Daddy, Snow

"Daddy, snow.
"Ben dig snow."

And so with accompanying gestures I learn of the great adventure of the day.

And I see and feel it all.

I see the fresh, clean snowfall begging to be disturbed,
the ritual of hats, scarves, gloves, coats, boots,
that first stamp of a tiny foot.

Crunch!

I focus on the job in hand. With plastic red shovel I excavate the stuff.
I shriek with delight as powdery handfuls burst against the legs of mummy.
With the help of my sister I roll a sphere of it forward, push, push, push!
It soaks through my gloves and the knees of my trousers.

I head back inside.

Snow.

Meanwhile daddy is at work, telephoning, emailing, oblivious.

What I'd Rather Be Doing

Words on a page.

Thoughts in my head.

I wish I was with you instead.

Rain, Rain, Don't Go Away

Rain, don't sprinkle me with a cooling shower.

Soak me through and make my hair drip in my eyes.

Pound my cheek with icy drops.

Leave my clothes drenched and sticking to me skin.

Sun, don't cast a warm glow over my face.

Burn my skin and makes my eyes water.

Heat up the air to a suffocating intensity.

Make me sweat. Parch me. Envelop me.

Wind, don't send me a freshening breeze.

Batter me with gusts and chill me to the bone.

Put me off my balance. Knock me down.

Make me feel your powerful, unloving embrace.

Autobiography

Male.
(Sex not gender.)

Twenty-nine years and eight months.
(Since conception.)

Blue-eyed; brown-haired; left-handed;
Lobes on ears; can't touch nose with tongue;
Second toes longer than big toes;
Dimple;
Asymmetric smile.

White.
I mean - pinky-peachy-creamy-coloured.

Husband; father; brother; son;
Friend.
Foe?

English; British; Europ...
No -
Person; primate; mammal; living thing.

Christian.
(Sinner.)

13.77 billion years from when it all started.
Indeterminate years until it all ends.

Craig
(Me.)

Ode to Coffee

Coffee is an ugly, muddy looking thing.

<switches on kettle>

Coffee is useless at keeping its warmth.

<scoops granules into the French press>

Coffee makes you fidgety and nervous. You lose concentration.

<fills with hot water>

Coffee sucks the moisture out of you.

<depresses filter>

Coffee is acidic. It will stain your teeth. Its oils will raise your cholesterol.

<pours>

Ah ....... Coffee!

Some Things

Let's stop for a moment and think about some of the things that are this world.

Red buses.
Clouds.
Kiwi fruits.
The duck-billed platypus.
Ballet shoes.
Ice hockey.
Volcanic rock.
Shopping bags.
Socks.
The colour indigo.
You.
Fajitas.
Turkish rugs.
Icicles.
The Venus fly-trap.
Keep Left signs.
Guitars.
Sancerre.
Chocolate biscuits.
The Himalayas.
And me.

Flower Shower

There's nothing quite as beautiful as a flower after Spring rain, sparkling with tiny clear raindrops.

I decided to recreate this scene.
So I ripped up a tulip from my garden.
I dropped it in the bathtub
And I switched on the shower.

I left it going for five minutes and then switched the shower off.
I looked at the tulip.
It didn't seem so beautiful.
It had lost some of its verve.
Why?
Perhaps the context was wrong.
I took it back to the garden
And dropped it on the ground.

It still looked pretty miserable.

Oh well, stuff that idea.