My Slum Bred Friend: A poem

Alcoholic-maimed, unwanted youth

Socratic mind, twisted and condemned

Points out of line, stigmatised

Bed in wall mating, slum-sister seducing

The rats nibbled the milk tops while you slept

Corrupted child of despair

Woman-yearning, unconsummated

Male-loving but undesired

A social wreck

Joke-cracking on icy air

The rats nibbled the milk tops while you slept 

Corrupted child of despair

Beer-slurping in bar corner

I listen as he spews out soul

Without armour

A piece of tin

That's kicked by any passing gin

The rats nibbled the milk tops while you slept

Corrupted child of despair

I will hold you, grip hard my hand

Mockery of a man

Who I call friend

A parasite, a weed

Whose tendrils suck

The life-sap from my veins

The rats nibbled the milk tops while you slept

Philip's Army is now available to purchase on the Amazon Kindle from multiple countries.
Book Number ASIN: B008R7DD20

Drought: A poem

Earth, biscuit baked

Fissured, cracked

Sweat dried wrinkles

On the young aged

Listlessly standing

Hopelessly staring

At drought-blotted pools

In mothers' arms

Babies die

Small, still hands

Clutching still

Useless flesh

Breasts of a Child Mary

Who can feed no more

Philip's Army is now available to purchase on the Amazon Kindle from multiple countries.
Book Number ASIN: B008R7DD20

The Drum Beats: A poem

The drum beats

And one more second of life has gone

Once the drum beat slowly

Between each strike

Youthful joy

When each pretty face

Pounded excitement through my frame

Now the drum beats faster

Always faster

Towards a climax of whirling sticks

A brief pause

And the drummer makes a final roll

Towards silence

And my allotted minutes 

Merge with eternity.

Philip's Army is now available to purchase on the Amazon Kindle from multiple countries.
Book Number ASIN: B008R7DD20

First Love: A poem

Feather light she skips to school

The girl with the golden hair

And I a pimpled, awkward fool 

Love smitten stand and stare

Next to me she sits in class

The girl with the golden hair

I am too shy to make a pass

Or offer sweets to share

Helping me she cracks a joke

The girl with the golden hair

Her infant wiles the silence broke

Our giggles fill the air

Weekends drag,I miss my friend

the girl with the golden hair

Swift fly the hours when I attend

Our innocent affair

Philip's Army is now available to purchase on the Amazon Kindle from multiple countries.
Book Number ASIN: B008R7DD20

Growing Up: A poem

Little lady at the bar

Pirouette towards your star

Deftly execute that twirl

You pretty child, you growing girl

Pick up dolly, comb her hair

Return to ballet steps en lair

This carefree dance it cannot last

One more turn and childhoods past

And innocence that scrap of God

Dims slowly from the bright eyes

Little Johnny six today

Shouts and bangs in cowboy play

TV fights and classroom strife

Undivided, all one life

Where dead men fall to rise again

Jesting and giggling through the rain

Why must he grow and learn through hate

To beat his school; chum to the gate

And innocence that scrap of God

Dims slowly from the bright eyes

Little children's hearts can sing

Possessed of sacred blessing

This dream time of purity

Must wake to reality

Slumber dwells till first young love

The moonlight walks, the gentle dove

Until the beast stalks in to prey

Seducing virgin love away

And innocence that scrap of God

Dims slowly from the bright eyes 

Philip's Army is now available to purchase on the Amazon Kindle from multiple countries.
Book Number ASIN: B008R7DD20

The Door: A poem

Tap tap

The wind on blinds awake

And filtered dawn invades the room

The door has gone

Dismembered by the dawn

Sometimes the door is blue
It's coldness guarded by a faceless hound
And from within
The piercing screams of tortured souls
Torment my ears

Last night the door, rose-tinted glowed
Then opening wide
Revealed flower-scented fields
The true love from my youth appeared
Inviting me with outstretched arms
A young girl lithe and gay
To join him
For promises of love

Black boots tread
A swishing skirt
A carer rattles up the blinds
And feeble eyes reject the sun

I try to stir unwilling bones
And pushing haunch myself in bed
Where I'm served tea
How many cups have I consumed
In my long life?

After lunch my daughter
With forced smile and anxious eyes
Gives greeting with unmoving lips
And pecks my cheek

She has in tow her daughter's child
A pretty waif
Whose with her daughter
Who clutches with protective arms
her treasure
A new born babe
I smile
As mother offers child for my caress

I kiss the mite and full of praise
Return him to his blushing mum

My daughter talks and talks and talks
Her words buzz-mumbling confuse brain
I must escape
I close my eyes

Has she gone?
New mother asks
Don't worry girl she only sleeps
Let's leave her and go home

A noiseless voice screams in my head
And faceless hounds prowl round my bed
A sharp command and they are gone

The true love from my youth appears
His presence fast dispels my fears
And now I'm overwhelmed with joy

Tenderly he takes my hand
And leads me to flower-scented land  

Philip's Army is now available to purchase on the Amazon Kindle from multiple countries.
Book Number ASIN: B008R7DD20

My Singing Friend: A poem

His cage swings gently in the breeze

Now sterilised and empty

No friendly face from mirror peeps

No merry scuffling of feet

As he pecks corn

For twelve years he was my friend

Declaring love for me in song

My house is silent now

Deep into clay I sculpt his grave 

In my small garden

In wool-lined box I lay his corpse

And say a prayer

Sparrows who line the cherry tree

Are witness to this solemn deed

Their cheeky chirps a mockery

Of the pure sound

That flowed from my dear friend

Impatiently with sharp eyes

The mourners wait for end of rite

Hoping I'll pepper crumbs on lawn

My singing friend has gone

But life for hungry birds and man beats on

Philip's Army is now available to purchase on the Amazon Kindle from multiple countries.
Book Number ASIN: B008R7DD20

Betty's Daily Miracle: A poem

How do you manage? Betty my wife 

With twins in nappies and measles rife

A quick dip in pool, 

Old Fritz to park

Sop up the beer pool from party lark

Wash stale shirt, remove ink stains and tar

I quickly gorge breakfast and flee to car

Tang-Bang-Who-Hoo down familiar line

Train jogging to work

Be there by nine

How do you manage? Betty my wife

With twins in nappies and measles rife

Back at the household Betty's prepared

Witch with a vacuum, dust scurries scared

Whirlwind in action with brush and pan

Miracle working strictly to plan

Return home from toil, breadwinner's tired

Met by a vision in neat dress attired

How do you manage? Betty my wife

With twins in nappies and measles rife

Tea ready on table, twins in bed

Fritz has had walkie, babies been fed

Snooze through the paper, pretend to buy stock

Savour contentment, tick-whirr of clock

Arm round my lady, lead her to rest

Forget till morning work-a-day test

How do you manage Betty? Betty my wife

With twins in nappies and measles rife

Philip's Army is now available to purchase on the Amazon Kindle from multiple countries.
Book Number ASIN: B008R7DD20

Philip's Army: Prologue

Select Chapter:
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• 13
• 14
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• 16

This book is now available to purchase on the Amazon Kindle from multiple countries.
Book Number ASIN: B008R7DD20

It is an indisputable, but unknown fact that all the forests in the world are controlled and governed by a witch.  In this story, the reader is introduced to the attractive Evergreen: our very own 'Witch of the Forest'. Evergreen is faced with a problem; her domain is threatened with annihilation because of the action of a dotty squire, who has hired workmen to cut down her forest home.

By means of magic powder, Evergreen influences two children: Philip and Becky. They are the children of the local blacksmith, and recruit the animals who live in the forest into an army; the intention being to stop the destruction of their home.  Can Philip and Becky, with the help of Rabbit, Barn Owl, Fox, Otter, Wild Boar and others, possibly manage this impossible task?

'Philip's Army' is an attempt to educate children of the impending disaster to the environment caused by the money-grabbing, ignorant and insane behaviour of man.

Perhaps our young children may realise the danger and stop, before it's too late, the destruction of our green and beautiful planet.

Philip's Army is now available to purchase on the Amazon Kindle from multiple countries.
Book Number ASIN: B008R7DD20