Sitting in the sun

Sitting in the sun, on my holiday away
Chilling the F%*k out, just to pass through the day

Forgotten about work, forgotten about the race
Taking it all in, all at a slow snails pace

As the sun shines down, things start to make sense
Taking my time to have a look, at the other side of the fence

Routines out the window,
I drink coffee just for fun
The only public transport is my feet, without the run

So at the beach here I sit,
With the breeze, the sand and palms,
This holiday I have embraced,
All out stretched, with open arms

Countryside

Paddocks and trees, Goats and bees

Silos and Barns, Blue Skies and Farms

Hills and Mountains, Country Roads and Falcons

Fences and Utes, Acubra Hats and Boots

Lakes and Dams, Beef, Chicken, and Ham

Vegetables and Wheat, Wildflowers , Lavender and Heat

Picture in my wallet

 I want a picture in my wallet
 Of someone sweet and dear
 I want a picture in my wallet
 Of someone I can hold near

 I want a picture in my wallet
 So I can look at it all the time
 I want a picture in my wallet
 Of someone who is only mine

 I want a picture in my wallet
 Of someone who just thinks of me
 I want a picture in my wallet
 Who on the eye, is easy to see

 I want a picture in my wallet
 Of someone with brawn, and brain
 I want a picture in my wallet
 Of someone who will always remain

 I want a picture in my wallet
 That's not grey, tatted or damaged
 I want a picture in my wallet
 That adds no more weight to my baggage

 I want a picture in my wallet
 That is a perfect comfy fit
 I want a picture in my wallet
 That's all I want...that's it

 I want a picture in my wallet
 Don't think it's too much to ask
 I want a picture in my wallet
 Wish there was a spell I could cast

Bad Smell

The most pungent smell I have met in a long time comes on my train ride home one Tuesday evening.

As I enter the carriage, the other worldly waft smashes me between the nostrils with a vengeance.

I am frozen, not knowing which direction to move, or where the source of the waft is settled.

The waft is the kind that you can taste as it infiltrates your nose, your mouth, your hair, your skin.

I look around and finally my eyes catch up with my nose.

A thin, gaunt man, sprawled out, with his bare feet, and long, filthy, blacker than black toenails, resting proudly on the other seat.

I take a look without making it known, and wonder where he has been.

Has he been living underground with the rats and damp, with the mud and dirt, with the dark and cold?

The smell filters through the long carriages and I can’t bear to be this close any longer.

I search the carriage for somewhere else to go. But wherever i go, the waft follows.

The carriage train is the type that has no doors at either end, so the waft now is encompassing and also travelling....everywhere.

There is no escape, as I contemplate making my exit from the train completely.

But, I find another seat a little further down the carriage, where the waft is less commanding.

I feel sick and I can’t concentrate, I feel guilty, and wonder how I could help him…

But instead, I do my best to avoid him? I go the other way.

I put my blinkers on and try to think of something else.

I think about my life and my little worries and troubles.

But then they all fall into perspective

And I am reminded of how lucky I really am.

Simon

SIMON

Freshly showered, and half asleep, but somehow ready to go,
The familiar faces from my regular commute, where they’re going, I’ll never know.

There were no stories, no family background, I really didn’t KNOW them one little bit;
We travelled together for years, we travelled together, that was it.

Every morning at 7 we’d meet,
On an early city bound train,
We’d even sit in the same seats, every day, always the same.

Until one day, it was my last,
My last commute on that line,
You see, I’d found a new job, in another direction, at another time.

I wondered if I should say something, just something small and nice,
To thank them, for their company, for their silent words of advice.

So I sat up and cleared my throat, wished my nerves would keep at bay,
Hello, my name is Simon, and I wish you all a good day.

You see I won’t be back tomorrow, or the next day, what a shame,
But I’ve been offered a new job, via another train, with a different name.

It’s a shame because I’ve really liked the comfort you provide,
The eye contact, the head tilt, or just being there for the ride...

To my surprise everyone listened, and even had a positive word to share,
They too would look out for me each day, just felt’ right’ when I was there.

I left the train that day, with a smile from ear to ear,
Would I experience this again? If I do, instead of silence, we’ll go for a beer.

Neighbours...

Neighbours
Everybody needs good neighbours…

Around 11pm it starts,
Not unlike before,
A neighbour’s late night party,
Not easy to ignore

We share a thin, weak apartment wall,
Not much separating them from me,
Who will come out the winner in this conundrum,
Keep on reading, you will see

No music, no heavy bass
But it keeps going till 4 or 5 am
Just when you think they’re quietening down,
They start back up again

Loud voices, slamming doors,
Shrills of hyena like, unbearable laughter,
Seems like this will go on for ever, and ever, and ever after

It's Saturday night!
It shouldn't be such a biggie,
It's the weekend after all,
But when it’s usually Sunday, Tuesday or Wednesday night,
I’ve had enough, I'm gonna have to make the call.

Call the police to put a stop,
Put a stop to their boisterous night
But somehow I can't pick up the phone,
Would I make it worse? Would I start a fight?

With 10 neighbours, against 1 me,
I'm outnumbered 10 to 1
Their 1 bedroom apartment flat,
Has never seen such uproarious fun.

An angry email is sent to my agent,
With the hope of turning the tide,
A request for them to be reminded,
To exercise caution when taking me for a ride

Gutless, weak, scared, you might say,
But I’m just warming myself up
For the coming of the altercation,
For the changing of the luck

I'll find the courage one day,
To confront them face to face,
To call them out on their discretion,
Put an end to this insidious case…

Then again, maybe I should let them be
Lose more sleep, become more grumpy,
Maybe this is now the norm for me, but I should be less like Humpty Dumpty

Pick myself up, dust myself off, be ready to fight another day,
Think positive, act positive, ready to find another way

Maybe I'm too old,
Too fuddy duddy,
Or even too washed up,
Maybe I need to get a life,
Get out and about,
Pick up that champagne cup

I’ll think, to hell with all the rest of them!
The neighbours who piss me off,
Karma will come back to them one day,
And on that day I will scoff

Things have been made right,
And the same is right with me,
No more apartment living,
I’ll be living in a proper house,
I’ll be free.