Sermons And Gubbins

This poem was written for Advent 2025. I tried to turn in themes of waiting, urban life and ancient wisdom. I hope you enjoy reading it! The Adventure Now is not the time. The sky is thick cement But the buildings shine  like the sun is aching to be set free from breeze-block and reinforced glass. The angels in the architecture are moments away from singing An overture to crack the concrete heavens. Their wings almost twitching as they noiselessly clear their marbled throats. But not now… Not yet… Now is not the time. Now, the world is silent. It is more patient than I. Have you ever heard silence echo? The shutters not yet opened. The fluorescence inside the buildings almost beginning to flicker. The first tinglings of a hum. The faintest hint of incense. Not yet… Not yet… Every movement is considered. Every sound has meaning. Forecasts and prophesies  Carried fresh on gale-force winds. North Utsire, South Utsire Isaiah, Zechariah  Lundy, Fastnet, German Bite Malachi and...

This poem was written for our church monthly poetry group. The theme was either ‘Jesus’ or ‘Crime’. This one was the latter… Hope you enjoy reading it! Give me my country back They'd like to have you think  It is a crime to speak your mind, To love your country, To wave a flag. "We can't say these things any more!", They say Whilst posting on Twitter and Facebook, And ranting on Talk Radio, And addressing thousands of people at rallies and demos; Televised and monetised for the whole world to hear. Thank God we have these every-men, These foreign-backed, violent, every-men, These stinking-rich, grifting, every-men, Standing up to defend Our Country  From the tyranny of the Liberal Elite,   With their shiny dog-whistles, their home-spun names, and their offshore bank accounts. Otherwise  We might not notice  If it became illegal for protest to be disruptive. We might not notice  If it became illegal to support those opposing genocide. We might not notic...

  This poem was written for our pub poetry group at  The Barking Dog . The theme, with it being held on St George's Day, was England/The English. I hope you enjoy reading it! The English Abroad (An ode to Flanders and Swann) The English are best.  The English are best. The English are coming; we're impeccable guests. All of the others are rude, foreign pests. The English, the English, the English are best. The lads are on tour And it’s the girls’ big weekender And dad and his golf mates are off on a bender. The English are best.  The English are best. We're off on our jollies, in need of a rest. Sun, beer and sex is our only request. The English, the English, the English are best. We’re off on a plane to your unspoilt land and we'll speak LOUDLY and  S-L-O-W-L-Y  SO YOU'LL UNDERSTAND. THE ENGLISH  ARE  BEST. THE ENGLISH  ARE  BEST. On holiday, we're always impeccably dressed. We'll turn up at the restaurant in flip-flops and a vest. The ...