Changing Trains

CHANGING TRAINS

It's shoo-dee-dee-shoo-shoo
on the Intercity up to Crewe
where we're happy to be able
to visit a loo that is standing still —
then it's clickety-clack-clack
on the local train back home.

© Gerald England

Composed: Sandbach, 29th December 1996

Publication

2000 Breathe (UK)

(f33)

intercity train --
in the "No Smoking" toilet
an empty ashtray

© Gerald England

Composed: London, 29th December 1996

Publication

2011 The Journal (UK)

(f32)

first hesitant words
coming out of the coma
— No! Yes! Coke!

© Gerald England

Composed: Woodley, 14th December 1996

Pubications

1998 LIMBO TIME (Hyde, New Hope International)
1999 NASA (USA)
1999 Sparrow (Croatia)
2000 MIR (USA)

*****
prve neodluène rijeèi
dolaze iz kome
— Ne! Da! Cocal-cola!

Gerald England

translated into Croatian by Marijan Èekolj

Publication

1999 Sparrow (Croatia)

(f31)

at the platform edge
a mouse scurrying along
— Embankment Station

© Gerald England

Composed: London, 30th November 1996

Publication

2011 Time Haiku (UK)

(f30)

the magpies gather
on a mobile-phone-relay
— dawn on the M6

© Gerald England

Composed: Whitgreave, 30th November 1996

Publication

2011 Time Haiku (UK)

adam 8

Human beings
have freedom of thought
yet demand
freedom of speech —
how absurd are men —
do they not know
that the doors of fortune
open outwards
and therefore
cannot be stormed?

© Gerald England

Composed: Gee Cross, 9th October 1996

Publication

2000 EOTU (Internet)

adam 7

his charming surface judgements
did not look beyond
the tissue of truth —
he'd been floundering for some time
— overwhelmed like fish
washed out to sea with the tide —
the gulf stream of life

© Gerald England

Composed: Gee Cross, 9th October 1996

Publication

2000 EOTU (Internet)

adam 6

this guileless bubble
came to exist
within the womb
as fruit implanted
in a rich pasture,
suckling on its mother,
absorbed in a world
of tissue, cartilage and blood

© Gerald England

Composed: Gee Cross, 9th October 1996

Publication

2000 EOTU (Internet)

adam 5

said the mountaineer,
condescending,
— It's easy —
provided you remember —
don't look down
— said I —
that's all very well
while ascending
but what about
when you are coming down?

© Gerald England

Composed: Gee Cross, 9th October 1996

Publications

1999 Psychopoetica (UK)
2000 EOTU (Internet)

adam 4

Have a nice day —
Sheila stared dumbfounded
at the daisy wheels
in hellish torment —
she had created
a direct course to his throne —
it lies between walls
yellowed by committees.

© Gerald England

Composed: Gee Cross, 9th October 1996

Publication

2000 EOTU (Internet)

adam 3

He is awakened by them
as the door creaks open;
blood flows thickly to his brain;
he can produce flowcharts
of God's blackjack games
typing messages
that glow with each issue.

© Gerald England

Composed: Gee Cross, 9th October 1996

Publication

2000 EOTU (Internet)

adam 2

Reproduction strictly prohibited —
this weird form of light
pouring through the phone —
you're travelling through
the pit of your darkness —
don't let your shadow
fall on the United States.

© Gerald England

Composed: Gee Cross, 9th October 1996

Publication

2000 EOTU (Internet)

adam 1

Hilary felt his consciousness
ebb away unseen;
every curve of her body
exuded sharp perfumes
of human genius
and several
anxious-looking children.

© Gerald England

Composed: Gee Cross, 9th October 1996

Publication

2000 EOTU (Internet)

(f29)

using a brochure
from an animal rights groups
she swatted the wasp

© Gerald England

Composed: Gee Cross, 1996

Publications

1999 Sparrow (Croatia)
2001 Haijinx (Internet)

*****
služeæi se brošurom
društva za zaštitu životinja
zgnjeèila je osu

Gerald England

translated into Croatian by Marijan Èekolj

Publication

1999 Sparrow (Croatia)

(f28)

behind the Town Hall
as the traffic lights go green
a squirrel crosses

© Gerald England

Composed: Gee Cross, 10th September 1996

Publication

2011 Time Haiku (UK)

sijo 5

her colouring book was open at the picture of a ladybird;
I told her its body was red and the dots should be black
but didn't know the colour of its eyes, having never looked.

© Gerald England

Composed: Ashton under Lyne, 16th August 1996

Publications

1997 Sijo West (USA)
1998 LIMBO TIME (Hyde, New Hope International)

On The Road

ON THE ROAD

He, bold, brassy, Geordie
She, coiffured hair,
short, white, well-creased skirt
They walk
into the small town Inn,
look at the menu
of afternoon-tea specials
Landlord - Can I help you?
She - Er, just looking!
They walk out,
come back ten minutes later.
He touches her hand
- don't want a drink - she says
He orders himself a pint of cider
They sit down at a table
He drinks
She is trying
to keep her profile low
Returning his empty glass
he asks tentatively
- actually we were looking
for somewhere to stay the night -
- Forty pounds for a double!
bellows the landlord
Regulars look up from their drink,
smile
- Er, right - say our couple
as they head for the door
We see them soon
across the market square,
he leading her by the hand
Shortly they return
He is sweating
She seems flustered
They carry designer luggage,
the same gaudy design
the hardware shop
on Finkle Street
has had in its Sale all week
They follow the landlady
lamblike
Later we find
a farmhouse B&B
for just twelve a night.

© Gerald England

Composed: Renwick, 26th July 1996

Publications

1996 Boggers All (UK)
1998 LIMBO TIME (Hyde, New Hope International)
2001 Mir (USA)

sijo 3

Dementia patients ramble on the freeway of her face;
being unable to besmirch the memory in her eye —
she is not a moment too soon with a big Cornish cream cheese.

© Gerald England

Composed: Gee Cross, 17th July 1996

Publication

2002 winterSPIN (New Zealand)

sijo 1

In the busy waiting room at the Dental Hospital
the blonde-haired receptionist is cursing the computer;
patients losing their patience have too much pain to complain.

© Gerald England

Composed: Manchester, 16th July 1996

Publications

1997 Sijo West (USA)
1998 LIMBO TIME (Hyde, New Hope International)
2000 THE ART OF HAIKU 2000 (Hyde, New Hope International)

tanka 23

workmen on scaffolds
are still boarding up windows
blown out by the blast;
in cafés across the street
smiling office-girls eat lunch

© Gerald England

Composed: Gee Cross, 2nd July 1996

Publications

1997 TOPS (UK)
1998 LIMBO TIME (Hyde, New Hope International)
1998 NASA (USA)
2000 MIR (USA)