Life

Mistaken Priorities

People I just cannot get Would rather save an ant Than one of their own Rather protect a plant Than help the homeless Worrying about the issues They know nothing about And not seeing the little things That would really count Happily labeling themselves Left, right, or by nation Or yet, worse still, By their religion Man made rules to kill For a man made God Hustling, bustling, striving To outdo one another, while Following their dubious heroes Emulating their style What a fucking joke Conspiracy and doom Echoes of their self-created hell Selling their sordid stories Even when there’s nothing to tell They feed off each other Born again idiots spouting hate Confidently assessing their own salvation If that’s your ‘heaven’ I hope you go there as one nation

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The Sound of Dying

Sirocco breathe Stalking me Skeletal death A crossroads Decisions to be made Deeply disturbing Wrongly played I stare at eyes That pierce back at me A shadow falls Thinking radically Passing muster A heartfelt prayer No one’s listening Do it for a dare? Synchronous monsters Slithering home Silence is golden Especially when alone Deepening despair As eyes start to cry Is this it? Did I simply die? Fading sounds Darkening Grounding Rounding A corner Gone. Image: The Dying Fall – JG Ballard

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The Check (or Cheque)

I went to my bank this lunchtime here in Brno in the Czech Republic with something I haven’t seen in quite a while – a paper cheque. Actually, it was a paper check as it originated in the good old US of A. I took it to the cashier and she took it and looked at it carefully. “What is it?” she asked. “A check,” said I, with a smile. I was asked to take my check and take a seat. About five minutes later, one of the ladies from the back office came looking for the ‘American with the paper check’. I’m unsure as to which was more unusual – the American (naturalized) or the paper check! We sat down at her desk and she pulled out a huge manual.

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The Stream of Life

Bobbing along the stream Sometimes fighting Other times alighting For a longer look Checking out scenery But no real choices Except to go with the flow I go where I need to go Can only slow The inevitable As I start at the beginning I must end at the end That’s the way it really is Life is like a stream Winding its lonely way Always just passing through Never sitting still Ripples speak to movement Movement is my destiny One day, I will reach the Sea And that, my friends Will be the end of me.  

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Buyer’s Confusion

I am in the market potentially for a bike. The Czechs love to cycle and there is much to see on a bike here and lots of bike paths and routes and so on. Its a bikers’ paradise.  Additionally, I just seem incapable of losing any weight whatever I do so I figure cycling more may help keep me fit, healthy and slimmer. But boy, how difficult it is to buy a bike! There seems to be around 20 odd brands and all of them make bikes in every category with minor differences and so my entry level bike choice probably numbers one of 30-40 different bike models and brands. Its no use asking the shop people which is the best value as they won’t tell you to go to

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