An old envelope of photos has appeared
just when I was wondering if my whole early life
was a complete fabrication
Of course, I know it isn't really –
I think –
but it could be –
I know we all take on an identity
for very good reasons
– it's not an accident
or a punishment –
but we're not talking about an identity that takes on an identity
are we?
I know people who are like that
and they're a pain


~ ~ ~


Paranoid Panorama

We thought we'd cosy along in the warm
the dusty path that made us cough
watch flowers twist, follow the sky
huge rhododendrons, perfume, flash
tread on grass, get a noseful
down to stream, squelchy mud,
knee-high, pin me to a tree
give me talk, clouds, a mantra
refer to self with As and Bs
tap tap tap woodpecker calls
this is not the place for real
and I'd been mugged, some other time
had to walk the best I could
Is this dream world? Yes…No?
extra layers, lazy layers
live in, watch, shape, enjoy

Questions, old stuff, school time
screw up, put in bin, get back their shape
at last they burn
let them burn            like the sun


~ ~ ~