Base Metal

We were base metal turned to gold

Beautiful hearts to have and to hold

I was a promise written on your skin

You were a poem for me to sing

How could we have known

Too high a price we paid

And love would hold us ransom

Till the end of our days

Beautiful hearts to have and to hold

We were base metal turned to gold

Your eyes find me from the newspage

A hundred years to the very day

That they took you from me

Down to the County jail

Down those dusty lanes

Down those dusty lanes

Tried for a poacher

The story's always the same

Twas only food for the table

Turned to three years without bail

Down those dusty lanes

Down those dusty lanes

You died of a fever

To the freedom of your grave

But your love held me ransom

Till the end of my days

We were base metal turned to gold

Beautiful hearts to have and to hold

I was a promise written on your skin

You were a poem for me to sing

How could we have known

Too high a price we paid

And love would hold us ransom

Till the end of our days

Beautiful hearts to have and to hold

We were base metal turned to gold

Seven more miles to go

Time for a new collection of poems and songs and bits and bobs that I'll be collecting along the way. It seemed to start this year with Snake River (see previous blog, a poem about our local river which isn't called snake river but the timing of writing it coincided with the Chinese New Year [year of the snake] and I can't think of a better title right now than a line from it, Seven More Miles To Go. The photo is from one of mine from the garden. I'm guessing that, as always, journeys will be a theme.

Snake River

Mist rising from the river

Seven more miles to go

Green light city

Caught up in the flow

As dreams fly, cormorant shape on the clean sky

Who knew this heart would carry me so far from home

I can't sit and wait for you to notice

How far we've travelled from

All those things we took for granted

All those promises undone

A cold night fading into yet another day

I can't wait for you to notice

We're travelling the wrong way

Mist rising from the river

Seven more miles to go

Green light city

Caught up in the flow

As dreams fly, cormorant shape on the clean sky

Who knew this heart would carry me so far from home

Boxing Day Song

Christmas cards are tangling on silver guilt strings

And the walls are full to dangling with yuletide greetings

The tree is shedding needles into the shag pile

And late presents are being unwrapped

By the children's hopeful eyes

Stars are shining on the little fir tree

And the glitter of frost on the pavement

Shows it’s set to freeze

Cold enough for mince pies and mulled wine

And part of me is praying its cold enough

to snow this time

Credit cards are ringing to the sound of Christmas tills

Shop returns are bringing a whole host of extra bills

Santa’s gone from his grotto, no kids to ply with treats

He’s busy sucking humbugs

And stacking up the half price sweets

Stars are shining on the little fir tree

And the glitter of frost on the pavement

Shows it’s set to freeze

Cold enough for mince pies and mulled wine

And part of me is praying its cold enough

to snow this time

In amongst the wrapping and satsuma peel

Hidden with all the trappings of yesterday's meal

There’s a little glimmer from a hopeful thing

On closer inspection it's a cracker toy

Plastic heart on a silver ring

The bins are full to overflowing so I empty them outside

In the silver moonlight of this boxing night

The stars glint on the plastic heart I hold in my hand

And the pavement glitters

As snowflakes gently land

Stars are shining on the little fir tree

And the glitter of frost on the pavement

Shows it’s set to freeze

Cold enough for mince pies and mulled wine

And part of me is praying its cold enough

to snow this time

I've been singing this all morning so thought I'd add it here ~ 

Accordion Heart

Accordion heart

Give it a squeeze

The tune it plays

Might well please

And you’ll dance and sing

And feel real fine

As the last drop of music

Flows freely like wine

(Accordion, accordion, accordion, as the last drop of music flows freely like wine)

Baby, come hold me

Baby come close

Just raise your glass

And I’ll sing a toast

For the night is a blanket to throw on the ground

And we’ll watch for those shooting stars

And laugh at the sound

Of lovers still dancing

As the moon spins us round

Accordion heart

Give it a squeeze

The tune it plays

Might well please

And you’ll dance and sing

And feel real fine

As the last drop of music

Flows freely like wine

(Accordion, accordion, accordion, as the last drop of music flows freely like wine)

Slush Fool

(This one always seems to be best in the summer, perhaps it's the contrast of the thought of quiet winter in the midst of a busy summer day. An old poem from some years back.)

Slush Fool

He never liked me singing

He never took to my wings

So I sit on the fence

To wait for those

Little crumbs in the snow

Melting into the green

Mushed up rain dreams

If I decide to fly

What will you do?

If I decide

I'm no slush fool

Winter discord in this place

Catch your breath and the icy trace

Of words freezing in the space

Opening up between us

Spring is the dream

Melting into the green

If I decide to fly

What will you do?

If I decide
I'm no slush fool

He never liked me singing

He never took to my wings

I think I'm about to fly

I think I'm about to sing

Deep Mystery

Swimming up on the shore

With my water wings

Scales falling from my eyes
I'm back to the tide line
To hear the sand sing
Dragging the seaweed rhythm
Is there where I see the sunrise?

The wild horses couldn't keep me in my grave
And I'm washed up and not feeling to brave
Guess then, I'm on my knees to pray
Come Neptune, be my king
Not drowning, jusy need to sing
Dragging the seaweed rhythm
And when we smile it'll be a sunrise

All our lives pour into the sea
And yet it still retains deep mystery