Poem

Poem: It’s Never Or Now

an old song plays backwards in the bar, the footage of you entering is reversed. Elvis Presley sings for the lonely but only one person ever happened to notice that

Poem: There’s Only One Thing Better…

the mandarins were in the fridge (where I wanted them) I took them and put them in a bowl (to gather the skins) there is a sugar rush that comes from eating mandarins (but my dad doesn’t believe that fruit has sugar, or else his doctor-friend would have mentioned it one night, over tennis…surely…) Now. […]

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May 20, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Poem: Two New Rules

Let she who is without fish, cast the first line (spare the rod – spoil a good day’s catch) let she who is without go before you – always

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May 17, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Poem: Spectator Sport

i like to watch half-naked teenagers running for their lives most of them killed by chainsaws, brutalised by knives. hey! i never said i like to do it. i like to watch

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May 16, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Poem: Knowing The Score

Some time ago when I was 10 or 11 or maybe I was 5 or 6, music hit me and I’m glad it did. I felt no pain, only joy, sorrow of course, when the music told me to feel that way – and thanks must go to Mark Knopfler for his soundtracks of Last […]

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May 16, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Poem: Prevention Is Overrated

my imposter syndrome knows it’s not good enough – that’s how i cured it

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May 15, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Poem: Bone Terror

The ghost only walks the halls late and when all is quiet – it won’t ever touch my shoulder because I run too fast. Not scared of course, I just like to keep it on its toes – that’s so it can never catch me.

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May 13, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Poem: Running Lines

The horror maze was filled with shrieks and jump-scares, limbs tumbled down out of trap-door openings, parts were well-played, weird moans, demented laughing, while we walked through darkness and burst out laughing, once or even twice. It was fun but never truly scary. And not because I’m desensitised to horror, although it’s true that I […]

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May 12, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Poem: Don’t say slave, you are free

i clearly said ‘no’ when the guy asked me if i wanted my receipt. but he still made a face as i walked off while the machine was flashing its ‘acceptance’. either we are both at fault, or it’s neither of us – but certainly this is not anyone else’s problem.

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May 11, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Poem: For The Coins To Fall

Philip Bailey’s falsetto, curls like smoke around words smacks me deep in my nostalgia valve. I crave the sound although can never explain it. My hands outstretched, although I’ll never hold it. The Linn drum hits me and the swirl of sound is a mini meditation. I suck back on the smoke of this song. […]

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May 10, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Poem: Roll Credits

The film doesn’t have long to go, put the jug on and make a cup of tea. Maybe you’ll have time to drink it all. Maybe you’ll even get a second cup. But don’t be too greedy now. Time is nearly up. There’s no need to return this film to its case, nor to any […]

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May 9, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Poem: Sad Remains

When I hear fast rhymes in performance poetry I only notice the performance, I never hear the poetry. A sad refrain, as fingers click in approval at what might pass for rap. But collapses over without meaning. A sad refrain. The sadness remains. Sad refrain. Sadness remains. (Sad remains of the saddest refrain…)