a moment to reflect

we took the courses
which taught us how to
farm organically
be responsible
we practised permaculture
crop rotation
aquaponics, biodiversity
we sowed and seeded
planted, weeded
fed and watered
set our stores against the possible
apocalyptic eventualities
nuclear meltdowns
social breakdowns
stormy seas and changing seasons
from Humboldt to the Appalachians
from Goa to the Scottish Highlands
we grew our trees for fuel and fruit
hens for eggs
goats for milk
tanks collecting drops of rain
compost toilets, healthy grains
solar panels on our roofs
everything was future proofed
or so we thought and meant to be
yet we hadn’t accounted for or seen
the true predictability of man
when the shit began to hit the fan
how the hungry townsfolk would quickly come
to yank our veg from out the ground
to turn our livestock into dead
to fell our trees and steal our eggs
we would have shared
but did they care?
they never asked
just grabbed and yelled
having never taken time to listen
to our alternative ‘hippy’ views
on what would surely happen
if we didn’t change our attitudes
on how we lived
how we behaved
love and peace and leave no trace
and now we all have nothing left
nothing left to tend or gift
no seeds for next year’s crop
this date in time our final stop
no food on shelves
nowhere to shop
the world will be a hungry place
no longer fit for the human race
just desserts as some might say
but sad for those who tried to change
the course of destiny set in motion
by greed and wars and desperation
to be the richest at all costs
to own the most
to be the tops
well goodnight and good luck
you really didn’t give a fuck
we did what we could do
and now it’s really up to you
to feed yourselves on dollar bills
shiny toys and empty grills
that in your wasteful haste
to keep apace and not lose face
you hoarded in great quantities
leaving bitter oily aftertastes
your children’s bellies will distend
their stomach’s ache until the end
just like those African kids you ignored
on news bulletins in the days before
we realised something was amiss
upon this planet we made our own
not even looking back from outer space
could make us think
could make us take a moment
to reflect upon this rock
our one and only home

Stereophonic Apocalypse

I had a dream last night
that Kelly Jones and the band
were the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
riding over the hill on giant motorbikes
Have a Nice Day blaring from the exhausts

they stopped and signed my cd’s
as dark clouds roiled in the distance
everything was smiles
until I realised the end of the world was nigh
and they had gone

and I never got the chance to tell them
about my great unpublished novel
how Richie, Pete, Dave and Stu
all got killed in a car crash on a Welsh hill
Local Boy in the Photograph playing

as their wheels stopped turning
only the lovely Stace crawled from the wreckage
but I won’t tell you the rest of her story
you’ll have to find me a publisher quick
before the end of the world starts dawning

and I am left holding a stack of signed cd’s
watching the dark clouds come rolling towards me
on top of a Welsh hill where Neolithic men
left standing stones for me to hide behind
and write my god awful poetry

Genesis Reversal

On Monday
a last lonely animal was killed
and the last greedy man took his fill
one last supper and one last thrill

On Tuesday
fish and birds disappeared
nowhere safe for them to dwell
time indeed to bid a fond farewell

On Wednesday
sun and stars all quickly dimmed
the waning moon turned to hide
showed only its colder darker side

On Thursday
land and plants began to whither
browns replaced the healthy greens
dusty winds blew hither and thither

On Friday
sky and sea could not be seen
the tides retreated indefinitely
tamed for all eternity

On Saturday
night and day became the same
the last remaining rainbows frayed
and faded to the greyest greys

On Sunday
our silent planet took a rest
reflected on what might have been
if humans hadn’t made such an awful mess

of running such a perfect place . . .



I have watched
as you trampled growing seeds
and poured scorn on these summer days
I have watched
as your shadow grew and cast a darkness
like a deepening sorrow over beauty
I have watched
as you laughed in the face of happiness
with a heinous grin of self-satisfaction
I have watched
as you tried to destroy all that you created
or claimed to have loved in the name of what?
I have watched
as many have cried and I am not sure why
such bitterness fills your heart
I have watched
as my wrists have bled the last vestiges
of hope and forgiveness
I have watched
but I can watch no more as the sun sets
on this last earthly hour

upon them were written our names…

upon them

               were written

                                our names


in telescopic waiting visions

as far as mortal eyes can see

through portals & portentions

our dimming sun fuelled galaxy


by ice ship teletransportation

alien invaders were conveyed

death ray laughter motivation

a human race to be destroyed


                                  our names

                were written

upon them