed and you've agreed to tie the knot
We wish you all we wish for ourselves
Happiness and lifelong love
And throughout all the years you are together we hope you fit just like a glove

Now I'm not a poet in the same class as Janaka
But I hope these words I put together
Make you laugh or smile Lanaka
You set much too high a standard mate
And one that I'm afraid I just can't reach
But this is the closest thing you're going to get to a wedding speech

Susannah, she's a Liverpool girl,
Scouse, call her what you will
She's, got a heart of gold
And she's not very old
Just 50 years young
Liverpudlian's her mother tongue

She's tried, men
But wouldn't try them again
She loves Jeanette
They make a great duet

They've tied the knot; got married; got wed
Australia's still in the dark ages
So they did it in Enzed
She rides a bike
The kind of woman you can't help but like
Dirty laugh - a twinkle in her eye
Not interested in handsome guys
So happy birthday Susannah
And don't worry about the years
50's just half a century,
plenty time for way more beers
And it doesn't matter how old you get the truth it will be thus
For every year you add my dear
You'll still be younger than us

Look for something positive in each day
Even if some days you have to look a little harder
The day starts better with sunshine
Than it does with clouds
And you can see better when it's not darker

It's not always easy I'm not that naive
But it's still the better option
At least that's what I believe
So even if you're struggling
As I know you often do
Hit the day with a smile on your face
Let the sun come shining through

And when you feel it's all too hard
And your body can't go on
Just rest and take life quietly
So that you can carry on

You have nothing to prove
No apologies required
It's ok to take a rest
and admit that you are tired

And when your batteries are charged
And you're ready to get going
Put your smiley face on
And get those juices flowing

Let the world see you as you are
A warrior queen, a fixer and a doer
The one who solves the problems
Not the sickness but the cure

The one who comes back fighting
Who never throws in the towel
Who being the best you can be
Is your mantra, your avowal

For Brooke

I came to Medellin to see my boys
Mis nietos Jero & Thiago
They made my heart light up with joy
Esas luces brillantes

They were such shining lights
They had such mischief in their eyes
They made my heart beat faster
When we had to say goodbye

Such good friends these brothers
Tan buenos amigos los hermanos
Such love and affection for each other
tal amor y afecto por los demás

And mama Marialoving her angels
And papa Andy making them strong
And both of them giving their best to their children
And letting them know how much they belong

I wish you both much happiness
I wish the best for you
Be the best that you can be
Be good, be kind, be true

Te deseo mucha felicidad
Te deseo lo mejor para usted
Ser el mejor que se puede
Ser bueno, ser amable, sér verdadero

I wish you both much happiness
I wish the best for you
Be the best that you can be
Be good, be kind, be true

She was my mum
And that's the sum
What else do I need to say?
When I was growing up she made every day a happy day

It wasn't always easy
Although I didn't know it at the time
With my dad she did the suffering
Sometimes they didn't have a dime

She always had her knitting
Or a crossword puzzle on her lap
She knew words I still don't know
And she knew them front to back

She had a sense of humour
Which I found out when I was older
Coming back from warmer climes
To see her in Bathgate which I found so much colder

She would tell me funny stories
They would always make me smile
And I wondered how I never saw before
How she delivered them with so much style

But she was just my mum
And sometimes it takes a while to learn
That your mother is a person in her own right
And to have more time with her now is what I yearn

She was quick and she was clever
And often me she did console
And I never heard her ever
Say an unkind word about a soul

Her life it wasn't easy
She got sick when I was young
They had to fix her loving heart
And her many virtues went unsung

She lost my dad for four whole years
To the war to end all wars
But she never showed her fears
Her faith was enough for her
and like my dad she didn't want to settle any scores

I was there when she passed
Although it took me quite a while
But I knew she would hold on for me
To once more see her smile
And although it was the hardest thing to see her pass
She'd lived her life and earned her right
To leave this world with class
I was privileged to have this woman for my mother
And if I was given the choice I could not choose another
She was my mum and that's all there is to say
I just wished I could have had in her in my life for just one more day

Five foot eight
Ramrod straight
Straight as a die
Never told a lie
Twinkle in his eye
Proud to call him dad
Best dad I could have had
Taught me how to behave
Taught me how to be brave
Said it's ok to cry
When you have to say goodbye
But he was strong as strong could be
And he gave that strength to me
And I've tried to pass it on
I've tried to make him proud
I hope that I've succeeded
But I guess I'll never know
You just have to do your best
And hope that it's enough
So if you're looking down on me
I hope you're liking what you see
And you're smiling with your eyes
And I hope you realise
That you did your job with style
My dear old dad

Number two son
Mr do it yourself
He can hang your pictures
He can put up a shelf

He can lie on your mattress
Saying never again
But you know he's just fooling
'cause the booze is hurting his brain

He's a big fella Jake
But gentle as a lamb
Except if he gets too pissed
And then he ends up in the slam

For saying something rude
To an officer of the law
And they evict him from the venue
And put the handcuffs on his paw

But on a serious note
He's a good mate to have
When the chips are down
And you really need a laugh

You can laugh with him or at him
He doesn't really care
'cause he's Jake the mate
The big cuddly teddy bear

So if you're in trouble
Or even if you're not
Jakey will be with you
To help you sink a pot

Good on you Jakey boy
For being such a mate
Everyone should have someone
In their life like Jake

You don't deserve the pain you have
The constant battles you have to fight
You don't deserve the uncertainty
It simply isn't right

But you light us up like a beacon
Like a lighthouse on a hill
Reminding us how lucky we are
When we think we might be ill

When we're feeling sorry for ourselves
When we're having a bad day
You remind us with your optimism
The price you've had to pay

And we take on a new perspective
And realise how lucky we all are
And our gripes and moans are nothing
Compared to Max our superstar

So while I wish you didn't have to bear
The suffering you do
I'm glad that fate intervened
And introduced this man to you

You are a total inspiration
To everyone who calls you friend
And although some days are dark
I hope that you are on the mend

I hope the doctors work their magic
I hope the Gods stop playing games
I hope the spirit stays unwavering
And that you achieve your aims

I hope you write your book
And lead the way for others who are ill
I know that you can help them
To digest this bitter pill

For me, I'm glad I met you
Even for a little while
Some people touch you as they pass
And leave you with a smile

So I hope the coming years are kinder
Than the ones that have gone before
I wish you peace and happiness
And health and so much more

Take care, my friend, keep up the fight
And keep inspiring as you've done
I think the time has come for you
To have your day in the sun

You make me proud
My son, my boy, my friend
I will watch your back until the very end
I will be there for you whatever trouble you get in
There is nothing you can do that I won't forgive your sin

We may not share the same DNA
But my blood flows through your veins anyway
As your blood flows through mine
Father, son, throughout time

I love the way you've created yourself
To be your OWN man
not some stereotypical copy
Not some also ran

You're not living someone else's dream
You're just doing what you do
With style, aplomb, courage and grace
The way I always hoped you'd do

Blessed with skills & experiences
That an MBA couldn't equal in a thousand years
You go out into the world - sometimes scared
But prepared to face your fears

So when people ask me what you do
I smile from ear to ear
and say anything he wants to mate
Then I shed a little tear

But not because I'm sad my boy
Not because I'm sad
But just because you make me
very proud to be your dad
xo

Reds, browns and yellows, echoed on the surface
As the autumn trees look back at themselves,
Congratulating each other on how good they look against the perfect blue-sky backdrop.

The three poplar trees on the creek at the bottom of our garden,
Shivering in their winter nakedness,
Waiting for spring to envelop them in leaves once again
So that they can sway and sing in the summer breeze.

Dogs stop for a chat and nuzzle,
Sharing smells and wagging tails.
It's a great place for them
With the scents of grass and flowers,
The sound of water and birds
And the chance to make new friends.

After the long drought,
The creek flows fast and free
And the ducks and other water birds
Are dipping and diving.
It's a much healthier place to live,
Now that nature has rebalanced.

And crossing over Bridge Street
Where the weir controls the flow,
There's a heron on a sunken tree
Just watching, watching,
And the sun flickers through the trees
Making patterns on the path.

And then it's down to the Quart Pot Creek Bridge
(or Red Bridge as it's known),
Built back in 1886
To ship out Stanthorpe's tin.
It's a marvellous sight
Silhouetted against the deep blue sky.
It's a wondrous place, the Quart Pot Creek

Reminiscing with my little sister
On those happy days we spent together
Growing up in Bathgate many years ago
We were blessed to have the love of parents Ben & Cissy
Who put us on the right track
and showed us where to go

We talked of empire biscuits
And trying to read our mother's writing
And Jim Reeves on the radio
How we had to sit there oh so quietly
As dad set up the microphone
As he recorded every single show

I told Anne that I was there
On the day that she was born
Convinced she came in old nurse Waugh the midwife's magic bag
All five of us delivered by that Wonder Woman midwife
While our dad sat downstairs dragging on a fag

I asked Anne what time she was delivered
As I wasn't sure why I was there
I thought I should have been in school as I was six
She said mum always said she was born between the 10 and 11 bus
Which of course isn't on her birth certificate

I used to take her in her pushchair
Down the burn road doing wheelies
And she giggled as we went around each and every bend
nowadays the politically correct brigade
would have mum and dad arrested
and yet she turned out almost normal in the end

We talked of dad's time as a P.O.W
And I told her things she hadn't heard
He didn't talk much about it by the time she came along
We talked about the lovely way he copied poems
In his beautiful handwriting
And how he taught us to be gentle, kind and strong

We've had such a lovely time
Catching up on times gone by
Listening to music and driving around the sights
And I'm so happy that she found herself a man as good as Stewart, not just a husband but a friend
He's so good he could almost be a White

Each action you take
Affects not only you
It ripples right down the line
Impacting not just a few

It reaches out and touches
Folks that you don't even know
So be careful what you say & do
You may reap the seeds you sow

while for some things you do
The impact may not be great
Think before you act
And act with love not hate

So before you start a ripple
Think before you do
Every action has a consequence
That impacts not only you

But don't think of this as bad
You may make someone glad
So, start a positive ripple
And let it flow to where it will go

On a road trip to Maleny to pick up Mukti for the skin
The rain is pouring down and dark clouds are coming in
We're singing to the music that the Ipod's pumping out
We're talking and we're laughing - that's what life is all about

I stopped for a piss
You went for a fag
I got a burger and fries
In a brown paper bag

It's just Hell's Bells and Ben building friendships by the mile
We laugh a lot, we talk a lot - we've got lots to make us smile
We haven't known each other long, but we've come a long, long way
Our friendship's based on mutual trust and growing every day

I stopped for a piss
You went for a fag
I got a burger and fries
In a brown paper bag

Now we're heading on home and the rain is pouring down
We got Midlake and The Waterboys all the way into town
We got the Pogues and Little Barrie and Die Antwoord pumping out
It's such a simple way to live - that's what life is all about

We're living here in Stanthorpe
Looking out on Quart Pot Creek
Living here is easy
Living here is sweet

We arrived here in the autumn
When the leaves were changing hue
Enjoying early morning walks
With the sky the deepest blue

The folks here are oh so friendly
Everybody wears a smile
Everybody makes eye contact
And we're loving the lifestyle

The creek is full to brimming over
The duckling families bob and weave
A relief after the long drought
The rain a pleasure to receive

So we sit here on our deck
And watch the world go by
Along the walkway by the creek
So peaceful on the eye

Yes we're settling in quite nicely
To this place, this new home
Where we will watch the sunset for the last time
No further need to roam

When I was seventeen life was full of angst
Trying to be so cool in my full-length Afghan coat
That stank when it was wet
But looked amazing just the same
I was trying to be different rather than just trying to be me
Although the evolving me was in there
But I was still learning the game

When I was 30 I moved to the other end of the world
To work on my New Zealand voice
Where everyone said gidday mate
and everything was "choice"
It was a formative period building on what had gone before
I liked the laid-back Kiwis
And I continued to explore

When I was 39 I ran my first Marathon
Another challenge completed
By the end, I was somewhat depleted
(But very satisfied)
It took more determination than skill
But it was such a thrill
And I was still evolving

When I was 49 I changed career
From cars to education
They called me the "car boy"
And put me on probation
But I won them over in the end
And we learned a thing or two
That’s what education’s all about
You teach me and I teach you

When I was 55 I came to Australia
Time for a new adventure
You never stretch the possibilities if you never venture
Lost a wife which was sad
but built a new life so not so bad
No more marathons for me though
too bloody hot mate they had to go
When I was 62 I found a new soulmate
Life is good mate
Wish I’d met her years ago
But it’s never too late mate
We fit each other like a glove
It’s good to have someone to love
Everything is great mate

When I was 71
I moved to Stanthorpe
Best choice I ever made mate
Love the people, love the country
Love the lack of traffic
Got to be a Ten FM DJ
Sweet mate

And now I’m 73 I’m chilled as chilled can be
and I don’t give a hoot mate
What you think of me
I’m living here in Stanthorpe
Doing my own thing
Life is sweet. I’ve got everything I need
I’m so happy I could sing
(But I won’t) trust me you’ll be relieved
 

He taught me tolerance
He taught me not to hate
He taught me that there is good in everyone although in some it's buried deep
He taught me to be kind
He taught me that a smile is better than a frown
He taught me that simplicity is not a weakness because he was a simple man but the strongest man I've ever known
He taught me that education is not what you learned in school; because he didn't spend much time there but he knew many things
He taught me to love words because although he was not a scholar he appreciated good writing and got pleasure from the simple juxtaposition of words to form something beautiful and meaningful
He gave me a love of music without boundaries & genres because it can move across borders and cultures and ages
He taught me that it was Ok to be wrong and the importance of an apology when it was appropriate
He taught me that crying was Ok if you felt better for it
He taught me that sadness was Ok as long as there was a good reason for it
He taught me that having no money doesn't make you poor
He taught me that my best is always good enough but that it is a changeable feast and it was important to be honest with myself
He taught me that there are always opportunities for improvement but not to let others set my standards
He taught me to believe in myself because he believed in me
He's been gone a long time now but his light still guides me.

In the winter I can see the post office from my deck
But as we turn to spring the 3 poplar trees at the bottom of our garden gradually sprout their leaves and by summer the post office has magically disappeared except when the wind blows and it peeks out behind a weaving branch or two

The sun shines on the poplar leaves making them shimmer like silver
And in the wind, we can hear them whisper
The creek is ever-changing
And in our short time here we’ve seen it go from almost dry to halfway up our lawn 
I quite enjoyed my lake view for a while and in my garden finding all the things that were left upon

I grew up with very distinct seasons
And I missed that in Brisbane where the weather just moves from hot to less hot even though I’m told the four seasons still exist
back in Scotland I used to enjoy seeing my first lamb in spring, my first Robin and the first snow of summer. 

So, Stanthorpe feels more like my birthplace than anywhere else I’ve been and that’s a comfort at my stage of life.
I love reading stories about 3 pigs running down Sugarloaf Road
Or a bull heading out Texas road in a hurry 
And all the wonderful volunteers that keep our community vibrant 
And the fact that it takes 5 minutes to get anywhere 

I love watching the duck families blossom on the creek and being chased by the mama duck when I get a little too close for comfort
They use my garden as a training ground for walking together in a line, dad up front, mum bringing up the rear and all the little ducklings racing as fast as they can to keep up

So, thank you Stanthorpe
I’m glad I found you and all your friendly inhabitants.
There’s a lot of kindness here and only a small number of arseholes
So, I think I’ll stay if you’ll have me. 
 

2022 is the year of the J
A year full of good things
When things go your way
When the sun shines on you
And dreams can come true
2022 when you get what you're due

A house with a garden
Where you grow for your table
And Lola can run for as long as she's able
And neighbours who smile when they see you each day
A place where you're happy
A safe place to stay

You get to a stage when your needs are not great
A place to enjoy, to feel safe, to create
Some friends to come by
To share laughter & food
Where neighbours are friendly and no one is rude

So may this be your year
When things come together
When life is a breeze, light as a feather
And there's light in your life
And you paint & you draw
And there's music & movies
And a friendly wee paw

To be sure to be sure
It's a wonderful place
And everyone there
Has a smile on their face

I'm in Waterford town
In the Emerald Isle
And it makes me so happy
I just want to smile

The air it is pure
The grass it is green
If you've been here before
You'll know what I mean

I'm in Waterford town
In the Emerald Isle
And it makes me so happy
I just want to smile

The wind is so fresh
The sky is so blue
The girls are all gorgeous
But none more than you

I'm in Waterford town
In the Emerald Isle
And it makes me so happy
I just want to smile

I'm proud that the blood
That flows through my veins
In a gift from my genes
Irish droplets contain

I'm in Waterford town
In the Emerald Isle
And it makes me so happy
I just want to smile

I'm in Waterford town
In the Emerald Isle
And it makes me so happy
To see your beautiful smile

I can't remember a time in my life
When you were not around
Full of energy
Full of intelligence
Full of life
Like a whirlwind
Blowing away life's cobwebs
And even though we've been apart
longer than we've been together
You still fill a space in my life
that distance doesn't diminish
As we grow older and head towards the dimming of our days
As the colours start to fade
And light turns into grey
Be sure you made an impact on who I am
With your wise words and enthusiasm
So happy Christmas Godmother
and if we don't meet again
know you will always hold a special place
in the heart of your loving Godson Ben

Got stuck in traffic in Stanthorpe town
Couldn't make any progress
I was feeling down
It took 3 and a half minutes
From end to end
It's a real struggle living
In the Granite Belt

I was only going to Aldi
So I should have walked
But I was checking out the specials
And you know they rock
So I sat in the traffic doing zero rpm
While listening to the music on Ten FM

Living in the country I must confess
Does wonders for the ulcers and reduces the stress
The drivers always stop when you cross the street
And you get a lovely smile
From the people you meet

So come on down to Stanthorpe
Give yourself a treat
The wine's mighty fine
And the apples are sweet
There's free live music
Every month in the park
Friendliness & generosity are our hallmark

Don't let people bring you down
Just walk away
Don't let them kill your inner clown
Just walk away

Don't let them make you who you're not
Don't let them take what you have got
Don't let them flatten out your curves
Don't let them drain your scarce reserves

Don't let them say how to behave
Just walk away
Don't let them make you their slave
Just walk away

Don't let them make you who you're not
Don't let them take what you have got
Don't let them flatten out your curves
Don't let them drain your scarce reserves

Don't be defined by those who hate
Just walk away
Don't wait until it's too late
Just walk away

Don't let them make you who you're not
Don't let them take what you have got
Don't let them flatten out your curves
Don't let them drain your scarce reserves

Be the one you want to be
Stand tall and straight so you can see
The road ahead that's straight and true
Be no one else's dream - Be you

For Brooke

I met a young guy in the valley
Who looked like he deserved something better
He had a girlfriend out in the sticks
But he couldn't afford to go get her

He had tattoos all over his body
That told his story in ink
Some people thought he was trouble
But I tell you that's not what I think

He had an air of success all around him
Even though it hadn't yet found him
But I knew from the look in his eye
That find him it would given time

He had knowledge a plenty
Without varsity learning
He was out there living
Not sitting home yearning

His motto was you live just once - live it
He had it tattooed all round his neck
But there was more to that motto it wasn't just ink
It was much deeper than skin
was the way he would think

So don't criticise that kid on the street
Cos you don't know the journey he's taken
Just open your mind to the idea that he
might in you something hidden awaken

He might write you a letter
About places he's been
and things that he's done
and people he's seen

About women he's loved
And hearts that he's broken
And in how many different cities he's woken
About things that he's faced
And things that he's beaten
And how many strange wonderful things that he's eaten

As you sit home alone
On your new mobile phone
With your carefully manicured feelings
Living life through your Facebook account
Watching spiders spin webs on your ceiling

If you're honest you wish you'd the courage
To step out from the safety and give life a go
But you know that you won't cos you won't take the risk
It's much easier to slag off the people that do

And yet you can't understand
Why you've got it so wrong
And that it's him not you
that's the hero of my song

On my last birthday, I calculated that I’ve been on this earth for 2.3 billion seconds 

2.3 billion opportunities for different outcomes 

To get up or not to get up

To turn left or right or stay where I am

To stop, to start, to stay exactly where I am

To talk to someone or not

To touch someone or walk away

To listen to a new song or stick with something familiar 

To write a poem- to read it at the open mic 

To travel or stay at home

To experience different cultures 

To say sorry as many times as necessary 

To learn a language, a musical instrument or run a marathon 

To smile or not to smile

To try new food or stick with what I know 

To kiss someone or regret that I didn’t. 

To fall in love 

Life is made up of millions of opportunities 

Don’t waste them

I am no longer young
but nothing important has changed
My muscles sometimes ache
And my bones creak a little
But I don't look at the world differently
Although I suspect the world doesn't see the me I see

I no longer seek to impress
I simply don't care what other people think of me
They're entitled to their view
But it doesn't create ripples in my pool
I'm free of all that
I guess I have been for a while
but age makes it easier

I look at where I am and how I got here
At the twists and turns in my path
And the choices I made about left or right
And I know there is no wrong or right way
Perhaps some give up or fight way
but it was my way and I have no regrets

So when I look in the mirror
I'm ok with what I see
There's still a twinkle on the wrinkles
And who I see is really me
I don't pretend to be perfect
that doesn't ring my bell
I don't see imperfection as a failure
And if you do then go to hell

They say what they want to say
As long as it suits their purpose
Facts are not within their purview
Stars of their own little circus
Where they’re the clowns that everybody laughs at
But not because they’re funny
Classic clowns with sad faces
Their disposition isn’t sunny

In their own minds, they are legends
In other’s maybe not
A loose connection to the truth
Their impact diddly squat
They’re masters of division
Paranoia fills their heads
Turning allies into foes
As they weave their many threads

We’ve all met them at some stage
With their loose connection to the facts
Legends in their own minds
Even if they’re full of crap
So, choose who you follow with care
Don’t be led and be aware
Check what people tell you
Before you share the information
Don’t spread what you can’t prove
You could be up for defamation
 

The rivers have dried
And the seas are too high
And small islands have disappeared
And the angels cried as they saw what we'd done
Saying this is much worse than we feared

People are dying
Children are crying
In wars over nothing but ego and greed
And the angels cried as they saw what we'd done
Saying this is much worse than we feared

The animals that tripped
Two by two on the ark
Are becoming extinct, left to die in the dark
And the angels cried as they saw what we'd done
Saying this is much worse than we feared

The bankers get richer
The poor get more hungry
Politicians don't listen to the people they serve
And the angels cried as they watched from on high
Saying this is much worse than we feared

Is it too late to fix things
Have we gone too far
Is there time to recover
How high is the bar
And the angels cried as they watched from on high
Saying we don't think that we have an answer

But the time's getting on
And the options are few
If we don't figure it out
Then we won't make it through
It's time to wake up and act
Put our differences aside
Our current approach is just suicide

And the angels cried as they watched from on high
Saying time's running out fast for some action
You must fix it now, there's no time to delay
For the world is approaching destruction

But as they looked down and watched the world fall apart
They knew we'd left it too late, too late to start
Those who thought themselves the intelligent species
Had plundered God's gifts
Let the world fall to pieces
And the angels cried for the very last time
And said we need to find a new challenge

I watched a man blowing leaves from the pathway
on my way into the city
What an exercise in futility
I watched a woman, trying to prevent the ageing process
with a tightening of her skin
What an exercise in futility

I thought I'd focus on the positive
On the things that I can change
Let the leaves fall where they will
And let the wrinkles reflect the changes I have seen

Another Muslim died today
In a terrorist attack
The survivors wait in fear
Because they know they will be back

In the world of social media
Where fake news is the thing
People blame the Muslims
For the state that we are in

But more Muslims die than anyone
So think about what you read
When a bomb goes off the chances are
It's Muslim kids that bleed

The major wars in the last 100 years
Were largely caused by Christian leaders
But the media didn't spread fake news
About Christians to their readers

So why do we blame ALL Muslims
For the actions of a few
The terrorists are the bad guys
The rest are just like me and you

So focus on the terrorists
Not the religion that they claim
There is no excuse for murder
Especially murder in God's name

If you're talking to God
in whatever language you use
And you're looking for something to share
Here's some ideas to bounce off the ultimate power
If you've got a minute to spare

Let's create a list to start of the year
Let's start the list off by not building on fear
Let's show some love and forget about hate
You can leave a small note by the big pearly gates

The poor will be less poor
The young will grow old
People will question what they are told
We will look after our planet
We will not share fake news
We will encourage a wide range of divergent views

Our politicians will do what we pay them to do
run the country not ruin the country
And world leaders will lead rather than tweet
And take the world on a more peaceful journey

We will treat everyone with respect
get what we deserve not what we expect
We'll be kind and not cruel
Send all children to school
Look after our old 'cause we'll be there one day
Practice what we preach and do what we say

Look for reasons to believe not disbelieve
Look for ways to make a bigger contribution
Seek to forgive and to learn from mistakes
Don't waste time seeking retribution

And don't leave it to God to sort out your shit
Stand up and be counted and you do your bit
Don't leave it to chance
Take a stance, a position
Create change for the better
Make this your mission

We've all been taught from little kids
That stranger equals danger
But of course, this isn't always true
How many times have strangers
Changed your view on life
And opened up perspectives new

There are far more strangers in this world
than friends, as we all know
So there's more than enough to go around
Pick a stranger, make a friend
Might be the best you ever found

Rod McKuen said in a poem once
strangers are just friends waiting to happen
And I've met a few where that applied
Every time I meet someone new
It might be the last one before I die

So while stranger danger makes sense for kids
Because they've still got a lot to learn
And being cautious keeps them out of trouble
Grown-ups must learn to discern

Many of the best people in my life we're strangers once
Before they joined me on my journey
Some stayed for just a little while
Before they moved on their way
Some hopefully will stay forever
Bringing light and shade to disappearing days

But they all left their mark in their own special way
Some gave me little, some gave me much
But they all gave me something
Added their own special touch

So the person you see when you look at me now
Is the product of many connections
The people I've met
The places I've been
The stories I'm woven between

So engage with a stranger next time one comes along
You might be surprised what you find
They might be a problem, dangerous, cruel
But there's a good chance they might also be kind.

I'm not trying to "go somewhere"
But I think I've travelled far
I'm still learning I'm still growing
But I've no wish to be a star

I'm not really good at anything
Except being who I am
But I'm REALLY good at that
And not giving a damn

I don't take life too seriously
But I'm serious about life
We only get once chance at it
So I try to minimise the strife

I wake up smiling every day
And go to sleep the same
Other options I don't contemplate
That's not my kind of game

I like to keep life simple
Although sometimes it can't be done
Other people add complexity
Sometimes blocking out my sun

But I'm satisfied with where I am
I don't need a lot to fill my cup
Especially since I met that special woman
Who shared her bowl from which I sup

Three people died in Boston
Three hundred in Iraq
Boston claimed the headlines
Iraq got buried in the stack

Do some people not get valued
Are their lives not worth the same
Do their parents not still grieve for them
Do they not still feel the pain

There are children dying in Africa
Every single day
What do they need to get in the news
How often do they need to pay

Is it just because they don't look like us
Can we not relate to their pain
Do we feel that it's not real
because they don't look the same

The people who died in Boston
Didn't deserve to die
But did they deserve to live
Any more than those other guys

So spare a thought for the people
Who face death every day
Children, parents, friends & foes
What a price they pay

I'd like to see some stories
That tells it like it is
Without editing or cleansing
Where simple truth's the emphasis

I'd like to hear our outrage
When a thousand people die
Because their government's corrupt
And their politicians lie

I'd like to see us treating
all tragedy the same
Not filtered through our warped perception
Of who should survive the game

Or I'd like us to be honest
And admit that we don't care
If a thousand people die
Because they're from over there

You enter our lives without invitation
Looking to pick up your evil donation
You care not who falls into your net
Seeking out victims you still haven't met

You don't seem to have a means of selection
You choose all & sundry spreading infection
The good and the bad both fall at your feet
The young and the old the weak & elite

You take fathers and mothers
Sisters and brothers
Children and old folk
and some in between

Some they go quickly
Some suffer for longer
Some give up hope
Some are much stronger

But however they respond
We can't wave a magic wand
And make you disappear
So we can wipe away our tears

You are cruel, you make them suffer
Even those who think they're tougher
Still succumb to your evil ways
As they struggle through their final days

And we hate you with a passion
That won't go out of fashion
'till we find a cure that kills you
and not the ones we love

When you're in a conversation
What do you hope to achieve
Do you listen to what's being said
The other's wisdom to receive

Or are you more concerned
With sharing what you know
So you don't learn one thing that's new
Is that where you want to go?

We have one mouth and two ears
And there's a reason why that's so
But if the mouth is always active
The ears work really slow

So when you're in a conversation
Keep the ears in action
You might find that you are
surprised by the reaction

So participate in the conversation
Make it a two way street
Apply this simple practice
With everyone you meet

I'm sure you'll find it beneficial
I'm sure you'll learn things you don't know
You might even get to like it
It's up to you to make it so

I was looking down on the world last night
thinking we've made a mess of this
People were fleeing from unsafe homes
And Trump was taking the piss

With so many people displaced from their homes
He's focussed on building walls
and making America great again
Oh I hate the way he drawls

I gave myself up to the crucifixion
But it didn't help the world's afflictions
Those created in my Father's image
Are behaving in the same old way

It's over two thousand years
Since they took me from the cross
nothing's changed, the world's still cruel
I'm complaining to the boss

I don't want to go back on the cross
It didn't work the last time
I don't want to go back on the cross
Don't send me down again

The holes in my hands and the holes in my feet
Keep telling me it's time to beat a retreat
And the hole in my side oh it aches when it's cold
a constant reminder that even messiahs grow old

I don't want to go back on the cross
It didn't work the last time
Please don't send me down again
I don't want to suffer

Curiosity killed the cat
But would it be a cat if it didn't have that
To be curious is to learn
Knowledge is something we have to earn

If you go through a day
Without adding some new fact
You're just not doing it right
Your potential iscapped

So give your curiosity free rein
Try new things every day
Don't be afraid of what you do not know
That's the road to your decay

It doesn't matter if you're young or old
Set your heart on being bold
Life's an adventure, step out, be brave
The time for caution is when you're lying in your grave

Do I think that CV19
Is the worst thing we've ever seen
No, but you're more dangerous than Trump
And that makes you quite obscene

We all know how to stop you in your tracks
And a commitment to act is all we lack
So you keep on coming down the track
Laying waste to our families and friends

Singing give me your rich
Your poor your huddled masses
I won't differentiate
I'll take everyone that passes

But of course you can defeat me
You all know what to do
Just wash your fucking hands
And stay indoors until I'm through

But if you choose not to apply
These simple rules to save your life
Then I'll be coming down your street
For your husband, child or wife

Singing give me your rich
Your poor your huddled masses
I won't differentiate
I'll take everyone that passes

And when I've done my damage
And I've taken good and bad
When I've taken old and young
The happy and the sad

I hope you've learned a lesson
And in future you'll be kinder
And the world will be a better place
With CV19 the reminder

That we are a global network
As we've never been before
And what happens somewhere else
Can still land on your front door

So plan for a better future
Where we're dependent on each other
Treat everyone you meet
As if you were their father or their mother

Yes plan for a better future
Where we're dependent on each other
Treat everyone you meet
As if you were their father or their mother

Don't send me bombs send me peace
Don't send me soldiers send me teachers
Don't tell me what to do listen to my needs
Don't take what is mine to satisfy your greed

Don't be surprised if I don't like you
If I think you have no right to be in this land
I didn't invite you to come here
I didn't offer you my hand

Don't be annoyed when I don't welcome you
When I say go back where you belong
You're not interested in my problems
You just think I've got it wrong

If you can truly tell me that you've got everything resolved
Inthe country that you live in
I'll be surprised but I might just go along
But I know that there's no evidence
In fact, I'm sure it's not the case
So why don't you leave my country
And just go on back to base

You're not listening you're still talking
You're not listening you're still talking
How do you expect to understand
Anything about my land

When things are getting tough
And you're struggling to survive
Find someone to sit with you
That's the way to stay alive

Don't try to do it on your own
Being strong is not the answer
It's like trying to do a samba
When you're the only dancer

Sometimes we need someone to lean on
To ease the pressure for a while
Feel the strength of someone else
Someone who can help you smile

It's not weakness to reach out
In fact, it needs a special kind of strength
To put your trust in someone else
Don't keep your friends at arm's length

So find someone to sit with you
Find someone to hold your hand
Find someone to listen
Find someone who understands

When things are getting tough
And you're struggling to survive
Find someone to sit with you
That's the way to stay alive

If you have too much drama in your life consider gardening
Working with the soil is therapeutic
Dig your hands into the soil
Have a day of honest toil
And your dramas will soon be dissipated

Seeing something grow from a seed into a plant
Has a calming effect upon the soul
And when it’s finished growing and you pluck it from the ground
It will add a taste sensation to your bowl

So get yourself a garden
It doesn’t have to be that big
Just big enough to grow something
And somewhere calm to sit
To contemplate the joys of nature
And the changing of the seasons
It’s really not that complicated
You don’t need no other reasons

(Inspired by Pierre Sparks comment “anyone who has time for drama is not gardening enough”)

I answered the question with wisdom galore
The words with such brilliance
From my mouth they did pour
If there had been music
It would have been a hit song
And all she said was
I even love you when you're wrong

We were out for a walk and got somewhat confused
I said turn left, she said right
In a voice not amused
So we turned to the right
And I tagged along
And all I said was
I even love you when you're wrong

Being right isn't all it's cracked up to be
Being wrong isn't perfect it's true
Right or wrong, it doesn't matter to me
I've been both but I'll give you a clue
If it's important dig in your heels
If it's not, let it go and see how that feels

If you love someone tell them now
Don't wait
If you're sorry just say it
Tomorrow may be too late

Sometimes we only get one chance
Don't assume you'll get another
Be it friend, parent, sister, brother, child, or lover
Don't let your pride get in the way
Don't think because you're right
You don't have to say
I'm sorry

I'm sorry I hurt you
I'm sorry I didn't listen
I'm sorry I lied
I'm sorry I didn't try hard enough
I'm sorry I wasn't there for you
I'm sorry I didn't understand
I'm sorry ...

Whatever your sorry is, say it
Don't delay it
Just say it

You have nothing to lose but your pride
And you know you'll feel better inside
And you know you'll regret
If they're not there to get
What you felt in your heart
And they're falling apart
'cause you left it too late
So just DO IT - don't wait

If you love someone
and you've done the wrong thing
say you're sorry
and fix what was wrong
Do it now, don't delay
Make things ok
'cause the world has gone crazy
It's no time to be lazy
Say you're sorry
It may be your last chance

Where do you come from
I mean down in your genes
Did you travel far to get here
It's not always as it seems

If you live in the west
Chances are your genes are not pure
You're an immigrant from somewhere
Of that, I am quite sure

Take me, for example
I'm Scottish-born and - bred
But one part of me at least
Was created in an Irish bed

I've lived in three countries
In my 72 years on earth
And I've given to them all
something of worth

But I don't think I'm an immigrant
because I wasn't born in OZ
I don't think the year you got here
should make a difference under the law

We get caught up in this immigration crap
Saying we shouldn't let these people in
But most of us were immigrants at some point
Where did we all begin

So is an immigrant defined
By how long ago we arrived
Or perhaps by where we came from
If we came by choice or to survive

Most immigrants leave their country
To get a better life
Often leaving friends and family
To get away from strife

And having made that big decision
They want to make it work
They're not here looking for a handout
Hard work they do not shirk

So as a country built on immigration
let's not have a heavy heart
when people are escaping
let's help them get a start

Let's help them build a new life
let's help them give their best
just because they arrived after us
Doesn't make them less

Let's welcome them with open arms
Let them come and make their contribution
This escape from terror war and strife
Is just a part of natural evolution

As a country, we are changing
Once white and European-based
But now we're far more cosmopolitan
More aligned with the human race

And as the world grows smaller
as the boundaries collapse
Surely this is how we must be
as the cultures overlap

So let's welcome all the immigrants
as we've done since we were formed
Don't let the bigots and the scaremongers
force us to be misinformed

Let us welcome anyone
With the potential to contribute
So that all is good about Australia
we can redistribute

But with all this, there is a caveat
These people who come in
Must adhere to the laws we live by
That's where it all begins

If we welcome them with open arms
They must live by the rules we have in place
Whilst contributing the richness
They bring from their own birthplace

And with all things involving change
we must do it at a measured pace
Because with that comes understanding
and not fear of another race

And let us think awhile
if we were in their place
Would we not want Australians
To spare a little of our space

I'm not concerned about the colour of your skin
I'm not concerned about what God you pray to
I'm not concerned what kind of food you eat
I'm not concerned what clothes you wear

I am concerned about how you behave
I am concerned about how you treat other people
I am concerned about how you look after this world we get to live in for a short time
I am concerned about how you coexist with everything else on this planet

So I won't judge you on what I read in the papers or see on CNN
I'll judge you on how I see you behave
I'll judge you on how you treat the homeless person in the street
I'll judge you on what image you leave behind when you visit someone else's country

If you smile at me
I'll smile back at you
If you scowl at me
I'll smile back at you
I won't let your attitude influence mine

Treat people as you find them
Don't take on other people's prejudices
Make up your own mind about what you believe
Give people the benefit of the doubt
Allow them to make mistakes
Nobody's perfect. We're all still evolving
And if you wake up today knowing only what you knew yesterday it's time to sort your shit out

Go out and do something nice for someone and see what happens - you might just be surprised

He had everything to live for
He had so much more to do
But the darkness folded over him
And he bade his sad adieu

I never saw it coming
I didn't have a clue
He didn't speak about his problems
I guess he thought I knew

He was only 21 years old
He was the smartest of the bunch
But he couldn't face the pressure
When it came down to the crunch

He had such high expectations
Of the things he would achieve
But the stars would not align for him
So he felt he had to leave

I never saw it coming
I didn't have a clue
He didn't speak about his problems
I guess he thought I knew

I think about him every day
Asking what I could have done
But I never found the answer
And so the blackness won

Watch out for the ones you love
All may not be as it seems
The person who's in pain
May not be the one that screams

I was sad today

but that's ok

I've been sad before

It's a fleeting thing

It's just life's way of creating colour

Providing contrast, adding shade

We can't always wear our coat of many colours

That's just not the way we're made

Sad is just one outcome

Of life's many, many skins

Just don't be sad forever

Find yourself some grins

Like we need the cold

to appreciate the sun

We need a little sadness

To appreciate the fun

We just need to get the balance right

Life rarely goes as planned

A little darkness in between the light

They both go hand in hand

So don't worry if you're sad today

Or even if you're sad tomorrow

But if it persists for a bit too long

Reach out - don't drown in sorrow

Please keep your distance
You know it's safer if you do
But don't let yourself get isolated
You need contact - we all do

Take the time to read a book
Or brush up some neglected skills
Keep in touch with loved ones
Because it's not love that kills

Check in on some neighbours
Just to see that they're ok
Don't get caught up in the bubble
Be nice each and every day

There's some basic stuff we have to do
And if we ALL do it we'll get through
But don't think that you are different
Or CV19 will get you too

Just take advice from those who know
What to do to beat this thing
It's inconvenient but so is dying
This is the mantra we must sing

Wash your hands and stay indoors
Unless you have no choice but to go out
Reduce all physical contact
But still spread your love about

Phone a friend or send a message
Let them know that you're ok
And check if they need help
As you go about your day

I think we're in a new place
Somewhere we've never been
We all need some adjusting
To this CV19 scene

And hopefully we will see an end
to all this madness before long
And the world will be a better place
In a post CV19 dawn

As I was traveling here and there 

I saw a common sight

And it wasn’t for the tourists 

And it really wasn’t right

The sight of people sleeping 

Under trees on cold cold nights

On benches and in bus shelters 

It was such a common sight

And they all had things in common

Though they came from different lands

Bare feet and miss-matched shoes 

And nothing in their hands

And it made me sad and angry

When there’s money spent on wars 

Because some people think that they should own

What really isn’t theirs 

Nobody should go hungry 

In two thousand twenty-four

And sleep out in the cold cold wind

When some have more and more

And it troubled me indeed 

That I could afford to travel

When some others slept on benches 

And bit by bit unravelled 

And it didn’t matter where I went

They all looked cold & hungry

The young, the old

and not surprisingly the angry

So if you see someone sleeping rough 

Don’t walk past and ignore them

Ask if you can help with a little act of kindness

Don’t look the other way in some wilful act of blindness 

Chances are they’re not sleeping rough by choice

But because they used up all their luck 

And they could use a friendly voice

When you look in the mirror each morning
Be proud of who you are
If you don't like yourself, you won't like anyone else
It's no more complicated than that

Wake up every morning with a smile on your face
And show respect for your fellow man
Don't let the arseholes get to you
Just do the best you can

Show respect and compassion for your fellow man
And they will reciprocate
Don't believe the bullshit
You have to give before you can take

Wake up every morning with a smile on your face
And show respect for your fellow man
Don't let the arseholes get to you
Just do the best you can

There are people out there spreading negativity
Don't let them spread it to you
Keep that smile on your face, and do your own thing
Cos they really don't have a clue

Wake up every morning with a smile on your face
And show respect for your fellow man
Don't let the arseholes get to you
Just do the best you can

I stole this line from a movie I saw
No one raindrop thinks it caused the flood
And it made me think that everything we do has an impact on something or someone
And no matter how hard we try
We can't avoid that fact
So think about your raindrops folks
In the way, you live and act

Even one raindrop can make a difference
But even better - be the flood and not the drop
Make a difference with what you do
Keep on trying, never stop

The worst you can do is get a little wet
But with a little effort, you can make your mark
Make your contribution to the flood
Throw some light into the dark

But even if you see yourself as just a raindrop
Make that raindrop count
Join up with other raindrops
Open a raindrop bank account

Accrue lots of raindrop interest
And put it to good use
Some people never feel a raindrop
Some people never get to choose

No one raindrop ever thought it caused the flood
No one raindrop ever thought it caused the flood
Never underestimate what you can do
No one rainbow ever thought it caused the flood

People ask me why nothing ever seems a problem
That's because it isn't is always my reply
I find most things are simple
at least through my old eyes

I havetime for negativity
I have no time for people who complicate my life
Life is what you make of it
Go somewhere else with all your strife

The sun comes up every morning
And slips back over the edge each night
In between is full of opportunity
To get it wrong or get it right

The one you choose is the one you get
Don't blame the outcome on some other dude
Get off your arse sort out your shit
If with success you want to be imbued

It's not that I don't have problems
I'm just like any other man
But I leave them lying on the floor when I get out of bed
So they don't interfere with my life plan

And with an open heart and an open mind
I go about my day
Dealing with what life delivers
And sending all the crap away

It's just as easy to be positive
And put a smile on my face
As it is to go through life griping
That I'm worse off than the rest of the human race

So when I don't appear to have no problems
It's my attitude that makes it so
I don't make my problem your problem
I've just learned to go with the flow

So smile at your fellow human beings
And look life directly in the eye
Deal with whatever it throws at you
Live life to the max before you die

Because die you will
now or sometime later
Better to live with a smile on your face
Be a lover not a hater

I hear a lot of songs that say “You’re mine” or “You belong to me”
I find that all quite strange, it sounds a bit like slavery
I’d rather think of you enhancing who I am
Of adding to me, part of me yet quite distinct
Like the words in a book not the ingredients in jam

Possession’s not the answer
If it’s a partner that you seek
Be a sharer, not an owner
Your relationship to keep
If it all comes together
And you count up all the parts
They’ll be greater than you started with
like paint and canvas making art
Or the parts that make an engine which without them wouldn’t start

The beauty of relationships
is not for one to own the other
But to add and not detract
To grow and not to smother
To know you’re better when together
Than you ever were apart
That you complement each other
like two bodies with one heart

So if you want your relationship to grow
Don’t control and don’t restrict
Both your souls can blossom
That’s the best of it
Keep your core strong & straight
but let the branches grow wild & free
I think you’ll find that’s a pretty good way to be
 

65 and still alive

Fit to jive

Not quite ready to take a dive

Got too much weight

But it's not too late

To trim it back

Get back on track

Got a cruisy life

With a wonderful wife

Life is cool

Get to play the fool

Feeling good about the past

Fair to say I've had a blast

Future's looking very cool

Hope I still get to play the fool

Don't have a care

Don't have a worry

Just strolling along not in a hurry

I smiled at a man as I was walking down the street
He scowled back at me from the darkness of his heart
It made me sad
Not for me but for him
It didn't change me one bit
I still smiled at everyone else
But I just thought If he had mirrored my smile
And reflected it back at me, his day might have been better

Maybe I overestimate the power of my smile but I don't think I do
I smile at everyone and I think that sometimes at least my smile makes a difference
It maybe changes someone's day
Maybe just moves them from the shitty to the not so shitty
Maybe from the "this is too hard" to the "I can do this"
Maybe from "I'm feeling really angry" to "I feel calm and I can face this day"

And my smiles don't cost me anything
And I have more than enough to spare
I can smile all day and never run out

I don't have a quota that I use up and then I'm sad
Those smiles just keep on coming
So spread your smiles around folks
Give them to the saddest person you see
They need them more than you
Just smile - you know it makes sense

Sometimes you have to listen if you want to hear
Sometimes you have to be brave when all you feel is fear
Sometimes you have to trust yourself that you’re doing what is right
Sometimes you have to silence those little voices deep down inside

Sometimes you have to try your best even when you’re tired
Sometimes you have to sit back and relax even when you’re wired
Sometimes you have to listen to advice even when you think you’re right
Sometimes you just have to do the right thing so you can sleep at night

But do it for yourself don’t follow someone else’s map
Don’t force yourself out walking
When you really need a nap
Set you goals and make them realistic
Even if your guru thinks they’re too simplistic

And even if you slip back once in a while
Face your setbacks with a smile
Don’t regard them as a failure
Don’t let these things derail ya
Just get back on your bike – chances are you’ll  get it right
 

Why do you have to worry
About how others lead their lives
Should gays be allowed to marry
Are tattooed bodies right
I'm sure you must have
more important things to do
Get your own house in order
Don't worry 'bout what I should do
But when you're filled with self- importance
Thinking that you're the centre of the globe
I guess you just don't recognise
Your diminished frontal lobe
But everyone who hears you
Knows exactly what you are
A self-indulgent piece of nothing
A would be fucking czar
So when you've sorted out your shit
And you're beyond reproach
Come along and talk to me
You sad indulgent little roach
But until then leave the rest of us
To live our lives in peace
When we're not hurting anybody
You don't have to play police
If everybody was the same
The world would be a bore
If everyone was just like you
Life would be a chore
So chill and let the world spin
What will be will be
Don't get your nickers in a twist
Over who you think I should be

I'm a believer,
a believer in people
I don't care where you pray
Under minaret or steeple

People got a right to believe what they want
I don't want to flaunt what I think is right
Who's to say if I'm right or I'm wrong
Who's to say if this is a bloody stupid song

You may think my rap is crap
You're entitled to your view
But I'm writing this for me
I'm not writing it for you
I think we worry far too much
About stuff that isn't ours
I can't believe the crap out there
That causes such a bloody fuss

Like straight people telling gays how to live their lives
But it doesn't work the other way straights get to pick their wives
Some say we're all born equal
Try telling that to some kid in Senegal
Yes sure we're all born equal
But she ain't going to no ball

There's so many people in this world today
We're fast approaching 8 billion souls
The rich are getting richer
And the poor are getting poorer
And it ain't because they failed to set their goals

We've got 70 million refugees
From one conflict or another
We understand their problem
but we don't want to share it brother
we're sympathetic to their plight
We just don't want to have them in our sight
We want to save their souls
As long as they're not feeding from our bowls

We're living in an instant world
Where everything's a Facebook thrill
And it's easier to tweet
Than get homeless people off the street
So with our heads firmly in the sand
Despite solutions close to hand
We turn our thoughts to lighter things
Like what new cat pics Facebook brings

And our government tightens up the screws
Filling the media with more fake news
And a few more regulations
To control us just a little more
And even though we know the score
Because they play the ISIS card
And they say it's just a small safeguard
we give up a little more freedom

Although I have to say that when we display
our intimate details on Facebook each day
It's hard to argue the privacy card
And compared with the people escaping the bombs
Our lives really aren't that hard

So let's focus our thoughts in this year coming up
On ways to improve the outcomes
Let's be tolerant and kind
And let's see if we can find Some solutions
to the poverty and slums

I was talking with God the other night
And he said Benny Boy it's not working out right
This human race I've created has got me frustrated
and I think something's going to need changing

I had a great plan and I'd thought it all through
But it seems evolution's gone somewhat askew
And the human race hasn't achieved its potential
And what I thought was finished is still developmental

The plan I developed had humans right at the top
Much more refined, the cream of the crop
But the way they're behaving makes me sick to the core
With the free will I gave them, they do things I deplore

But I see many examples of what I tried to create
Love and understanding, not bigotry and hate
And the children start out well but as they mature
They learn from their elders to be no longer pure

I might make some changes, restrict this free will
Create some kinds of points system, no power until
They can prove that they're worthy of dealing with power
Keep them locked up in their ivory tower

I didn't envisage how unequal they'd be
I didn't envisage how few would be free
I thought those who good fortune had blessed
Would reach out and help those who had less

What I am seeing doesn't fit my design
The spec's been corrupted, it's been redefined
Free will's been distorted to mean do what you like
With no thought of the impact on other folk's lives

The world I created is being destroyed every day
So many creations extinct, no more role to play
And it's all being done in the name of free will
If I get what I want then it's OK to kill

But I'm telling you Benny boy this has to stop
The behaviour I'm seeing is over the top
Politicians are not doing what they're paid to do
And game show hosts are taking over the zoo

So I'm going to give them one more chance
To sort this nonsense out for good
But if Trump gets in on November eight
I'll assume they haven't understood

I'll pull the plug and restart the clock
I'll clean the board, issue new sticks of chalk
And those who come with the best ideas
Will win the keys to the kingdom

I rarely get the blues

It's not a colour that I use

And I don't wish for what other people have

So green is not a favourite hue

My bank balance rarely favours black

And cash is something that I lack

But it's not something that I stress about

I can usually stay on track

I wake up with a smile

And it stays with me all day

So I guess that mellow yellow

Would describe me quite okay

I'm usually in the pink

Pink reflects the way I think

It's a state of mind I've worked quite hard on

There's not much that makes me sink

But sometimes I see red

Caused by something stupid someone said

And it's often politicians

Spewing out of empty heads

But when it comes to people

For colour I don't give a jot

I've found it doesn't make a difference

Pigment tells me not a lot

So with my coat of many colours

I wander through my day

Just wishing politicians

Would think first before they say

The things that create friction

The things that create hate

And focus on the things that make all human beings great

Children dying
People crying
Politicians and leaders always lying

What's the value of this land they fight over
How can it be worth the pain & suffering
How can it be worth the blood and tears
How can it be worth the children's fears
How many people need to die before they accept that this is just a piece of land where people want to live in peace
To do their jobs to love their wives
To feed their children, live their lives
To watch a movie dance through the night

This murder surely can't be right
How can Israel claim this land when others have an equal claim
Did they learn nothing from the Holocaust
Do they not care how many lives are lost
Why can't they just agree to share this land
This Gaza Strip - walk hand in hand
And let children grow up without this war
That serves no purpose and has gone on too long
Can they not figure out after all these years
That their stupidity can only end in tears
That there can be no winners from the bombs and missiles
Why can't they sit around the table while they're still able
Why can't they make this place stable
So that children can grow up knowing something other than war and death
Knowing there are some things that are not worth fighting for
They call this the holy land
But it sure doesn't fit anything I understand about holiness
Let the children grow and let them know
That Palestinian and Israeli can both go
Along the same roads and though their God may have a different name, in reality, he is the same
And he would rather they lived in peace than killed each other in his name

The bible says that the meek shall inherit the earth
I don't agree and I hope this doesn't happen
I'd rather the kind inherited the earth
Because they bring light where there's darkness
I'd rather the tenacious inherited the earth
Because they don't give up when things get tough
I'd rather the thoughtful inherited the earth
Because we need to think about the impact on others of what we do
I'd rather the smiling inherit the earth because people who smile spread warmth wherever they go
I'd rather the happy inherit the earth because there are enough miserable buggers out there and we don't want them having any say in our future
So let's not be meek
Let's be pugnacious and stand up for what we believe in.
Do good stuff, help people in need and do what you would like done to you
If we get all that right the world will be worth inheriting and passing onto to future generations and if we don't ........

When I look in the mirror, what do I see?
Someone much older, but vaguely like me
He has a nice smile and he looks kinda cute
I reckon he'd look pretty good in a suit

He looks like he's done a few things in his life
Had a mortgage, some kids and maybe a wife
I reckon he's travelled and learned a few things
He looks free as a bird and he don't want no rings

He gives the impression he don't have no strife
He looks like he's really enjoying his life
He's got more twinkles than wrinkles, more ups than downs
He's big on the smiles, less so on the frowns

He sings the blues because he's happy, not because he's sad
He's firmly of the view that life should not make you feel bad
He's a fan of saying yes, rather than saying no
Doesn't like to stop, much prefers to go

The rains never came
And the crops never grew
And the cattle went thirsty
Just like me and you

And the fires they burned
And the trees were laid waste
Some houses were caught
In the fires, that blazed

But the people they came
From all over the place
They acted with kindness
They acted with grace

But the people who came
From all over the place
Acted with kindness
Acted with grace

We can't make it rain
And the fires will return
But we can stick together
And show our concern

For those who've suffered
For those that have lost
The fruits of their labour
Who've borne many costs

And the people they came
From all over the place
Acting with kindness
Acting with grace

And the people they came
From all over the place
Acting with kindness
Acting with grace

When asked how old I am
By some impudent young buck
I say I'm old enough to know better
And young enough not to give a fuck

It's taken me some time
To get to this point in life
When the fuck I do not give
Doesn't give me any strife

But don't confuse not giving a fuck with not caring
For that is not the case
There are many things I give a fuck about
Many good things I embrace

Like my wife, my son, my family,
the whole damn human race
But I don't give a fuck what you think of me
I'm happy with who I am
I simply don't need your approval
I honestly don't give a damn

So think about what fucks you give
And focus on what really matters
Don't waste energy on the flotsam
That leaves your life in tatters

Never be mean.

Never be false.

Never be cruel.

Above all else

Try to be happy

Try to be kind

Try to be thoughtful

And make someone smile

You only get one shot at this life

So don’t stuff it up be you husband or wife

Live by example teach your kids well

There’s no need to shout and there’s no need to yell

You don’t have to be perfect

You won’t always be right

But give it your best shot

You’ll sleep better at night

But most important of all

Be true to who you are

Don’t be a phony

And you’ll win the cigar

She wasn't much to look at
Until she smiled
And then she shimmered and shone
And I was just a shadow to her sun

It was like opening the bland cover of a book
To find it full of linguistic delights
That took me down paths as yet untrodden
And I couldn't believe how good it could be

When she smiled, everything seemed better
Brighter, happier, softer, warmer
It was a gift she didn't know she had
So she didn't use it as often as she should have
Which was a pity

I said there's no better way to brighten up a day
Than to share a smile or two
It's like an echo bouncing off a wall
It will come right back to you

I told her she should smile more often
That it really made a difference
She just smiled and walked away
And I whispered to her back - what did I tell you

As I walk through the valley
In the early A.M hours
And I see the people sleeping there
In the cold winter showers
I'm ashamed to say I'm glad
it's them not me that's on the streets
I consider myself lucky yes I do
And I listen to the passers by
Say why don't they get a job
And I wonder what planet they are on
They don't have a fucking clue
What those people are going through
And I wonder how they'd deal with it
if they had to share that pew
People find themselves on the streets
For many different reasons
But you can bet your boots they don't plan to be there
in the cold & rainy seasons
So don't be so quick to judge them
Just because they don't look like you
If you'd had to deal with what they've had to deal with
You'd be looking pretty crazy too
Don't get me wrong folks
I'm not some bleeding heart
I'm not saying I'm a saint
And of this problem I want no part
All I ask is have some pity
Don't look on these people with disdain
You don't have to get down there with them
But just try to feel their pain
Just try and get some understanding
Of how they may have gotten to this place
Another time under different circumstances
This might have been your face
Peering out of a worn old blanket
In the middle of the night
Worrying that someone next to you
was going to start a fight
So don't get all holier than thou
Don't be a stupid cow
People don't choose to live this way
It's not something they aspire to
It's not the kind of life
people should grow old & retire to
And it's not the kind of life
Young people should have to bear
It really doesn't matter
what they did to get them there
I hope that you've been lucky with a mother and a dad
That didn't beat or humiliate you or something just as bad
I hope you didn't have to leave
Because you couldn't stand it anymore
I hope your life is full of love and promises of more
But there's many people out there not as fortunate as you
Who if life had gone another way
could have been looking down at you
So please don't make assumptions
Please don't judge who you don't know
Please just thank the world that you
were not delivered the same blow
And next time you walk on through the valley
And someone asks you for a buck
Don't judge them and think they're going to spend it on booze or drugs
just put your hand down in your pocket and be grateful for your luck

I don't need your rules
Leave them for the fools
Who can't evaluate the risks
And make their own decisions

I don't need your false sense of precision
Where everything fits into a predetermined space
I want to stretch and sometimes feel the pain
of being in an unknown space that wasn't built to hold me
That wasn't designed to enfold me

I want to feel the fear that perhaps I got it wrong
I want to sing out loud even when I don't quite know all the words of the song
I don't need anyone telling me how to live my life
I'm old enough to get myself in and out of strife
Old enough make up my own mind
Old enough to make my own mistakes and deal with the consequences

I don't need some bureaucrat working towards his pension,
who sharpens his pencils every morning before deciding who to impale on his useless mind-numbing rules, before the tea trolley comes round, and who thinks a good day is one where more new rules were created to prevent people from making poor decisions about their lives,
like drinking or smoking or deciding to give up the rat race in favour of exploring the world on the back of a motorcycle

This is not government for the people by the people.
This is "stick it to the people" government
This is "we know what's best for you government" even though they know it isn't what's best for anyone except the rule makers, the pencil sharpeners; the "line their own nest" politicians.

So don't bullshit me with your rules and your legislation.
Invest in education.
Teach people to think;
to solve problems;
to be creative;
to not be blinded by the hate makers;
to hold each other by the hand and look each other in the eye and ask each other to explain why we do the things others don't understand.

Search for knowledge and understanding so that we can find peace among the ruins that the rule makers have created in their bid to make us all the same, to feed their money machines.
We don't need the rule makers;
We just need each other and with open hearts and open minds, we can fix this world before it's too late.

When love knocks at your door
Welcome it in
Don't worry that you're not good enough
That would be a sin

Don't worry you're not beautiful
Believe that someone thinks you are
Just accept love when it beckons you
And believe that you're a star

Because if we keep on thinking
We're not good enough the way we are
Life and love will pass us by
Just like a shooting star

But if we value who we are
reach out and grab what's there
And give it everything we've got
There's love and more to spare

So don't worry about perfection
Because it really doesn't exist
Just look at your reflection
And think how can they resist

And once you believe you're worthy
Of a love that's true and fair
You'll find the one you're looking for
Will be waiting there

It's not hard to imagine
There are a thousand souls out there
Who if they met you they could love you
If they just knew you were there

So keep your eyes and your heart open
Reflect the beauty from your heart
Your soulmate may just be waiting
For you to accept your part

I read in the paper that somebody died
He was famous they said and everyone cried
But what of the people that die every day
Who don't get a mention, don't get a say

They were somebody's daughter or somebody's son
They touched someone's life In more ways than one
But they won't be around when you wake up today
If you could talk to their loved ones what would you say

If you could talk to the children whose mother's no longer there
Because someone dropped bombs as they knelt down in prayer
What would you say, how would you feel
Would the fact that she wasn't famous make their pain any less real

So as we grieve for our heroes and regret that they've gone
Spare a thought for the families who face a new dawn
Knowing no more will they see their loved ones again
No more will they hear them sing, speak or complain

So as we wake up each day in this cyberspace world
Where the news hits us instantly as actions unfurl
And we think the loss of some souls is greater than others
Just think of the brothers and sisters and fathers and mothers

Their pain is no less because their loved ones weren't well known
Their futures are different, they're now on their own
No more will they share how they each spent their day
No more chance to say what they wished they had said

So grieve for your idols It's ok to cry
They've earned a place in your heart there's no need to deny
But spare a thought for those whose loss is tangible & real
And try to imagine how they might feel.

I saw a young girl walk down the street
And take some food from a garbage bin
No girl should be that hungry
She looked so bloody thin

And I think perhaps she questioned
As she fumbled around inside that bin
If this really was the lucky country
That she was living in

How could this horror happen
in a land as rich as this
That life should be so cruel
To give her such a deadly kiss

She may have been a junkie
She was maybe on the game
But she shouldn't have to do this
It's such a dreadful shame

And we tend to turn a blind eye
Because we don't like what we see
But in a different paradigm
Could this be you or me

Could we have walked a different journey
Could we have shared her fate
Could the cards have been dealt out differently
I wonder what it would take

Is the difference between the life you lead
And the cards that she's been dealt
Education, love or nurturing
Did she not get any help

Because I'm sure she didn't want
To get her dinner from a bin
I'm sure she'd rather be somewhere
Other than the place that she is in

So please don't judge her harshly
I think she's suffering enough
She didn't choose this kind of life
She didn't choose to live it rough

And as you travel through your day
Show gratitude for every breath
And think how differently you might have traveled
Had your life not been so blessed

Young girls, given up walking like giraffes in six-inch heels
Walk down the street with shoes in hand
Finding their way back home by banging their shoes on the wall to keep themselves heading straight and not always succeeding
Makeup not quite as good as when they left but memories of a great night still strong in their heads
Lipstick ...

They're barely clothed some of them - they've got their nets out hoping to catch someone worthy of their time
Some will be lucky - most won't because there's a lot of duds out there
But hey we all have to learn that for ourselves and next week not much wiser and just as drunk they'll cast their nets again
But when you're young and gorgeous half the fun is in the chase, not the catch and even the good ones you probably want to throw back for another time

So party on girls - there's plenty time for serious fishing
Don't take life too seriously - it will get serious soon enough.
You don't want to regret not taking your opportunities and the world wouldn't be the same without the sound and sights of young women in their prime walking the streets in search of a good time

My woman left me
But that's not all
she robbed me blind
She took it all

She took my money
She took my car
She even took the coins
That I kept In a jar

She cleaned out my account
Racked up bills on my card
She used to love me
Now I feel so bad

She said I was her reason for living
That I made everything alright
But then she got up and left me
In the middle of the night

She stole my money
That's not so bad
She stole my heart
Made me feel so sad

I got the bad woman blues
got no money to pay my dues
got no future, hate my past
I thought that this was gonna last

But she's gone, left me
With nothing but a memory
She's gone, fleeced me
Ain't got money for a cup of tea

Yes she's gone, left me
don't expect to see her again
She's gone, left me
I'll never be the same again

She broke my heart
Left a huge space in my bed
Never really found out
If it was something that I said

She didn't leave a number
just drove off in the Humber
Left no forwarding address
Just a memory of her caress

She's gone and she isn't coming back
And the saddest thing of all
She's gone and she isn't coming back
Took my blue tack of the wall

I gave you everything I had
Never caused you any pain
You called me your sweet angel
And then you disappeared
like sugar in the rain

You told me you loved me
A thousand times and then again
You said you couldn't live without me
And then you disappeared
like sugar in the rain

Like sugar in the rain
You melted right in front of me
One minute I was everything
And then you disappeared

I thought I had you forever
I thought we were as one
But just like that you were gone
And my life was dark
Because you were my sun

Like sugar in the rain
You melted right in front of me
One minute I was everything
And then you disappeared

And then you disappeared
like sugar in the rain
You melted right in front of me
and I never saw your face again

Music moves me, it satisfies my soul
Blues, hip hop, folk and rock n roll
I can't imagine life without it
Without the rhythm and the beat
Like having good food on the table
But not allowed to eat
When I hear a 12-bar blues
My toes move around inside my shoes
And my fingers start to tap
And my tensions they unwrap
My tastes are wide and varied
I think eclectic is the word
I'm not into specific genres
I leave no new sound unheard
I love to find new music
I love to hear new singers sing
I love to hear people express themselves
And the joy that this can bring
I love the full range of emotions
That music can create
From laughter to tears and back again
Modulating my heart rate
I love sad songs that make me happy
I love sad songs that make me cry
But I don't want sad songs at my funeral
I'm not that kind of guy
I want My Back Pages played at volume
I don't want no sacred cows
Because I was so much older then
I'm younger than that now
I want Dylan singing Like A Rolling Stone
Raunchy blues by Nina Simone
Cohen telling me There Ain't No Cure For Love
Like God came down from up above
Nothing Compares To You by Sinead the Irish Queen
I Need Your Love So Bad, sung by Peter Green
Who Knows Where The Times Goes
Because goes it does as we all know
And If I Should Fall From Grace With God
All blasting out from my IPOD
I Want To See The Bright Lights Again
Because they've shone so bright for me
And Richard & Linda Thompson
Sing It sweet as sweet can be
And they'll shine right through the night
Until the party's over
But not until we've all got drunk
And sung the Irish Rover
And the little pocket rocket
Pumps out Brass in Pocket
Van the Man sings Moondance
As we fall into a trance
And the Water Boys croon
about the Whole Of The Moon
And Caledonia & Flower Of Scotland
Add a bit of Celtic magic
From the place that I was born in
Then Lou Reed can take us For A Walk On The Wild Side
And the coloured girls go
Doo do doo, do doo do do doo
And Bono's up there preaching from the pulpit of U2
John Sebastian and The Loving Spoonful
Take us to a softer place
Younger Generation, a story we all have to face
Neil Young blasts out Southern Man
In his angry wailing voice
Then the Beatles there's so many
You can have your choice
The Stones call out for Ruby Tuesday
'cause they get no Satisfaction
But still, they're gonna miss her
That lady caused a Chain Reaction
Tapestry by Carole King
Everyone will want to sing
No Woman No Cry & One Love
Are the songs Mr Marley brings
I don't know what the question was
But Love Is The Answer so Mr Lennon says
So, we'll take his word as gospel
And Imagine Better Days
I'm sure there are lots of songs I've missed
So, I might come along myself and play
And make sure the party lasts
Until everyone has had their say
So, you better all be ready for a bloody long wake
'cause I don't want anybody leaving
And there will be no intermission break
I love songs I never tire of
Even after 60 years of plays
I love songs that take me right back to my early days
I love songs that make me smile
I love songs that make me think
I love songs that make me angry
And take me to the brink
I love listening to live music
The way musicians interact
I love the way they touch the audience
And the way emotions get unpacked
I love the fact that people do this
Each and every single day
And they do it 'cause they love it
And not just for the pay
Yes, I really love my music
Life just wouldn't be the same
If I didn't have the music
I might well just go insane
But I'm not crazy yet my friends
Well not very anyway 😊
So, I plan to keep on listening
Forever and a day
And when the music fails to move me
And I've passed along the way
I don't want no lame excuses
That you don't know what to play
I don't want no hymns with boring tunes
And boring words as well
I want you to play my song list
Or I'll see you all in hell!
😈

I'm lying in bed in the neighbourhood

Trying to figure out where to get some food
As the sounds of Manhattan filter through from the street below

There are voices talking in many tongues
music competes with noisy car horns
And the pastrami and rye is inviting me down for a feed

The subway was great down under NY state
Not too many freaks on the train
People with dogs in their bags
Some poor people in rags
And some who were very urbane

New York, New York - It's a wonderful place
Even though there isn't much space
Too many cars double parked on the street
But nobody cares it's just the way NY is
In OZ they'd be booked "tout de suite"

We met a drag queen on 70th avenue

She was gorgeous with oodles of style

And as she walked down the street strutting her stuff

We couldn't help but smile

Waiting at crossings for the signs to say walk

It was clear that we were not local

because New Yorkers kept walking whatever the sign

And of course they were always quite vocal

An $8 Times Square ice cream

Was more than we could bear

So we just kept on walking

But we didn't really care

Times Square was like an airport escalator

As the crowds went flashing by

Nobody really going anywhere