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Maddy's Poems

These poems were published in tour programme from 1993/94

Change

He was a lovely drunk
He laughed, and made everyone else laugh
People were drawn to him, like a magnet
They told stories of his exploits
His outrageousness
His lunatic pranks, and wild excesses
He was a late night festival of fun
But quietly in the cold light of day
His friends would shake their heads
And prophesy dire consequences
If he didn't stop drinking
Suddenly one day he went on the wagon
Sobered up, fought the good fight
Struggled with himself
Went through agonies of doubt and depression
Then finally rose victorious from the ashes
He's happier with himself, his work fulfils him
He doesn't need to go out much anymore
Now his friends shake their heads
And reminisce about what fun he used to be

If Only

If we could live on dock leaves
Our future would be secure
If plastic bags were money
We would never be poor
If we could just eat paper
and on it alone could exist
We could all be fed by circulars
From some computer list
If rust was prized like mercury
And oil valued like gold
Our car would be a precious thing
And then it could be sold
If swear words were compliments
The world would be full of charmers
If manure were as dear as perfume
The world would be full of farmers

Ecosystem

"I've heard it said, I've seen and read
We're host to millions of bugs
Things with lots and lots of legs
And things that move like slugs
They're in your eyelashes, under your nails
In the crevice of your nose
Some wriggle and run in your tum
And some live between your toes
It seems to me there's as many bugs on me
As there are people on the globe
Each a tiny little bacteria
Or a microscopic microbe
Even the thought of them makes me squirm
And scratch deep in my hair
It's funny to think that all these years
They've been there
And yet I find it charming
That so many bugs love me
For how can I be lonely
With so much company?

Change
He was a lovely drunk He laughed, and made everyone else laugh People were drawn to him, like a magnet They told stories of his exploits His outrageousness His lunatic pranks, and wild excesses He was a late night festival of fun But quietly in the cold light of day His friends would shake their heads And prophesy dire consequences If he didn't stop drinking	Suddenly one day he went on the wagon Sobered up, fought the good fight Struggled with himself Went through agonies of doubt and depression Then finally rose victorious from the ashes He's happier with himself, his work fulfils him He doesn't need to go out much anymore Now his friends shake their heads And reminisce about what fun he used to be
If Only
If we could live on dock leaves Our future would be secure If plastic bags were money We would never be poor If we could just eat paper and on it alone could exist We could all be fed by circulars From some computer list	If rust was prized like mercury And oil valued like gold Our car would be a precious thing And then it could be sold If swear words were compliments The world would be full of charmers If manure were as dear as perfume The world would be full of farmers
Ecosystem
"I've heard it said, I've seen and read We're host to millions of bugs Things with lots and lots of legs And things that move like slugs They're in your eyelashes, under your nails In the crevice of your nose Some wriggle and run in your tum And some live between your toes It seems to me there's as many bugs on me As there are people on the globe Each a tiny little bacteria Or a microscopic microbe	Even the thought of them makes me squirm And scratch deep in my hair It's funny to think that all these years They've been there And yet I find it charming That so many bugs love me For how can I be lonely With so much company?