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We've travelled far together And rarely been apart. I always thought you were my friend. Until the doubts did start. You cost a lot of money, I didn't mind the cost. At the time I thought that I Without you would be lost. But all that time I loved you, You were plotting harm to me. So now I am determined To leave you and be free. From now on when I think of you It will really make me gag. So on your bike, be gone from me You nasty smelly fag.
Aww, thank you, Codger. Sadly he just gets really cross if I even mention it. He knows what harm it's doing. It's very strange. In every other area of his life he is a health freak. Maybe because of it. Luckily these new things don't smell at all on him or on his clothes or anything.
Doglover - Thank you. That's how things work out sometimes. I have a daughter who lives nearby and a dog (JRT) who travels around with me a lot in the campervan, so I'm fine. My daughter is a dog and horses girl, so no grandchildren which is a pity. (Girl? Stewth, she will be 60 this year ๐ฎ)
It's great Codger. I'd transpose the penultimate two lines:
She never would admit to pain Unlike old Mrs Whats-her-name Who she described with little stealth As much enjoying her bad health.
Then all three lines to do with Mrs Whatsername are together. I hope you are going into retirement homes etc and reading these? Or would that be impossible for you?
Thank you Liz that is so much better. That bit grated my ear. If I ever go inside a retirement home it will be (1) As a permanent resident and (2) Enforced. But I do wonder what to do with my silly poems scattered about the place (over 300 I would guess) . Those on British Lung Foundation forum, despite their massive database, will eventually scroll off and be lost unless I do something about it. I came on here hoping to get an idea of if they were considered worth saving, I'm not seeking to make any money out of them or lose any on them either.
Every year my choir goes into an old people's home and sings. They all have Alzheimer's but they love it. They can recall years ago, it's only now they can't recall, and also, they can always access music, for some reason it's held in a place in the brain unaffected by the disease. It feels so good to make them laugh. I think anywhere with people of a similar age would throughly enjoy your poems. You could even do it on hospital wards. All they want to do is reminisce, really. That was a better time in their lives.
The trouble is, Liz, I am becoming a"they" and fighting against it all the time. I would find standing in front of a lot of me's reciting my poems very depressing. Maybe I could find someone willing to do that who would get pleasure out of it as you do with singing. Not all my stuff is nostalgic, most is aimed at readers suffering from breathing difficulties and includes advice on dealing with their problems. Reading them to a ward full of COPD patients to cheer them up sounds very attractive, but I doubt the authorities would relish an old codger interfering with the treatment of the patients.
All sorts of people go in and visit in hospitals, Codger! You can be a hospital volunteer! Or greeter! Even dogs go in and visit people nowadays. There are people who greet you at Southmead hospital who can't even walk - I usually leave Lola (my assistance dog) with one of them while I nip to the loo. In our village there is a club for the elderly and housebound called The Monday Club. It's run by volunteers and it's well known many of the volunteers are older than many of the people going - that's because they are like you, full of the desire to do stuff still but not be the one having stuff done. I can see you being a very welcome visitor here, they are always looking for people to entertain. They have to do so every week. I wonder if there are clubs or places with COPD patients? It drains your energy though doesn't it?
You are a livewire, Liz, I bet not many ladies rocket around as you do! ๐ You have given me a lot to think about, thank you. There is a site for COPD sufferers at https://healthunlocked.com/blf/posts, that's where my stuff is currently stored. Unfortunately many young people also suffer from COPD and I like to consider myself one one them. ๐ I've nothing against getting old though.
PS i am not a live wire... I sit and write all day except Thursday night choir and Friday when I go to the Wi aka the pub for a coffee, and Saturday and Sundays out with OH, but have actually not been able to walk for a while so have been in the house for 5 weeks now, except for choir and WI!
Talking in rhyme and rhythm to a musical beat. Mainly black performers until recently.
Oh that, I can never make out what it is they say and the beat rattles my brain box. ๐ฒ Sorry you have trouble walking, Liz. Sounds like you need a campervan which you could set-up with a little office. It would enable you to get about a bit whilst writing and you always have a bathroom handy too. They call them 'day vans' where you have office equipment in place of beds.
You have been very kind to me, Liz, thank you. But it's become clear to me that I'll never be a proper writer and I'm not even sure that I want to be. I knock my rhymes out like sausages from a machine with an aim to make people laugh. If something doesn't become acceptable (to me) within an hour then it goes in the bin. I get a lot of accolades and encouragement from misguided folk and I should be happy with that. ๐
We fell in love immediately As soon as our eyes met That special day so long ago I never shall forget. At first I was so nervous And didn't know what to do But once I'd got her loaded It was obvious that she knew. I threw caution to the wind And now would have my way. It did not take me long to find That she was game to play. We surfed around together As happy as can be You'd be surprised if I told you The things she let me see. But now she's old and very slow I needed something younger By now I'm fairly old myself But still retain that hunger. I keep her quietly sitting here And see her now and then I've move from Window 95 On to Windows 10.
I don't anyone is misguided in encouraging you to write, codger, your poems are excellent and really only need the odd edit. AND they are funny. What's not to like?
That last one really made me chuckle - not least because of the surprise ending. You're poems are such fun. Okay, they could be improved with a bit of editing, but they're still clever and funny. Don't stop writing them!
Comments
And rarely been apart.
I always thought you were my friend.
Until the doubts did start.
You cost a lot of money,
I didn't mind the cost.
At the time I thought that I
Without you would be lost.
But all that time I loved you,
You were plotting harm to me.
So now I am determined
To leave you and be free.
From now on when I think of you
It will really make me gag.
So on your bike, be gone from me
You nasty smelly fag.
I'm not allowed to drive, codger, for medical reasons. And I can't write raps either.
As soon as our eyes met
That special day so long ago
I never shall forget.
At first I was so nervous
And didn't know what to do
But once I'd got her loaded
It was obvious that she knew.
I threw caution to the wind
And now would have my way.
It did not take me long to find
That she was game to play.
We surfed around together
As happy as can be
You'd be surprised if I told you
The things she let me see.
But now she's old and very slow
I needed something younger
By now I'm fairly old myself
But still retain that hunger.
I keep her quietly sitting here
And see her now and then
I've move from Window 95
On to Windows 10.
You're poems are such fun. Okay, they could be improved with a bit of editing, but they're still clever and funny. Don't stop writing them!