Tigers

Tonight Mum and Dad
are snarling at each other,
like two angry tigers
prowling round the kitchen.

Is it me
they're fighting over?
What have I done wrong?
Have I upset them?

They think I can't hear.
But my ears are sharp,
pricked like a young cub
up here, alone in my bedroom.

They don't tell me what's wrong.
But I can see life is not always easy
and I'm growing stronger and wiser
as I watch them.

Foolish old tigers.
I know it's tough.
But if they came up here
I'd purr and I'd lick them. 

 

 

The Granny Power Rap 

 

One fine day in the middle of a nap

A little voice said "You gotta write a rap"

Rap - that's cool - but I ain't no youth

So I better write a rap with my own kind of truth

 

Click clack click clack crackety crick

Do the Dodgy Shoulder, Do the Dodgy Hip

Click clack click clack crickety crack

You ain't gonna stop the Old Geezers Rap -

Cos when we feel good, we shout "Hwaaaa!

You ain't gonna stop - GRANNY POWER!"

 

So I tap me rap, aged forty-seven,

Sweet little age, close to heaven,

But inside - yea - still a young child -

Feeling frisky, risky, wicked and wild

And guess what, kids, it's fun over here

In my carpet slippers with a bottle of beer,

Ballroom dancing, foxtrot, tango

Home for telly and a nice cup of cocoa

 

Click clack click clack creekity cree

Do the Cup of Cocoa Do the Cup of Tea

Click clack click clack crickity crack

You ain't gonna stop the Old Geezers Rap

Cos when we feel good, we shout "Hwaaaa!

You ain't gonna stop - GRANNY POWER!"

 

When I run upstairs, I run out of breath

And at the top, there stands De-e-e-e-eath

But Death just says "You're too soon, babeeeeeee,

Come back later" and I say "Maybeeee"

Cos I'm too busy doing the stick - doing the hat -

Fighting fit, fighting fat, dodgy hip, dodgy back

But when we feel good, we shout "Hwaaaa!

You ain't gonna stop GRANNY POWER!"

               
               Sky's Daughter
               
                   If you walk into mist a story begins
                   If you eat snow snowmen appear in your dreams

If you see a whale in a pond it’s time to wake up

Falling in streams brings you good luck
 These are the laws of water, sky's daughter

 

If you watch a river too long you start to feel old

One cup of water is worth two buckets of gold

If you look at clouds long enough a dragon appears

Icicles don't grow on my grandfather's beard

  These are the laws of water, sky's daughter

 

If you watch the wild sea you start to grow wise

If you leave a tap running a cactus plant cries

At the centre of whirlpools devils make plans

Goblins hide in watering-cans

  These are the laws of water, sky's daughter

 

If you stand in puddles it will help you grow tall

If you watch the tides turn you sometimes feel small 

Sleeping lakes dream of fish falling through air

Waterfalls are rivers washing their hair

  These are the laws of water, sky's daughter

 

 
Pizza Pizza

O pizza pizza margherita,

My favourite, my fiery wheel,

O piece of pizza, can I eat yer,

Can I have you every  meal?

 

Squelchy, spicy, chewy ring

Of tomato, cheese and creamy dough,

Golden honey-crusted heaven,

Warm sea of goo - I love you so!

 

Your glowing red and yellow sun

Melting, and I lick my lips

As you slide over the moon of my plate

Making a total eclipse!

 

So feast of pizza, peace of pizza,

Nothing beats yer inner glow,

When I meet yer, I must eat yer,

The thrill, the frill, the hill of dough.

 

Taste, the final frontier,

In my sky of pizza, look at this!

Planets of mushroom, pepper, pepperoni,

Extra toppings, extra bliss.

 

O pizza pizza margherita,

How I wonder what's for tea,

O stuffed crust in the sky above

I hope you're big enough for me.

                             

 

The Language of Worms 

 

Best done at night

when the world is asleep,

put your ear to the earth

and hear down in the deep - 

 

schlewbaar

gr-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-ewba

oooompa-pa-pa-pa-paaaa

ssschl-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-luuuurr!!!

 

 

A Good Parent

 

She said “Well done, love”

and “That’s good” so often

she almost said it in her sleep.

 

“I just fell down the stairs, Mum.”

“Well done, love.”

 

“I just broke 2 fingers and my left arm, Mum.”

“That’s good.”

 

“I’m off to New York for the afternoon, Mum.”

“Well done, love.”

 

“When I grow up I’m going to rob a bank.”

“That’s good.”

 

“I’m thinking of giving you a bath in jelly, Mum.”

“Well done.”

 

I didn’t give her a bath in jelly.

I ate the jelly instead.  

 

(I showed my Mum this poem.

Guess what she said.)

 

 

Thank You, Jack

 

When Claire said

"Jack's crying, Miss",

it was like a gust of wind

rustled the class.

 

Most of us looked.

We knew this feeling ourselves.

Too much, suddenly too much

rushing at us too fast.

 

"Thank you, Jack" said Miss,

who had once told us that tears

were like beautiful leaves

falling on grass.

 

Some turned their heads away.

Others watched Jack

as he cried on his own

till the wind blew past.