A Message To The People From Your Government

A Message To The People From Your Government

You will know only what we choose for you.
You will do only what we need you too.
You will believe only what we show to you.
You will reap only what we sow for you.
You will sit there and you will take it.
You will like it or at least fake it.
You will believe in this great nation.
You will look to us for your salvation.
You will do exactly as we say.
You will say exactly what we say.
You will be whatever we want you to be.
You will conform to our conformity.

By J. Barrett

blank

blank

Sometimes I sit and I'm staring at a blank page,
Sometimes it all flows too fast.
And my fingers're struggling to keep up with my brainwaves,
Until its all out at last.
But then I read it back and it doesn't make any sense,
So I've got to write it again.
Is it good, is it bad, I'm sitting on the fence,
At war with my paper and pen.

But then sometimes I sit back, my mind has grown weary,

And my eyes glide over the words.

But as I read the scribbles and get down to the theory,

Suddenly it's not all so absurd.

When you realise that you've created a thing,

And others are reading it too,

And as your words spread, your heart, it sings,

These people are connected to you.

By J. Barrett

A Tale Of Change

A Tale Of Change

“Excuse me, Young Man, can I please have some change?”

I looked at this man and said, “Yes sir, you may,

But whether or not the change will take hold,

Is anyone's guess, for this story's untold.

We can change the way we perceive the poor,

But does that mean they will receive any more?”

He looked up at me with his rheumatised eyes,

And his look said to me, “Quit telling me lies.”

And I felt for him then, this old man with no home,

This man of no wealth that people had left all alone.

I pulled my hand from my pocket and gave him a gift,

The change that overcame him was enjoyably swift.

The look in his eyes, as they brimmed up with tears,

Of all of the hurt he'd endured through the years,

That look in his eyes, that look of despair,

That look of one who's been treated unfair.

It all disappeared when I gave him that gift,

And all of a sudden his mood started to lift.

His soul had been changed, by one little gesture,

And all of that hate that had sat there and festered,

Seemed to vanish away, float off on the air,

When suddenly he knew, that somebody did care.

The gift that I gave him, was nothing to me,

In fact we can all give it, poor and wealthy.

And if that one little gift can change someone's life,

Gather all of the wrongs and make them all right,

Then surely we all should be sharing it round,

From the ones at the top, to the ones on the ground.

I smiled at him then, and he returned it to me,

And that was just brilliant to see.

A smile on the face of an unfortunate soul,

Someone who most people see as a troll.

Someone whom nobody had ever had the time,

This somebody who had received this nothing of mine.

As I left him standing there, just where he'd been,

I'd given him this gift, it was now time to leave.

“Thank you Young Man, this is better than cash,

'Cos now I can choose to pass it on or give back.

But whatever I do, it is going to be strange,

Someone like me handing out change.”

I smiled at him then, and couldn't thank him enough,

Because all I had given him, was a hug.

By J. Barrett

Proformity

Proformity

We came.      We sore. We concurred.

It's all about sex

It's all about pain

It's all about conforming.

to the main

  stream.

But.

What if...

We made

We draw

We thought

for ourselves.

Don't conform                         to the norm.

  Proform

Be different.

Be new.

Be

       –

                                                                 You

By J. Barrett

Man Rape Man

Man Rape Man

We all synonymise the word 'rape',

With women being violently violated

of their gift for their chosen few;

And of the men, this gift they take.

But our brains need to be dilated.

It happened to me, it can happen to you.

It was past midnight, the club was pumping,

I was full of drinks, staggering cheerfully.

And got talking to some dudes, as you do.

Around me the party, it was jumping,

And one offered to get a beer for me.

Now, I'm not one to pass up free drink or food,

And I accepted his offer to get me a drink.

Just thought he was being friendly.

And I was a lonely stranger in strange land.

Of the consequences I just didn't think.

After all this club was Über trendy,

And who'd ever been date raped by a man?

The party raged on, at least in my head,

But then the darkness came on and forth.

How I got from A to B, I'll never know,

I had no memory of where I'd been led.

But that was his sinister plan, of course,

This normal, below average looking Joe.

Even still, now, it's all so very hazy,

Especially the how, the when & the what.

But I remember coming to on his couch,

My pants were down, and this man he

had me in his mouth, the whole lot.

My muggy brain forced me up with a shout,

And I pushed him away as he came

at me with a force not at all relative

to his size (he was much smaller than I).

His face wore a twisted mask of pain,

A lover scorned, let down by his sedative

And he yelled as he came, tears in his eye.

But fortunately for me he was no match,

And I swatted him as one would a fly,

And blundering, I tried escaping his house.

At the front door I struggled with the catch,

But finally managed to escape into the night,

An elephant running scared from the mouse.

Through the twisting streets I ran and I ran,

Until I finally knew my way back home,

And finding my bed, I curled up to sleep.

I pushed away thoughts of that little man,

Choosing to deal with it all on my own,

By pushing it down deep, oh so deep,

And pretending it had never occurred.

But there's some things you can't escape.

Hopefully this will make you all think,

Next time you're out, getting liquor'd;

It's not just women who can get raped,

Please be careful when accepting that drink.

By J. Barrett

B.O.B (Bombs Obliterate Bags)

B.O.B (Bombs Obliterate Bags)

Today the threat is bombs in bags.

Before it was the bombs over Baghdad.

What is it we're going to do next?

Have everyone wear a blast-proof vest?

Its a knee jerk reaction such as this,

That pushes me toward being an anarchist.

Because without any rules to break or live by,

It just doesn't matter who lives and who dies.

And though it may seem that the powers-that-be,

Just don't give a shit about you or about me.

Without targets, their missiles are just pieces of steel.

Useless cylindrical weapons with nothing to kill.

They could fire them at each other; “Fire at will!”

But there's no fun in that, with no innocents to kill.

They need us, their puppets, who dance on the strings,

They need to destroy us and our material things.

Our material things that they want us to buy,

Like houses and cars and surround sound hifi.

The goods we don't need, just to keep us in debt,

The bank owns most of your stuff, I will bet.

So do us all a favour, rise up and be heard,

Gather your friends, start spreading the word.

Let get things together, let's make a stand,

And then, as one, we'll stick it to The Man.

Tell him, “No more, we've all had enough,

“We're sick of you coming and fucking our stuff,

“No more will you kill us for the profits of war,

“No more will we die, be hungry or poor.

“No more will it be each man for himself,

“You're going to give us food, shelter and health.”

And one final thing as we tear down their walls,

Why for so long have we been led by The Fools?

By J. Barrett

Our Poor Mother

Our Poor Mother

We are a virus, and we are unique.
Because of our self-destructive streak.
Not intent on just killing our host,
We end up hurting ourselves the most.
With war and famine, blood and pain,
When one is over, it all happens again.
We all have the power, power to change,
Let's start by farming a shooting range.
Let's start by taking the homeless, the poor,
The orphans and races ravaged by war.
Let's give them our love and understanding,
Using the profits from corporate branding.
Let's give them a roof, safety and food,
Let it only be oil that's the only thing crude.
Let's give them health, dignity, poise,
Let us rise up from the media's noise.
Let's take all the guns and melt them back down.
And use them to make some beautiful sounds.
They call them their “Instruments of War”,
Get rid of them though, and they'll hurt us no more.
Let's break them all up and use all the parts,
To make real instruments that are played from the heart.
Imagine a world with no violence, just love.
And the music we'd play to the heaven's above.
The world as a band, performing its song.
Doesn't this sound so right? Where the hell'd we go wrong?
Why does our race insist on bloodshed?
Why is it everyone's ending up dead?
Why do the people stand by and watch?
How can the people stand by and watch!?
It's time for us now to start doing good deeds,
Not bothering about race, colour or creed.
Let's bother about poverty, let's bother about war,
Let's bother about getting our race back on its horse.
But that's only one step, there's lots more to go,
Cos after ourselves, we need to clean up our home.
Mother nature has suffered, enough is enough,
We've fucked up her house and stolen her stuff.
And if we don't change, she'll come up with a cure,
And the human race will be racing no more.
Let's get out of wallowing in the filth of our greed,
Let's plant lots of love, and water the seeds.
Who knows, we might even learn what was wrong,
And slowly, but surely start getting along.
But before we unite and peace is achieved,
We really should be planting some trees.
And cleaning the land, the shores and the seas,
And everything else we've abused on our spree.
And maybe one day the kids will reflect,
And see how the people learned to respect.

By J. Barrett

Woman

Woman

You

You are

beautiful

gorgeous

a dream

You

You fill me

with passion

with warmth and

with a feeling of

complete and

utter love

Your

body

is amazing

soft and smooth

Your scent elating

It fills my head

 fills my mind

fills me full

of thoughts

of you and

only you

Forever

you are

idolised

dreamt

of and

needed

We love you

By J. Barrett

Make Friends

Make Friends

Meeting a brand new person.
No need for either to pretend.
When the walls begin to crumble,
You're on your way to being friends.
It's easy to laugh with others,
Even if they are unknown,
Connections, they assemble,
And friendship starts to grow.
Though you might be different,
And you might not see the same,
It's great to feel the heat of,
Friendship's all-consuming flame.
As humans, we aren't so different,
So put down your guns and cheer.
Go and have a drink with them,
Your enemies and your peers.

By J. Barrett

Being Me

Being Me

I find it hard I was doubting,

Especially after this outing.

But this conversation,

Full of motivation,

To create and be me.

With the stars bright above,

No judgement, just love.

The respect of these fellas.

Intellectuals, not dwellers.

Letting me be me.

The roads they are thin,

Quite rough and winding,

But they keep us close knit.

Could this really be it,

I'm allowed to be me?

By J. Barrett

Simplex

Simplex

What you gave me, 

You can't have back.

It's in me, forever now.

Not that I wanted it.

Or needed it.

Or did I?

This part of me.

Well, 

I guess that's it now.

I can feel it in me.

I don't want it there.

I want to be cleansed.

Free from what I got;

But it's in me now.

Like a parasite.

This dark horse,

Feeding off my life force.

Making it hell.

When it should be bliss.

What am I going to miss?

Because of this?

But then, 

What am I going to gain?

Is this part of some plan?

Do I even believe in that?

You make it hard not to.

It's in me now.

Part of me now.

Together forever.

This part of me,

That wasn't invited.

Just came along for the ride.

I have it inside.

Forever.

By J. Barrett

black roses

black roses

Black roses at midnight

ashen in the moonlight

and the trail

from a snail

it glistens.

I could sit for hours

surrounded by these flowers

with you

only you

and listen.

The night't plays our song

in the silence and beyond

to the crypt

where we crept

and we kissed in.

Now I am sat alone

in the darkness by your stone

where I lied

when you died

my eyes misting.

Every day that drags on past

like this blade of grass

cut down

to ground

and twisted.

You should be with me

sitting melancholy

we belong

we were strong

I miss it.

By J. Barrett

A L P H A B E T I C A L L Y

A L P H A B E T I C A L L Y

“'Ey B!”

“Hi.”

“See Dee?”

“No.”

“'E effed G.H!”

“No.”

“I, Jake Ellem, know.”

“Where did you talk to Dee?”

“Pee queue.”

“Ha! Lining up for the toilet. Did he mention her–?”

“Ar - se!”

“Haha! Yeah, her ass! Look at the time, I gotta go, it's nearly time for tea.”

“Tea?”

“Yeah, ever since I got this new Volkswago–”

“You, VW?”

“Yeah, it was Zee's. You know, my ex, Zee?”

“Ex?”

“Yeah, we broke up, man; it's all over.”

“Why?”

“Ah, she was sleeping with other dudes and that. Hey, where are you going?”

“Zee!”

By J. Barrett

Prayer of a Dying Atheist

Prayer of a Dying Atheist

Dear God,

Why am I so scared to die?

Why do I fear an afterlife?

What if nothing happens?

If I just cease to be,

Why does any of this matter to me?

Surely, if I suddenly blink out,

Remain but a memory,

In the hearts of others.

If it matters not of my actions,

Bad or good.

If all of this has been a blink,

In the eyes of existence.

If my life and the lives of others,

Leave but footprints and memories.

Then,

So many opportunities lost,

So many lives not lived,

All the possibilities missed,

The gambles, the risks, 

People not kissed.

Is there a Heaven?

Is there a Hell?

Because, though I didn't know it,

I was good to those around me.

And though I think you don't exist,

I'm talking to you last.

It doesn't make me crazy.

I'm just covering my ass.

Amen.

By J. Barrett

Brother (For Mark)

Brother

I know we've never said it,

And we probably never will.

And I never expect to hear it,

It's our unspoken, unwritten deal.

And while you may not show it,

But then though, neither do I,

You'd better know as well as I do,

That we're brothers until we die.

We've had plenty of good times,

As well as bad & spiteful fights.

But in the end we must look out for,

Our brother; it's our brotherly right.

I know I've never said it,

At least, not ever to you.

Please know this, my dear older brother,

I, your little brother, loves you.

By J. Barrett

Little Frog (savethefrogs.com competition)

Little Frog

Little frog, sitting by the tree.

Little frog, what is it you see?

For you are just laying there, 

Staring up at me.

Little frog, I must apologise,

For the clouding in your eyes.

And the despairing echo, 

Of your terrified cries.

Little frog, we will both mourn,

For your family that has gone.

How long has it been since,

We heard their little froggy song?

We just plowed on through,

Goodbye pond, adieu.

Because we need it all,

All of the wetlands around you.

For food, we need the fields.

Houses, we need to build.

Factories, roads and much more,

Your home needs to be filled.

Little frog, please do not despair.

Because this happens everywhere.

While your home you must forgo.

A statue will replace it there.

You, as a golden little frog,

Maybe posing on a little log,

Isn't that not nice for you?

You'll be a little golden god.

A warning is what you're worth,

Your destiny since birth.

To warn of us humans,

And how we eat up this Earth.

Heart Starter

Heart Starter

Your scent in the morning is bitter-sweet. 

To taste you is my eternal treat. 

Having you there is the best way to start. 

You put ever needed life back into my heart. 

I don't care if you're black, if you're white, or frothy. 

I just adore you! My early morning coffee.

By J. Barrett

Sober Is The New High

Sober Is The New High

I have finally realised, I am not that guy,

And that sober is the new high.

I don't need my head, to be flying 'round the sky,

With sober as the new high.

Good things they are happening, and why?

'Cos sober is the new high.

No more missing all those parts of my life,

Now that sober is the new high.

And this time, it feels so right.

Sober, is my new high.

By J. Barrett

Love Of My Life

Love Of My Life

What would I do without you?

Where in the world would I be?

How could I go on living,

If I don't have you with me?

You fill me with a feeling,

Make me giddy in my head,

Without you I am nothing,

Empty, hollow, dead.

Even when I've had too much,

And I find that hard to say,

I don't regret a bit of it,

When I have you the next day.

I love the tingle in my throat,

The giddy in my head.

And if you didn't make it wet,

I'd take you to my bed.

Oh, you are my savior!

And if I'm feeling down,

You make my world all blurry,

And turn it upside down.

I want to have you on everything,

And though it might taste funny,

I'd rather put you on my toast,

Instead of spreading honey.

You tickle me with bubbles,

Take away my troubles.

Quencher of my thirst,

You're my universe.

And if the truth be told,

My lady of liquid gold,

I cheer when you are near,

My favourite glass of beer.

By J. Barrett

Buckstars

Buckstars

In a room full of laptop stares,

Glazed, coffee bean eyes gaze,

Through screens, and space.

Stimuli. Stimulate. Stimulatte.

Heart rate up; scroll down,

Sugar n stir. Point n click.

Download, caffeine, drink.

By J. Barrett

Kcuf

Kcuf

My eyes are seeing a wonder,

My heartstrings've been plucked,

A beauty stands over yonder,

But she's telling me to go get F – F – F –

Forgetful of my love for her,

She's the one that I have missed,

She has up and she has gone afar,

Now it’s time to go get P – P – P –

Past all of the sad memories,

The gamble, the game, the hunt,

She never stays, always gets aways,

I'm a miser-able old K – K – K –

King, am I, I am, I am.

Great Ruler of these shores,

I must forget, forget her, damn!

And go and see the H – H – H –

Horse’s run around the track,

And the people straining necks,

Trying to get their money back.

I'm gonna buy me some S – S – Sex!

By J. Barrett

Message

Message

A single piece of paper,

Upon which was placed a kiss.

A bottle flung into the ocean,

Surely not to miss.

I sat on that beach and waited,

Through storms and sun and rain.

Waiting for sight of my bottle,

And the kisses it might contain.

At long long last I saw it,

Floating gently on waves of blue.

But the only kiss that was bottled,

Was the kiss I'd sent to you.

By J. Barrett

Ode To Bourbon

Ode To Bourbon

It's 5 PM, your work is all done.

In your hands is 80 proof of that.

Time to relax with a charged glass or two,

Whether Jim Beam or Gentleman Jack.

If this life is giving you troubles,

You've been given the old Devils Cut.

To get it all back to Kentucky Gold,

Get a glass of Bookers in your gut.

Maybe your Wild Turkey is gobbling?

You're up Knob Creek without an oar?

Get Comfort from getting baked by Bakers;

And be most generous with the pour.

Be so careful not to Makers Mark,

When loading that one final Bulleit.

Taking aim with J.D's Single Barrel,

And shoot it down into your gullet!

By J. Barrett

Sit On My Facebook

Sit on my Facebook

You're the reason I wake.

You're the reason I stay,

Alert throughout my day.

For it's you that I must know.

Every second that flicks by,

The what, the where, the why,

Everything, 'bout your life.

For it's you that I must know.

The trawling? Yeah, it might be tedious,

Going through more information than Wikipedia.

But I don't know how I'd survive, without my social media.

I can chronologically name,

Your movements of every day.

And the pics of you. And Jane.

And Wayne. In Champagne.

On their wedding day.

You were the best bridesmaid.

That's the pic that starts my day.

(It's amazing what you can do with save;

And cut, and paste.)

I love it when I get the news,

Of everything you get to do,

And of everywhere you get to, too.

For it's you that I must know.

I love it when I come straight home,

And though I've checked you on my phone,

I much prefer when we're alone,

For it's you that I must know.

With you up on my biggest screen,

My evenings become a dream,

Just you, so beautiful; and me.

And while this might seem extreme

(You know, sometimes, you make me scream)

But usually, it's just me,

With you up on the screen, smiling down at me.

And as I fall asleep, in the glow of my Queen,

I know that I will always be, the man you'll never see.

For its I that you must know.

By J. Barrett

Hardy's Boys

Hardy's Boys

I've been nicked by Hardy's boys, they claim that they are knights.

They go around policing folk and take away their rights.

They never use their manners, they just come barging in.

And if they think you’re guilty, don't matter where you've been.

They'll lock you in a gaol cell and pretend they've lost the key.

And you might not believe it, but it all happened to me.

An innocent man framed as a thief and locked away for weeks.

I stood before the judges and was released back to the streets.

But before that I was tortured, and whipped, and beat and hit.

And though I cried for mercy, the bastards never quit.

They threw me from their prison, bruised and half alive.

I was close to death for ages, it's a miracle I survived.

Now I stand before you, a warning to all and one.

If you're nicked by Hardy's boys, take the chance and run.

They're mean, they're nasty they're unrelenting,

They're wicked, greedy, hard and tormenting.

They ought to be arrested, for their cunning little stunts,

Those dirty, rotten, wretched, despicable c---

By J. Barrett

Grandad

Grandad

I've always spelt it wrong,

But you're Grandad to me.

My Grandad with one D.

Stanley Henry Turner; born,

By the sound of the Bow Bells.

Forever, now, they toll for thee.

Creator, builder, begetter of great things.

Yet, Destroyer of the humble jumper!

Stains are no longer your enemy!

It was always a laugh with Stan.

The stories and jokes from that man!

Now, to be shared by us, to everybody.

The body might've gotten frail, old.

But that brilliant mind was always supple.

Missed now, and forever you will be.

I've always spelt it wrong,

But you're Grandad to me.

My Grandad with one D.

You can Walk Away now, you did it Your Way, Stan.

Goodbye Grandad

For Grandad, From Jonny X

06/12/12

The Barfolk

The Barfolk

Sitting alone and bored.

Watching the people drink.

The barfolk in a frenzy,

Not a second to think.

Pouring this, pouring that.

Drink out of hand & money in.

Taking orders for food, "Was,

That a burger with onion rings?"

But, as the people slowly leave,

And the bar empties out,

All that is left - dregs of beer,

Wine, spirits and stout.

Without the hustle and bustle,

Of the regulars and blow ins.

The barfolk wander aimlessly around,

Waiting for the next lot to flow in.

And when they come,

Which surely they will,

The barfolk will liven up,

And readily fill the till.

By J. Barrett

The Lies (A Duet)

The Lies (A Duet)

Everybody’s selling me nothing. 

It's the story of my life. 

If you think that one doors shutting, 

There's another one opening wide. 

People always telling me something, 

They be calling it advice. 

All I hear is hum-hum-humming. 

But I be listening to their eyes. 

Peeps are always telling lies. 

They cross their hearts,  

And hope to die, 

They'll stick ten needles, 

In their eye. 

Peeps will always lie.

People say 'I'm telling the truth',

But the lie is what they just said.

They think they get away with it,

But they couldn't lie in bed.

And when you ask them to tell the truth,

Their look could knock you dead,

And they'll turn their nose up at you and say,

'The truth is what I said'.

People are always telling lies.

They cross their hearts,

And hope to die.

They'll eat a rancid,

Rabbit pie.

People always lie.

Peeps can be crazy, 

Peeps can be so mean. 

Some will slice your throat for coin. 

Some will do it for free.

People are scary,

People are strange.

Some are too organised,

And some madly deranged.

Some would kill their mothers.

And some would sleep with them too!

Is there anybody nice in this world?

Yeah man, but only me and you!

People are always telling lies.

They cross their hearts,

And hope to die.

Cut their legs off,

At the thigh.

Peeps will always lie.

People always lie.

Always lie.

By J. Barrett

Nay, But A Little Problem

Nay, But A Little Problem

I once met me a pretty lady,
I was lustful at first sight.
I took her by her pretty hand,
And kissed her deep that night.
Things proceeded quickly,
And I bedded her quite soon.
Though the night was dark as pitch,
There shone a full white moon.

Welcome to my life, my life.
This is but the briefest case.
See it through my eyes, my eyes.
As everything falls into its place.

Several weeks later,
She was knocking at my door.
I greeted with a cheeky smile,
And she punched me on the jaw.
Tears were falling from her eyes,
But she looked at me and smiled.
As I pulled her to me, an embrace,
She whispered, “I'm with child.”

I held her out at arms length,
And I must have looked quite harried.
She smiled as she said to me,
“We must be getting married.”
The shock, it must've registered,
On my face as plain as day.
Her smile, it dropped from her lips,
And she began to back away.

Welcome to my life, my life.
This is but the briefest case.
See it through my eyes, my eyes.
As everything falls into its place.

Her face had turned an ashen grey,
And her eyes had gone all wide.
“If you won't commit to me my love,
I will commit to suicide.”
I whistled a note as she told,
Of her life to be cut short.
I patted her shoulder and thanked her,
A great lover and now a good sport.

By J. Barrett