‘Time is the Enemy’ by Barrie Purnell

When I look in front of me
I see that too few years remain.
The time I’ve had is now inside of me
With all the sin that time contains
And all the dreams that now will never be.

I see empty chairs of friends who’ve gone away
A few are still close, most cannot be found.
I see spaces left by things I didn’t say,
Hearing silence where once was sound.
I can’t see far from where I am today.

NOW THAT I AM OLDER by Faymarie Morris

Faye’s response to the ‘Now’ Trigger. The next one is of course ‘then’.

NOW THAT I AM OLDER.

Now that I am older and my world is slowing down

And my life is mainly governed by how to get around,

I can look back to another time, when I was young

And the days were always endless and packed full of fun.

Computers weren’t invented then, mobile phones or texting.

I played for hours out of doors, no time for resting,

Until the sun was going down or tummy was rumbling.

No rain or snow or sun or blow, or mother grumbling.

Summer-time went on forever. I was never bored.

Things to see, find and do. Building dens, making swords.

Skipping up and down the lanes or fishing in the stream,

Collecting frog spawn, sticklebacks. Life was one long dream.

And even in the darkness of a long midwinter’s night

I’d still be outside with my friends, underneath the lights.

Freedom should be each child’s right, to live life to the full,

Learning how to improvise and never being dull.

But it isn’t like that any more, kids can’t be free

To play for hours and hours on end, wherever they please.

There’s danger round each corner, lurking in the shallows.

Hiding in the undergrowth. Prowling through the shadows.

We never saw it coming. When did it come to this?

Did it happen overnight or bit by little bit?

What if it was always there and parents never knew

Or chose to just ignore it, like adults sometimes do?

But this is how it always was, back then, in the day.

The many dangers I encountered, just out at play.

Like standing by the railway tracks with steam trains chugging past,

Waving at the people as they went by, in a flash.

I still grew up and lived and thrived and wanted for nought

And ate the things I shouldn’t have. Sometimes I know I fought

To try my best to understand the workings of the world

And how to grow into myself, while the cosmos unfurled.

And nature was my best friend, it helped me to survive

The miles and miles I trudged to school, when I was just five.

Birds were always singing whether skies were grey or blue

When every precious moment was filled with things to do.

By Faymarie Morris

I Forget by Michael Healy

So what was it I had a mind to do?
So why is that shoe not fastened?
So what day is it, I wonder,
What month, what year?
It’s clear,
I forget

And yet I had so much in mind,
Amo, amas, amat, tan, cos and sine,
The formula for brine, a bouquet of fine wine,
Three times three makes…?
Three times three?
Three times three, it’s gone
Why is that shoe undone?
Where is my coat?

I must make a note to remind…
What was it I came to find?
So what day is it, I wonder?
Is it summer yet?
I forget.
I FORGET!!!

Michael Healy

CLICKETY-CLICK by Michael Healy

 CLICKETY – CLICK

I was 66 just yesterday

Some say what a fine old age,

Others say it all depends on your own life’s page

You are as old as you feel, I am being told

In that case 66 is not too old

 

I got out of bed with a spring in my step

And down the stairs I bounded

My wife, as a treat, wanted to go on a trip

To take me to a new Garden Centre

And so, I thought, at 66, that sounds quite enough adventure.

 

When we arrived (for we had been lost)

I climbed from the car and smiled

I will just take my walking stick, I declared

leaving my scooter in the boot for later

It will be easier that way for my needs to be catered.

 

But as we wandered down long beds of flowers

And lines of new gardening tools

My decision, I knew, to use just my stick, was indeed that of a fool

My legs did shake and my back did ache

And my eyes insisted I stay awake!

I suddenly found a surprising new interest,

In the conservatory garden furniture

Not that I bothered the salesman there,

I just wanted to find a comfortable chair!

To ease the cares my body now felt

 

This left my wife free to wander the lanes

And me the chance to ease my pains

Fairly soon I was joined in my lonely corner

By another man trying a chair

He smiled as he sat with a look of lost cares

 

‘Nice furniture’ I remarked to him

He smiled ‘Oh, I just needed a chair for a rest’

It was then I decided, accept the age and condition that you are in,

With wonky legs and a foggy head

Don’t be 22 when there’s such pleasure in being 66!

                                                                                                                       Michael Healy