Poetry by numbers/Somewhere to sleep.

22/2/26

Getting by
by the books
by the numbers
why I oughta
review these sofas

 

The irresponsible boy.

26/1/26

A little boy runs from his mum, out of her hand
Walks off a cliff into the ditch, eats out her hand
You're cheaper than therapy, little boy
Little boy, you're cheaper than therapy. 

They say it's not your fault, it's not your fault, my little boy
You say it's no one's fault, it's no one's fault but yours little boy.

A little boy runs from the nuns, straight out of plans
Jumps off a cliff, off a cliff waiting on wings to sprout
Chance on another, wish on another, and fall right through
Oh you fall right through. 

Pinning skirts, dressing shirts, unpinned grenades
Little boys like little needles, keep up your hair 
When little boys run away, they leave you unclothed and bare
Fuses lit, brittle needle breaks, not much sir, not much sir I swear.

They say it's not your fault, it's never your fault my little boy
You say it's no one's fault, it's no one's fault but yours little boy.

Silent mums, eyes in thumbs, they fall asleep
A vacant stare, as we both stare and let the silence speak
Walk off a cliff, into the ditch, it's all because of me
Because it was always, it was always up to me.

Walk in the kitchen, in the kitchen, your head in your hands
I wish I knew, I wish I knew, this is not what I'd planned
They say it's not your fault, it's not your fault my little boy
You say it's no one's fault, it's no one's fault, my irresponsible boy.

 

Basket.

27/1/26

I sometimes feel like a basket you can't put eggs in,
You weave me together,
You make me want to do good things.

 

Untitled.

20/2/26

Everyone getting up
Don't they know?
The train stops anyway

Everyone getting up
Don't they know?
This train stops for no one. 

 

Itch like a live wire.

17/1/26

As my body sinks further inwards my skin starts to itch like a live wire.

Itch like a live wire, waiting to be touched. A flash of light and the lights go out.

Only ever one for a brief moment. A flash of light, and God, the lights have gone out.

You're showing your weaknesses and I, I didn’t even ask.

 

Toothpaste.

15/2/26

Her toothpaste tastes just like her kisses
when I visit her in the morning 
when I visit her visit her at night

 

Chicken soup makes me want to cry.

6/2/26

My head like a rock, and
oh my, my throat is
so dry, roped wings can
not fly, mame's hands trace
mine, flick the kettle switch,
like a soldier I stitch 
myself back together
broken, wounded in
some muddy ditch

warmed by mame's cupped hands
chicken soup makes me want to cry
my mother's mother's mother's 
penicillin 
oh I shoulda shoulda shoulda put 
some dill in this.

 

One big white rock.

24/1/26

Point at the stone on her ring and point at the moon.
Boy that's one big, white rock. That's one big, white rock, oh boy.
We lie together in your room, your arm, your hair and I, your groom,
You and I together, a light against the eternal gloom.

Together, you and I, we hope it blooms soon.

 

Like a chain I untether and snap, I miss my guitar.

20/2/26

Like some old wires
My fingers begin to rust
They begin to ache, from silent disuse 

Wading through mire
There is no one left to trust
My belt like my strings, wound far too loose

These times are dire
My old hands do what they must
Young fingers find fretboards, something to lose

Holler like a crier
Pound my eyelids into dust
Thumbs wear, from my eyes they bruise

I feel like I died before
And dead men don't keep their secrets
If nothing else, it's dust

Say the rites
Write suicide poetry
Make it right

My body like an empty, weighty husk
That I drag along, and sometimes throw into traffic

These callused, maliced hands were good for nothing anyway
Rusted and distrusted, don't trust what's too loose or you might lose it.

 

Doorway kicking.

25/2/26

It's okay, I’ve been in worse places than this, he said
Like what, she said, like what, she said
Like home, he said, like home, he said

With her there beside, he lay in her bed
Took his first steps to the outside, but there’s no outside, there’s no outside
Oh it’s just like home, he said it’s just like home

The outside is just like home
With you, he’s home alone
He’s never not only on his own

How am I home again? 

Clumsy kisser.

26/1/26

I imagine
a union that ends days
some apocalypse

And not what
is there, try not to be
on the nose