Image: Louie our Boston Terrier with the Texas bandana I brought him back in 2015, he featured in my first 2015 tour poem, my last and a few in-between. Sadly he died in November of that year aged 15 months old. He gave us so much in his short life and the first poem of this tour both features and is dedicated to him.

 

08.02.16 - 1) I was listening to the rain

beating again on my window pane

Knowing the time would pass and bring

Another poetry tour of Texas in the Spring

Like last year, then thought, there’s someone not here

Louie a great little chap at that time on my lap having a nap

Then that fateful day when he was taken away

His short life spent, to heaven he went my inspiration died as I sat and cried

Try as I might I just couldn’t write

Other than through the tears and strife tell in rhyme of his short life

How we were blessed and the rest

I wrote on, and how we felt when he’d gone

Other subjects came to light and things seemed to go alright

It seemed I would be composing again but my hopes were in vain

For more inspiration I yearned, but writers block returned

Still my tour’s on track I hope the inspiration comes back

When to Texas I go and there’s one thing I know

He’ll be with me on the flight, he’ll be with me day and night

On the road or the stage, when I arrive or depart

He’ll be with my other friends that travel in my heart.

 

19.02.16 – 2) Anthology submissions sent, to Texas they went

From Lamesa to the Texas Mexico border

Sent them all in order

This being the time I share my rhyme

The reason it’s once again poetry season

Where without fail I’ll hit the poetry trail

Austin my spiritual home I’ll begin my roam

Writing wherever I go, across Texas to and fro

Not only writing but reciting

Sharing what I’ve writ, sure to be a hit

On or off the beaten track and hopefully my inspiration’ll be back

 

This poem is dedicated to Bob (Mud) McMahon, we first met in 2011 in Austin and have beeb friends since. I'm gonna miss him thi syear, the poem is my tribute ti a great guy.

03.03.16 – 3) The Commonwealth poet were us three, Bob, Thom and me

Then this year news that made me blue, this year there’d only be two

This time there’d be just me and Thom

For some reason, Bob was miss this year’s Texas poetry season

With his talent so diverse from music to verse

People he’d reach calling it the last vestige of free speech

Preaching it was worth looking after Mother Earth

What other would throw away he’d make instruments to play

Flutes and curled didgeridoo, no limit to what he could do

What be could play, ceramic for free made from local clay

Where he’s been you would see, paper pulp sculptures on a tree

Mud painting and his talent really unrled

When he created the largest mud sculpture in the world

Yes the commonwealth poets this year’ll be two

But Bob’ll not be blue

A thriving arts scene down under, but one thing’s clear

I’m sure gonna miss him this year

 

19.03.16 – 4) My last open mic before departure day

Would have been others but work gets in the way

Finishing to late to get to a regular monthly poetry date

Still no need to fret, this could be my best yet

Cos when it’s the next one there’ll be no need to ponder

As hopefully I’ll have the time to record again my tour in rhyme

I’ll more than likely be in the wild blue yonder

Away to do my annual poetry roam

Of Texas my spiritual poetry home

 

27.04.16 - 5) Easter almost gone, time marches on waiting for none

Once again rain on the window pane

As you can be supposing I’m composing

More work in rhyme to while away the time

Documents printed and put in order,

Got to get them right for next Saturday’s flight

Hopefully which will go without a hitch

GPS arrived nothing to fear Friday I’ll pack my gear

Download my boarding pass, travelling again economy class

Playing the impoverished purveyor of rhyme

Just hope my taxi to the airport arrives on time

 

28.04.16 - 6) Early Monday morning a wet grey day is dawning

Wet outside I’m trying to look on the bright side

Only  Three days to work I finish on Wednesday night

Two days to get packed and sorted, Saturday’s my outward flight

Decisions to make, which poems to take

Come what may write more on the way

Update my blog so anyone reading’ll know

It’s my 6th Texas poetry tour in a row

Where I’ll be on many a stage taking a bow

At the moment I’m wishing I was there now

 

31.03.16 – 7) My last day was a 13 hour shift and that was it

A day of interaction and wit

Different interaction and jokes for each one of the blokes

Hopefully things will not cloy at the job I enjoy

And it makes it worthwhile getting a buzz out of making them smile

And I’m thinking when things are going fine

I may enrich their lives but not as much as they enrich mine

 

01.04.16 8) April first, the day of the fool

Departure eve, almost packed and everything’s cool

Tomorrow in Manchester once again I’ll board the plane

And first go to Heathrow

Second flight arriving in Austin while it’s still light

Then to the motel head somewhere to lay my head

But no sleep before I read my opening score

An audience to delight on arrival night

As I begin another poetry roam

Of Texas, my spiritual home