Y2K
the breeze blows soft along the beach
and makes me think about the sea
palm branches sway, at least they’re free
I wonder what went wrong for me
I cannot think now, I cannot reach
Y2K minus 3
on Dungun beach, my children play
young Ming and Ying, our little two
I think they might know what I once knew
it’s not the shellfish they want to chew
when waves crash heavy in the bay
Y2K minus 25
it seemed so easy, years ago
my bag, a ticket, then explore
Berber market or Red Sea shore
Nubian desert wadi floor
the Nile banks where date palms grow
hot naked road, glinting air
Friday fried fish breakfast meeting
shoulder patting, market greeting
outside tap, infection cheating
tomato, lettuce washed with care
umbrella peanut women urge
you buy a simple paper cone
weary floodlit football moan
cinema where few actors known
the points where north and coast track merge
railway workshop of broken train
cheap kettle boil, charcoal power
squash court recoil, wild swing cower
cycle oil, night dust hour
for hubbly-bubbly coffee grain
Y2K minus 20
high mountain Taif, mist escarpment
old golden souk with Arab men
the letter writers with their pen
money changer,get your cheque, then
perfume walk to bare apartment
post-buffet pool cue chat, or might
watch Pepsi films on in-house screen
my censored business magazine
the Crown Prince in his limousine
new Jeddah airport, Thursday flight
Cairo, Frankfurt, the Fenlands’ edge
Cheop’s Giza building feat
warm May Rhine house, garden neat
a picnic in the Suffolk wheat
patio buffet, acorn hedge
Johannesburg, gold Kruger mint
to rain soaked Durban passing through
a wet Transkei, a dry Karroo
with coloured sky of diamond hue
new Stellenbosch umbrella tint
Nairobi, jacaranda tree
Jacintha seamstress curtain cut
Nkubu track of dusting rut
grass roof, bent stick, round mud wall hut
Mombasa train to Tiwi sea
Y2k minus 15
the purple mountain, the High Plateaux
wind break pines where picnics sing
baguette, hot tea, roast chicken wing
soft desert breeze that warm skies bring
the scorpion that made us go
carrot couscous, Mecheria
the Douanes et Gendarmerie
cigar smoke, coffee, sweet mint tea
cold drought hit flat, floor number three
rationing was frequent here
Ain Sefra, Taghit, far Adrar
Saharan Atlas, harsh terrain
here summer wind beats up the grain
in sandstorm plays that ground the plane
good memories seem not so far
Y2K plus 200 0800 –0830 hour
my wife was warm this Friday morning
enjoying, as I touch her thigh
caressing, listening to her cry
a long time since we reached a high
my new time thinking out in awning
Y2K plus 202 0545 hour
but I know well it will not last
what will happen in a day or two
the moans, complaints, they’re nothing new
it is a place that we’ve been through
the few good times were of the past
Y2K plus 199 1750 hour
after work, when I come home
watch them going on their bike
play badminton, or chess game hike
read science book, eat ice cream mike
then in the bath, play with the foam
Y2K plus 199 2043 hour
I know she thinks that she takes care
at times, she is most kind to me
the children too, they would agree;
when she’s at work though, that’s when we’re free
of that I know she’s well aware
Y2K plus 199 2045 hour
the Proton brake, the padlocked door
but now we’re in computer cell
something clicks, and all seems well
listen to Johann Pachelbel
happy peace in memory store
Y2K ? 0230 hour
the breeze whips strong with thunder rain
the lightning makes the circuit blow
the candle, gentle yellow glow
harsh dark wet noise, no insects go
thoughts of escape come back again
the breeze blows soft along the beach
and makes me think about the sea
palm branches sway, at least they’re free
I wonder what went wrong for me
I cannot think now, I cannot reach
Y2K minus 3
on Dungun beach, my children play
young Ming and Ying, our little two
I think they might know what I once knew
it’s not the shellfish they want to chew
when waves crash heavy in the bay
Y2K minus 25
it seemed so easy, years ago
my bag, a ticket, then explore
Berber market or Red Sea shore
Nubian desert wadi floor
the Nile banks where date palms grow
hot naked road, glinting air
Friday fried fish breakfast meeting
shoulder patting, market greeting
outside tap, infection cheating
tomato, lettuce washed with care
umbrella peanut women urge
you buy a simple paper cone
weary floodlit football moan
cinema where few actors known
the points where north and coast track merge
railway workshop of broken train
cheap kettle boil, charcoal power
squash court recoil, wild swing cower
cycle oil, night dust hour
for hubbly-bubbly coffee grain
Y2K minus 20
high mountain Taif, mist escarpment
old golden souk with Arab men
the letter writers with their pen
money changer,get your cheque, then
perfume walk to bare apartment
post-buffet pool cue chat, or might
watch Pepsi films on in-house screen
my censored business magazine
the Crown Prince in his limousine
new Jeddah airport, Thursday flight
Cairo, Frankfurt, the Fenlands’ edge
Cheop’s Giza building feat
warm May Rhine house, garden neat
a picnic in the Suffolk wheat
patio buffet, acorn hedge
Johannesburg, gold Kruger mint
to rain soaked Durban passing through
a wet Transkei, a dry Karroo
with coloured sky of diamond hue
new Stellenbosch umbrella tint
Nairobi, jacaranda tree
Jacintha seamstress curtain cut
Nkubu track of dusting rut
grass roof, bent stick, round mud wall hut
Mombasa train to Tiwi sea
Y2k minus 15
the purple mountain, the High Plateaux
wind break pines where picnics sing
baguette, hot tea, roast chicken wing
soft desert breeze that warm skies bring
the scorpion that made us go
carrot couscous, Mecheria
the Douanes et Gendarmerie
cigar smoke, coffee, sweet mint tea
cold drought hit flat, floor number three
rationing was frequent here
Ain Sefra, Taghit, far Adrar
Saharan Atlas, harsh terrain
here summer wind beats up the grain
in sandstorm plays that ground the plane
good memories seem not so far
Y2K plus 200 0800 –0830 hour
my wife was warm this Friday morning
enjoying, as I touch her thigh
caressing, listening to her cry
a long time since we reached a high
my new time thinking out in awning
Y2K plus 202 0545 hour
but I know well it will not last
what will happen in a day or two
the moans, complaints, they’re nothing new
it is a place that we’ve been through
the few good times were of the past
Y2K plus 199 1750 hour
after work, when I come home
watch them going on their bike
play badminton, or chess game hike
read science book, eat ice cream mike
then in the bath, play with the foam
Y2K plus 199 2043 hour
I know she thinks that she takes care
at times, she is most kind to me
the children too, they would agree;
when she’s at work though, that’s when we’re free
of that I know she’s well aware
Y2K plus 199 2045 hour
the Proton brake, the padlocked door
but now we’re in computer cell
something clicks, and all seems well
listen to Johann Pachelbel
happy peace in memory store
Y2K ? 0230 hour
the breeze whips strong with thunder rain
the lightning makes the circuit blow
the candle, gentle yellow glow
harsh dark wet noise, no insects go
thoughts of escape come back again
