build back butter

settle in the dusk

with your ears still ringing

      yesterday’s fingers sweat

      clutching pheasant feathers

far below the window

lies another sky

      high above the sun

      is a secret for the ages

pages after pages

abramelin’s mages

      missus porter’s daughter

      is pimped on the dark web

mister kipling’s missus

left him for the milkman

      at the second right

      turn left again

part the wave’s functions

like the centre parting

      which is gently combed

      on the palms of your hands

scatter like the flight

of a herringbone sunset

      barking up the bark

      of a dogwood’s trunk

an open letter to athlete’s foot

dearest athlete’s foot,

the bitch to end all itches

you funky fungal swine

i’ve known you since super glue

was still super

as gorilla glue

still hadn’t been invented

yes, i met you when

magician’s assistants

could split themselves in two

& everyone drank

vanilla yazoo

since swimming at school

cold changing room floors

you’ve bullied me

& stalked me all my lifespan

like your sister blister

& uncle verruca

you’ve picked on both my pediments

the left & the other

& pecked like a crow

in between the toe

sore red sores

from your phantom spores

so i say – no more

a hurtin’ & a harmin’

i know you’ll never change

so i apply daktarin

( take that )

bursting with p

pineapple poets
painting paddleboats purple
pensively pausing

plink plonk pianos
penguin penfriends pickle prose
pluviophiles purr

pastoral pirates
perplex peevish poltergeists
pigeons peck pancakes

peter piper prays
precipitation’s pending
plentiful puddles

( & don’t forget )

a waterproof

your backdoor key

the spear of destiny

a pen, a pad

a can of ginger beer

a cardigan

a mars bar

frankincense

myrrh

vaseline

rubber johnnies

garlic cloves

chewy toffee

silver bullets

toothbrush, toothpaste

pickled peppers

five gold rings

my bow of burning gold

my arrows of desire

firelighters

safety matches

ants in your pants

fire extinguisher

rubber chickens

bucket loads of brevity

pickled peppers

a wanker hat

the kitchen bloody sink

& your memory

four seasons in one may

green becomes greener
      as rabbits multiply
vivaldi’s slinky
      slithers down the stairs

then clouds disappear
      as if never effing here
shafts from the nearest star
      tan the garden gnomes

next the air turns like
      the tumble drier
of judas iscariot
      & frisks the haunted orchard

sooner than a should
      & shivers climb our spines
so the apple blossom snows
      her iced-white petals