Wicked Rhyme

12.06am  Sunday

A volcano erupted and the sanctum vibrated violently causing the rocky plateau to rip and indecently spread my legs either side of an ever widening, gaping hole with an almighty drop to certain death or excrutiating pain.  Debris battered me from above interrupting my stability and instrumenting my evident downfall.   I tumbled for an age and a day but made no impact,  yet engrossed God's  wonderful creation first hand, amidst the solar system's beautiful array of colour,  diverse temperatures and dearth congestion.  I floated with ease without aid amongst the stars and the planets, their moons and suns without a care in the world.  My body temperature remained adequately equivalent as some sun approached me graciously from the right, but kept sufficient distance to encourage my appreciation.  The earth itself appeared to be give or take the size of a tennis ball perhaps, but spun in turmoil.  I had no wish to leave such tranquility for the hurly burly below, not now or in the near future.......

Busy

They took the guile and base for me
prostrate outside the gate for me
when I was four
I asked for more
they said they'd do their best for me
They knelt beside my bed for me
when I was sick with leprosy
I cried all night
by candlelight
they sang a song of clemency
Instilled my lifes integrity
with vigilant intensity
such memories
glow easily
intelligence adhered to me
With discipline I should abide
with inspirations far and wide
to school I went
with confidence
and pick-axe handle by my side
But now I'm so much older
though heart is so much colder
I'm also so much stronger
in need of care no longer
I haven't got the time for you
I'm blessed with better things to do.

1.11pm

Damn that bloody gravity, hauling me inland, albeit within an foreign island distant from my native homeland.  The hairy inhabitants cushioned my drastic plunge with a giant pillow, only to exhibit their candid intentions by swathing me and marching me minus any explanation through alleys then tunnels to some bizarre dungeon, beneath the sewers, where even rats and bacteria fear to ply their trade.  Detained awaiting some deranged but distinguished scientist's experimental diagnosis and dissection for the good of research and his personal gratification.  In silence I calmed, then simply closed my eyes to visualize my existence somewhere serene like the Cotswolds fishing for Grayling, Trout and direction on a sunny Sunday afternoon, listening to the Glasgow Orpheus Choir emit their 'Sea Sorrow'  and delivering the perfect decibel from two transcendental clouds either side of my consummate frame in a otherwise clear blue sky, with a  vast glass of Cosmopolitan Cocktail perched on my sixpack awaiting juicy dispatch, served by a scantily clad Ruby Wax............Suddenly an angry motorists  heavy hand slapped me with force and awoke me from my sweaty daydream.   Many more addressed my Bentley like agitated primates on acid,  vexed certainly......and suitably armed.... as horns and abrasive acrimony temporarily matted.   Somehow I'd inadvertently inhibited peak time traffic flow on a perpetually productive autobahn resulting in a two mile tail back.   Man, woman and child impatiently lined up to take a swing and vent their frustrations with audacious venom.   Again I asked, where's a copper when you need one and wished I was somewhere else.

United Again

I died and found my father, my sisters and my brothers
my mother convalescing
her mother demonstrating
with all her usual vigour
obsessive of her figure
my mother raced to greet me
she preened so proud and pretty
with much appreciation we joined divine procession
my sisters rode beside me
my brothers strode behind me
my father drove his tractor
the most important factor
our God astride Vogue Hill
will beckon us at will
we marched to touch thy hand
with soulful rubber band
accompanying our plight
they fiddled day and night
without so much as water
they played because they ort'a
the movement of their wings
encouraged us to sing
the crowd erupts a roar in bonafide rapport
in every town and city they welcomed our committee
an equilibrium status
no bogus apparatus
no income tax demands
no fracas to disband
just an endless stream of love
and sunshine from above

Red Rum:

His victory in the 1973 Grand National,  for me the best race ever seen,  beating the exceptional  Crisp ( himself a hero ) Crisp  jumped and ran the national field  (bar one)  into the ground, an horse capable of winning the Cheltenham Champion Chase with ease and yet talented enough to stay four and a half miles weeks later, until top weight and the relentless, persistent  pursuer 'Red Rum' wore him down receiving nearly two stones.  Crisp surely would have won if not for two slaps carried him  into the elbow and therefore faultering his balance and momentum.

At least Crisp was beaten by the best horse ever to run in the Grand National and in my opinion of all time.  Why?  because he did something no other horse will ever do: Three Grand National Victories and Two Seconds, beaten only by top weight when the fences were tougher than they are now and still they struggle to match his greatness. Many excellent horses have contested the Grand National never to be the same again, yet Rummy maintained the same excellent level year after year.  How many so called Great horses (not mentioning any names) could retain such a level having run four and a half miles, carrying such a weight and never looking like falling.  If you're to ask whether or not he was good enough to live with top Gold Cup horses, well the answer is simply ' L'Escargot'  a dual Gold Cup Winner.  His form and weight carrying performances against that rival answers that question.

Other Great Racehorses:  Arkle  / Desert Orchid  / Nijinsky  / Alleged  / Best Mate  / Istabraq /  Moscow Flyer  / Night Nurse  / Sea Pigeon  /  Ardross  /  Cigar  /  Crisp / Persian War  / Mill Reef  / Golden Miller / Brigadier Gerard  /  Sir Ivor  / L'Escargot .......

Also: Muhammed Ali

Charismatic,  Talented and a pretty good boxer too,  his victories over  Sonny Liston and struggles with Joe Frazier were absorbing, as were his pre-fight antics and after fight ramblings.  But for me his Rumble in the Jungle with George Foreman, a man who had destroyed Frazier and co. with ease would surely also destroy Ali.  His ability to adapt if necessary was evident, a unique ability absent in other fighters.  Still the best fight I've ever seen, still thrilling to watch years later,  not to mention his interview with Michael Parkinson after the fight,  Marvellous.