Friday 29 June 2012

Thin Pickings


Money has the loudest voice
Outrageous skills in fear
to petrify and dispossess
should the payments not appear


The law is on the richest side
the moneyed men just sneer
for they control the night machine
a banker’s world of fine veneer

Oranges & Sour Lemons
















Salute the money Mandarins
in Golden Fleece they swagger
flouting common decency
in a privileged cloak and dagger


Raise the Double Standard flag
where conscience may not linger
then quaff a crate of the bubbly stuff
at the Hood and Crooked Finger


Around 200 pubs in the City of London square mile. They must be drinking to forget something.

Thursday 28 June 2012

Diamond Trading Rights









Look at Bob and all he has
a life so lavishly fine
hiding all his ill-gotten gains
in the family diamond mine

Recession hardy fire proof
respectable gold leaf
be careful of the tiny print
danger lies between their teeth

Count Your Lucky Fingers












The mighty banker sets the pace
on decency and trust
as we safely place our valuables
in their slavering vaults of lust

Fill your form correctly
they’ll be scouring every flaw
should you be less than honest
without a blink they’ll quote the law

Beware your over confidence
in the banker‘s ivory tower
for gloating greed will rule the day
as the banks have too much power

Tuesday 26 June 2012

New Balls Please

It’s time again for Wimbledon
On court with my best racket
taking tennis lessons
and it costs a pretty packet

A lady shouts “your bulging pouch
suggests you’ve had a fall”
“Don’t worry” I said happily
“it’s just my tennis ball”

“Oh dear!” she cried “how awful
such a tender place for pain
for I’ve had tennis elbow

it must be driving you insane”

Saturday 23 June 2012

A Cat in Hell's Chance

I may be cute I may be small
but still I have my quest
to find the knowledge that I need
to live my life the best

When bigger cats that I should trust
bestow on me their tales
based on nothing more than hollow words
so the fear that guides prevails
Why is it that they dump on cats
all sorts of useless litter
when all we need is honest help
to not grow old and bitter



Friday 22 June 2012

Accost Accountable

Judgement Day

Thoughts of screaming horsemen
on a dashing cavalcade
crowding his imaginings
on a blank page barricade

Pursuing dreams in steeplechase
every hurdle is a rock
every scar of lost experience
conjures fear of writers block

Beware the avaricious wish
shining jewels in casks of money
as the tragic joker tax evades
hoping someone thinks it's funny

Thursday 21 June 2012

Postcard Prose

The Nobby Clarksons are holidaying 
in Cornwall we've allowed ourselves 
a rhymetext type of travelditty thing.










Ropey wrote from home:

The rain is falling heavily
your flowers are OK
your fish are into handfuls
showing no sign of dismay

As for me I’m languishing
unlike the pair of you
I’m stuck indoors til Sunday
with fuck all else to do

The Nobbies replied:
Tis sad you are a languishing,
with nothing much to do.
Cos im an me are out today,
and on the road to Looe.

Might then see some galleries,
St Ives has got a few.
Sculptures, paintings, pots and crafts.
A million things to view.

We're buying crabs, the spider kind,

and eating as we go,
partaking of the cream teas,
and pints of amber flow

Ropey wrote from home:

How good it is to hear from you
the many things you’ve done
mixing with the Dumnonii
eating  Kernow’s creamy bun 

Taking in the way of life
as the pair of you can do
chomping champion sarndies
filled with crabbiness from Looe 

So nice it is to know how you
got respite from the rain
cos sitting here in Anlaby
it’s still a fucking pain


Masham Messengers

A Ropey Reply in verse, How good is that?


I loved your little ditty pal
it really made us grin
A po-em written just for us

we'll take it on the chin

The sentiment was lovely
and the rhyming couplets shrewd
I'd half expected mucky verse 

or something slightly rude.

You've charmed us both, in person,
now you captured us in verse,
We're missing you already Cliff -
that's it. I Know -it's terse.


Sue & Andrew Burrell
Millgate B&B Masham.
With love and apologies for the poem but you are called "Ropey" Rhymes.

Wednesday 20 June 2012

Wensleydale Wending


Ropey’s been a rambling

Around the Yorkshire Dales
Weaving ways from Ellingstring

whilst sampling famous ales

for two nights stayed in Masham

Recommend you stay there too

The ’Millgate’ homely B&B 

Warm and friendly Sue and Drew

Whether ambling maybe rambling

You will find the Masham base

Is perfect when returning

To that Millgate resting place



Tuesday 12 June 2012

A Work In progress


I'll get it done eventually
I feel it in my bones
So many things are turning up
Pressurising my postpones

It's on my list of hot pursuits
Which I am sure I will fulfil 
As soon as I can settle down
On other sides of my uphill