I made this racket a little while ago. If you are a fan of instruments and vocals that are in tune this will not be for you.
One long take in three parts with no overdubs or editing. Made in London on 26th September 2012. All music + singing is improvised.
Weekly Poem No. 6
T R E E S
This train
rattles past lines of trees
all with leaf fallen branches
looking like exposed veins
reaching for the madness of the sun.
They are held in place by unseen roots
that grow god knows how far underground
and maybe
wrap around the roots of other trees
that they will never meet.
I have a jealously of their stillness
and their ability to have a slow life
as the humans
run themselves in circles around them
kidding themselves
that they have any real understanding
of anything at all.
Weekly poem No. 5:
N E W Y E A R ’ S D A Y
Walking into pummelling rain
on this
the first day of a new year
rain drops batter
and bounce off
my balding head
wind cuts at exposed ears
the over excited sea
looks on
couples huddle
under umbrellas
of various sizes
I’m asked to join
squeeze under a nylon shelter
instead I chose
to take all the weather
can throw at me
at least then
I can be
cold
and
wet
and
alive.
Weekly Poem No. 4: Code
C
O
D
E
I did not invent these words
the ones I write
right now
They are a code
made up by
god knows who
and
collected over time
Others have different codes
These I do not understand
If I could
I would
invent my own
then teach it to you
and you alone
maybe then
I could say the things
I want to
without fear
of you missing
my meaning
Weekly Poem No. 3: Immortal
I M M O R T A L
I will take your words
and make them more permanent by writing them down.
Others, who do not know you, will find them in years to come
and wonder at your stupidity.
Weekly Poem No. Two: Headphones
I’ve put on my headphones
for the walk
it is a short walk
but I want to listen to something
on the way:
I’ve made some music.
The headphones are the kind that
block out all external sounds.
Until the music comes
on it is like I have my fingers stuck in my ears:
my head is full of my breathing
and my footsteps.
I like hitting things:
instruments, tins, objects of any kind to find their hidden sound.
Find out what is hidden in there:
Ching, Boom, Klang, Pink, Clank, Dong.
These are the sounds I love.
They are waiting to be found.
The walk is over
and I’m still listening to the noise I have made
as I fumble,
for I don’t know what,
in my pocket.
Suddenly I am surrounded by people,
their mouths and arms moving frantically.
Silently.
It is ok
they are friends
and I’ll happily remove my headphones
and let their sounds in.
Weekly Poem No. One: Skull.
S
K
U
L
L
with eyeballs floating
in sockets
ivory teeth
pink tongue
and soft brain
I’m becoming
aware of my skull
the one wrapped in
my skin
my thinning hair
my beard
my muscle
and
my blood
If I touch the skin
around my eyes
I can feel the shape
of the holes they rest in
this head
with entry points of
mouth
nostrils
and ears
knowing under this skin
and swimming blood
there lies hard bone
- the clichéd skull shape -
starts to fill me with a claustrophobic fear
If I could
I would peel away my skin
and then allow the blood to drain
pull the reluctant muscles away as
they grip the bone
and free the skull they trap
