What makes a piece of writing a poem ?

If there isn't any rhymme or at least repeating rhythm

it's just pretentious shredded prose and not a proper poem.

I went to brush away down on the wall

a piece of debris, I don't know what -

some bit of fabric, some wool ball

but before I could touch it I suddenly got

a shock when a largish spider appeared

beside the thing as  if out of nowhere.

Now I quite like spiders; they're not to be feared

though I know they give some folks a scare

so I didn't do it any harm at all

and assume it just went back to its nest.

But now I also protect that web ball

and in that corner give the vacuum a rest.

TWEETS 28

 CIVILISATION

Better to be admired for the number of goals you've scored

than for the number of men you've killed.

GIRL

The face of the moon

causing heat of the sun.

PRETTY  WOMEN

I go to the gym and pose

hoping for pretty women;

I go to the disco and carp

watching the pretty women;

I go to the band night to dance

and partner pretty women.

APOSTASY

Itching to get away

I abjured tanning skin

seceded from sun worship.

Quite often at local band nights and discos

a young man mixes with just us old churls

so it made my evening when yesterday

he left hand in hand with a girl.

UK A66 car crash

Did they want to kill police

seeing it as some video game ?

No sympathy for stupidity

but pity for the blame.

Why does it have to be so difficult - dying ?

Why does it have to be such a grind

trailing the trials of sad old age,

impaired mobility of body and mind

foiling escape from life's prison cage ?

With hearing failing, sinusitis,

regardless whether pleb or royal,

limbs being tortured by arthritis

pain encouraging quick withdrawal.

And dreading some sort of cancer or stroke

leaving one incapacitated,

an animal vegetable bitter joke,

living but incarcerated.

Why not some sort of fixed term contract

knowing in advance when we're going to die

but staying healthy till the final act ?

Come on, God, let's give it a try !

HOARDER

For some decades I hoarded things

that must be useful before long

but the passing of decades brings

the realisation I was wrong.