BRYAN TAYLOR

Curtain twitchers, attention seekers.

The feeling of might where others are meeker.

Keeping their secrets like moths in a beaker.

Picking up strengths from ones that are weaker.

Neighbours and colleagues, delighting in laughter.

Acting impressively to win a BAFTA.

Delighting in dialogue getting dafter and dafter.

Public execution, swinging from the rafter.

They got rid of the family and that was their aim.

From day one they blackened the household’s name.

From Monday to Sunday then over again.

Sunshine smothered by dark hard rain.

So beware of the streets where others are watching.

Whilst smiling sweetly they are most likely plotting.

If your face doesn’t fit there will be no stopping

And the stain of gossip won’t come out in the washing.

THEM'S THE TRUTHS

From the first time we met to the day we did part,

A rush to the finish right from the start.

All the truths you invented seemed like lies to me.

From pie in the sky to chips on the ground

A round of applause to a sibilant sound

All the truths you invented seemed like lies to me.

And yet I swam with the tide, I sailed on the sea

Ignored the little fishes that whispered to me

That all the truths you invented, I should just ignore.

I introduced you to people; you were part of the clan

Looking back I must have been a desperate man

For all the truths you invented just hurt me more and more.

From a day in Paris to a fortnight in Spain

They cropped up again and again and again

All the truths you invented seemed like lies to me.

From a taxi journey to a long train ride

I tried to leave you but I could not decide

All the truths you invented seemed like lies to me.

I tried to roll with the punches, sometimes fell to the ground

I dismissed all the comments of those all around

That said the truths you invented were nothing more than spite.

I clung onto you dearly, my own life raft

Regardless of the phrases all stupid and daft

Because the truths you invented sometimes sounded right.

I plucked up the courage and I met you one day

Explained I was leaving, I was running away

A truth I invented, an outright forthright lie

You believed me of course and wished me good health

You didn’t realise that I was lying myself

Go tell the truths you invented to some other loveblind guy.

Many thanks to John Stevenson for the "All the truths you’ve invented" exercise/inspiration.

And James Harrison for the title.

Oh, and Nick Cave ……

They scream, you know, when they’re pulled from the ground

Unless there’s no-one around to witness the sound.

So if it IS true, then one needs to be there

To make the florists completely aware

They are dealing with death. It’s not very pretty

Surrounding ones’ self with false happiness or pity.

I could carry on, no doubt, for hours and hours

As I’ve never known exactly how to say it with flowers.

YOU SAID 

You said I was going to be happy

You said I would never be sad.

You said I was going to be rich one day

You said I’d forever be glad.

You said I would never be lonely

You said I would sire a clan.

You said I’d marry the best looking girl

You said I would grow up a man.

You said I’d want for nothing

And nothing was out of my reach.

You said I would never chastise anyone

And practise what I preach.

You said I could climb any mountain

You said I would never get down.

You said I could swim any fountain

You said I would never drown.

You said I’d remember the night before

You said I’d be different to ‘them’.

You said it would never happen

You said it again and again.

You said I’d be a success, of course

And happiness would be a given.

You said I’d have the appetite of a horse

And it would never tire of being ridden.

You said many things that haven’t come true

You said until I called a halt.

You said all those things with your best intent

I suppose it’s not your fault.

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