Advice to our young men

Go fight our enemies, all my sons.

Your victories will glorify you.

And if you die, it is but once

and paradise virgins satisfy you.

Go seek your fame in foreign parts.

Families will immortalise you.

Kiss goodbye to beautiful sweethearts.

We old men will deputise you.

Too mean (but also too loud)

I shuffled into a gap among the crowd
as the band was tuning up after the break.
A guy approached speaking as he came near
but the music from the band was then so loud
it was impossible for me to hear
exactly what he said.  I had to shake
my head in ignorance. He pointed at my wrist.
Of course. "About a quarter to ten." I showed
him my watch. "No." he bellowed in my ear.
"Not that. It seems you haven't got the gist.
Have you got a stamp?"  I thought  How queer !
Why does he want to post a letter here?
But then he explained . "The band's called 'Jake'.
They've come from Norway. We have to make
a charge. I'll stamp your hand when I take
your money." But that was his not my idea.
Paying an entrance fee wasn't funny.
"Norway? No way. If it's not a free gig,
I'll leave." I said.
And did.

Tantalising

That Tantalus had an easy time
with merely grapes beyond his reach
and grabbing them not a possible crime.
But how would he handle a ripening peach

with creamy skin and succulent flesh
like all those pendulous next to me ?
That's real temptation, sweet and fresh,
beckoning invitingly.

Desirable fruit are such a goal,
jostling and dancing to a beat,
showing they know how to rock and roll
with silky skills on nimble feet.

Such striking lovelies hovering near
demand defence more than attack
and make my lack of choice quite clear -
I keep my hands behind my back.

All pressed together makes it hard
to guard against carnality.
I'd have to accept a yellow card
but I can't afford a penalty.

42 ?

Ignoring sex and politics,
religion, education, art,
literature and economics,
music, nature, science, sport;

disdaining class and social tension,
love and duty, peace and war,
radio and television,
the job, the hobbies, house and car;

discounting bills and holidays,
parents, children, husband, wife,
happiness in all its ways -
what is the meaning of life ?

Kyrgyrstan

The summer plains bake in desert heat
while distant mountains tempt with white ice cream.
The solemn peaks pour sparkling water over tumbled rocks
though upward eddies surge against the flow
reluctant to descend to dumpling foothills.
The ice cold blue of the water is diluted sky.
Climbing cows ascend the slopes
picking their way through herds of horses.
Outrider dogs guard galloping horsemen up the valleys.
The needle fir trees point to summit snow
soon stained by Asian night.
The moon keeps watch.

Indecision

Do I really need to move my car

or shall I take a chance and risk it?

Portslade might be a bit too far

and I might end up with a ticket.

I'd have to make apologies to the group

and scuttle down a busy crowded pavement

but better that than end up in the soup

and owe a silly thirty smackers payment?

Crows

They know the slow solemnity of earth
ungainly labouring to pace across
the ground and feed. They strain to flap escape
from passing hominids, a cat or fox
and slog through Spring and Summer building nests
and rearing young. Sex is a moment's touch.
So now in early Autumn's failing sun
when these dour corvids soar and wheel
high in the wind, playing with gravity,
surely they cannot help but  feel elated.