Gatso

Gatso, oh so yellow!
Prominently watching the
Stripes of white across
The road. You wait.

Gatso, oh so patient!
Silently watching the
Cars pass by below
The trap. You wait.

Gatso, oh so clever!
Endlessly watching for the
Speeding car to roar by
Your post. You flash.

Gatso, oh so efficient!

Martin Delemare
30th November 2004

The Chilli

It sits in oily jar,
Understated by far.
Red, picante in spice
Looking oh, so very nice.

The moment it touches
Your mouth, it clutches
Delicate bits and burns;
Warms the heart and burns.

Martin Delemare
23rd April 2003

Out at Dusk

Shadow across the bank
Swift and low, moves fast
Stops in the dark unseen
But I know he’s there.
Fox out on the forage.

Stands silent among reeds
Still and tall, unmoving
Stares out at water’s edge
But I see the white streak.
Heron out on the fish.

Shuffles like a sturdy rug
Shaggy tank across road
Storms through black hedge
But I miss him in car.
Badger out on the hunt.

Martin Delemare
31st August 2006

Hell on Earth

Clang of door echoes
Loud but no one hears.
Deaf halls and corridors
Red stick down the
Twisted paths of time.
Blind coats and doctors
White stick down the
Tortured paths of time.

Hollow faces; orbs glare
But empty bowl of skull
Body pricked by endless
Stream of chemicals.
Drugs to calm; drugs to
Pacify the anger within.
Eradicate thought and mind.

Stubborn cases hooked up
Wired for shock treatment
Burn the thinking cells
Remove all trouble and doubt.

Chains on the handles
Locks click; doors tight
Keep visitors out
Keep victims out of sight.

Martin Delemare
18th September 2006

Duvet Day

Snuggle warm down in your bed
Listen to the rain upon the pane.
Snuggle warm and snuggle tight
Listen to the wind’s screaming might.
Cold fingers poke at the fringe.
Snuggle down and wrap up tight.
Don’t venture out there in the cold
Don’t venture out there in the rain.
Sip your tea and nibble your toast.
This my friend is a duvet day.

Martin Delemare
29th May 2006

Portland Bill Boats

Cliffs fall sheer to swell
Rising and falling
Swirling at the base.
Seagulls yell and glide
Flotsam in eddy.

Wooden structures stand
Like ancient gallows
Along the cliff tops.
Winches, wire, shackles
All very ready

Fisher proud in boat
Jersey, grubby cap
Swings out over brine
Rattle, rapid clank.
Down it goes to sea.

Splash and chains unhooked
Oars in pinions safe
Fisherman with stack
Of old pots and buoys
Rows in search of crabs.

Martin Delemare
31st July 2006

My Dishwasher

Dishwasher, swish that dish.
Squirt the water on the plate.
Spin around in steamy spray
Clean all muck off that tray.

Dishwasher, swish that dish.
Blast chemicals on so fast
Clean that knife, fork and spoon
Shuddering, cornered in the room.

Dishwasher, swish that dish.
Heat the water, dissolve that fat.
Seek out every morsel and bean
To sparkle bright; special sheen.

Dishwasher, swish that dish.
Feel the heat; see that shine
Squeaky glass feels so fine.
Dishwasher, thou art truly mine.

Martin Delemare
16th May 2006

Leaves

Caught in the headlights
Dancing down the street
Swirling tumbling shoal
Of leaves crisp lively
Fish of the autumn
Wind driven hurry
A rush before the blast
Scurry hurry on and on.

Had to stop and watch
The myriad rush and jostle
Pass on by at speed
Every hue of brown
Scraping and scratching by
A noisy school driven
By the evening wind
A frenzy of flurry.

Martin Delemare
8th November 2005

Fixer and Mixer

Down the road, Down the road
It came trundling boldly.
Diplomats dealt deft diplomacy
On high in lofty towers.
Grinning in the corner sat the government fixer,
As down the road trundled the concrete mixer.

Down the road, Down the road
It came trundling badly.
Resistance regiments required results
From bunkers hidden and battered.
Solemn in his corner sat the government fixer
As through the wall burst the concrete mixer.

Across the yard, Across the yard
It came trundling loudly.
Mesmerized minions mumbled motionless
In foyer glassy brittle.
Guilty in his corner sat a government fixer
As blasted into fragments was the concrete mixer.

Martin Delemare
22nd August 2003

Building Aeroplanes in the Sky

Now in this period of change
I am looking for a positive attitude.
I want no negativity here.
We’ve raised the bar on this one
And we will continue to expand
Our resource base as we proceed.
So it will be very much like
Building aeroplanes in the sky.
So we will not be landing to
Bolt on any odd bits and bobs,
Very much hands on, suck it and see.

If I read you correctly sir
Building Aeroplanes in The Sky
Well that’s
BATS!

Martin Delemare
24th August 2006

Blue Sky Thinking

Sun was shining; blue overhead
Staring at agenda; printed on paper red.
Seeming fair enough; bullet points down
Blue Sky Thinking; seen without a frown.
The message was clear; day was fine
Means back home; time was mine.

But it was not; It was not to be
A different meaning; silly old me.
Thoughts held aloft; thoughts up high
Vision for the future; clear blue sky.

Martin Delemare
4th July 2005

Tsunami

Sea sucks shingle and sand
Before onrush of towering wave.

Deep in depths of hidden trench
Subduction zone of ooze descending.
Plate buckles and releases
Pushing up tons of water.

In mid ocean but a tiny wave
But inland a towering wall
Of water rushing to crowded shore
Sweeps all before it; ruin.

Sea sucks shingle and sand
Before onrush of towering wave.

Martin Delemare
30th March 2005

Highwayman

Hooves dash the road
Reins pulled back hard
Hiding and skulking
Behind hawthorn tree.

Wheels turn over, round
Ready for a halt but not
So soon as this ambush.

Ghastly figure emerges
Shouts the call so clear.
Cutlass and pistol prize
The coin and jewel away.

It’s all in the moor land mind.
All just a faraway figment.
Today’s robbing roadster
Hides in dark legers;
Plies dark statistician’s art.

Martin Delemare
11th July 2006

Safe Journey

Mists rolled over the mudflats.
Fog billowed off the banks.
In the distance a figure moved
Far off and slowly ambling.
Now seen but then gone
Into the low swirling veils
Later to appear slightly nearer.

A hunched figure slowly
Zigzagging across the flats
Following the gravels bars
And solid paths, safe routes
Through the ooze and mud.

Thick coat and lugging a
Big bag of mussels through
The early morning mists
Past the war memorial
Reminding her of the heroic
Deeds of her dead son.

Martin Delemare
5th August 2006

Ceasefire

Guns are silent now.
Quiet rings the ruins.
Calm reigns in craters.

You won the war.
You were not defeated.
Funny to say that.
Enemy says the same.

Look at your success.
Survey your victory.
Among the crumbling buildings
Among smashed cars and trucks.

Look you at the
Frightened faces, young.
Trace the tear track
Deep in the skin.

Martin Delemare
16th August 2006

High Tide

Waves curled and dumped
Stones of water on the beach.
The tide was high and calm
Pushing at the jetsam line
Blue and orange hawser rope
Entangled with seaweed and tar
Stone-washed wood, sun-bleached
Now gathered by the open fire.
Seagulls whirled and screamed.

She lay on the hot white sand
Bikini skimp, curved and brown
Raven hair tumbling down.
He thin and angular sat
Cross-legged with pan of fish
Sizzling on the blackened grid.

Martin Delemare

9th May 2006