I’ve counted it thrice
And checked for mice
Gnawing their way
Through my job security
I’ve asked him to make sure
His intentions were pure
Not untrusted and dirty
He agreed; thirty
I’ve accused them all
Made them feel small
Like an ant or a coin
Considered kicking his groin
I’ve caught him in the till
Seeking his thrill
Watched his cheeks glower
As I basked in my power.
–Little Ginge x
Teach they said
It’ll be fun
Little did they know
How difficult it could be
To cram all this stuff
Into tiny little heads;
Well I’ve toiled and I’ve toiled
Till they’ve made my blood boil
But I think some of them are finally getting it
And it’s starting to stick
That a sentence needs a full stop
And a decimal needs a dot
History happened a long time ago
And mindfulness is about breathing slow
Science began with a big bang
And music is more than a simple twang
English gives them a voice
And actions always have a choice
But seeing my class succeed and smile
Makes all the stress extremely worthwhile.
–Little Ginge x
I don’t want butterflies, I want calm
To crest still waters in a rowing boat
Gently toing back and froing back to shores
The oars tucked safely in the hull
I don’t want theatrics, I want a Sunday night routine
Hot chocolate and a tame film
Packed lunches nestling neatly in the fridge
Alarms set for the Monday doom ahead
I don’t want an action man, I want you
A man who threatens to use his fists but politely nods instead
Who needs two pairs of socks come November snows
Who doesn’t feel belittled when I’m not opening my legs.
–Little Ginge x
Arrogance personified
No surprises his colour was orange
Loud, proud and a warning signal
The forked tongue another
Nobody saw the pointed tail,
tucked down the seat of his pants
Nor the curved horns underneath
a crop of candyfloss hair
But only those who would listen
could hear his rallying cry,
‘Send your sons and daughters to slaughter,
for my ego has forged a battlefield,
and the words I spoke with my sword,
created a hole your sacrifice will fix’
His minions rejoiced perched up high,
on an imaginary wall built from deceit,
brick by brick, lie by lie,
crumbling from the inside.
–Little Ginge x
I was going to be a poet
I was going to write our story
I was going to write so many things
But then the tears stopped flowing.
–Little Ginge x
This is a record of my life
And sadly, every word is for you
Yet you’re not mine
Just as the song suggests
You were too much of a good thing
A dessert for every moment
I’ve always had a sweet tooth
And carried a few extra pounds
In this case it was you
So I brought you along for the ride
I dragged you along
Adding bits to you along the way
Like a bag of candy to the counter
Only to be told I couldn’t pay the price
But I wouldn’t pick bits to be tossed
I wanted the whole bag
So they snatched you away
And put you back piece by piece
You’re the pudding I never got
A taste I can only dream of
The sweet taste of candy
Melting on my tongue.
–Little Ginge x
He pushes every button
Except the ones he should
Making every conceivable mistake
In a quest to win her heart
It is not the way, faulty prince
He winds her up like a clock
But in the opposite direction
The countdown to fury begins
It is an explosion he is after
Of a very different sort
He dances across her nerves
As skilfully as a performer
Unaware of the trip wire lurking
With expectations to win her trust
By pressing the detonator.
–Little Ginge x
He knew he was a thief
He’d filched all his life
Taken all that wasn’t his
and led a life of deceit
Sweets from the pick and mix
Leaves from the reach of his pushchair
Toys he felt he needed and
ones he really didn’t
Collectibles that were duplicates
Petty cash from family members
Even one or two virginities
poached with a chastened kiss
and jobs just for a laugh
But he’d really gone and done it this time
He had stolen her heart
and that was something you couldn’t return
No matter how hard you try.
–Little Ginge x
He died from natural causes
For taking one too many pauses
He sat a while and thought
Like a fly in a web; caught
Had he lived his whole life wrong?
Never occurred to him to bring someone along
There was a girl that he benched
And he left her heart wrenched
Then he just keeled over
Dying in a patch of clover.
–Little Ginge x
Little bird flew away
to return another day
Soaring towards the light
never did she say goodnight
Little bird sang a song
and gathered quite a throng
A melody with notes so pure
it left listeners most unsure
Little bird came back
now with feathers jet black
Turned out distance was the answer
but they were no longer taking chances.
–Little Ginge x
Gingers Appellations 