5126 - Old films

Yesterday, old guitar, today it’s old 

Films that dominated. Filling a box

With unwanted DVDs, grabbing hold 

Of most of them to be honest. It sucks

Having them clutter the closet. Few looks

At what’s in there, sentimentality 

Not so strong as I thought. And now Netflix 

So really I think a big clearout’s the

Appropriate thing. To the charity 

Shop! A few I’m watching once more. I’m cold

Towards them too, however. I’m the fox

And they’re the chickens, they’re the doomed poultry 

Three Sisters- that was boring, how it rolled 

On and on. Get rid, create space, it rocks!

5125 - Old guitar

My proper old guitar from ‘82

My first one, ninety quid from Birmingham 

When I was a student it was there too 

In shared houses and bedsits it would stand

Propped up against the wall, but understand 

It I never did. Couldn’t be bothered 

As usual, simple chords were all my hand

And brain could cope with. My approach was flawed 

Tried learning from books, memorise a chord

Pattern and thought that was enough. But who

Gave me advice? A guitar tutor man

I met at a medical trial who thought 

I should just jam to records, and that clue 

Led to tonight. Picked it up, played it. Wham!

5124 - I thought I heard talking

I thought I heard talking then from below 

That’s very rare, no exaggeration 

The man who lives there doesn’t seem to know 

Anyone, and never talks on the phone 

Day or night all he does is cough or moan

Sometimes a yawn or singing to himself 

Not a tune, just an ape like kind of groan

He sounds happy enough all on the shelf

Silence doesn’t affect his mental health 

It seems. Reclusive but seems he won’t go

Or change. But when the film I watched was done

And my flat became quiet too, I held

My breath. Was that him talking down below?

But if so, it soon stopped. So it goes on...

5123 - Short week over

The gut problem was still here by morning 

I took the fourth tablet out of the six

They are running out, it was worrying 

However, today’s tablet seemed to fix

The problem, at least for now. Been a mixed

Short week at work, with illness, but the new

Person I manage began work, and fits

Pretty well into the team and spoke to

Tracey G one day, then to Jacqui Q 

Today. Yes, Dean is now up and running 

And I hope that there will be no conflicts 

I shouldn’t think so, he’s affable. Blew

Off some steam on guitar, felt good switching 

To plectrum, easier on the fingertips

5122 - Just when you thought it was safe

I continue to suffer with this bad

Dose of diarrhoea, one week almost 

Then, tired after work, suddenly thought that 

It’d be worth trying the pharmacist 

So went to Sainsbury’s, seems like I have missed 

A trick or two. Got Imodium to stop

The diarrhoea, dehydration and lost

Energy. Also advice, like just drop 

Dairy products. Just got milk from the shop

But never mind. Went to bed but then got 

Up during the night and again it gushed

Out of me like a waterfall. A flop

Then, the tablets, it seemed. And so I sat 

On the loo at 5am, like a ghost 

Thur 3 Sep

5121 - Shit still happens

How long must this gut problem continue?

It’s handicapped me now for six long days 

And I’m working now, struggling to get through 

At least I could relax, Bank Holidays 

Are for watching box sets. I deserve praise 

For the watching I accomplished, weekend 

Just gone. Considering how long this bug stays

I’m wondering if I should maybe amend 

My self-diagnosis. Can I defend 

Food poisoning from cheese as the cause? Could you?

Or is it E. coli, enteritis 

Or something like that, robust bugs that spend

Days in your system? That dirty flat! Who

Knows what germs festered from previous renters?

5120 - U-turn on the road to health

I spoke too soon in yesterday’s sonnet 

Although I had a good long sleep last night 

I wanted to stay in bed, although it

Was getting towards 9am. Not right 

When my new member of staff might be quite 

Worriedly waiting for instructions on

His first day working for me. Did 3 shites 

Within the first hour, appetite all gone 

And when I spoke to him, was shocked to learn 

My voice was worn out. Couldn’t believe it!

It’s a recurrence of my weekend blight

Of food poisoning, gut-wrenching and churn

Of intestines determined to emit

Whatever’s up there. Unpleasantness’ height!