Grateful Dead

I am born by Caesarian section at 9:30 amin Princess Mary's Maternity Hospital on the 24th May, sixty years ago today, dangled by the ankle, smacked across the bum, swaddled in a blanket howling like a wheel. My big brother lain on his tip-toes hisses 'I don't like him'. He's Maradona, I'm Peter Beardsley, chasing a ball through the mud followed by the kitchen window, bellowing through the fern: 'Boys! Dinner's ready!' Dad is tuning in the telly beyond a heaving mountain of spaghetti hoops. I am nothing You are nothing Nothing important Death within a dream Petrified on the back of a pedallo in the Balearic Sea off Alcudia I can see the ghost of my uncle Derek waving to us from the beach, gently drifting out of reach, the telephone receiver swinging by its cord, a glass of broken beer expanding on the lino. My mam slips into the coffin a polaroid of his sweetheart Clutching Good-Luck Bear I peer gingerly over the side, press my nose up to the tide, and there behold a barracuda chewing on a chrysanthemum and a family of clownfish hovering in the corpse's hair. In the scullery of the cub-hut my clarinet falls into a sack of flour - a flurry of pins squashed into the leather handle a crescent moon of stricken fig-wasps. Drizzling my fingers with The Magic Sponge Dad says 'we'll probably have to chop them off'. He collapses like a canvas tent on the floodlit astroturf rent with a fibula guide-rod poking a hole through his shin There are teardrops in his moustache charging a flute of champagne down the aisle and out for a throw-in A St.John ambulance careers between the sugary pillars of the wedding cake A crystal spoon A pewter tankard these words inscribed upon the base: HAPPY RETIREMENT BEST GRANDDAD IN THE WORLD A toby jug filled to the brim with curtain hooks A sheepskin rug discoloured with tobacco smoke within it's braids concealed a rank of plastic soldiers set to burst underfoot Berwick in oils: a skiff on the swollen tweed cradling a false pearl a ceramic seraph with an astray for a brain - and I don't care about these things Why do they remain so clear while the faces of my loved ones disappear? A Rington's plate a forking hairline seam of superglue through the Black Gate a digital photoframe frozen on an blurry orange thumb I remember all these things Old karate trophies I am tethered by these things Thimbles and pesatas I remember all these things A roll of Woolworth's price stickers I can see all these things but where have all my people gone? In the end it wasn't meant to be. He was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. He survived for seven days before he slipped away - Richard Dawson

In the Garden of Eden wept Adam A half-eaten apple beside 'im "It looked good on the tree", He cried ruefully, Said Eve, "You wouldn't follow directions if you had 'em", "Oh, wait..." /k

In the garden of Eden sat Adam,massaging the bust of his madam, he chuckled with mirth, for he knew that on earth, there were only two boobs and he had 'em. -Ann Ahneemus

Well some say I'm goodAnd some say I'm bad Some say that I'm smart Some think that I'm mad Some say that I'm right Some say that I'm wrong But all that I ask Is that we get along Some say that it's false Some say that it's true Some can't figure out just What they should do Some want me to stay Some want me to leave I'll let you decide What you want to believe It's getting hot around here And it's not just the time the of year The winds begin to blow Which way are you gonna go? Some say I'm a friend Some say I'm a foe Some say that I'm fast And some that I'm slow Some think that I'm nice Some say that I'm mean And sometimes they miss me The days in between Some say that I'm gone Some say I'll be back And some want to pray And some to attack Some look to me But I look to you Whatever you ask Is what I will do It's getting hot around here And it's not just the time of the year The winds begin to blow Which way are you gonna go? Well some like to rock And some like to roll And some want to keep it All under control Some like to sing And some like to dance Some play it safe And some take the chance Some live for love And some love to hate And sometimes it's early And sometimes it's late Sometimes we're rich And sometimes we're poor And sometimes we just Put our foot in the door It's getting hot around here And it's not just the time of the year The winds begin to blow Which way are we gonna go?

thank you wilfredjones, didn't know about the edit button !

I'm sitting on the couch watching the evening newsSeeing all the mayhem just gives me the blues I'm waiting for a story that'll make me smile I know it's gonna come but it might take awhile How I wish the earth was just a big dance floor And everybody knew there's nothing holy about war I say a little prayer that it'll be that way Then turn off the TV and make my getaway I got to find some dancing room Underneath the summer moon So come and dance with me and we'll all let it be And hope the world starts dancing too Time to hit the road and leave the fog behind There's a party up the river after dinnertime The boys are gonna be there doin' what they do And you can bet the girls will be there doing it too I'm looking for ten thousand of my closest friends I know they're in the field just up around the bend I feel a little tingle going in my toes And when I hear the music it's just gonna grow Dancing to those country tunes There's a smile growing wider on the moon So come and dance with me in the land of the free And hope the world starts dancing too Little girl don't cry about the things you're told We're gonna grow up but we don't got to grow old You can spend a lifetime looking for a truth But music and laughter are the fountain of youth We're dancing to those country tunes Underneath the summer moon So come and dance with me at the hootenanny And we'll hope the world starts dancing too

I've been enjoying your work. Note: there is edit capability. If you are so inclined, tap the handy dandy 'edit' button. Keep up the nice work. It is a delight to read. :-)

line 16 should read : And you can bet the girls will be there doin' it too my bad

I'm looking for a rhymeI'm looking for a reason I'm checking out the times and the Pulse of the season You could ask me why? But I don't need a reason I'll do it all for Love Ain't worried 'bout the money Don't care about the fame Baby I just want to be a Part of the game We got the right coach and the team and the name We could go all the way You need a smart offense You need a tough D You need the right plays to make some history You're gonna need some help from the special teams Just play for Victory I know that we'll see snow I know that we'll see rain And we'll enjoy the good times and we'll battle through the pain Don't worry 'bout the time Just keep moving the chains And don't forget to pray

one fine daywarm and bright I tried to hitch a ride but no one's passing by and suddenly I saw the light took to the river and I floated out of sight into the forest where rhythms rhyme it's peaceful here but there's a jungle in my mind I floated up to the spring of wine and raised a toast to all the friends of summertime Here's to laughter and songs in the trees Here's to love on a warm summer breeze Here's to those who were born to be free us and them , you and me one fine day so make it right this ol' world could use some afternoon delight it's time to climb the great divide so come on everybody to the mountainside and let us dream away the night hand in hand we need to Dream with all our might Here's to laughter and songs in the trees Here's to love on a warm summer breeze Here's to those who were born to be free us and them , you and me