High noses and golden things
White linen and hidden springs
Flash hotels don't excite me at all
I like places to kick a ball
I'm here for Mel, so here we are
A fancy dinner and later a spa
Roasted marshmallows slightly burnt
They taste the best as we've all learnt
The 48-hour film competition
Always proves to be a mission
I woke up at midnight to provide some ideas
The news of our genre was met with cheers
We were given horror much to our delight
We had a creepy house to use for both nights
I helped them scheme from my bed in Peru
Then fell asleep without removing a shoe
I'm a sucker for a good pub
A cheeky pint and some grub
Boisterous and yet cosy
A barman who's a bit nosy
Belching and snorting
Men unsuccessfully courting
Wobbly legs and bouncing bellies
A dodgy door lined with Wellies
Saying goodbye is a necessary thing
When your plans change like the coming of Spring
Here goes another that caused a ripple
He only pours his shots by the triple
Charles was the one that took me in
A dirty mind and a permanent grin
He's short and sweet and I'll be sad when he's gone
The numbers are falling but life goes on
I've followed Arsenal since the days of FIFA '05
I watch them regularly (it keeps the love affair alive)
They played away in Paris - never an easy task
From the outset I thought I could taste defeat from the flask
After a bad start the boys ground out a result
To the opposition the score would have been an insult
Arsenal were dominated, but good teams find a way
That will, for now, keep the critics at bay
There's a growing unrest seeping in
A silent disquiet amongst the din
It's the dogs you see, they're barking mad
One minute they're rabid and the next minute sad
There's talk of rat poisoning on the street
That would explain why the dogs are less than upbeat
They leap out at me as I walk past
I hope it changes and changes fast
A good burger can change a life
And soothe all manner of daily strife
The Milhouse version is no exception
Always arriving to a warm reception
The avocado here simply cannot be beat
It is softer, cheaper and always available to eat
Thankfully each burger has avo in spades
I'd give the chefs exemplary grades
The Great Milhouse Beer Pong Champs
Chucho and I started off like gramps
Slow and steady, then gaining speed
An unshakeable unstoppable force indeed
The final was upon us and we could see
Our American challengers had strong pedigree
My throw wouldn't click but Chucho stepped up
Draining four in a row and we took home the cup
Those two beautiful words appeared on the screen
'File corrupted' - every editor's dream
A day of work lost in the binary abyss
Maybe my saving technique was a bit hit and miss
Up went the sleeves and a baring of teeth
Channeling the injustice simmering beneath
A kind of creative rage ensued
Words were said but they were rude
No quiero escribir hoy
Palabras no vienen porque estoy
Cansado, y no no dormi suficiente
Podria dormir ahora facilmente
Pero no, voy a escribir porque tengo que
Necesitas algo leer, esto yo se
Cuando leas esto, trata de disfrutar
Y si no entiendes, puedes llorar
Going back through footage of the trip
Watching donkey riding and Tom's courtship
Bolivia was such a ridiculous place
The salt flats resembled outer space
It was cheap and wild and mind expanding
The slower Spanish made for better understanding
A country more suited to a roaming backpack
Than a family looking for a place to kick back
A day of productivity and intense administration
I'm not seeking compliments just a gentle ovation
Ever since I wandered through Bolivia and Brasil
The path ahead materialised as I became more still
For me there is a comfort in knowing where I want to go
The daily stuff will sort itself when there's a direction to flow
Sometimes it's nice to wander, and sometimes to walk somewhere
I think wandering keeps the mind from becoming too square
Today I am a conscientious objector
I don't feel like dipping into poetic nectar
The war is not out there, it is in my mind
The material screams WRITE but I've declined
A day off work to refresh and regroup
Cold water on the face and a hot bowl of soup
I'll bounce back harder than an expert sudoku
It will sting your eyes like misplaced shampoo
I chased the ball like I'd been let out of a cage
A look of ecstasy mixed with a touch of road rage
This is what happens when I haven't played in a while
A footballer returning from an unintentional exile
The altitude softened the initial energy burst
I was shooting like both of my feet had been cursed
It felt great to play despite the scoreline
We left just as the sun forgot how to shine
My head flicks back and forth like I'm at a tennis match
The words slip like soap, too fast to catch
I'm in a room filled with Argentineans - never a good idea
Not because of the company just the verbal diarrhoea
Now I'm humming in my head, how did that song go?
Maybe I'll ask Marcus later, I'm sure he will know
Oh shit hang on, I think that question was directed at me
I dissolve back to real life and try to brandish something witty
The kiwi sense of humour is an acquired taste
Some people chew and spit out with haste
I can't get enough, especially on the big screen
A few scenes deep I'm giggling like I'm fourteen
There's an honesty to it, a deep sense of place
And a vulnerability that I think more kiwis need to embrace
Meat pies at the dairy, jandals for scorching feet
Two bucks in your pocket looking for something sweet
This evening we went to a cooking demonstration
The meal involved prawns to my frustration
You see prawns and myself used to get on quite well
Now they get a kick out of making my mouth swell
On into the next room, and a bartending class
The man lived for what he put in a glass
Flavours infused with a flurry of motion
This was an art form of some devotion
With my knee
Cycling is key
The more the merrier
I'll be back to a football terrier
This poem is short
As I have time to thwart
Round and round
The legs hound
Is there a more comforting food than pizza?
The steam swirls then reaches out and greets ya
It sits there all circular, confident and whole
It is there for a party, but equally to console
Of course there's a backlash after consumption
Most people feel it; at least that's my presumption
Gas escapes from any hole it can find
Sometimes it pays to leave a piece behind
Today a poem is not for me
It's not spilling out naturally
It's difficult to write daily, who knew
I guess I'll just have to see it through
Intention does not always equal result
I'm struggling to write and I'm at fault
Who else will jot these whimsical lines?
I appear to be a slave of my own guidelines