and to those interesting moments
be suspects misspent
on a small detour
not scared horses 
inter-lonely
haunted by hauntings
by the thought of what I'd say
if I said what I'd wanted to say
I wouldn't mind to rediscover 
you in torn-out pages 
resolved and conclusive
this story isn't too clever
and the subtitles are badly translated

and to those melancholy forks
that keep their call
come back come back
as at the curtain not-quite drawn
I spy
this time is ecstasy
and we are lost, maybe
staring from different carriages
to the view
we should not meet at our destination
but if we do
I'll make my excuses
you make yours

Sincerely,

——
with Tom Rosenthal playing piano, from my book TENDER TO MISTRAL, which is available in Amsterdam from San Serriffe and Sam de Groot

and to those interesting moments

Everyone has a Dermot O’Leary story
Some moment London throws at you
Mine?
was Outside Brixton Market
He was having dinner 
At Fish Wings and Tings

SIX Everyone Has A Dermot O'Leary Story

I’ve been having the strongest memories
Of bars in Amsterdam lately
The tiled floor of Nagel
Closing time fights in Diepte
Nights drunk and inevitably ending 
At Korsakoff's 
In Nostalgia and never forgetting
Bars that closed 5 10 15 years ago
Sold for homes
Shut down by the city
Converted to more respectable establishments
Sacred sites and ancient burial grounds for youth

SEVEN

Timespanning
Life’s worship
Our five year plans
For a slice
A piece of the pie
Everybody wants
Their late summer
The shortest day
Was that really ten years ago
She begins
It seems like it was only
she  stops

EIGHT

The finished film
Screened once or twice
But it Never got a release
Isn’t that just 
A life
We arrive late
We wait
Our fate Is it sitting on my hard drive

NINE

WILKO
Waiting
At the help and advice desk
Help and advice
Noah and the Whale
L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.
Plays in the background
As I wait
I wait too long
The shop assistant returns
the news won’t be good
“I’m sorry, sir,” she begins

TEN Wilko Help & Advice Desk

Our father who art in heaven 
Cliff Richard’s Millennium Prayer was denied Christmas number 1 by Westlife

Hallowed be thy name

We were terrified then
The Millennium Bug
Nostradamus 
Magic Eye
Marilyn Manson

Thy kingdom come 
Thy will be done

He couldn’t hold on to the top of the pops, one more number one would have given Cliff a string of hits every decade since the 50s

I did my bit
Bought the cassette single for my nana but it wasn’t enough

On earth as in heaven

ELEVEN Cliff Richard's Millennium Prayer

Wahey
A call afar
Wahey
Peters out
Pints pubs
Do i recognise your voice
Echoes 
under bridges
Are you an interlude
And the plastic opportunities
Barrel chested fathers
Mr Lovely
And the blue bluest 
Fairground water
Swan dives
Distinct offerings
Wahey
What are you after

TWELVE Wahey

2 submerged romantics
Talk money
I lie
No one listens
Finally a fantasy 
Borrowed from
Books
Whatsapps from your mum
Chimneys devil boxsets
Any takers
Anyone
Eyond The shores of England
Ketchup-coloured lipstick
Crowns crowned
Clowns news of the titles
Books 
Suburb 
bound In silence
Let’s get married
More Silence

THIRTEEN

Happy border
names lost
Happy esso garages
When there is not 
another night
sigh
Stringulped confounded englishman
How do you like your eggs
Night drive
Brake Lights
Joy division
When I was young
When young was i 
I was young when
We improvised
caught sight of myself
invisible
love
You were ancient
When i was 20 
on A walking tour of 
Drunk goodbyes
Reachable
Mistaken
Ruffles on men
smoke
Bus stops 
Tescos
You always could spin 
A yarn

FOURTEEN

The soundtrack from a short film about the FOCUS Atlas Gravel Bike made by Cut Media. Check out the film here: https://youtu.be/C9N-R73HBug

Once  
Twice 
A few times in a life 
I take a ride 
To get lost in real time 
Never to choose 
Which way’s right 
Made to lose sight of the apps, facts, stack of tasks at hand 
I draw a line on all that 
Draw lines in the sand 
On the beach a sea breeze 
Savour these  
Daydreaming days  
In a daze 
Made to lose track of the time 
Deadlines 
Meanwhile 
Overtaken by a smile 
In search of wide open spaces 
An escapist 
Lose the phone 
Stop the clocks 
I am trying to get lose 
And yet  
To get 
Left behind 
Made to lose to find myself  
Lost and losing 
Lots of loose ends 
Loosening their grip 
Let go 
Let slip 
Lose control 
Lose the stress 
Lose yourself 
Because it is what it is and it is 
Made to lose

Paul Haworth

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