The Saviour

Big time problems in a small-minded town
Decades of decay, festering in sin
A diminutive escapee drawn to the big city
Looked to the bright lights to repair her broken dreams
Demons chased her around every corner
A wretched childhood and doomed to fail
Ruined, violated, spirit crushed, heart-broken
The book-shelves are full of these misery tales
Plentiful narcotics her weakness of choice
"This will end in tears", screamed her inner voice
She needed help, homeless and hapless
Pale beyond belief, pale beyond the pale
The unforgiving city had seen her kind too many times
She'd crossed the line, too many crimes
The Angel of Death loomed large in her view
Semi-conscious she faded, her pain soon to end.

A second figure then appeared, then laid a hand on her shoulder
Dragged from her stupor to a place of rescue
A reformed addict saved her in the nick of time
Stomach pumped for the umpteenth time, the final time
Her saviour guided her to redemption
A painfully slow process, 2 steps forward, 1 back
Her demons occasionally returned to attack
Her reformed saviour her rock before the hard place
Their lives now shared together, turned around, self-sufficient
Her life was saved in a moment of fate
Her future secured with her true soul mate

Ashton under Lyne, Wheels Roller Disco '82

Roll up! Roll up! for the roller disco
Wait in the queue. It's 1982
Chicken Legs Doyle in his budgie smuggling Wranglers
Sounds of Spandau Ballet and Golden Brown by The Stranglers
Pastel adorned teenage dreamers ready to rumble
Hoping for a snog, maybe even a fumble
"Why've you brought a coat? That cloak room stinks"
"Shut your stupid cake-hole, let's get our drinks"
"Eh, knob 'ed, are you looking at my bird?"
"Nah mate, she's ugly, and you're a turd"
"Do you want a smack? Who are you?!"
"Calm down, mate, I'm off for a skate to Yazoo"
Round and round on wheels of steel
Stopping and starting with toe and heel
Pubescent hormones dancing with delight
Drinking Irn Bru and Tizer every Friday night
It's World Cup year, but unlike here, it's not raining in Spain
England aren't reigning as they inevitably lose again
Boys chase girls, girls chase their dreams
This skating mecca's where it's at it seems
Some lads cop off, the ones without zits
Jealous mates look on calling them "shits"
"Are you getting the bus home? or are you getting picked up?"
"I'm not talking to you so shut the fuck up!"
"No need for that, I thought you were my mate"
"Take your face for a shit, I saw you snogging my date"
Another night over for this sweaty crowd
Filing out to Adam and his bunch of Ants
Everyone wondering just how the hell
Will Chicken Legs Doyle get out of his pants

Unconditional Love (Inside,Outside)

We had ice on the windows in our house
On the outside and the inside
Inside we had no central heating
When it froze outside, it froze inside

We had coal fires inside our fireplace
Outside the grate were firelighters
My mother went outside to fetch the coal
To keep us warm when inside

My hands were cold outside my jumper
Inside my jumper was skin and bones
Inside my shoes my feet were icy
Outside my bedclothes you could see my breath

The outside world could be unforgivably hostile
Inside, my house was filled with unconditional love

Catherine "Kate" Bush

An Anglo-Irish enigma from Welling in Kent
Influential, delightful, charismatic, enigmatic
Decades avoiding the media glare
An innovative music career, inventive and erratic

Misunderstood; much of her life remains a mystery
A private individual with no love of fame
Her apparent wish to remain anonymous
Steering clear of the paparazzi's game

Her family comes first, just the same as us

Truly unique with no axe to grind
Her songs stay timeless through changing times
A lyrical genius, one of a kind

When the piper's calls, she calls the tune
To see her live, there's an almighty rush
She's a national treasure, some may say an icon
She's a delicate flower named Catherine "Kate" Bush

Monkey World - Jim Cronin

Born in the Big Apple was a very special boy
Fated for greatness, he would bring much joy
Within 3 decades he worked at Bronx Zoo
This young man from Yonkers had much work to do

His affinity with primates was clear to see
A locked dream in his heart, he searched for the key
The Templars crossed his path, his dream took shape
His future now built on the monkey and the ape

Abused chimps used in Europe as photographer's props
To build a safe haven, he pulled out all the stops
Near Wool in Dorset lay a derelict pig farm
This driven man now used all his charm

The site was transformed into a place of rescue
From nine chimps and an orang-utan, Monkey World now grew
With Alison and Jeremy the centre would thrive
Neglected primates would now survive

Jim Cronin was his name, he was taken too early
We remember his smile and his hair so curly
He's missed so much and held so dear
His legacy lives on, his spirit always near

You Cried In Your Sleep

In my dream you cried in your sleep
It hurt me enough to wake up and weep
In my dream I cried in my sleep
I counted my problems instead of sheep

 Subconscious torment led to nightmarish thought
Cathartic nights sold and bought
Thrown around on waves of unease
Sick on ill-tempered mountainous seas

Some mornings the sun never rose
Some afternoons riddled with woes
Evenings lost in an unending maze
Whole days spent confused and dazed


Fires burning deep into my soul
History's baggage taking it's toll

I count my blessings now when I wake upset
I re-live every moment of the day we met

Keeping The Faith

Chased too many fragile, delicate dreams
Seen them fail, then fall apart at the seams
Acquaintances come and then they go
Never been sure who's a friend or a foe

Planted seeds at all the wrong times
Never could see all the warning signs
Never knew what was best for me
When to dabble or just let it be

Too many years flailing against the ropes
Now I've got a foot-hold on life's slippery slopes
Forgiven many sins and enemies pardoned
Thickened skin and sensitivities hardened

Socially awkward feelings are going
Confidence is growing, I'm now more knowing
When to leave and when to stay
Keeping the faith it will stay this way

January Blues

Are the January blues here to stay?
Will the howling wind and teeming rain ever go away?
Darkness descending into another winter's night
Lodged in a tunnel of gloom with no end in sight?

Self-pity is such a waste of energy and time
Waiting at base camp with your mountain to climb
If life is a marathon, why run it in 2 hours?
Make time for people, breathe the air, smell the flowers

A new year can bring hope of better days ahead
We may fear in the present but the future we must not dread
Live in the moment when days lose their meaning
Doing housework and chores, I'm sure that shelf's leaning

No two days should ever be the same
Stuck in a rut, same routine, a dwindling flame
Welcome in good health, don't show it the door
Good days aren't one-offs, there will be plenty more

Won't be long again before the days are lighter
When the sun shines, our worlds feel brighter
Feelings of sadness are normal, they always pass
Stay close to warm hearts, avoid those made of glass

Cyril Squirrel

Young Cyril squirrel was very cheeky
He ignored his mother when called back to a tree
His brown bushy tail was large for his age
Very easy for dogs to see

He buried nuts out in the open
He rarely did as he was told
He jumped on legs of people he saw
This young squirrel was very bold

He took one nut then hid another in his mouth
Asked for another then ran away
Young Cyril was a selfish boy
He would have to learn the hard way

One day he took a chance too many
A dog called Jack caused him to stumble
Cyril got bitten then cried to his mother
His wound slowly healed and now he was humble

Helping Hands

Don't lose sight of all you've learnt
Take your eye off the ball, your fingers get burnt
Recall your mistakes then don't make them twice
Make your own luck when you roll the dice

Never lose sight of attainment and success
Keep your strength when problems press
Minimize your troubles to maximize your days
Stay focused, sharp and out of the maze

At no time lose sight of those you love
Don't let go of those gifts from above
Count your blessings until you reach ten
You can use your fingers, or even a pen

If you do lose sight and are blinded by woes
It's temporary, not permanent, seek friends, banish foes
Don't give in to life's pressures and demands
Learn where to find those helping hands