Elephant Small Vol 1 Read online

  You never stop to think how they survive

  No work, no money; nowhere to call home

  How do you think those people stay alive?

  Do as the Roman’s do, when you’re in Rome

  Do you think that food doesn’t grow on trees?

  Swim in rivers and crawl along the ground?

  Go out fishing; keep your own birds and bees

  That’s what they do; their world still spins around

  Survival of the fittest may not be

  A ‘cool’ concept for modern-thinking men

  But you must know, that when ‘push’ comes to ‘shove’

  You’re just like Daniel in the lion’s den

  Except, of course, you have to stand and fight

  The first time in your life; are you prepared?

  Or will you just surrender to the beast?

  You should have known; you should have really cared

  This life of convenience makes us all

  Expect we can get anything at all

  When we want; on twenty four-seven call

  Let’s see what happens when the dark skies fall.

  26. Wheels

  It was built for neither speed nor comfort

  But all I could afford back in the day

  Was something to get us from A to B

  That we could jump aboard without delay

  The main thing; it was perfect just for two

  My choice of transport was hardly random

  A classic; built by master craftsmen

  Ok, so what if it was a tandem?

  27. Forgiven, Forgotten

  They couldn’t understand the situation

  They didn’t even stop to wonder why

  Minds pre-occupied with accusation

  Revenge, regret, outrage, did not apply

  They only ever wanted it to end

  Those memories, consigned to history

  Looking back in anger, achieved nothing

  It only nurtured inconsistency

  It was pointless, knowing where to lay the blame

  In hindsight, such an easy thing, it seems

  But circumstances, situations changed

  Holding grudges, would have held back dreams

  When asked the question, “Was it tough for you?”

  Their answer was, “Just take a look around

  So many others, much worse off than us

  We’ve buried our bad memories in the ground

  Worse things happened, we can blame ourselves for

  It makes no sense to grieve over the past

  We can’t use history as a scapegoat

  We have to start afresh, if things don’t last”

  Survivors of those troubled times are few

  But those who made it only look one way

  Forward, to tomorrow; a clearer view

  The future’s brighter, unlike yesterday

  28. Idealists

  We met when we were too young

  We wanted to change the world with our song

  I stuck around and you hung on

  Beside me, I thought for far too long

  Our ideas never caught on

  With the mainstream teaching and belief

  In a world of carefree thought

  Ignorance stole innocence like a thief

  We were guilty of the sin

  Of replacing swords with the mighty pen

  Times have changed now, we would win

  The hearts and minds of modern-thinking men

  Now words come freely from the lips

  Of ‘victims’ who say ‘Enough is enough’

  They ride the rises and dips

  The tough get tougher when the course gets rough

  We always knew it would be

  Harder than the hardest thing in the world

  When it was just you and me

  Ideas were contested, abuse was hurled

  'Fight until the day we die,

  Educate the ignorant', was our stance

  Passionate our battle-cry

  History gives it meaning, relevance

  In our heart of hearts we knew

  Traditional values would win the day

  Its dinosaurs that make laws

  It’s the ultimate price we have to pay

  29. Operation

  Scary, the discovery

  Hasty, the connection

  Painful, the inspection

  Tricky, the mission

  Needs my permission

  I have to make the decision

  Surgeons will make the incision

  They’ll only accept perfection

  So there will be no rejection

  Pills, powders, potions

  Give back my motions

  Correct my reactions

  To their satisfaction

  A complete recovery

  30. Acceptance: First Draft

  Their doubts cast shadows on the wall

  Before they speak, I’ll make the call

  My time is now, I’ll get it done

  First time, on time, each time; no fail

  The White House is my Holy Grail

  I’ll try; succeed. I’m number one!

  I made their methods obsolete

  And now, the world is at my feet

  Their loss of power is my gain

  And when, at first, they don’t succeed

  Don’t try again, they will not need

  To contact me for work again

  I hold no patent; copyright

  But I will always win the fight

  I wanted change and you believed

  Their rigid specification

  Will not test my education

  Your satisfaction, guaranteed

  Close attention to fine detail

  Will always guarantee the sale

  My strongest selling point is pride

  And historical records show

  Relentless work rate does not slow

  Proud of my pride in my own side

  And aided by my Running Mate

  I’ll prove the ideal candidate

  To take my place as Head of State

  Achievement of my master plan

  I’ll challenge each and every man

  To reach my standard, if he can

  From my heart, I’m a Democrat

  Everyone knows my profession

  But they won’t match my obsession

  Men like me; few and far between

  We won’t come here very often

  But when we do, it will soften

  Backward attitudes,

  Influencing moods.

  31. Diamond Day

  Morning horizon

  A streak of brightness underscores the sky

  In a symbolic representation of new life, close by.

  I stare in wonder; my heart is racing, overtaking thought.

  Beauty surrounds me, floods me with precious jewels that can’t be bought.

  Over my shoulder, lies a mystery; the key to true wealth

  Behind closed doors, a secret is waiting to reveal itself

  Exhaling gently, uttering softly, I begin to say

  A prayer, in essence; homage to the dawn

  Of a Diamond Day.

  32. From Father To Son

  Speaking in words I understand

  Leading me along life’s highway

  Taking comfort from your outstretched hand

  A fleeting glimpse of yesterday

  You were always right by my side

  Supporting me through infant trials

  Trademark of a capable guide

  Serious advice; face all smiles

  Grown-up wisdom, childhood lessons

  Benefit of experience

  A respect that never lessens

  Character-building confidence

  Not lost with the passage of time

  Years don’t erode education

  Forgetfulness would be a crime

  It was a school of fascinati
on

  Now it’s my job to take the reins

  Pass on this wisdom, if I can

  Explain the benefits and gains

  As they have coached me; boy to man

  You taught me responsibility

  Which I accepted gratefully

  You know I’ll never let you down

  Or give you cause to wear a frown

  33. Cultivating Confidence In Shrinking Violets

  Are you ready for the revelation?

  I’ll tell you straight, no exaggeration

  If it lives up to your expectation

  Accept the gift as an education

  Open your eyes to possibility

  Your heart, your mind, have the ability

  Give your dreams life, make them reality

  Welcome concepts, reject banality

  You live and learn, feed your fascination

  Instinct permits deeper concentration

  People you meet provide stimulation

  Sharpened senses bring realisation

  At first you’ll find that it’s harder than nails

  Your perceptions will be greener than grass

  It won’t take long, then it’s easier than pie

  Your star will shine, you’ll be bolder than brass

  Confidence grows, bars intimidation.

  Faster process, detailed information.

  You’ll grow stronger in their estimation

  Take time out for leisure, relaxation

  Change is as good as a rest; vacation.

  In your own time, return to formation

  Complete the course without hesitation

  Show gratitude with quiet contemplation

  Were you nervous? Was your timidity

  A result of your own stupidity?

  Are you over your invalidity

  Now you’ve strengthened your own lucidity?

  Was the outcome to your satisfaction?

  Did you employ thought-provoked subtraction?

  Take away doubts, end up with a fraction

  Of your former fear of interaction

  34. More To Life?

  Upside down, inside out, the wrong way round

  Sound familiar?

  Just like life, mine and yours. Same old, same old

  There has to be more

  Let’s face it together; be proactive

  Things will come our way

  If I act; see to things, then I can be

  Better than myself

  If you act; get things done, in the right way

  You’ll be better too

  Do you think I am right? Just a case of

  Co-operation

  Some might say we’re dreamers. We will show them

  What dreams can achieve

  By and by, we will find trust and respect

  Make our lives complete

  In no time we will prove to the doubters

  There is more to life

  35. Subjective Subjunctive

  I think I would, if I could

  But really, should I? Really?

  It wouldn’t matter

  If I couldn’t care

  But I shouldn’t get it wrong

  How could I have ever known?

  How things really should have been?

  Nobody would say

  People wouldn’t tell

  They just couldn’t help

  It shouldn’t matter

  It was I who got it wrong

  Would it, should it, could it be?

  Wouldn’t, shouldn’t, couldn’t see?

  All that wood and not a tree.

  All that good that comes from me.

  All that blood I would have spilt.

  The things that stood between us

  All that passion in us

  All I ever wanted

  Next time I should get it right

  ...Would that you could allow me

  36. The Time Of Our Life:

  When? Who? What? Why? Where?

  Yesterday, the day before

  Tomorrow, the day after

  This week, last week, next week

  This year, last year, next year

  When is it?

  When was it?

  When will it be?

  Present, future, history

  It is, it will be, it was

  Actions and decisions

  Memories - just tenses?

  Who can say?

  Who is right?

  Who even knows?

  Time will pass us by, quickly

  A lifetime’s not very long

  We’ll all be dead, one day

  It won’t be long from now

  What is death?

  What is hell?

  What is heaven?

  Our lives will flash before us

  In vivid, lurid detail

  The things that we got right

  The things that we got wrong

  Why not this?

  Why not that?

  Why were we blind?

  Everything is revealed

  Whether we like it, or not

  We will ask the questions

  Will we know the answers?

  Where are hopes?

  Where are dreams?

  Where is wisdom?

  37. It’s Up To You

  Is it frustration

  Brought on by education?

  Have I studied to the point

  Of saturation?

  Too much knowledge in my head

  I’ll never use

  What’s the point of setting light

  To the fuse?

  They’re all going to run for cover

  From the explosion

  The fall-out’s going to carry

  Right across the ocean

  But its deaf ears, it’ll land on

  Over there

  Where the people have been brought up

  Not to care

  Ignorance is bliss

  So they will never miss

  What they never even had

  Ain’t it sad?

  When you’re camped out on the ground floor and you

  Want to know

  When you’re looking up, but you’ve got

  Vertigo

  You want to lead a better life, but you need

  Direction

  You’re never going to settle for less than

  Perfection

  Everybody tells you things will never

  Get better

  But you already signed the

  Application letter

  Now you’re on your way up, so you’d better

  Not look down

  And don’t even think of looking back to

  Your hometown

  Change your way of life

  Put an end to your strife

  Instinct feeds your ambition

  It’s a mission

  When you make it to the top, will you

  Remember me?

  Or will I fade to the back of your

  Memory?

  I’m not looking for your praise, for your

  Congratulation

  Hero-worship, Icon-status

  Adulation

  Just the respect, that is due me for initial

  Preparation

  For the cutting-edge of intellect; in reparation

  And remember, when the time comes, as it

  Surely will

  The view is so much clearer, from the summit

  Of the hill

  You will pass the test

  Because you have been blessed

  With the talents of the few

  It’s up to you

  38. Foreign Currency?

  They say a bribe, taken from an author, is an ARCHER

  And you’re richer, to the tune of TWO THOUSAND POUNDS

  But you won’t get much at the grocer’s store, for a TANNER

  That’s just SIXPENCE. Maybe not as much as it sounds

  In the clothing store, you could try A PAIR OF GR
EEN KNICKERS

  KNICKER means ONE POUND – TWO GREEN BANKNOTES make a PAIR

  And if I told you that a MONKEY is not a primate

  For FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS, would you tell me it’s not fair?

  And the powdered horn of a RHINO, sells for a fortune

  I’ll take TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY POUNDS, on the nose

  But I think you know that a BAG OF SAND is a THOUSAND

  Or a GRAND, or put another way, four RHINO’S

  Would you value MACARONI higher than a PONY?

  Different name, translation the same – TWENTY FIVE POUNDS

  Did you know I’ve got money ‘hanging’ round in my GARDEN?

  GARDEN GATE – In POUNDS that’s EIGHT. Not expensive grounds

  And the PLUM that ‘Jack Horner’ pulled from his Christmas pudding

  Was worth TEN THOUSAND – What a lucky feast to fix!

  Just be careful if anyone offers you the KIBOSH

  Eighteen months in jail, or EIGHTEEN PENCE – ONE AND SIX

  LOAF and GROAT both mean FOUR. LOAF is FOUR POUNDS, GROAT is FOURPENCE

  Backwards, 'FORE' makes ROFE, or LOAF. GROAT, a word intact

  MARIGOLD is a MILLION, taken from ‘Mary Gold’

  Stained glass window, gilded frame – Priceless artefact

  Corruption of the French word, TROIS, we understand as THREE

  To form a ‘new’ word in English slang – Pronounced TREY

  Then metal, cast in slender BAR, to use as currency

  A single unit; value ONE, is how we pay

  And do you know that man, TOM MIX? Do you know his value?

  He’s worth SIX, but six of what? - Six of you and me?

  JOB, or JOBBE, means work and payment, both - TWENTY ONE SHILLINGS

  That was wages for completing work – ONE GUINEA

  And to finish off, here’s the story of a COMMODORE

  It means FIFTEEN POUNDS - But how? - Do I hear you cry?

  A long time ago, was a well-known song in the Pop Charts

  ‘Three Times A Lady’. You remember? - So do I

  In Cockney Rhyming Slang, LADY is LADY GODIVA

  That means a FIVER – Or a FLAG – Not a big stash

  So ‘Three Times A Lady’ is THREE FIVE POUND NOTES - FIFTEEN POUNDS

  ‘The Commodores’ take the Credit – But not the Cash

  39. Gratitude

  Sometimes

  I don’t share

  Your view

  But I admire

  Your honesty

  It’s so…

  Concise

  Comprehensive

  It’s refreshing…