Grey Economy X

We steal small children,
the smiling old grey people
Papa and Ammar

© Graham Sherwood 08/2017

Legerdemain

there’s a subtle difference now
on those rare occasions that our eyes meet.

I feel I give myself away too easily
having lost the skill of camouflage
wearing this faded jester’s cape.

always the jester,
my bag of tricks threadbare
the wrinkled joker card
overused and too easily spotted
in this well-thumbed dog-eared pack.

I now understand
my magic is worthless, misdirected
by your quickening years

© Graham Sherwood 07/2017

Old Soldier's Handbook

I want no talk of poetry, here

your vellum is the shithouse door,

arseholes for inkwells

fingernails for nibs and

never bellyache of what you’ve seen

you don’t have that right?

Do your bit and kept it shut,

pride and pissed pants

make perfect partners, oh!

one last thing, if you get home

never frighten the children

just remember,

that is all!

© Graham Sherwood 07/2017