Let Me Die A Youngman's Death - Roger McGough

Let me die a youngman's death
not a clean and inbetween
the sheets holywater death
not a famous-last-words
peaceful out of breath death

When I'm 73
and in constant good tumour
may I be mown down at dawn
by a bright red sports car
on my way home
from an allnight party

Or when I'm 91
with silver hair
and sitting in a barber's chair
may rival gangsters
with hamfisted tommyguns burst in
and give me a short back and insides

Or when I'm 104
and banned from the Cavern
may my mistress
catching me in bed with her daughter
and fearing for her son
cut me up into little pieces
and throw away every piece but one

Let me die a youngman's death
not a free from sin tiptoe in
candle wax and waning death
not a curtains drawn by angels borne
'what a nice way to go' death

Roger McGough - click on title to go to Roger's web page

Sad Little Lady - written in 1969

Sad little lady sitting in your chair

Sad little lady, who can't go anywhere

Upset little woman, you're life has almost gone

Did any light shine on you

And having shined - shone on?

Oh poor sad lady what can you give this world

With your sadness and your tears

All your troubles now unfurled?

All the blessings that have blessed you

And passing quietly on - what can you do now

To rest your soul upon? My little sad lady

In your dirty purple coat

And your muddy Guinness by your side

My tears for you I cry

My sad little lady, with your lips quietly quivering

As you read the evening news

And I sit across the room - observing in the gloom

Your face and soul and Being

I'm wondering about you

My sad little lady

What's Within you is Without you

All your life.

Memories Were Made Of This

Dresses tapering round the knees
Winters crisp and naked trees...
Memories were made of this,
Of changing homes and fortunes,
Of being loved and loving back


Trains that made incessant chatter,
Billowing clouds and deep blue skies
Pebbled beaches and tuppence ha'penny to spend
Father's motor-bike roaring down the road
Reading Billy the Kid and enjoying it as much as I


Calderstones with the seasons dressed as ladies, ripe
Gypsies offering their wares and your fortune
Made out as ogres who eat small boys
I Spy and Boys Own - standing on bridges
For trains to envelop you in steam and smut.


Falling off bikes and being picked up, seeing
Only legs, not faces till they bent down.
Peering through the hole in the fence into Paradise.
Being kept in the bedroom when the Ratman called
So we wouldn't be poisoned.


Christmas with simplicity, sometimes snow,
Knowing that Jesus really loved you and calling
for Mummy when that shadow in the bedroom
Moved meanacingly near

Collecting rent with Daddy and getting tuppence
From Old men with tired faces and sitting
On the chair keeping quiet.
Standing in the garden, in the snow with sister
For our photograph - Remembering back
Through all those years


Memories Were Made Of This


Being sent away to school - I wondered
If I'd done anything wrong
Crying for my own home and Mummy to hold me close
Of coming home on the train that took forever
Almost
And Daddy big and Mummy warm to welcome me
Eventually a stranger


Of staying with Bryn and Betty and Bob in the pub
Where the barmaid was Sheila, dark and mysterious
Who was always kissing that man - and Bryn and I loved her


That derelict house, which became our palace
The girl we disturbed having a pee in the bushes
Oh sweet memories were made of this!

Halcyon days and those warm summer nights
When we couldn't sleep - that night with Ralph
When we watched the dawn come up and
We felt Holy and close to God and Switzerland
When I was a yob - it was as if I wasn't there.


The football matches on ice hard pitch
The lazy cricket and those headaches that hurt
Falling asleep in meadows and being late back
And being in love with Beryl at home and sometimes Anne

Then slowly / the beauty / of memories
Drifts into the hardness of realities
And I don't know
How lucky I am to be where it's at - Here and
Now in the peace and security of my own home
Watching my children make their own memories


click here >>>>Memories were made of this


written in the 70's - Click above and this is the pub I stayed at on many a week-end between 1957 and 1960

My Space

This is my book
My private space
Where I can climb mountains
And face my disgrace
This is my haven
My Confessor, my Friend
Where things I have written
I can read now and then
Yet not understand
What or why, yet I did
But I wrote it,
I wrote it,
I bloody well did!
I'm not Kipling or Keats
nor Thomas or Blake
Theirs is a Magic
this mortal can't make
I'm a speck, just a morsel
Who squeaks now and then
Just a few of my thoughts
Will spill from a pen

written in the 80's

In This Room

Sitting here in this room
in another place
Reflecting on life
and how I filled this space
Remembering the times
when I was cruel and unkind
Unearthing the bad aspects
Of me in my mind
And thinking of you
who has filled my life
My lover, my friend,
My wife
I am sorry that I may not be
All I could be
To you or our children
Or even to me
But I tell you this
and I tell it true
There's no one I love
In this world more than you

7th November 2001

NEW! QUIZ QUESTIONS

You will notice on the left hand side of the page I have inserted a POLL element to the page. I thought it would be better if I have a little quiz question instead. I will publish the correct answer on the blog in November. Happy guessing!

EVENING CLASSES FOR MEN

EVENING CLASSES FOR MEN - (One of my more popular courses!)

Note: due to the complexity and level of difficulty, each course will accept a maximum of eight participants

The course covers two days, and topics covered in this course include:

DAY ONE

HOW TO FILL ICE CUBE TRAYS
Step by step guide with slide presentation

TOILET ROLLS- DO THEY GROW ON THE HOLDERS?
Roundtable discussion

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LAUNDRY BASKET & FLOOR
Practicing with hamper (Pictures and graphics)

DISHES & SILVERWARE; DO THEY LEVITATE/FLY TO KITCHEN SINK OR DISHWASHER BY THEMSELVES?
Debate among a panel of experts.

LOSS OF VIRILITY
Losing the remote control to your significant other - Help line and support groups

LEARNING HOW TO FIND THINGS
Starting with looking in the right place instead of turning the house upside down while screaming - Open forum

DAY TWO

EMPTY MILK CARTONS; DO THEY BELONG IN THE FRIDGE OR THE BIN?
Group discussion and role-play

HEALTH WATCH; BRINGING HER FLOWERS IS NOT HARMFUL TO YOUR HEALTH
PowerPoint presentation

REAL MEN ASK FOR DIRECTIONS WHEN LOST
Real life testimonial from the one man who did

IS IT GENETICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SIT QUIETLY AS SHE PARALLEL PARKS?
Driving simulation

LIVING WITH ADULTS; BASIC DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOUR MOTHER AND YOUR PARTNER
Online class and role-playing

HOW TO BE THE IDEAL SHOPPING COMPANION
Relaxation exercises, meditation and breathing techniques

REMEMBERING IMPORTANT DATES & CALLING WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE LATE
Bring your calendar or PDA to class

GETTING OVER IT; LEARNING HOW TO LIVE WITH BEING WRONG ALL THE TIME
Individual counsellors available