Laptop Blues - Richard Fleming

It’s a stand-off.

I try to stare it down

while it stares back, unblinking,

its flat, inscrutable face

giving nothing away.

I must stay focused.

I’ve won these battles

in the past

but this time

it’s got the upper hand.

What I need now

is the doorbell,

an unexpected visitor,

so that I

can break

eye-contact

and walk away

without losing face.

Richard Fleming

Self-Isolating - Tony Gardner

I've been stuck inside for five days straight
It's so flipping irritating
I'm not allowed outside my gate
I'm self-Isolating.
The dog is not a happy boy
He finds it so frustrating
He's chewed the head off every toy
Since we've been Isolating.
He misses all the exercise
Sits by the door just waiting
He cannot seem to understand
Why we're self-Isolating
The missus doesn't seem to mind
She is so placating
When we get wound up and enraged
Through self-Isolating
Suppose we shouldn't feel this way
But 'til this starts abating
For all our sakes we must put up
With flipping Isolating.

Tony Gardne

Kumbuka - Stephen A. Roberts

Image: Paignton Zoo

Kumbuka stares out with an angry demeanour
The ape in there - eyes the ape sans hair
From his Gorilla Kingdom secure enclosure
Is "Kingdom" really the right word there?

Giant, agitated, western lowland gorilla
Cannot be tamed by treats and cakes
He goes wild, turns psycho killer
Smashes the glass, that's all it takes

He just wants to be one of us
So in a human-style temper tantrum
He busts out - to cause a fuss
And escape his violated inner sanctum

Bored with all the pointing and peeking
He's finally grown tired of looking back;
and now the human chimps run yelling and shrieking
From the massive male silverback

To restore him to his voyeur prison
They shot him with a dart and fed him a muffin
In an interview on daytime television
he signed "I just got fed up - it was nothing"

Stephen A. Roberts

Tilikum - Ian Duquemin

He swims in circles going nowhere
Exhibited throughout the day
An audience then marvels
At his sad and cruel display
This creature with his freedom taken
Does what he is taught to do
Entertaining those who gather
Tricks preformed for you
You then leave SeaWorld wet and laughing
With your family, journey home
Without a thought for Tilikum
Imprisoned all alone

Ian Duquemin

Battle Ensues - Sharon Dando

I feel you
waiting, watching
ready to catch me when I fall

I know you are there
waiting to envelop me
grip me tight and not let me go
I could run from you
but I don't have the strength
you are stronger than I ever could be

I want to fight you
I need you to go now
repeating my mantra
tomorrow is another day
the tunnel light fades
your arms embrace me
a strong hold

I am yours yet again

Sharon Dando