Elephant Small Vol 2, Page 3

  Calls are heard from a certain section

  “Put it to a General Election!”

  27. Ballot Box Blues

  It started as a minor infection

  An inconvenient irritation

  Spin doctors named it ‘General Election’

  The fever spread, and it gripped the nation

  Symptoms ranged from coughing and sneering

  To pressure peaks and palpitations

  Speech affected by grunting and jeering

  Consultants scripted a publication

  ‘Manifesto’ (or Doctor’s Prescription?)

  Confusing in its presentation

  Illegible in its encryption

  Hard to swallow in its translation

  Campaign slogans provide the solution

  ‘Keep taking the medication’

  ‘Does wonders for the constitution’

  ‘Exceeds every expectation’

  No need to miss the fun of the fest

  Broadcast on every TV station

  Genuine change or same as the rest?

  Accept the Party invitation

  Respond to the rhetoric, join the debate

  Make your vote count in the situation

  Cure the condition before it’s too late

  Give yourself cause for a celebration

  Landslide, or merely majority

  First past the post gets the adulation

  Remember it’s still a democracy

  A process achieved by legislation

  Did you go Red, or did you turn Blue?

  Do you feel bitterness or elation?

  Only four years of this deja vu

  Barring impeachment, assassination

  28. An Economy Of Words

  They’re only coining phrases at the mint now

  Priceless words of wisdom and respect

  A debt of gratitude is due to pay though

  Words are power; money talks no more

  Transactions are replaced by Interaction

  The ATM’s are ‘telling’ everyone

  ‘Forget Cash; put your mouth where your money was’

  ‘In-voice’ means just that; the spoken word

  Drinks are on the house at the Speakeasy

  The staff are only working there for tips

  Sound advice to earn their keep, and bank it

  Withdrawing only comments made in haste

  So think before you waste your precious words

  Golden Silence preserves your Golden Handshake

  Loose lips spill loose change, so keep them pursed

  Save your Silver Tongue for Rainy Days

  Foreign Exchange students; ply your trade

  Language is your hard-earned currency

  Commission is Vocabulary, free

  From Errors and Omissions that cost dear

  Builder’s bills bust banter’s bulging budget

  Maintenance must match more modest means

  Al-(li)-terations keep your house in order

  Caution caps conversion capital

  The bottom line reads well on the quotation

  It’s accurate, word for word, not pound for pound

  Check to see if your account is current

  To your credit, words don’t let you down

  If you owe apologies to loved ones

  Unlock the vaults and let your own words loose

  Free speech still cannot buy love however

  Borrow a phrase or two; get your ‘Words-worth’

  Value Added Thought maintains the context

  Remember that good manners have no price

  Deal words wisely; try to keep a balance

  Interest should increase a few percent

  Sincerity’s an honest, open market

  A luxury you can afford to own

  Spend time, and pay heed to my final statement

  Admission fee is nothing…but the truth

  29. Serial Chiller… Or A Warning…?

  Equinox confirms the rumour

  Spread by merchants of gossip’s ware

  The wicked queen, called Winter, is dead

  Long live the Spring – Her son and heir

  Bashful buds begin to blossom

  Birds, in song, relieve the gloom

  Their news provokes the latest issue

  Of Life, from Mother’s swollen womb

  The aging king submits to Summer

  Abdicates; can’t stand the heat

  New Chef crowned, to run the Kitchen

  His reign is short, however sweet

  Pressure rising from the outset

  Well-meaning Monarch fans the fire

  Glorious Summer, but a heartbeat

  Dreams diminish…ebb…expire

  Death-throes in September sunset

  Perspiration pours from the ground

  Sultry Summer is laid to rest

  As twilight falls, without a sound

  Desperate Despot, Autumn attacks

  His toxic onslaught strips Earth bare

  Harvest Moon, the reapers watchdog

  Smiles on spoils, the toilers share

  Fall’s legacy or deja-vu?

  Crystal tears greet God’s sad sigh

  Veiling the vanity of Venus

  First to form in the ferment’s eye

  Regina rises; resolute

  From Autumn’s ashes; duty bent

  No frigid fragment of the former

  A latter-day Lady of Discontent

  Bleached blonde, by the biting blizzard

  Winter’s wasteland; desolate

  Designed, contrived by Royal Decree

  Signed and delivered, to seal our fate

  30. Sense Of Expectation

  When I smell it,

  It will smell of roses

  I have the nose to take in the bouquet

  When I taste it,

  It will satisfy me

  I have the mouth to savour the flavour

  When I hear it,

  It will then be spoken

  I have the ears to listen to voices

  When I touch it,

  It will assume substance

  I have the hands to feel the shape of things

  When I see it,

  It will be apparent

  I have the eyes to witness the event

  When I think it,

  It will make perfect sense

  I have the mind to imagine concepts

  When I say the words,

  They will all be sincere

  I have the tongue to say what I believe

  When I open it,

  It will then be unlocked

  I have the key to the door to your thoughts

  When I use it,

  It will be practical

  I have the skill to perform the function

  But…

  When I need it,

  It will abandon me

  I haven’t the confidence any more

  31. Duogenic

  For a second there, I thought you were serious

  Do me a favour, and say it again

  Say it like you mean it; the same as the last time

  Without the smile that disguises your pain

  That ironic guard, a defence mechanism

  That tells me you don’t believe what you see

  Acknowledge the concept of mutual respect

  Take it as an absolute; guarantee

  If you open your heart, as you open your eyes

  The fog that shrouds your perceptions will clear

  Discard the attitude of notions agnostic

  Doubts will fade, as your mind clicks into gear

  Now that we’re certain we understand each other

  Nothing can deflect our integrity

  Confidence ensures we achieve the next level

  Reflecting our depth of sincerity

  32. Ask A Silly Question…

  October hanging heavy in the air

  Kippax crowd subdued throughout half-time

  S
omeone passes wind amongst the throng

  Silently, anonymously – then

  A stench that lingers, clinging to October

  And cigarette smoke, and fumes of alcohol

  Turns murmurs into gasps of deep disgust

  From twenty thousand City fans – or more

  A plaintive voice is heard, above the moans

  “Who’s shit?” He cries – The culprit won’t admit

  Silence follows; rancid reek remains

  Another voice cuts silence like a knife

  “United.” is his logical response

  Howls of laughter, all around the ground

  Like my mother always used to say

  “Ask a silly question…”

  33. Sound As A Pound

  I went around to sound him out

  About a pound he owed me for a drink

  Off like a hound, he crowned my day

  Let’s say I frowned, perhaps not what you think

  So I’ll be bound he wound up drunk

  Sunk to the ground, leaving mine at the bar

  But when I found he’d downed my glass

  Alas, I turned round from my empty jar

  Curses abound, astound and resound

  Sound asleep, run aground like a jeep

  Paradise found? A burial mound?

  A hound in a heap, surrounded by sheep

  Sound as a pound, he’d downed the round

  Clowned around, and wound up on the ground

  Sorrows drowned, or victory crowned

  When he comes around, I’ll claim back my pound.

  34. Jury’s Out

  Presence of mind

  Light of day

  Act of kind

  Right of way

  Pair of jeans

  Stick of gum

  Full of beans

  Rule of thumb

  Pint of ale

  Sense of smell

  Bill of sale

  Depths of hell

  Band of pipers

  Ring of fire

  Knot of vipers

  Rush of desire

  Victim of fashion

  Out of reach

  Crime of passion

  Figure of speech

  Time of strife

  List of claims

  Proof of life

  Ball of flames

  State of affairs

  Short of breath

  Flight of stairs

  Cause of death

  Bag of sand

  Length of rope

  Sleight of hand

  Power of hope

  35. Winter Break

  Visa-run; vacate Thailand.

  Can’t buy

  Stand-by;

  No fly

  Hualamphong trains are full

  No fuss

  Don’t cuss

  Take bus

  VIP coach, door-to-door?

  First class?

  Alas!

  Hopes pass

  Twelve seats; sixteen passengers

  I mean,

  Sardine

  Routine

  No fun for the feint-hearted

  Seat share

  Sleep, rare

  Nightmare!

  Thousand kilo plus journey

  Highways

  Delays

  Wrong ways

  Adds two hours to the timeframe

  Complain?

  No pain –

  No gain

  Trang, Songkhla, Hat Yai, Sadao

  Unclamp

  Ease cramp

  Book-stamp

  Border post formalities

  Check bag

  Smoke fag

  Chin-wag

  Warning to in-bound tourists

  Drug scan!

  Don’t plan!

  Hangman!

  Butterworth, Malaysia

  Road/rail.

  Short trail

  Set sail

  Nearby island, our target

  Calm seas

  Cool breeze

  At ease

  Disembark Pulau Pinang

  Georgetown

  Run-down

  Port town

  Looking for a place to stay?

  Cheap rate?

  Roommate?

  Private?

  Lorong Cintra, hostel dorm

  Twelve beds

  Dead heads

  No zeds!

  Late at night, Chulia Street

  Beer shack

  Street snack

  Back-pack

  New-age travellers abound

  Long hair

  Tale share

  ‘Stoned’ stare

  Impromptu midnight market

  CD’s

  Movies;

  Copies

  Daylight street sights come to life

  Hustle

  Bustle

  Tussle

  Indian, Chinese, Malay

  Food trade

  Gold weighed

  Hand-made

  Imposing Komtar Tower

  Chain stores

  Brace scores

  Of floors

  Penang Road Bridge; direct link

  Mainland

  Island

  Strait spanned

  Passport process to complete

  Join queue

  Review

  Then stew

  Two days in the ‘waiting room’

  Time out!

  Get out

  Find out

  Shun tourists; check out locals

  I steer

  To rear

  Folk here

  Liven up a bland sojourn

  Feed me

  Roti

  ‘Toddy’

  Tell me of their history

  Brit rule

  Life cruel

  No school

  Faced with abject poverty

  No stash

  Of cash

  To splash

  To ease the wretched lifestyle

  The poor

  Endure;

  But more

  Uncomplaining dignity

  They dare

  To care

  And share

  Welcome me with open arms

  Glad I

  Came by

  Said ‘Hi’

  Suitably shamed, yet inspired

  Trust fed

  Street cred.

  Face red

  Immigration; visa stamped

  Long wait

  Pay rate

  New date

  Border crossing to Thailand

  Last chance

  Quick glance

  Advance

  Still twenty hours from Pinklao -

  Sai Thai.

  Hopes high

  Hours fly

  Say ‘Sawasdee khrap, Krungtep’

  Year more

  In store

  Before

  The process begins again

  36. Tradition Of Travesty

  Morning routine; tyre check, front and back

  Hand on saddle, testing brakes and bell

  Ray mounts bike and cycles off to work

  Nodding to the milkman, paperboy

  Donkey jacket, football scarf and cap

  Padded gloves, to combat winter cold

  Town Hall clock-tower bells announce the time

  ‘A quarter past the hour’ sings their chime

  Watchman rolls another cigarette

  Strikes a match, sucks smoke to lungs, exhales

  Stands, salutes, in greeting to his friend

  Ray dismounts, returns salute, and smiles

  ‘As you were; stand easy’ orders Ray

  Servicemen’s traditions never die

  Active role in Cyprus, both – respect

  To friendship formed in Turkish-Greek divide

  Clock-on seven-twenty, on the dot

  Never varies; card could testify

  Ever-present; never missed a day

  In twenty four long years of trades
man’s toil

  In six short months, that Gold Watch will be his

  Counting days and blessings till that time

  First things first, though; breakfast – time to eat

  A less than tasty, vending-machine treat

  Microwave to heat it; cup of tea

  Most important meal of every day

  Smoke a cigarette, read tabloid news

  Eight o’clock and time to start the shift

  Yellow clipboard; ‘Things To Do Today’

  (Or tasks to delegate to someone else)

  Appearing busy; time-perfected art

  Semi-skilled, but fully versed in ‘Skive’

  Keep that clipboard close, with pen in hand

  Pre-empt problems, prepare proactive plan

  Impress the supervisor; management

  Build a reputation based on bluff

  Talk technical to draughtsmen, engineers

  Ask questions; make suggestions; take your time

  Don’t try to remember; write it down

  Justifies a tea-break; cigarette

  Call time-out; a meeting to discuss

  Productivity improvement scheme

  Type-out minutes; copy; distribute

  Cigarette in mouth tea-cup in hand

  Afternoon; stock-levels running low

  Visit stores with requisition note

  Shipping order; one more cigarette

  Another cup of tea, to pass the time

  Four o’clock; day’s done, and not much else

  Ray knows that, but bosses unaware

  Trusty yellow clipboard; testament

  Flatters to deceive; boosts weekly wage

  Shirking-class tradition reaps reward

  ‘Ray Mc Cann – Employee of the Month’

  Overcome with gratitude, he speaks

  ‘Job’s a good’n…that’ll do for me’

  37. No Drama

  Tradition dictates a ceremony

  Speeches, parades and pageantry

  Custom and practice; habitual

  Oath of Office; a ritual

  Once the theatricals, parties are through

  Duty dictates a job to do

  Breaking tradition; be first in all things

  So all can come first; a dream fit for King

  Priority issues, economy, wars

  Global Green worries the World ignores

  Each day a fresh page in history

  So don’t ever stand on ceremony

  The first hundred days will act as a gauge

  Be proactive; first to engage