Recent Achievements.

Poetry Over Coffee On Line Magazine.
Featured- War Child and Just To Be Happy, in their Spring 2010 edition.

I achieved Poem of the Week on 'Poetry Retreat Website' twice recently with Lady of the Light,on 20th March and Play That Tune, 3rd April

All Poetry.Com. I recently achieved the following awards with various contests I entered.- GOLD War Child, Children No More, Play That Tune.
SILVER War Child
BRONZE Just To Be Happy, A Better Way, War Child, Lady Of The Light,
Just For Tonight.

Play That Tune

The storm clouds are gathering inside my head
I’m far too troubled for sleep in my bed
I’ve got worries on my mind the world’s all bad news
life’s getting me down and I’ve got the blues.
But I know what to do when the feelings all gloom
I’ll put on the stereo and play that tune.
The one by Neil Diamond a favourite of mine
that old little melody called Sweet Caroline.
I’ll listen for a while as the blues drift away
everything’s alright when I hear that music play.
Some time will pass and I’ll be troubled some more
I’ll be wearing a frown bad feelings galore
with worries of life and troubles ahead
my mind full of fear with things that I dread.
So I’ll play that tune again of Caroline so sweet
it always picks me up that special Diamond beat
I’ll listen for a while the dark will turn to light
and all of a sudden things will seem alright.

I Still Love You

Silver shines in my hair and life is a little slower
I see my reflection everywhere and I see I’m getting older.
But I still love you just like before
when I was a younger man waiting at your door
for you to greet me with a kiss and a smile
and just to be with you, for a little while.




Life is now a slow dance, no more quick-step for me
don’t think I’d manage a Tango, a slow waltz it must be.
But I still love you just like before
when I was a younger man on the dance floor
with you in my arms and the music in my ear
young and in love, with the one I held near.




As I get older, there are things that are harder to do
but there is nothing easier than being in love with you.
And I still love you just like before
when I was a younger man just wanting you more
And the future to always be a life of you and me
For there just isn‘t a better place to be.

Close To Me

When I awake from my dreams
on each new day morn
I turn and find you near to me
your body soft and warm.
I take you in my loving arms
and hold you close to me
for I can only face the day
knowing your love for me.


As I go about my days
life’s pressures all around
my thoughts drift back to you
and the love that we have found
I think of when you’re close to me
and all those things you do
till I just want the time to come
when I’m back home with you.


When the day is over
and I’m lying there with you
I take you in my arms again
feeling love for you
our hearts, entwined as one
two lovers in the night
and I will hold you close to me
until the morning light.

The Seed

My father was a Poet in his bygone days
there were his ‘Ode to a Kite Hawk’ and poems on Indian ways.
He wrote of love for Mother and of David too
there were his words of Christian faith and a prayer or two.


When I used to know him before he sadly died
he would show his poems to me with modest pride.
But I was too young to see the light, of the seed he’d sown in me
at that time, I did not take to words of poetry.


Then one late November day as I sat there in my room
I heard on the radio someone sing words to a classic tune.
My head was suddenly full of words running around in rhyme
could it be the seed he’d sown had found its harvest time?


Now, I’m just beginning, in this moment of time
to see if I can also write something down in Rhyme.
I’d like to think the way he wrote now lives inside of me
and I too can write some words in verse like him as poetry.


.

An Ode To A Kite-Hawk

An Ode To A Kite-Hawk. ( written by my Father, Fred Kitchen.)

See him on the branches
Of stately trees, so tall,
Sitting there just like a King,
Or maybe “Sentinel”.

See him basking in the sun
While on the roof he sits;
And sending forth his “Clarion call”
He’s searching for titbits.

To us, below, asleep he seems,
Uninterested too;
But all the time he’s watching us,
And waiting for his cue.

The, suddenly, he spies a plate
Of morsels being borne
By one whose mind is deep in thought,
Who’s looking rather warm.

His sharp eyes gleam, his wing prepare
To guide him on his dive
Upon the plate that is so full
For even he must thrive.

With wings outspread, in splendour grand,
He swoops upon the plate;
And, with a swish, he’s gone again,
Feet clutching choice he’s made.

Too late the man comes back to life
His favourite dish has “run”
And on the roof the Kite Hawk sits,
Eating it in the sun.

India, 1943.

Where You Belong

I need to see your smile
every single day
so I hope times goes fast
while you are away.

Our lives are heaven sent
for us to share
and life is much better
when you are there.

So rest a while, sweet dreams
it won’t be too long
until you’re back in my arms
where you belong.

Just For Tonight

Put on soft music, turn down the light
for we are together and alone tonight.
Close the curtains, unplug the phone
just for tonight, lets stay alone.
Come up close, so I can see
there in your eyes, your love for me.
Let my lips caress your face
while we share a warm embrace.
Kiss me tenderly the time is right
for we are together and alone tonight.
Take my hand and lead me to
where I can give my love to you.
Hold your body, close to mine
just for tonight let’s make the time.
Set the passion in you free
as you give your love to me.
Stay in my arms, all through the night
for we are together and alone tonight.

A Better Way (Song for The Redundant Man)

Now they don’t want me, now they don’t care
might just as well go back to bed, up those wooden stairs.
They took it all away from me, everything I knew
now it’s all gone and there’s nothing I can do.
I wondered if it would happen, ever happen to me
and now that it has, the future’s hard to see.
There has to be a reason, why it’s me this time
don’t think I want to know, just want to save my mind.



Maybe there’s a better way, a better way to be
maybe it’s out there waiting, waiting there for me.
Got to try to find it, got to take the time
see if I can find a way, to make the future mine.



Life is very different now, with no place to go
some days I’m fine, others times I’m low.
My thoughts remind me, of what I left behind
on a sad and lonely day, which often comes to mind.
But I must take a look, at what’s before me now
to see if I can try, to start again somehow.
Maybe follow a dream, is something I should do
and find somewhere else to be, where I can see it through.



Maybe there’s a better way, a better way to be
maybe it’s out there waiting, waiting there for me,
Got to try to find it, got to take the time
see if I can find a way, to make the future mine.

I Remember

I remember as a young man dreaming of falling in love
my dreams were for a special girl made in heaven above
the kind of girl you come by only once in a while
then she walked into my life with her precious smile.


I remember when I first saw her in the middle of the room
next to the dance hall, where we’d dance our love tune
and when we became friends how it was never enough
as I had already fallen in love.


I remember how she smiled when she danced a certain way
and when we became a couple, one September day
I had at last got something in my life so right
I could hold her in my arms, not just in my dreams at night.


I remember when we were married, how it rained and rained all day
but we did not let it spoil our very special day,
I looked back down the aisle, as she came to me dressed in white
and was greeted by her smile, shining through her veil so bright.


I remember how much I loved her, so glad that she was mine,
I remember I gave a promise to love her for all time.
I remember and I will, for no one could love her more
and I’ll hold her in this heart of mine, for now and evermore.