The Ego

The ego
Is too much with us
and ensnares us
with cunning disguises
that masquerade as virtues
like duty and success.

Autumn

Tiny titian tree, silent sentinal of a frond- furry forest.

Cascading cacophony of crisp bird calls bursts bouncing

its echoes from eagle eaves.

Autumn is verdant voices with rainbow ruffles;

Misty miasma mildly mixing moods,

Magnificent palette of pale and petulant with loud-leafed splendour.

Liverish

How to explain the pain-
Not really pain
But a sword in my back under the shoulder bone
The blade withdrawn and then plunged in again.

Pain is not the worst of this
But, in fact the lack of sharpness,
The fuzzy head and wavering motivation
preventing focussed attention-
all mental activity wrapped in yellow cotton wool.

Roses

He came through the door obscured behind the
biggest bouquet of red roses every seen!

Now, you have to understand, this man never buys flowers.

"I have been planning this for a long while," he explained.

"For you darling, fifty red roses, one for every year we have known each other
and given on the day we met, with all the love we have stored up in those years."

Now there are roses in the window, roses on the table, roses on the cupboard
roses on the piano, roses everywhere-
Beautiful blessing but gentle reminder  that even they must die.

The flower withers but not the idea,
So never let them tell you Romance is dead.

Steve Jobs

Surprising to have something in common with Steve Jobs
As I don't even give the nod
to his technology.
Almost as though he is punishing me for not noticing him
And in the Great Beyond wags his accusing finger.

"I will teach you not to appreciate my life's work
Here take my death's work and see what you make of that."
"Thanks for the attention but I could have done without the mention".

At least you bequeathed me a gentle Pancreatic curse
and a strong team of angels to be my nurse.

This time we will beat this thing.
and yes I will meditate, and medicate, and, most important
not leave it too late, for surgery.

Let's do it right for Steve and for me.

diagnosis

"Neuroendocrine tumour",
I can say now say with humour
and a nod of recognition.

This is the best news of all
As the odds were not good and hope was small,
But now I face an operation and small salvation.

So bring on the art and the writing
and stop the procrastinating!

Life is waiting to be lived.

The Fly

I wonder if the fly
Questions when it will die
Poor fly,
Or if it wonders why.