There are those in this life

Whose need is assistance in times of grief and strife.

And we empower some to do that work each day.

For we assume that those in need can not…..and will shy away…

We train some to do this task…

And seldom do we ask….

How or why or when…

These hidden men and women

Do their work unsung

But beware of hidden men and women!

Don’t mock…

Or knock…

Their efforts

Beware the good.

Beware the God fearing and the righteous

Beware the meek and humble

Beware the quiet

Beware those you laugh at

Beware those you ignore

Beware those to whom you pay no heed.

For when you feel strong

When you feel invincible

When you fear nothing….

And no man….

Then….

Then will those whom you do not fear

Rise up and consume you.

Be nice to hidden men and women.

The problem with retirement

Is what you become in the eyes of others.

For men it’s harder.

Women are always what they have been….

Sisters, aunties, wives, and mothers,

Keepers of the larder.

But when a man retires, he is no more!

He is no more what he was,

He’s just a bore

Who talks about things because

There isn’t anything else to do with all that knowledge.

And if you carry on……working

There’s no concession, no quarter

No respite, just shorter

Tempers

You’re older, and in the way

You have nothing of value to say.

It’s a young man’s game.

And if you quit…..retire….desist

It’s worse…..you cease to exist

You are not what you were…

It stops…. in the blink of an eye

You have nothing of value to say.

This has to stop.

Let battle commence!

Fresh spring days sun shining in the blue
Warming air, and the earth below
Temperature rises too
To warm the butterfly
Hope on fragile wings
Angels kisses
Frail beings
By us
Seen

I didn’t really know Jim.
Not ‘him’.
Well…….
That’s not really true,
I just didn’t have the whole view,
Just the bits of the jigsaw I was allowed to see.
But….
If you look behind what you know
Or think you know….
If you read between the lines……
…..and don’t ignore the signs….
You see the ‘man’
The more you look the more you see.
But not that crooked gait
He hid that
You didn’t notice that…..
….it remained unsaid, because….
You were too busy looking at the man.
He saw to that.
To me….
He was a tall strong man.
A man who ‘can’.
A man who ‘did’.
And a big heart and a cheery smile,
Someone with whom you’d want to spend a while,
And talk about cricket,
Or archeological digs
Or Rugby……hmmm….
…….do you know…….
…….if he could have had a runner like he did in cricket…..
He’d have played Rugby!
(Rules were not to be obeyed!)
Not for him. Not for Jim!
(James to his Mother)
Not for the man that bought noisy Christmas presents
For his nephew.
He smiled! No……he chuckled!
And then accepted the ban from buying toys
That made a noise.
Each has his or her little tale
And when recalled
It cannot fail
To raise a smile…..a chuckle….a memory.
Smile with fondness
Chuckle with fondness
Remember with fondness.
To you he was a Brother
To you an Uncle
To you a Son
To me…..
He was just my friend
……but, then
…….he was that to us all!

Born, loved, wed;

Worked, spent, bred.

What credentials do I have to write anything about Steve Farrish? After all, I am only the person that nodded and smiled at him in the Dolphin. I am the person that acknowledged his presence in the Millstone, or the Waters Green Tavern, or the Nag’s Head. I am the person who guarded his trombone case while he played tricks on his friend Gary. Aren’t many of us a bit like that in relation to Steve.
Well no……..some were privileged to call him a friend.
To write a poem in memory of Steve Farrish that conforms to Rhyme or Meter seems to belie the very nature of the man. Pace is the key issue.
Pace and Pauses.
So here goes………to be read or said at pace!!

Steve Farrish
Gawsworth parish
A 1968-er
And later…………a brother and a sister.

So eat your food
And eat it fast
A healthy appetite

An individual
Undaunted
Completely himself
The way he wanted

Zorro at 8 years old……and then
Star Wars, live
Space 1999
Babylon 5
….and Star Trek
Aeronauticals……..
At British Aerospace
Machines for Nissan
An electrician
A programmer
A biker….

Horror and sci-fi
Music lover………..musician. 

Kawasaki
Tarpaulin surfing
Paint balling

Then….electrician……..again

Then……..something to do with computers

The next night out
A pub……..bars
A chilled night out listening to a band
Meals with a friend

A hearty social appetite
A hearty appetite
No ready meals for him
On his beloved boat…..

His beloved boat
A proud boater
Boating community
Boaters rights
‘Boats are people’s homes’

He loved a party
Family or friends
With cousins, aunties and uncles…..
Games…..Cheating…….

One word?…..one word only?
Music………

Piano
(anyone can learn the piano)
PIANO not keyboards
Trombone
Plastic trombone
Accordion
Plastic trumpet
…..and various bands

…..varied musical tastes
Minor keys not major…..

John Barry
Musicals
Rocky Horror Show
La La Land
David Bowie
The Eagles
The Who…..

But….
Who was he? 

Private
Almost ‘secretive’
Shy?
Living ‘off grid’
Helpful
A true gentleman with a dash of vinegar. 

But……aah….that smile

Honest
Witty
Mischievous sense of humour
Generous
Encouraging friend
Natural piano teacher.
Joker
Warm aura…..

And….aah…..that friendly smile

And endless conversation
The finest Social chameleon

Operated alone,
Travelled alone
But…..
…..he was never alone

Aah……that friendly smile

Put the kettle on
Another bacon buttie, please
Strangely frugal
Strangely private

Bloody stubborn

That extra flair for the ridiculous
Stunning musical talent

That tragic Friday night
Those unsaid moments
His ever present smile
The conversations we didn’t need to have
These are the things that we already miss about him.

And finally……….and I quote…..unashamedly

Just as music hangs in the space between notes
Or persists in the silence after the final note at the end of a song

He also will always be here.

So…..Hi Steve.

We have an elfin staying here,
It’s really rather queer.
It can’t be heard, it can’t be seen,
It isn’t around, but it’s definitely been.

It’s always here playing hide-and-seek,
For it is really very meek,
And it’s sounds are drowned,
When our Grandchild’s around,
…….and always during the week.

So how do we know this creature has been,
When it never can be seen?
Because…..
It leaves it’s mark
In the day and the dark,
And all times in-between.

There’s a light on here,
And a light on there.
A towel all rumpled.
And a bed all crumpled.
Pencils abound.
With some on the ground.
And there are books all agape.
And the remains of a grape.
And crumbs on the floor,
And a wide open door.
Socks not in pairs,
And crisps on the chairs,
A half-finished drink
And plates in the sink
And…..
Oh…what a mess,
It’s a bit of a stress.

But at the end of the day,
When our grandchild’s away
The elfin goes quiet
No more riot……..
How odd?

Why do we panic so?

Why are we always late?

How come we lose things?

And accept it all as fate!

Blind men never miss buses.

The deaf can catch a train.

How come it works for them?

And for us it is such a pain.

We hear of thousands of people

Overcome by a gigantic wave.

Thousands of people

Consumed by despair.

Tragedy.

Everything destroyed.

Countless dead,

Millions to repair…….

But what if…..

What if this was in your head.

A gigantic wave of despair…..

Not destroying thousands

But all focused on one mind.

Just one.

You.

You are the only victim.

Everything else is gone

All that destructive power

Aimed at just one.

Why don’t we help him…..or her….or them?

There are those in this life

Whose need is protection from grief and strife.

And we empower some to do that work each day.

For we assume that the weak can not…..and will shy away…

We train some to do this task…

And seldom do we ask….

How or why or when…

But beware of little men!

Beware the good.

Beware the God fearing and the righteous

Beware the meek and humble

Beware the quiet

Beware those you laugh at

Beware those you ignore

Beware those to whom you pay no heed.

For when you feel strong

When you feel invincible

When you fear nothing….

And no man….

Then….

Then will those whom you do not fear

Rise up and consume you.