And there he sits alone One of those lost souls Life’s events ‘leeched’ from his mind Thoughts sucked dry Open up that gismo Bring the old fellow’s Life to life He had hair, a job, a wife Went on holidays Wrote poems Bring me my stick I need my stick...my memory stick! © Neil Dufty
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I’ve always wondered…
StandardDo soothsayers say sooth? (with something in their tooth)
Do naysayers say nay? (must be horses)
Do daytrippers trip all day? (far out, man)
Do bookmakers make books? (betting books, yes)
Do humbuggers hum to bugs? (hope the bugs enjoy)
Do partypoopers poop at parties? (ew!)
Four winds
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NOR’EASTER Glad you’ve arrived - Not a minute too late! Look at you: Waltzing in Flitting about Skirting the crowd Twirling for all to see. Coquette! Is that you? Titillating sails Winking at waves Flirting with flags Refreshing to all. Strumpet! And now you’re gone, As fast as you came. Fluky damsel! Are you really ‘A breath of fresh air’? NOR’WESTER Bellows fan Satan’s pyre engorging the limp land flaming prongs that pierce Life. Acrid, blackened sky maelstrom of eucalypt burn couple with Death’s crackle: A bush holocaust. Helicopters hover like giant dragonflies above a scarlet pool damping the inextinguishable. Ashen faces face the Devil’s inferno emboldened only by their past. And people wait at their gate: ‘Will it slow? Or will we go?’ Blow out, evil wind! …I beg you. SOUTHERLY BUSTER Blustering in from Antarctic climes Whitecaps on a simmering sea Boats scuttle to safety Like mice to holes -Refuge. In winter: harbinger of colder times Overcoats and beanies Frosted ground Land and Man -Shiver. In summer: waking back porch chimes Cooling frayed tempers Turning bush fires Inward -Relief. SOU’EASTER Watery wind blowing from o’er the foam Syphoning Life from the oceans you roam. Maritime mother drawing us to your breast Suckling the Land with moisture on request. Damp day sky and sea coalesce into grey. © Neil Dufty
The Love Song of a Little Leech
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And here I lie on the ground, Just waiting to be found, Thousands of teeth at the ready, In a slither of mucous jelly. Hey, there’s no need for fright, You really will love my bite, I’m only a swipp’ry little sucker, With one big, slobbery pucker! So please keep coming – I won’t hurt, Like Dracula, I just want to flirt, Only a little blood will do, Oh…I’m now so stuck on you! © Neil Dufty
The Pizza Man
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My wind was a torrent of darkness inside my hungry gut, My face was a ghastly turquoise: I’d been really in a rut, My order had been misplaced when I’d phoned an hour before, And the pizza man came running- Running-running- The pizza man came running, up to my open door. He had a large case under his armpit; a look of concern on his face, I had a mouth that was drooling like a hound that just won a race, I waited with great anticipation as I paid the man the bill, And how I longed for that Hawaiian Pizza, That juicy Hawaiian Pizza, Oh no, it’s a Meat Lovers; hey, but I’ll still eat my fill! (Author’s note: Apologies to Alfred J. Noyes for the take on his poem ‘The Highwayman’) © Neil Dufty
Tatoo
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TATOO
I think I will get a tattoo, or two,
Of you
Or a sleave with some serious ink,
In pink
May be something in words so felt,
Not misspelt
I’ll get them all over, even near the ear,
No fear
Looking like Joseph’s cloak, I’ll be the bloke,
No joke
But then I think of the pain, the pain, the pain,
Refrain
And when I’m ageing, skin dried and wrinkling,
An inkling
That I should have covered in kid’s transfers.
© Neil Dufty
Over the Pacific: a poem
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It happened over the Pacific Probably Fiji to be specific A tale almost too horrific If the ending was not terrific The plane it twitched to its side Something wrong with this ride To hold on I tried, really tried But out the window I did slide I toppled into the darkest night Screaming to earth in full fright A parachute would help my plight But the end for me was in sight I let out an almighty scream But something was on my team An angel pulling me from the scene “Sir, you are having a bad dream”. © Neil Dufty
O, Jasper: A Cat Poem
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O, Jasper I’m so sorry for what I have done:
I surrendered you up to the local cattery,
I was selfish, thinking only of number one,
An act tantamount to assault and battery.
O, Jasper there is a void left in my heart,
I miss your licks, smooches, plaintive miaow,
That pat-the-ball game, it was so smart!
Our fun went on for hour after hour.
Jasper you ripped our lounge with no thought,
Spewed on our carpet, cried to break our sleep,
As arrogant as a model strutting the catwalk,
There is no way you could stay in our keep.
O, Jasper, who’s that in the cattery window
Smiling at me with a young lady cat in tow?
© Neil Dufty
Fly
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Don’t you wish you could fly?
Leave the ground and touch the sky?
Don’t you want to break the mould?
Be strong? Be brave? Be tough? Be bold?
There you lie, thinking of what can be,
Banal life preventing you to be free,
Weighted down by routine, daily pain,
A prisoner coupled to ball and chain.
So look for the wings within your reach,
Fix them on, so the sage would teach,
Be Pegasus, take flight towards the sun,
Don’t give up till you’re number one.
© Neil Dufty
Neil Dufty's stories and poems 