Here I am again thinking about sleeping never quite letting go never quite coming back In this bed-strewn fantasy world where curtains are drawn and redrawn never quite taking shape I look for an anchor and find sinking sands pieces…
Read: Curtains
Twelve years ago, when I was in hospital recovering from a radical prostatectomy (removal of prostate and accompanying cancer), I had a peculiar experience. More than one, actually – but one in particular. I woke in the night, and I…
This is a poem I wrote 12 years ago after an earlier spell in hospital, for an operation to remove my prostate and its accompanying cancer. Not long afterwards my wife and I headed for the North Norfolk coast… Knowing…
Read: Brancaster
First of all, I’d like to make it clear that I’m very aware that there are many people who are in more pain than I was over the last couple of weeks, and even more of them are in pain…
Out in the wildwhere there is bloodI find traces of dragonsand gates to false gods I should not be herebut the way was openI came too far I know the towers will fallstones will crash to earthheaven will fall apart…
Read: Out in the wild
I am coming out of lockdown. There is light at the end of the tunnel, but at the moment I can’t quite make out how long the tunnel is. Nor how wide, come to that: in many respects it is a…
Read: Tunnel of contradictions
It’s beginning to look as if coming out of lockdown will be more stressful than lockdown itself. Well, you know what Kafka said: “It’s often safer to be in chains than to be free.” And we do tend to worry…
The brain’s a balloonfilled with gas:it’s on a missionswinging through the atmosphere The telescope is brokenand people have been killed,but still they know everything They know everythingbecause it is the thing everyone knows,and 50 million peoplecannot be wrong The brain’s…
Read: The brain’s a balloon
Do you hear the white wolf? We hear him howling. Do you see the snow fall? We see it tumble. Do you see the night approaching? We feel the touch of the stars. Do you see smoke in the distance?…
Read: White wolf
As I believe I mentioned before, I am over 70. I am not boasting: these things happen – usually far too quickly. I am therefore restricted in what I can do. I am not sure this is fair. But as…