Thursday 20 November 2014

Pissing In The Wind

Fizz or juice? Kirsch or gin?
Water won't be what I'll choose to drink
Pissed and pie-eyed, I'll be grand
and I'll ignore your letters

Make your claim, I'm alright:
Drizzle or storm I can shower outside.
Placard-armed, you're outmanned
and I'll hope for rainy weather.

La la la la la la la la,
hot vodka bottles at night.
La la la la la la la la,
neighbours take fright
at outdoor bather in sight.

Mary Lou? Joan Burton?
I'll be like you, I'll just hold it in.
Trapped in cars or on sit ins:
I'll pee myself wherever.

(Explanation: There have been a number of effective protests to the introduction of water charges in Ireland. I've particularly enjoyed some of the placard slogans like 'Only our rivers run free' and 'I'll have my bath outside'. I wrote this poem to the tune and rhyme of Paul McCartney's We All Stand Together.)

Monday 17 November 2014

Madra A Rún

Poor Madrún, we're mourning you
and we feel contrite.
Not for the death of our best pet
but for the sheer delight
we've discovered in our hair-free abode,
the scents that were smothered by air of the dog.
We know for certain you had a good life
with more perks and benefits than I
who pandered to your wants and needs.
We will not recall the last few weeks
but will recollect how you treated socks like food
and how every skirting board is chewed,
how you loved a thorough comb right from head to feet,
how you made this house a home and never liked the lead.
We will remember a great dog that
ate only the best and often sat
on the window sill or on a cushion,
a freeloader 'til the end, every whim
catered to for poor Madrún.

(Explanation: We had to put our little dog, Madrún, down last week. He was with us for all 8 years of his life.)

Wednesday 5 November 2014

Every Cloud

I explain to my girls that cirrus clouds can be like curls
or horses' flyaway tails,
that stratus clouds are made like a sheet, a foggy veil,
that cumulus clouds arrange like fluffy cotton balls.

Then I notice two faces not at all in thrall.
They look at each other and back again,
they look like their mother hasn't answered them
at all.

I get another chance to clarify:
"Which clouds are the ones where unicorns fly?"

(Explanation: My girls(ages 5 years and nearly 4 years)asked me about clouds yesterday. I misunderstood and answered about clouds when they were actually asking about things they've seen on My Little Pony or read in fairy tales.)