- Saxophone Lover
- The Blue Glove
- God is the lollipop lady
- The One Night Stand
- Winning Streak
- Pounds of Pain
- Garry Hall
Saxophone Lover
Let me be your instrument
Fill me with your breath
Let me be the space
in which you take your rest
stroke me lightly
grip me firm
press every key
for this I yearn
play me soft
play me slow
like a breve
play me long and low
play summertime
and lets live easy
make it rich
make it breezy
play me black
yellow, navy
play me red
drive me crazy
play me green
any tone, any hue
but never, ever
play me blue
raise me high
swing me low
close your eyes
let it blow
take your bow
when we’re through
hold me close
close to you
© Predencia Gabbidon 7/12/06
The Blue Glove
It’s autumn again and the rain
is lashing against the window.
You promised to help with the leaves
but it’s too wet.
We sit playing Scrabble – waiting.
The blue glove on the floor is still dirty.
The other hand’s been long lost
but it’s the only one you’ll wear.
When you go to make a cup of tea
I see with blinding clarity
how it’s going to be when you’re gone.
This is your last week with me.
It’s all gone by so quickly.
I wonder if you’ll be back before Christmas.
When you come back with the tea
we sit and play Scrabble – waiting.
© Predencia Gabbidon 3/10/06
God is the Lollipop Lady
God is the lollipop lady.
The semaphore expert
in the day glo yellow suit.
God has the power to stop me
dead
in my tracks
To pay no heed to my need for speed.
God doesn’t care if I’m late
Doesn’t care
about my final verbal warning.
God raises her hand, her sign says
STOP!
Thou shalt not pass
Thou shalt not go
Thou shalt wait till the woman with the pram and the two snails for children pick up the teddy bear they drop three times as they cross.
Thou shalt wait till the two mothers dawdling ten yards down the road saunter up, have a little chat and idly drift to the other side.
God’s face says
‘I care not if you fret and fume
Nor do I care for your suggestive gestures’
Her piercing gaze says
‘I am the controller of your time
and destiny
I am all powerful, I am almighty.
© Predencia Gabbidon 2004
The One Night Stand
Next time I’ll be more reserved
Keep him waiting, hanging on
Be a little less willing to serve
I’ll take my time, hold my nerve
Make him think I am the one
Next time I’ll be more reserved
Not so keen to display my curves
Something less tight on my bum
Be a little less willing to serve
Won’t wear black but pink or mauve
Put a bit less make up on
Next time I’ll be more reserved
I’ll ask for wine and hope he learns
That sipping too can be fun
Be a little less willing to serve
I’ll say wait, go slow, that hurts
Won’t feel so dirty when he’s gone
Next time I’ll be more reserved
Be a little less willing to serve
© Predencia Gabbidon 26/3/07
Winning Streak
Marriage is a race and when you begin
The objective is to finish, for both to win
To get to the end, to finish the course
Riding side by side on a separate horse
Seventeen years later you’re still together
Loving each other now more than ever
Through light and dark through thick and thin
Always you remembered the objective was to win
Along the way you encountered many hurdles
But just kept going leaping over any troubles
Through soft and firm, sunshine, sleet, rain and wind
Your focus was always to get there, to win
And when sometimes the fences you hit
And you wanted to give in to say oh bother
You’d force a laugh, a smile, a grin
And remember the objective was to win
When childcare difficulties you had to ponder
You kept looking forward to all the days yonder
Beyond sleepless nights, nappies, bibs and pins
Because you knew on day you would win
And then there were the teenage years
Enough to give anyone grey hairs
But with love, care and a nip of gin
You said ‘we can get through- we can win
Other times when the going got tough
Your vows you recalled - take the smooth with the rough
It’s what you said at the start way back then
Let’s enjoy the journey ‘cause the goal is to win
So here you are seventeen years on
Some may have doubted you would last this long
Congratulations, be proud you’re far from ruin
We’ll be cheering you all the way – you are winning
Three cheers for Len and Gwen Hip Hip Hurray………..Hip Hip Hurray
Hip Hip Hurray
© Predencia Gabbidon 2007
Pounds of Pain
Food is my new lover; I’m eating now for two
Eating to dull the pain, eating for me and for you
Wrap my lips round éclairs, stuff the sausages in
Licking honey from teaspoons, aint no way to get thin
The fridge is a magnet, draws me in against my will
Double sticky toffee pudding, aint no way to get thin
Bowls of crisp raw salad, aint such a wicked sin
Go untouched to the bin, aint no way to get thin
I wasn’t fat before you left, was more secure within
Taking comfort in food, aint no way to get thin
Aint no way to get thin
Aint no way to get thin
Look at the state I’m in
Aint no way to get thin
Every needless mouthful is filled with loathing blame
It’s not the food I crave It’s to be with you again
But that’s not what you want, you made that very plain
Now I’ve lost you, all I need is to loose these pounds of pain
To loose these pounds of pain
To loose these pounds of pain
Now I’ve lost you all I need
Is to loose these pounds of pain.
© Predencia Gabbidon 20/11/06
Garry Hall
Who would believe it’s been 50 years already
Since you popped your head out, looked around and said
I think I’ll stay here, pace myself, take it nice and steady
That’s 18250 days of getting up and going to bed
You’ve never been one to hog the limelight
Preferring to support others from behind
No desire to flex your muscles, show your might
Cause you know you have quiet strength inside
But a few beans are going to be spilt tonight
To give us a little more flavour of Garry Hall
Give us all just a little more insight
Of why so many have turned out for this ball
Who know for instance that Garry’s afraid of heights?
He can think of nothing that would be sadder
Than being invited to see the local sights
Perched on the top of a very tall ladder?
They tell me you’ve got a passion for cars
Is an avid watcher of the show ‘Top Gear’
That you frequently go a hundred miles round corners
But mostly from the comfort of your armchair
Your passion for cars is in no way a match
For your passion to keep old Jamaican ways going
Every week you pull out from your vast stash
A word, a phrase, or some obscure saying
Every week you cook a Jamaican feast
Soup on Saturday on Sunday rice and peas
And you certainly don’t need a cook book
To knock up the best pig tail and cow foot
You’re always willing to let every one try
Some of those long forgotten dish
Anything baked, steamed, roasted, barbequed or fried
But you still can’t master the Escovished fish
Hey Garry, you’re still holding it together
Still going to the gym, trying to keep fit
But there’s now more sit downs between the press ups
And a few more inches round the midriff
We’re not saying you’re going downhill
Simply that the pace has slowed a little
For a man your age you’re doing pretty well
Just don’t move too suddenly when you reach for the pickle
So many people at your age take up a new hobby
Something more gentle on the bones, hips and shins
Your gardening’s great, you love that already
But maybe now’s a good time to learn to swim
It’s never too late to learn to love the water
To inch out from the beach, ride the crest of the wave
But when you’re out there having fun and laughter
Be careful – mind you don’t run into JAWS
There’s nothing wrong with modern technology
Nothing wrong with Sat Nav, Blue Tooth and such
Except when it comes to using them navigationally
Garry prefers to rely on his tried and tested maps
Why waste all those skills he learnt in the army
Where he spent some of the best days of his life
Some might think that he’s completely barmy
But he thinks maps and A-Zs cause less strife
You’ve a few years yet, a long way to go
Before hanging up your dancing shoes
Music’s in your blood, especially calypso
When you hear it you have to get on the floor
But can you still stay on the floor all night
Or do you find you get too HOT HOT HOT
Can you still glide to the left, bend to the right
Or do you have to now march on the spot?
Now would be a good time to show friends and family
Whether your feet are still as swift and nifty
Show all the people who share in this homily
Just what you can do now you’ve hit the big fifty
Happy Birthday Garry
© Predencia Gabbidon 7/6/07