for MIDDLESBROUGH MAGIC SHIP 286 (D)

A-LANDED-DOLPHIN-DESTINY ?
The word love's been abused
by churches and by states,
by rascals and revolutionaries
whose hearts know only hate.

The word love's been abused
by many writing songs
who think only of the money,
but do not get me wrong

for there are those who love
though love's not reciprocated
by the ones who are loved.
Returned love is not fated.

Do not go march for love,
who are you to demand it ?
Love leaps like the dolphin;
sure is very hard to land it.

for MIDDLESBROUGH MAGIC SHIP 286 (C)

A DARKLY-DRESSED DANDY
WAS BAUDELAIRE
Fashions go out,
new ones get in.
The black-peacock ?
Yes very-much him.
The darksome dandy
in the darkling.

Opium and brothels,
his poems a-flower,
Charles Baudelaire
in the midnight hour.
These, and these only,
his ivory tower.

for MIDDLESBROUGH MAGIC SHIP 286 (B)

ETERNAL YOUTH (II)
Yes I'm a Peter Pan,
young ladies keep me youthful.
The Muse of all my muses -
if I am to be truthful -
is the goddess of verse-poetry.
Forever young sure is she.

HOUSE !
We 'lived in sin' -
you understand the lingo ?-
for thirteen years.
Lucky for some. Ours "Bingo !"

GOLDEN ERAS
Britain was an empire
as once great Rome.
In empire-building
we were not alone.
Other countries, too,
were wont to enslave,
equality being
for those in the grave.
Racism's not only
for a few whites,
and sexism wears
trousers or tights,
while - as to ageism -
we all grow old.
There's just not a time
to call pure-gold.

for MIDDLESBROUGH MAGIC SHIP 286 (A)

MORGAN LE FAY
Caliburn or Excalibur,
the sword in the stone
was as an arrow
in the heart of flesh-and-bone.
'Twas no pink Cupid
let loose his shaft
but Morgan-the-Fay
with-bolt-sharp-witchcraft

AN AGES OLD STORY
Not always the same person,
we change as do the seasons.
Dust unto dust,
change we must.

A PHANTOM LOVER VERSE FIND
The man came forth
from out red mist,
embraced the girl,
oh how they kissed.

Oh how they kissed,
the man and girl,
the red mist grew,
in the otherworld

she found herself
with the phantom
who was her lover,
all earthly things gone.

All earthly things gone,
earthly stuff sure lost.
Their very love, though,
so worth the cost.

COVER-TO-COVER-JOURNEYS-
JACQUELINE-WITH-THE-MUSIC-OF-RAY
Saw her sat in beatnik-black.
She read a novel by Kerouac.
Hit the road Jack, hit the road Jack
(from front cover to back),
hit the road Jacqueline.

Saw her sat in beatnik-black.
She listened to a Ray Charles track.
Hit the road Jack, hit the road Jack
(en route to the end, sit back),
hit the road Jacqueline.

THE-DAMN-UNTRUSTWORTHY-POLITICAL-
PARTIES-PROBLEM-CAN'T-NOW-BE-SOLELY-MINE ?
LABOUR sure brings to mind
Red-Russia's labour camps.
TORIES sure bring to mind
the blood-sucking vamps
myths tell us prey on man.
This verse says, "Both go hang."

BAMBI'S BACK
Tony Blair's illegal war,
the death of whistle-blower Kelly.
The smugly smiling man is back -
as to Brexit -on the telly,

trying to re-win favour
with people who'd voted Remain.
Ex-Labour-leader now millionaire.
Red Rose... and blood-red-stain.

for MIDDLESBROUGH MAGIC SHIP 285 (J)

STRIPPERGRAM SEAMAN
Long John Silver
in his underwear.
Long John Silver
found almost bare.
Long John Silver,
she shall see
him going for gold
at her hen party !

NO MORE  A DOWNBEAT DECK-DANCING
NOW MY SHIP SHALL SAIL
Your big lies have been whaled,
your beasts have been impaled
and it's time, girl, my boat sailed
far from yet a further chance
of you leading me a merry-dance.
Say farewell to our brief romance,
yes say farewell to another chance,
this relationship has, girl, failed.

A-MERCILESS-MADAM-MILKS-HER-
SO-SEXY-HARD-WORKERS-DRY
Very much a pushy-pussy,
a big-bossy-boots,
the doggone drug-dealer
with whom she's in cahoots
wears his golden chain
as if it is a medal
for all the stuff he's sold,
for all the drugs he's peddled.
The big-bossy-boots
goes wear her sable;
her guy has his purchasers
and she has her stable
of good-looker hookers
with their time for sale.
At her Majesty's service
she will reside in jail
just like a caged rat -
or rat caught in a trap -
very much a pushy-pussy
no more milk to lap !

for MIDDLESBROUGH MAGIC SHIP 285 (I)

JUST JUNO
June called herself Juno,
the Roman goddess of fertility.
She'd say it with  a sexy smile,
and what a beauty she.

It was many a year ago
this very-fine girl I knew.
The Roman goddess of fertility
even more beautiful grew.

for MIDDLESBROUGH MAGIC SHIP 285 (H)

WORD-POWER WIZARD
One was a warlock who -
out of envious spite -
struck a word-wizard
with a great-might.

But the word-wizard's magic -
in his book of verses -
overcame the warlock
and his many curses.

A-CRUISING-DREAMBOAT-CAPTAIN-
MISSED-SHY-SHE
Opportunity for her knocked
but she left closed the door.
The boat to dreams was rocked,
she landed back on the shore.

He'd sailed into her harbour -
the captain of the cruise -
there he was to down anchor,
gave her good time to choose.

Opportunity for her knocked
but she left closed the door.
Days, months, years up clocked
he cruised her way no more.

BREAKING-IN THE BEASTS
The offspring of the elephants
the Thais beat with sticks
so as to tame the baby beasts,
make them do fancy tricks.

Living by the elephant farm
on Pattaya City's skirts
I saw the brutal beatings,
I felt the animals' hurts.

They reared their baby heads,
waved their trunks at blue skies
as if their Hindu god Ganesh
had closed his elephant eyes.

Had the Hindu god Ganesh
his elephant eyes truly closed ?
Did they try poke him awake
with their trunks, their long nose ?

HIS DAD'S HAND-ME-DOWNS ?
Call him The Great Fatsby,
he really is a fat-cat.
Huge house here, huge house there,
and more than just one yacht.
You do have to wonder
why he drives a Rolls
when he's so roly-poly
he'd benefit from swift-strolls.

Call him The Great Fatsby,
he never was self-made;
no rags to riches story,
his wealth does he parade
as if he's somebody special,
as if he's  Mister Big.
As if he's The Great Gatsby
without the backing jazz gig.

MAD AS THE MAN IN THE MOON ?
Some think the earth is flat,
think it no sphere.
Boats sail over the edge ?
Seamen to disappear ?

Some think the moon's a disc
visited by no man,
"No real rocketship
could ever there land."

We each take a view
that others will not,
so sure we're the one
hasn't lost the plot.