The Happy Cynic

I used to be a jolly chap 

Expecting all would go quite well,

Then found that unexpected crap

Would foul things up, would go to hell.

The disappointment that ensued

Would tend to make these matters worse

So optimism I eschewed 

And found a way to break this curse...

It's fun to be a cynic when

you're faced with life's dilemmas; don't

Assume that all will be fine when

the truth is that it prob'ly won't.

When things go wrong you can delight;

You planned to minimise the kack,

But when you're wrong and things go right,

Just laugh - as things are back on track.

A Year in Couplets

Noticing the date, I thought I should write something. It started with one slightly contrived rhyme, then this poem grew into a rant before mellowing a little.

21 March 2021. World Poetry Day

It's odd that sometimes you will find

how rhyming couplets hide behind

coincidental facts and stuff;

and if you look, you'll see enough 

to make you wonder then - if these 

prove that poetic deities 

are juggling with words and deeds,

so check out where this premise leads...

There's...

Royal distractions, 

Suspect transactions, 

Contracts with no tenders,

Goods they don't send us,

Clap for the NHS,

Nurses pay increase less,

Cummings and goings,

Hypocrisy showings,

Each government mess,

A free ride from the press,

Protesting rights you lose,

Give more rights to statues,

Ministers expect thanks,

(Just ignore those food banks).

Michael Gove idiocy,

Rhymes with COVID here, see?

But don't think that it's all bad news - 

inept, corruption. Stop and muse.

There's many folk who've been our best

Despite Westminster, we've been blessed.  

There's...

Doctors and nurses,

Their skills and their mercies.

So school staff can teach us,

They learn new tech features;

The extra work they do,

That's unpaid, just for you.

Footballer's influence:

Shows feeding kids makes sense.

Helpful marks on the floors 

That helps us in food stores, 

Key staff there on the line

Help those forced to confine.

Captain Tom: how it is

We can help charities.

Offering labours

To help out our neighbours. 

So there we are, both good and bad,

A year of rhyme: inspiring, sad. 

So what if some lines are contrived?

It's 'cause World Poetry Day's arrived.

Give me a break - no, not like these

This was another of those quick poems in response to something on social media - this time, television commercials. As it references current commercials I expect the verse will become dated. That's no excuse not to write something though, is it?

Three minutes to seven, it's ALDI and Kevin. 
And then an address, by no less, M & S,

With Kev Bacon - don't groan - it's some tosh 'bout his phone 

Then Sky or BT or PlusNet endlessly. 

 Watch those pains in the neck, Santander, Ant and Dec, 

Drink a beer, hope those ads from IKEA disappear 

Bingos, Casinos, and that's how the cash goes 

A husband and wife - smile 'bout death and Sun Life. 

Celebs will enthuse about countless shampoos 

Ferrero Rocher - no, I don't really care 

No interest in banks, no Interest - those skanks; 

All of these you won't see if you go for a pee.