Little motor

The road seems endless
and I’m just a little motor
with an L plate slapped on:
You see, my name’s Carl and I’m still learning.

I’m learning how to handle
Earth’s intricacies, dichotomies,
and 7 billion oxymorons.

I’m learning that knowledge isn’t everything
and all that work that you put in
does not automatically mean you win,
unless of course you have an A star in shouting
then you my friend will go as far as the stars
because it’s he who shouts loudest
who makes the big wigs proudest.

I’m learning that I must be soft and attentive,
loving and sensitive
as long dead are the days when men were men.
I’m now allowed to let it all out,
open up,
it’s no longer healthy to keep my mouth shut.
But God forbid I fall ill
or dare get sick,
Man flu will be mocked and I’ll feel less of a bloke
as I’m told:
“Just take some drugs and man the fuck up.”

I’m learning that I can say you’re pretty
but not that she’s pretty,
unless you says she’s pretty
then I can say she’s pretty
but I mustn’t say she’s pretty too passionately
because that means I think she’s too pretty,
but then if I say she’s not pretty
when you think she is pretty
then I clearly think that you’re not pretty
because you think she’s more pretty than you.

I’m learning that if I’m the only one walking one way down a two-way street
I’m obliged to step into the road
and let the passersby go
ensuring that the thank yous and excuse mes remain strictly a one-way street.

I’m learning that the fast lanes are full
and they keep getting fuller,
with the beeps and the honks
and the backseat bonks,
yet there’s no indication of a slow lane emerging

and as I grow older
and more soft tops and sports models
shove me in to the hard shoulder
I’m learning it’s true that nice guys do finish last
but the truly great ones
are the ones that let you past.
So please, be my guest,
after you;
I gratefully accept my wooden spoon
because I like where I am
and I love my little motor;
the one with an L plate slapped on.

© Carl Burkitt 2013

The biggest cock

Getting to the moon was an arduous task,
but once they landed
the lads jumped out of the rocket
and continued showing off to the camera.

Marcus did the robot;
Joey performed one-finger push-ups
and Sid smashed out some teddy bear rolls.

Not one to be outdone,
Frank tore off his helmet
to sing some Barry White.

Back at base camp
Annabel twiddled her wedding ring
and laughed at the footage of Frank’s brain imploding.

© Carl Burkitt 2013

Above average

Dearest sister,

Have you ever met an average male human? Are they ugly? Do they have something wrong with them?

As you know I’ve always been a nervous traveller and, unlike you, have yet to leave the forest let alone jump the water, so I’ve not seen one myself.

I’ve heard rumours that some have hairy faces and backs, and that if they eat too much they let out a stench.

When Maggie went to the other side of the stream for a family holiday in the park, she said she saw one hit a female human in the face with his hand.

Apparently their hands are quite strange too. Maggie said the male human she saw had dirty, podgy fingers and that they didn’t have pretty colours on them like the female human fingers did. And once he’d finished hitting her, he gave her a cuddle and fed her bread. He didn’t even wash his fingers! We may live in a forest, but Rupert and I wash before every meal. It’s just good manners.

Not that it matters anymore.

Oh sister, how I wish you were here.

I’m sorry if it seems I only write to you with troubles, but I ask if you’ve met an average human male before because for the third time in the space of, what, two years now, I’ve lost a boyfriend to a female human. Why must their females come to our homes and steal our partners, our lovers, our soul mates? Why do they not stick to their own?

When it happened with Tod and Freddie, yes I was sad, but I got over them quite quickly. They were both rotten boys. I never felt love, affection or even a dash of commitment from them. No matter how many kids we had, I was always looking over my shoulder. I’m much better off without those two.

But Rupert? Not Rupert.

Sweet, sweet Rupert.

I can’t do without Rupert.

You never met Rupert, and for that I’ll be forever sorry. His jokes and stories would have floored you. He’s seen the world, like you, but he was happy making a home, a loving home, with me.

I’d regularly ask whether he would have preferred to keep travelling, hopping from place to place, seeing more of the world, and he’d always just snuggle up to me and whisper: “I’ve seen the world, now I have it right beside me.”

Oh sweet, sweet Rupert.

I’ll try to describe him to you but I fear my efforts will be below par, as the words of which to paint the picture of Rupert are yet to be invented.

The first thing that struck me about Rupert were his eyes. They swallowed all he saw and I soon fell into them. He had a healthy thirst for the new. That’s not to say he’d disregard the old, far from it. Rupert embraced life and intoxicated those around him.

His tongue was a thing of wonder. I wish not to get too graphic, but the things he did with it still make me tremor. The lengths to which it could stretch never failed to baffle me.

Oh sweet, sweet Rupert.

How I miss his skin, his soft, supple skin pressed against mine, his breath intoxicating me. His strong, powerful legs. I’d often just sit and stare at his legs. They gave him the spring in his step, the platform to provide food for me and my family.

And that’s what I’ll miss the most, sister: Rupert’s kindness. To me and to my children. He saw us as an extension of himself and would fight off any danger, big or small, to keep us fit and healthy. He was a great father, I’m just saddened that I never got to mother any of his own.

We’d planned to have kids, you see. We had it all figured out, until the incident took place.

It was a nice morning so Rupert and I decided to have a day out together, just the two of us. Love was very much in the air, as true as the sun was in the sky.

After a quick nibble I nestled in the grass and watched Rupert splash about in the stream. The sound of him giggling as the fish tickled his feet washed over me like a dream and I closed my eyes.

Oh sister, how I wish I never closed my eyes as when I awoke I was presented with my nightmare.

Stood in front on me was a female human. She had hair like a weeping willow, drooping down her elegant spine, with a cluster of shiny diamonds sitting on top. Her backside was just as pert as her bosom, whilst her lips, her damned lips, were pressed against those of Rupert who rested comfortably in her hand.

After a moment Rupert burst into a thousand rays of light. The glow shone like the halo that hovered above his head throughout our relationship, until he was no longer himself. He was a hundred times taller. He was a hundred miles away. The man of my dreams was now the man of the female human’s.

As they walked away, hand in hand, Rupert turned his giant, alien head my way. His eyes were different, but they swallowed me all over again as he mouthed a word I didn’t understand and then disappeared forever.

Sister, I am lost. I am green with envy and I fear for my heart.

Visit soon.

Forever yours,

Lilly P.

© Carl Burkitt 2013

Boring Haiku

“What time is it, mate?”
“It’s almost 4.45.”
“Thank you, Gregory.”

*

“What’s that over there?”
“Where abouts do you mean, Clive?” “Don’t worry. It’s gone.”

*

“Do you take sugar?”
“No, I haven’t for two months”
“Oh yeah, I knew that.”

*

John took the bins out.
John went back inside his house.
John cooked a haddock.

*

Jenny lost her keys.
She rifled through her pockets
and then found her keys.

*

“That real leather?”
“My wallet? Nah, not at all.”
“Hmm, it looks real.”

*

“I’ll have a Fosters.”
“We have no Fosters, buddy.”
“I’ll have a Carling.”

*

The black ink ran out.
Kenneth ordered some new ink.
It arrived Thursday.

*

Sally was hungry.
So too was her husband Rick,
incidentally.

*

“You cold?” asked Stephen.
Pete was chilly, but not cold.
“I’m fine thanks,” said Pete.

*

Jess got to her desk.
A post-it read: ‘call Dom please.’
Jess called; Dom was out.

*

“Where’s the Sellotape?!”
“Have you looked in the craft box?” “Nope. Ah yes, it’s there.”

*

Keith found batteries.
He removed the two old ones
and threw them away.

*

The lights were on red.
Dave queued behind a Micra.
A Rover joined them.

*

Craig stared at the cage.
The hamster drank some water
and then fell asleep.

*

“Do you guys take card?”
“We have a £5.00 limit.”
“Oh right, no worries.”

*

“Is that the right grey?”
“Looks like the right grey to me.”
“I thought so, thank you.”

*

“Where’s the MDF?”
“We’ve sold out of MDF.”
“Oh no, that’s a shame.”

*

Dan could barely see.
He went to the opticians
and got some glasses.

*

“What are your plans, Stu?”
“Dunno. Probably go to
University.”

© Carl Burkitt 2013

Sickness

Gary’s guts were swooshing about all over the place.
And his farts were gross.

His face perspired and his eyes were wired;
All he wanted was a slice of dried toast.

But Gary couldn’t move,
His legs a weak jelly mess,
Whilst his hair was all lank
from his sticky cold sweats.

He starting wishing for his mum,
Whilst clenching his bum;
He’d never felt so bad in his life.

Gary collapsed to his knees,
Looked up with little ease,
And asked Suzie if she’d be his wife.

© Carl Burkitt 2013

The truth

Cat was over the moon. He’d been living in Brighton for a few weeks now and was loving it. The sea, the culture, the people. Perfect. And to top it off, his stuffed pals, Puff and Blanky Bunny, were on their way to visit!

When the lads arrived, the real fun began. They ran around on the beach, scoffed fish and chips and gossiped about their owners – things like how cool and arty Cat’s owner was, how sexy the boyfriend of Puff’s owner was and the debilitating gas problem Blanky Bunny’s owner was suffering from – until eventually ending up in Teddy’s bar.

Cat clinked his White Russian against Puff’s Cosmopolitan and Blanky Bunny’s Carrot and Cilantro Cooler, as the trio toasted their long awaited reunion.

“Hang about,” nodded Blank Bunny. “I’d knock the stuffing out of them.”

Cat and Puff turned round to see three cuddly looking female toys staring back at them.

“Let’s join them!” said Cat.

Puff laughed, finally getting the stuffing joke.

As the boys sat down, they marvelled over the ladies’ beauty. They were in awe of Kathleen Kitty’s slinky whiskers, Ms Hippo Heart’s strong, robust legs and Princess Piggleworth’s petit snout.

“Hello,” said Blank Bunny in his sexiest voice. “Whatever factory put you together, must be earning a fortune.”

Cat winked, smoothly, while Puff picked his nose.

The ladies giggled. “Let me stop you there sweetheart,” said Ms Hippo Heart to Blanky Bunny. “We’ll happily have a drink with you guys, but that’s all that’s going to happen.”

Blanky Bunny sulked.

“OK,” said Puff, playing with his droopy ears.

Cat tutted, licked his paw and rubbed it over his head. “Why not?” he asked.

“Well…” said Kathleen Kitty, looking them up and down. “Do we really have to say it out loud?”

Cat, Puff and Blanky Bunny were taken aback. “You saying we don’t look good?” growled Blanky Bunny.

“Hmm…” said Princess Pigglesworth.

“Come on, out with it!” snapped Cat.

“Oh for Christ’s sake,” exclaimed Kathleen Kitty. “Look at you all! We’ve got a cat here, unimaginatively named Cat, that has barely any padding left inside of him and a giant hole through his throat. Your over-sized head’s being held on by about one centimetre of material and your fur is so short, coarse and rough you look like a shaven prematurely-born chimp. And you, Puff is it? I don’t even know what a Puff is! You have bright pink skin, yet wear a bright pink shirt, and incidentally no trousers. You have two big holes by your oddly long ears, thread coming out of your mouth and all of your padding has sunken down to your bottom. Frankly, you look like a human scrotum. And my word, don’t even get me started on Blank Bunny. You’re just a filthy, grubby sheet with a rabbit head sewn on the end and absolutely stink of farts. You guys clearly aren’t looked after by your owners.”

Puff’s bottom lip began to quiver as Blanky Bunny sniffed himself.

“How dare you say that,” said Cat, his eyes filling with tears. “Our owners love us. They took us to university for goodness sake!”

“Do they love you?” asked Ms Hippo Heart. “Do they *really*?”

“If they didn’t love us,” whimpered Cat, “why have they kept us for over 20 years?”

“Prolonged torture, darling,” said Princess Pigglesworth. “Really have a think about the way your owners have treated you over the last two decades and then tell us if they love you.”

All three of their minds began to whirl. Cat began to shake at the thought of the way Lauren shoves her fingers through his throat, drools on him in the night and leaves him trapped in her room filled with glue and scalpels. Puff shivered at the thought of when Beth throws him in the washing machine, despite being unable to swim or hold his breath, and then either pegs his ears with sharp wooden pegs to a washing line to dry or leaves him to burn on a radiator. Blanky Bunny vomitted at the thought of Tamsin’s long, deep and musty farts constantly directed towards his face, whilst imprisoned under her duvet.

“Sorry, boys,” said Kathleen Kitty as her and the girls got up and left.

Cat, Puff and Blanky Bunny stayed in Teddy’s bar all night, drinking their drinks in silence, re-evaluating their lives.

The next morning, Cat walked Puff and Blanky Bunny to the train station. Cat embraced his buddies with the tightest of squeezes, the kind a war veteran would give his comrades, and whispered: “Be careful”, before waving off their London-bound train.

Puff and Blanky Bunny barely said a word to each other as they nervously began their journeys back to Beth and Tamsin.

© Carl Burkitt 2013