SLIP
sorry
I was writing this poem
and my pen
slipped
the text
spilled
all over
the place
ruining our
time together
wrecking our date
feel I need
to underline, bold font,
how
regretful it all
is
how embarrassed I feel
took out my
pen to write these words
construct
an apology
and the damn pen as
pens do
went all Derrida on me
NOT THAT I AM SAYING
my poem
is behind this wall
covered in fog, behind
a veil,
written
in an impenetrable code
guarded and gatekept
against each
and every
accusation
of inhumanity
readers who are likely to
misread, misunderstand, come
to a wrong conclusion
must take care to
check the red sniper dot
bouncing around their head
not that I am saying
or would want you to infer
that I have scoped you
out
from pride
of place and indeed have
you diabolically targeted
BROWSE
forget
about
who wrote this
pen, or keyboard,
you
will
never know
impossible to
ever know
me
find me
and yet
here we
are
finding you
MISS
this poem
is full
of missing
words
sounds invisible
did not
hear or see
but they are there
nevertheless
think you know
think you believe
TROY STORY
am
a reporter on the scene
at the siege
of Troy
rushing for a scoop, meet
my deadline
ask ancient poet
Homer what he saw
in such
vivid
inner colours
SCRABBLE DABBLE
my brain
is a scrabble set
juggle roles, identities
am after a triple word score
tire
tier
year of the tiger
hit something
good on that
abacus and so
masc and fem mars
and venussing together
dance
of conjunction
in alignment
about to go full
elastic band
slingshot projection
time gravity bending me
to their will
true trajectory
whispering your name
SHUFFLE
poem
could love
but poem
is scar tissue
contagious
in the extreme
it shuffles up
brushes against me
ruffles reality
pretends to a
slick wisdom
passes on things
you would not believe
except
you are a reader
and so you do
LISTENING
am listening
waiting to hear
what you
have
to say
all ears
but do not ask me
to press this numbered
button or
the other
as if a golden time
will suddenly dawn
wealth
will be released
if largesse came my way
would not know
what
to do with it
ditto
kindness
outside spray of flowers
drooing from a tree
steal all
my attention with
their cerise intensity
such that
words get re-defined
beauty in my
linguistic ineptitude
poetic
incompleteness
press one for
whole picture
two for duality
if you happen to agree or
strongly, poisonously
would adopt
a position
entirely contrary
as contradictory as any
reader might be
MORE
sorry
for interrupting
your poem to
tell you about
this sensational offer
we will
in future allow
you to claim rewards for
poetic miles travelled
imaginative experiences
emotional
transfigurations
all of these
we shall reward
and more
and more
and
more
LET LIE
could write
a poem
or untangle
the big lie
you know the one
tied up in a big bow
charcoal-suited
but went for poem
left big lie alone
(let
big lie lie)
take it easy,
simple
be
glad to
be alive
until big lie kill me:
such a stupid
incomprehending smile blasted
clown-style
actoss my face
poems 2 die for