Fake

spoon fed words
from immature tongues
'i'm sorry' you say
under tainted breath

i'm swimming
in your puppy dog eyes
drowning in our tears
and your fake words

Lovers to Strangers

it's 1 am
and i'm running through the rain
to be in your arms

15 minutes later
and i'm at your doorstep
being welcomed by bloodshot eyes
and the stench of stale cigarettes
seeping from your soft lips

the lips i used to kiss
(the lips that used to kiss me back, in fact)
and now i stare
upon a strangers face
begging for my lover
to come back to me

where are you beneath that innocent mask?
those sentimental eyes
are merely a disguise

Uni

chef ambitions
at 8 years old
crushing custard creams
in my gran's kitchen
and naming it
my 'masterpiece.'

11 years later
and i still can't fucking cook.
juggling microwave meals
and pasta's on the menu
more than 3 times a week

Cardboard Boxes

blue tac stains
on bare walls
and faint red wine
on the carpet

it's that time of year again
when you peel off the posters
and fold your life
into cardboard boxes

clambering across
mountains of clothing
and discovering
old treasures
and memories

feeling more wise
as the years fly by
and realising
how much things have changed

cardboard boxes
have taken over my life.

Salt

i found your letters yesterday
in that little wooden box
we bought by the seaside
remember?

the letters you sent
when we were madly in love

selfish

and carefree

the back of my wardrobe
is a place i rarely visit
and as i rummaged
my carpet became an ocean
of old treasures

i swam through the ocean for a while
soaking up the memories
on my bedroom floor

but sharp teeth bite at my flesh
in these shark infested waters

old photos and keepsakes
bringing back nostalgic blues
and salty tears

i soak up the ocean into bin bags
so they're probably in a derelict wasteland now
where they belong.

Eyelash Wishes

you laugh
you blink
and an eyelash
falls
and dances across your cheek

i brush it with my hand
and it clings to my fingertip.
i hold it against your soft lips
and whisper
'make a wish'

so you blow upon the eyelash
and it flutters away
across the bedroom


i always wondered what you wished for.

Love Notes

love notes left on carpets,
the ink and memories
trodden from paper to floor.

as each footstep taken
erases each word and emotion
as if nothing ever existed.

From the City to the Sea

i visited my old house today.
the old orange bricked house
with the old willow tree in the front garden
amongst the overgrown jungle.
with flowers bursting out of the soil
underneath the window panes.
it was sad to see it there abandoned, unloved.
but it was loved once.
when we were running through the hallways
smiling, laughing, screaming.
cycling up and down the driveway,
falling over,
grazing our kneecaps and crying for mum.

8 years later
and i'm sipping tea from disney cups,
pouring ink across lined paper,
travelling hundreds of miles up and down the country
from the city to the sea.

Saturday

raindrops dance on window panes
and leaves crawl across pavements,
synchronizing with the wind.

a dark cloud looms over the navy sky
covering the tiny diamonds
which have blossomed through the night.

morning's almost here as the night fades
and pinks and oranges spread over the horizon
as sunrise makes an appearance

and the birds sing
telling the world to open their eyelids
and wake from their dreams.

Nocturnal

i rarely see the day.
i'm usually alive
when the stars
are dancing around
the navy blue sky.

what's the sun like?
i've heard stories
of bright orange
of pure white clouds
through light blue skies.

i watch the moon
with altered shapes
of crescents and circles
and dim lamp posts
orange, just like the sun, i've heard.

the only noise
that disturbs the night
are the waves lapping
against the sand
under the moon's presence

so when you say good morning
i say goodnight.

(3 Minute Seminar Workshop)

thistles emerge from the ground
as darkness spreads across the scene
colours of fields contrasting with one another,
as shadows loom across the countryside.
a swift breeze dances through the meadows,
as the dark clouds above sway across
the star glittered sky
always sparkling.
birds flutter across the fields of barley
as the farmer strides across the grass
in his bright red wellies
watching over the cattle
and gazing upon the deers
leaping through the forest.

Another Journey

the spherical sun hides behind the autumn trees.
light escapes through the gaps in the branches,
piercing the eyes of the passengers on the train.
tall windmills hide under the mask of fog,
which spreads across the mountains,
dominating the landscape in the distance,
where lakes are mirroring the blue sky,
as if you could swim
through an ocean of clouds.
rivers meander through small towns
and silhouettes of old buildings
expand into view
as the rail tracks direct the train
through busy towns and cities.

Falmouth Part 2.

silhouettes of cliffs
stand tall beside the sea.
seagulls singing harmonies
and powerful waves erasing footprints
which once laid upon the golden sand.
seaweed floating upon water
and signatures etched on the beach
a place full of memories
washed away in an instant
by the greedy ocean

8.20 train from Falmouth to Glasgow

a stream of light cascades across the trees,
as the sun reflects upon the windows of the train

it's 10.18am and the train gathers speed
the strong aroma of coffee clings to the atmosphere

people gaze upon the fast scenery
and the trees merge into a
b l u r r r r r r r r

windows darken
as night approaches

18.55pm

reflections of faces upon windows
and a tower of suitcases balances in the corner.

most eyelids are now closed.
and the carriage is filled with soft whispers.

it's been a long journey.

A Superficial Stance

your red lips contrast with your
milk
white
teeth
as you guzzle down champagne
like a bear with honey

sharp claws
tearing at the conversation
and your cream pearls
cling to your neck

Man in the Moon

you gaze through my window every night
illuminating each corner of my room

influencing the waves to dance
around the harbour town

creating shadows upon old buildings
and stone pavements

you were there that night
me and my sister
played shadow puppets

thank you
for being a wonderful audience

but the clouds are taking you away now

Falmouth

footsteps on cobbled streets
with flags swaying in the wind
seagulls singing
as the blue sky's fading
and stars shine upon the sea

surfers battling against waves
as i dust away the sand from my feet
sun shining upon faces
and you're dancing around the high street

The 12.09 train from Crewe to Glasgow

Autumn cast upon the leaves of the trees amongst the forest, as if a deep orange fire had seeped across the country, contrasting with the vibrant green of the grass. As I sat upon the passenger seat on the train I gazed out upon the blurry scenery whizzing past at 100 miles per hour as the train proceeded towards it's destination. The cabin had a strong aroma of coffee as the ticket man approached each passenger with a friendly smile and formal attire. A couple of hours passed and snow escaped from the clouds in the sky. Everything once colourful was now hidden beneath a blanket of pure white.