Grab your umbrella for my latest scribble. Titled Rainy Day Parade

(NB this is a first draft, final results may vary).

Rainy Day Parade

Looks like all fallacies become

Self-fulfilling prophecies, huh?

You’ve no idea, life without dad?

Really?! Poor you, that’s why you’re sad?

I wrote the book on this supposed

Life you’ve had.

I was eight, Mother’s Day morning 

Mum trying to be strong. Asking 

Where? Why? But my dad was gone.

I was sent to boarding school, beaten,

Bullied, hated. Difference is I’ve lived

Your fantasy.

A nightmare thinking ’bout that stuff.

Daily school beatings, so much anger

Aimed everywhere, mistakenly. Not

At some sperm donor who bolted.

Tried to run from me, but tripped, fell 

Broke his legs

You lie for sympathy. Hurt others. 

i had to learn how to mend myself.

To walk again I’ve made mistakes.

Made me much stronger than him

Made me the man I am. Granfather

Time, to stop

These damaging lies. Truth is, you’re the 

Only one who believes your home-made

Horror story. Look out behind you!  Its

The door-smashing axe-wielding bogey

Man! I hope he’s not too drunk. No angel. No devil either. 

As it’s national poetry day I figured I’d share a scribble with you. I performed it for the first time at a poetry slam last year, just before I released my third anthology Alexithymia,

It’s called Stop.

Please, stop for a minute.

Yes, I’m talking to you. 

Don’t do what it is that,

You’re planning to do.

Let these words reach you

While I have your attention.

I won’t try to say that I know 

The things you’re going through.

Just know that this pain 

You’re feeling right now?

I’ve been there – reaching

For the solution in whatever 

Form it might take – cold steel,

Booze or pills. So, even though 

I don’t know you, we have, at this

Point, something in common.

I was twenty-seven the first time

I felt I was out of options. Taking

The ultimate step that day

When I tried to put myself away.

I felt like I was screaming inside.

Remember, I’ve been where you

Are. I’ve walked that mile in those

Shoes; I want you to know this:

You are stronger than you realise.

This is a fight you can win, even 

If your doubts drown everything 

Out, hold on a little longer. Stay.

Let me talk to you. Let my words

Through, even if you don’t 

Think you can do it. I’ll share

This pain; be a voice of reason.

You have better times ahead 

Believe me, try to see, I beg of

you. Don’t take your life. Instead,

Take my hand – we’ll do this together.