Bedtime

Another poem for you. You might notice a theme emerging!

Bedtime
by Patrick Shortall

Arrived at the end of the day

My life feels vaguely empty

I don't know what's missing

but I don't want to sleep

Of everything that's provided for me

How can I not have enough?

Poor in every way

except the ones that show

Educated, Satisfied, Warm, Popular,

Everything I need.

Organised, not stressed

Even comfortably tired.

Like the force pushing back,

The problems shift ahead.

I now know how to wake up

But I can't get to bed.

The gentle buzz of the laptop

The busy train outside

The blaring light above me

I'm cocooned in here to hide

Fall asleep without going to bed.

The Romantic Megamix

Happy Valentine's day to you! To mark the occasion I'd like to share a playlist that I created a few years ago. It's full of romantic love songs to set the perfect mood for a date. Originally a simple idea, it quickly turned into and unwieldy project to find the perfect mix. So it is embarrassingly well researched. Although, having got caught up with the music side of it, the romantic function was somewhat forgotten and I never used it for its intended purpose. But hopefully I can pass it on and somebody might find something useful in it. 

It consists of a balance between ultra cheesy classics, some great lesser-known songs and a few personal favourites, plus some smooth jazz and instrumentals thrown in for good measure. It's probably not to hard to guess which is which, if you know anything about my music taste. The mix is divided into three 'discs', each providing more than enough background music for an evening. Each disc has a slightly different theme. They represent different levels of a relationship, increasing from first date to committed. Withing each mix there is a mix of low and high energy and also a progression from chilled out and chilled out to more... 'frisky'.

So feel free to use them in making your own romantic playlist. I would have been grateful for a list like this when I started the project. I think I've weeded out the worst of the cheesy love songs and there are a few less conventional songs that can still get people in the mood for love. And even if you don't really get the whole point of valentine's day, like me, at least you can appreciate some good music. And like love itself, sometimes we all just need a little cheese!

Poetry: Top That

Top That

by Patrick Shortall

Getting out of bed is the biggest achievement of my day

I quickly reach my peak and then slowly fade away

I open up with greatness and I close with infamy

the dark hours of the night, I hit my lows

My energy is wasted simply trying to move my head,

Every time I wake up I think I'd prefer to be dead.

After my great achievement the rest of the day is a waste

My waking days are spent looking for a challenge to replace

The simple joy of starting a day, no longer so simple.

Not even joyous, just anti-climactic, delirious.

Instead of triumph, the hours stretch out in front of me,

Like a range of mountains to be traversed, an eternal fruitless quest.

The goals of life seems trivial when compared with my desire

to diminish the struggle but increase the glory of my morning mire

I strike before the iron is hot, before it's even burning,

I envy that infernal clock, the hands are always turning.

My secret struggle of every day, my life's biggest achievement

If I'm to ever top it, I need to give up

and asleep I stay.