Rather tame rebels

These Catalan patriots

Who have they killed?

Crimes of the mind

You must realise, dear child

Are the most dangerous kind

In old town Seville

Where shading trees

Spill orange nuggets

A father juggled

The fallen fruit

Somewhat in jest

While a baby

Crawled on its knees

Never thinking of evil

And a son practiced ball skills

With concentration and zest

Thinking he was Messi

Ready to shoot.

This gave me cause to reflect

On my trip to the bullring

In search of the truth

When I stood on the sand

Of an ancient arena

And remembered

When matadors were king.

This is the place

From which bullfighting came.

Now I have to confess

In that moment

Doubt took root

I heard a howl from the past

And felt a prick of shame

Because blood is not orange

And I thought it was strange.

No more playing nice!

Angels, unfold your wings

Luff, and feel the wind's slice

Beat, reach and roll the dice

Hear the waves sing.

No reservations, no guilt

Cut line and tempt fate

Lean out at a crazy tilt

Sink the dagger to the hilt

Leave the rest in your wake.

Seeking racing's holy grail

Such hearts will never yield

No friends, no get out of jail

While wind reaches sail

And sea touches keel.

Was I sleeping?

The change came

By stealth

Now nothing's the same;

Difference

Came creeping

Shoulders grew cold

A new ice age

Where wild beasts

Wander

A room

Like a cage

And a mere poet

Would at best

Be torn asunder

At worst

Ignored.

Unbelievable numbers stream

Across the scrolling screens

Like in a Vegas slot machine

In an angry red-tinted hail

All sanity has left the mind

All compassion for humankind

Twenty-three guns left behind

And a blotted pavement stain

Sometimes a people suffers loss

That serves to make us less

And leaves the rational among us

Adrift in freedom’s thrall

Arms high I surrender and run

Where fog obscures the sun

Until the crimson hue is gone

And memory starts to fail

But the rain does not relent

And the ammo’s never spent

They say forged in innocence

It still drives the coffin’s nail.

The ocean is a strange place after dusk

Blue glowing waves and sprinkled stardust

Predated snails in empty husks

Watching cunning crabs from their keeps

But midst the roiling furious life

Now frozen in the torches’ light

A state of grace and sure delight

Sets the hurried mind at peace

I must go now to the ocean-side

And watch the sharks and fishes glide

So that my drifting mind can bide

And breathe the rapture of the deep

We are one world

One beach

What we clean up now

Reaches

Round the globe

To please

Ann's favourite girl

My love is full blown

Even when it's bumpy

Put the canvas down

Lose that city frown

And head for the country

Yes the judder of death

Can make you feel jumpy

At 45, please don't laugh

My little Jimny loses grasp

Of what passes for reality

But the wind in your hair

Climbing mountains

Is why we're out there

Abandoning everyday care

To where pleasure fountains

And that red tonka toy

When the going gets tough

Screams out its rage

Turns a new page

And suddenly grows up

What is it about a fire

That brings out the beast

The stalking and the dire

All circle and aspire

To attend the feast.

As a youth I thought

I was deprived

Woodman I was not

Unknowing what I sought

Pyromania couldn't thrive.

Then I grew older

If not really wise

Thoughts began to smolder

My axe skills grew bolder

And the fire revived.

Now I have the spark I need

As at the start of the race

When Prometheus's seed

Took flame and was freed

I'll light a fire seen from space.