If I were a good enough man
I’d fill the world with peace
I’d shout out that torture was evil
And prejudice, well that would cease.
Of course, in naivety I’d think that I could
For such would surely be pleasing
But the fact of the matter is, I’m not that good
So misogyny and racism won’t too soon be easing.

Yet until such a time when we find common-sense
For surely it waits there in the wings
The world must endure mans’ cruelty to man
While over the cordite a lonely voice sings.

So yes, if I were a good enough man
Harmonious living I’d promote
And I’d get rid of all of the weapons
With which the weak are too often smote.

©Joe Wilson – If I were…2016

This was for a weekly challenge.

The sun is high now as Summer approaches
We’ll soon see the tourists in holiday coaches
And sand-covered beaches will soon start to fill
Towel-covered spots held by Dad’s iron will.

The roars of the motor launch everywhere
Going to ’no place’, but we don’t really care
While down at the rock pools the young children stare
At a small, quite amazing world, caught in sun’s glare.

And families will gather for the annual trip
With lots of wrong clothes stuffed in suitcase and grip
But who packed the sun cream a mother will cry
They’ve got six new bottles now, it’s never that dry.

For a week at the seaside when the sun tries to shine
Well it does for a short while, but it’s gone before nine
So they traipse round the seaside shops looking for stuff
Though by the third day they’ve all had enough.

But we’ve paid for six nights sad Felicity says
That’s ‘cause she’s fifteen and met a young lad called Jez
And a journey home too soon will just break her heart
As Mum says ‘that’s young love and only the start’.

The lad, that’s Barry, plays practical jokes
It’s just for attention and he always provokes
He’s let off some stink bombs at full ice-cream parlors
And even cut streamers at nice seaside galas.

But come Saturday morning it comes to an end
To suitcase and grip they once more attend
Then they gather at train stations all down the coast
Where they swap seaside stories about what was enjoyed most.

© Joe Wilson – On holidaying in the 1970s…2016