that northern city

headingley mount saw my pain and frustration
my love, anger, joy and despair
at times it brought out the best in me
more often the worst

a summer spent starving
countless evenings spent laughing
and a winter spent sleeping
the days buzz and shimmer or slide and fade
but they all end the same

leeds lives in my memories
like the shadow of something bright and shining
opportunities missed
a life fully lived
sublime, ridiculous and on fire

a poem for ruth flowers

I was watching a video of this 69 year old dj
and it made me so happy I cried a little

I hope I'm still rocking at 69
though I expect I shall have found the porch by then
and the wodehouse novels
the slow tottering sleightness of it all
weighing down on my ever slowing heart

but as long as I live in a world
where I know she can exist
I can smile at my own misfortune
and tip my hat to every sunrise
from now until then
and so on
and so forth