My skin is different, but my blood is red
My skin is different, but I still need to be fed
My skin is different, but my heart can still break
My skin is different, but my limbs can still ache

My voice is strange, but I can still talk
My voice is strange, but I can still walk
My voice is strange, please communicate
My voice is strange, but it's not too late

It's not my fault that I was born white.

My friend was converted today
We talked, he looked
Saw the results in my life
Liked what he saw
Wanted more
For himself

Yes - my diet had worked wonders
Lost 2½ Stone
My life was changed
My friend was convinced

Of course the statistician would say,
"He'd had five meaningful contacts
With thin people".

or

I was, "Just another link in the chain".

or

"Maybe he'd heard testimonies of ex-fatties
And read leaflets handed to him.

Personally,
I think he was convinced
Because he saw results.

The door had just shut
The notice swung, slowly
Then unmoving
"DO NOT DISTURB".

I'm safe inside
Secure, unhearing, unfeeling
With my safe ideas
And my safe routines
And my safe thoughts
And my safe life.

Do not disturb
If you come knocking with
Reality, challenge, change,
Need, want, wounds,
Thirst.

Do not disturb
My vision of the world
Remote, not touching me
Confined to photographs
On yellowing newspapers.

Do not disturb
With the harshness of your birth
I prefer the warm stable and woolie lambs

Do not disturb
With the mission of your life
I prefer the "gentle Jesus" weak and mild

Do not disturb
With the cruelness of your death
I prefer the silver necklace to the bloodied cross

Do not disturb
with dying to self, resurrection and discipleship
I prefer the way I am

"DO NOT DISTURB"

"Knock, knock". "Who's there?"
"Jesus". "Jesus who?".

Soon afterwards he noticed that someone had added straw and little wooly lambs to the tableau.]

Have you been before we go?
Have you got the map?
Did you pack the First Aid kit?
Have you got his cap?
Did you turn the gas off?
And the water too?
Have you fed the Hamster?
Did you flush the loo?
Did we pack the pressies?
Did we pack the cake?
Have you got my Bunny?
Be quick for heaven's sake!
Have you got the sarnies?
Have you got the drink?
Did you leave our number?
Where's the kitchen sink?

Poems get to the heart of the matter
Like an Assasin's bullet
Or a Surgeon's knife
They have an effect on life

I've got .....

• Hair on my arms
• Hair on my hands
• Hair on my chin and my lip

I've got ....

• Hair on my shins
• Hair on my back
• Hair on my thigh and my hip

I've got ....

• Hair in my ears
• Hair up my nose
• On my chest it looks like a mat

But no matter what
Whether I worry or not
There's less and less under my hat

Down at the Gym
Trying to be trim
It's alright for him
He's really thin
Wish I were slim

He's got muscles with a mind of their own
Mine are all flabby, down to the bone
Haven't got no texture, haven't got no shape
Look like Jellyfish stranded on a plate

Chorus ....

Pushing up the peckies, pulling in the glutes
I think my calves are in my boots
Bi's and Tri's and don't forget Quad's
This keeping fit's a bit of a so and so

Chorus ....

Crunch the stomach, raise the thighs
Have you seen her, a sight for sore eyes
Squeeze in the Leotard, suck in the waist
Exercise is leisure? Repent in haste

Chorus

That big fella, he's a swine
What a body, where is mine?
Too much effort, I'm going to seed
I'm built for comfort, not for speed

Chorus ....

I've often thought
Of writing you a poem
Because there's so much
That I'm owing
You

But it couldn't be a,
'Moon in June' one.
Our first date was in a November,
And we married in a July.

What about,
"Roses are red, violets are blue"?
Your favourite flowers are freesias
So that'll not do.

Can I compare you
To a Summer's day?
I don't think so.
In England it mostly rains
In the Summer.

What then?

You are my other half,
My equal half,
My sensitive half,
My caring half,
My emotional half,
My completing half.

And half plus half equals One,
Equals wonder,
Equals Wonderful,
Equals You.

[From Dave with all my love
25th December 1994.]

You lie there
Silent
Inviting
Seducing.
You don't see me
But I see you.
Silent
Inviting
Seducing.

I reach out
Run my fingers over you
Feel you.
You are irresistable.
Unable to hold back
I gather you up
And devour you.

Too soon you are gone
Never to return
And I feel that rush of guilt
Remorse
The knowledge of weakness.

But I love you
Oh bitter-sweet
Chocolate

©David A.W. Peddie 1999

Don't give way to big Cars
'cause they're filthy rich
Don't give way to cyclists
Force them in a ditch
Don't give way to taxis
They don't give way to me
Don't give way to buses
They don't worry me

Keeping to the limit
Unless you're behind time
Take their lane on corners
Don't you dare take mine
Race you to the parking space
Race you down the street
Burn you off the traffic lights
Two fingers when we meet

Safe Inside my metal box
Use it as a weapon
Extention of my ego
Rage and curse and threaten
Have a drink on Fridays
Has no effect on me
Just might have another one
Maybe I'll have three

Sharper now, my senses
Sharper now, my sight
O God, where did she come from
Now lying in my lights.

There's blood upon the paintwork
There's blood upon the grill
There's blue light in the mirror
There's death upon the hill

©David A.W. Peddie 1999

[Dedicated to bad drivers everywhere]