Bryan Sefton

Elizabeth papers the walls of her mind
With cartoon characters of various kinds
Believe me, I tell you, there isn't much space
There's colour and laughter all over the place
...

They said I was mad. Oh yes, quite insane
They said it's all up here in the brain
He's cracked up, broke down
Whatever level you prefer, it's still the same
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You are your own problem, you have your hand
in the water of your life. Stirring up
the sediment. Clouding the issue.
Your silly, crying that the world is hard
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THey needn't have made the clamorous sound
Or blasted the lights to confusion
The Windows were lit but the light had gone out
And provided the ideal solution
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Michaela wears her Mother's shoes
Comes to tell us both the news
She just kissed the boy next door
Not to worry, she's only four today
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Wise men, wise men, one and all
Who hold us up lest we should fall
Look at the starving of the world today
'Give us our daily bread' they pray
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Thought on viewing a baby's grave

'I came as a breeze
That barely blew
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'Oh! ' Said Diana 'how frightening
That the bee should have such a sting'
'Not really said one buzzing by her
They're handy for many a thing
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The rabbits wouldn't thank me if I told you all their secrets
So if I tell you and they find out just say the swallows leaked it
They'll believe you for you see them always rushing here and there
Tittle tattling, calling someone, speaking rumours on the air
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There's a little cobbled back street runs behind our terraced house
Full of overflowing dust bins and a mouse that has a louse
He will sit and scratch for hours when he thinks no one is there
Behind his ears he scratches till his whiskers are a blur
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Time is dripping off the clock
The luminous finger glares
A mouse sits cleaning on a sock
The shoes sit on the stairs
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I believe in Santa
That he loves little boys
For as long as I believe in him
My parents being me toys
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Mister Singleton died today
I prayed to God in heaven above to save him
I wonder how rough a time we gave him
I never thought in terms of tears or pain
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The spider on the ceiling sits
Views my Granddaughters hysterical fits
With a seeming bemused dismay
As terrified she runs away
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He rides with one, Goyathlay
The one they call Geronimo
They roam the High Sierra's
Searching for the white man
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It's all gone now
Now there are houses as far as the eye can see
And a forest of T-V ariels instead of the tall majestic trees
That were oh, so welcoming on hot summer days
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Trivial words, none heard
No matter how we scream
Seagull souls cry then fly
To escape this crazy scene
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The light good for seeing by
Though the meaning's lost to me
It will die then rage, is bright then vague
As silver fishes in the sea
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The sky was dark and grey and heavy
The snow came thick as night-time fell
'Why it's enough' an old man murmured
'To make the devil stoke up well
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