4954 - Let's work together

Working at home as we all are, but then
Went wandering in Manchester, the buses
Were regular, restaurants and pubs open
More work, then rang Helen, arranging us
To meet tomorrow night for one last piss
Up before it's too late, lockdown is near
Maybe, UK has done U-turns on this
And may do again, out of the real fear
Coronavirus is both far and here
I must see her one more time 'fore the ban
I want one last chance to enjoy that Miss
Furthermore I deserve it, let's be clear
No longer care, the time is ripe, I'm in
The mood, nothing will stop me, no, not yes

4803 - Brakes on Brexit

Today was dominated by the long
Live broadcast of the Brexit deal debate
Between 5 and 6 hours from the Commons
I watched and could increasingly relate
To the argument by Labour. We wait
For the conclusion even longer, yes
And though Starmer and co seemed to frustrate
Getting it done, now for over 3 years
The background explanation's not averse
To democracy. While Boris Johnson
Talked like Trump about making Britain great
But withheld details from MP voters
So they couldn't judge, form an opinion
Starmer made clear the damage would be great

Sat 19 Oct

4779 - Oh won't you stay....

Only about two to three hours' sleep last
Night, knackered, but worked hard in the office
Doing Brexit guidance, part of the cast
Of thousands here in the civil service
Working towards No Deal, but today this
Seems further than ever away from being
Realised by the poor beleaguered Boris
Who made as his promise we'd be leaving
The EU, Oct the 31st. Staying
A while longer. it seems. The judges passed
Their verdict, that Boris told the Queen lies
In order to prorogue Parliament in
The month it would have frustrated his dash
To get us out by hook or crook. (He is!)

4763 - Circles of squares

Woke up early despite late night last night
Still got a lot done. First, watched Andrew Marr
Amber Rudd, John McDonnell kept me right
Up to date with their views on Brexit. Are
The people round Boris breaking the law
If they don't ask for yet more time to fix
Things? Sajid Javid tried vainly to square
That circle. It will take some clever tricks
By Number 10 to leave before the clocks
Tick past October. I managed to write
More Ed Fringe '20 ideas, even better
Ideas for a second show. BT gets
Angry - a show where I abuse and fight
(Verbally) the audience. Amusing, huh?

4759 - Winehouse of Commons

Too tired to do dating websites tonight
Or networking on social media
Simply read a few pages, fairly light
Of a book on wine - quotes and trivia
Then History of Scotland (Neil Oliver)
On the TV, concluding that series
Strangely, with James VI becoming the
Heir to the English Tudor royal rulers
What about the rebellions, enclosures
Until Queen Anne it was still separate. Right
Up to date, back to Brexit bullshit. A
General election bid hits the buffers
As Labour abstain. They don't want to fight
For power until Brexit's killed or neutered

4695 - Milan Day 6

Lie-in til 10, had chosen not to do
Much. Caught the airport train, we almost missed
Platform 13, Garibaldi - oh, phew!
Just made it! Burger King nuggets and fizz
Then to the airplane at Gate 36
Milan to Manchester, temperature drop
Glad I'd changed out of shorts to long trousers
Partial cloud cover, potentially a strop
But honestly, a relief, I can't stop
Thinking GB's coolness is something new
And refreshing, no hot sun, not oppressed
Couldn't resist when I got home, a drop
Or two of beer. Watched England's women flop
Now it's bedtime. To all you, here's my kiss x

Tue 2 July

4685 - The Fleeting Scotsman

Slept well in the circumstances, alarm
Woke me from deep repair prematurely
3:45, but summer daylight warmed
The heart. Even this June beats January
Just catch that bus to Scotland, leaves promptly
3:45 it goes the motor way
To Edinburgh, mother north city
I caught 40 winks somewhere round Tebay
Caught the best hills on wheels of 2 storey
On arrival, not yet in the mood, torn
Between fact-checking and Bony Tony
Photo opps, opposing forces at play
Uploaded in Starbucks, recharge til warm
Then a late bus down to English country...

Sat 22 June

4650 - Sweet FA Cup

I've not done what I hoped, but still I've had
A good day, dominated by two things
The FA Cup Final, Man City thrashed
Watford six nil, quite rightly too, thrilling
Nice to see a final with goals going in
The other thing was the Eurovision
Song Contest from Tel Aviv, where I've been
Nice to see shots of the beach I've been on
The winner, don't know why, the Netherlands
I thought the best songs were by Norway and
Italy, Australia also. Britain
Came last, ridiculous, but not so stunned
We don't get that it's about glamour. Bad
Choice yet again! But still enjoyed the songs!

4585 - Brexship

The cold snap goes on, with more rain to come
Brexit votes multiply in the Commons
It's crazy now, it's making our brains swim
A divided House as the deadline looms
Europe, and Trump, and all, think we are loons
Well we aren't, the politicians are, won't
Accept the 'people's vote' - referendums
Aren't supposed to be re-run if the vote
Was the wrong one, are they? The government hoped
The first one would resolve the conundrum
But 'Leave' won, oh dear, the country is doomed
How to reverse that error and refloat
The ship of state is the difficult aim
The drunken captains fight as the wheel spins

4564 - Graduazione di Perla

Woke at 5, met P and V at Shudehill
In the darkness outside the bus station
Got on the Megabus down to Bristol
Got some sleep but not much. The day was fun
Once we got there for Pearl's graduation
The second time in Bristol's Wills Building
This time it was Masters, Education
She went on stage quite near the beginning
The scene was both moving and exciting
Tomorrow she flies to Milan, and will
Fulfil the goal she nurtured, her man gone
But keen to escape Britain, becoming
Hard to teach in, almost impossible
Good luck, Pearl, in your new start in Milan xx

4541 - Wheel of misfortune

These Eurosceptics, what damage they've done
I'm beginning to warm to soft Brexit
Now, where previously, I felt, let's be gone
From the EU, that was the winning vote
And staying in the customs union's not
Fulfilling that, it's reneging in part
While some hope for another vote, to put
The Brexiteers on the losing side, but
Without considering the far deeper split
In society that would cause. We've spun
Ourselves into a daze, half and half split
Endless circles, whirlpools, the longest rut
Going nowhere, unless we all soften
I chose Remain, but soft Brexit would fit

4476 - No Deal Blues

A slow start to the day, a nice lie-in
Then watched all of the Brexit breaking news
Theresa May, her head is in a spin
From all the criticism, the abuse
Not so much in Brussels, she couldn't choose
Or cherry pick everything, of course not
And she didn't and couldn't, no excuse
Except the EU won't allow a rot
To set in by letting us have the lot
Labour seem to think still that they could win
More favourable terms. Are they on the booze?
The closer to Remain, the less Brexit
Yet still honouring the vote. Come again?
This is nonsense. Here come those No Deal Blues

4375 - Edinburgh Day 1 - The long and winding day

Woke at 3.30, alarm set for 4
Just time to get dressed, eat, and catch the bus
At 5:05 from central Manchester
To Edinburgh. Changed at Glasgow. Was
Not as wet as I'd feared. With little pause
For rest, followed Tom, mine host, round the town
As he helped various mates with numerous shows
So many hopefuls trying to play the clown
Competing for an audience, figures down
On midweek's 'Black Wednesday.' Teatime pasta
With Tom and a good group of improv-ers
(Improv comedy troupe). My own slot, round
Midnight, so late, so tired. Can do better
Having some energy would be a plus!

Wed 15 Aug

4374 - Get up, get on up, I feel like being a slapstick machine

Writing this early on Tuesday evening
Got to be ready for Edinburgh
Early start tomorrow. Done my packing
Even wrote a song, can practice on the
Bus up there tomorrow from Manchester
5 am start, fer Gawd's sake, what is that?
Gonna be really knackered, that's for sure
Hopefully, some sleep on the bus to start
Then some rehearsal as we go up nort'
The weather ain't gonna be good - raining
Looks most likely. I've packed my umbrella
I'd rather stay dry, don't care if a twat
Is what I resemble as I'm walking
Along the Royal Mile, sampling atmosphere

4338 - Water, water, nowhere!

The return of that most British of things -
Clouds! We've seen so few that I almost miss them
And like the '76 drought, lashings
Of rain would be surprisingly welcome
Although preferably at night when we're dumb
And deaf to the outside world and weather
The moors need a good sprinkle near Oldham
All the grass is turning to straw, and the
Crops everywhere must be wilting for sure
(Especially in Wiltshire!) We were wilting
In the office today despite the stream
Of clouds. Still humid, still high temperature
Time now for a shower, a refreshing
Clean of the pores, like I was taught by Mum!

4326 - Beached tale

What a lovely hot day, skies of pure blue
Went to Blackpool for a work conference
Four talks in the morning, then happy to
Walk along the prom with Emma, the sun's
Warmth quite remarkable. Winter Gardens
Again for two more talks, hot rooms tiring
But out before four, to the beach at once
Two hours to do some tan developing
So long since on a British beach lying
In such heat, takes me back years, yes it's true
Meanwhile, good news from the World Cup - The Huns
Are out, beat by Korea! I'm laughing!
Might watch the highlights to enjoy that few
And far-between sensation more than once!

4293 - Uke - a decay

Played Rainbow, King Crimson, Misunderstood
On the uke, then ate tea, reduced price shit
Tikka masala, wish I'd not bothered
Now writing this while watching the concert
From Perth, or Belfast. First, Courtney Barnett
Then Father John Misty (yawn), the Breeders
(Better), but turned it over now - don't let
Me see the boring Manic Street Sweepers
They're without the leaping guy who plays bass
And does the interviews. Now it's that dud
Group, Public Service Broadcasting. I caught
Them, I think, with N, supporting The Bloss-
oms, or maybe the Super Furries. Good,
That's this done, now a drink to kill the night

4287 - Love and carnage

A lovely sunny day in May, okay?
Walked round the town with Josephine, all right?
Had lovely lasagne at Dom's and J
Had a canny cannelloni - I tried
It after she couldn't finish her bite
We also bought two bags of Twirl pieces
Sat in the sun near the cathedral, quite
Nice it was. Earlier, saw start of Harry's
Wedding to Meghan, the celebrities
And royals enjoying the sunny day
In and around Windsor, crowded roadside
Flag waving, smiling, makes us feel at peace
Even though historically, it's the way
We unite when there's a war we must fight

4280 - We are bad

I'm sorry, but Eurovision just showed
That Britain isn't liked, so maybe we
Should look at ourselves and try to be more
Internationalist, though it's really
Hard to understand how Israel can be
Voted for, it's not fair or right, but the
Entry by them was good, not that catchy
But clearly there's a problem and that's we
Have a long way to go to be happy
I think this shows that the UK is showed
As not popular, right or wrong, but we
Are victimised, as we victimised the
Other countries. No matter how we show
They quite rightly remember our hubris

4255 - Ashes to fascists

I look a sight after my drink last night
What to do, can I quit, is't realistic?
Went to the doc's for a check, and they might
Put me in touch with a group assistic
In stopping smoking, that's a start, but quick
As I sink drink, which itself has become
Toxic, my resolve dissolves, and I sneak
Off to buy twenty sticks. Only want one
Or two, but this real caring government
Dictates we must buy twenty, such a blight
On lungs, but revenue treasurific
Kills off the poor, creates a tidy sum
For missiles and subs, keep memories bright
Of when we were the most militaristic