The

Burbling Anthology

Poems and Odes

by The “Non - Creative” Wizard

The Burbling Anthology

Poems and Odes by

The “non creative” Wizard

Foreword

“The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your in-tuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself.” - Alan Alda

This collection has been compiled as a follow up to “Is That Poet-ery Art?”

by the same author.

Several years ago the author was in conversation about creative people with

a work colleague when the immortal words were uttered “of course you are

not a creative……”

Had I had my Book of Shadows or my Grimoire to hand then he could have

been joining the colony of mice that share the space with us.

However, despite the permanent injury that those thoughtless words caused,

I stoically followed the path of “a creative” allowing this book, my other

books, my music and my photography to continually bear witness to the fact

that I am a creative person.

So There Mr Colleague!

The burblings contained within these pages are just a collection of random

thoughts and ideas that popped into my head. Some are whimisical, others

are serious but certainly they are all written without malice or any desire to

cause anyone offence, injury or even perhaps have their legs fall off!

Merlin (aka Dave Baxter M.A.S.C. life coach)

©2015 moonshadow media productions

Contents

01. Ode To A Bin Bag

02. The Serpents

03. The Longest Night

04. The Hospital Cardigan

05. Transparent Butterfly Wings

06. The Spirit Of Yule

07. The Siren’s Sound

08. Autumn Dew

09. Malvolia

10. Do You Feel It?

11. Girls And Guys

12. The Dime Bar Kid

13. The Raven’s Kiss

14. Beyond The Veil…..

15. The Moon And I

16. The Vodka Vixens

17. Lost On Both Sides Of The Paper

18. Mr Grey Will See You Now

19. Pendle Melody

20. Much Burbling

21. The Lilac Panda

22. Circus Of Marbles

23. Does Anyone Live Here?

24. Life In Counterfeit Motion

25. The Grass Growing Society

26. The Bucket List

27. The Goddess Moon

28. Awesome Alliteration

29. Good Night, Sleep Tight

01 Ode To A Bin Bag

Crinkly bag of plastic

Sitting on the floor

Holds the household rubbish

'til put outside the door

The secrets of the bin bag

Are much to dark to tell

Unless you are a council spy

Who digs the awful smell

02 The Serpents

The serpents were waiting

In a corner quite dark

Sitting and planning

To pounce on their mark

Demeanour of vehemence

They sit and they scheme

The downfall of innocence

The lambs in the field

They hissed and they slavered

They slithered around

But at time appointed

They made not a sound

They crept up behind him

And struck one two three

But the lamb kept on standing

No weakling was he

He fought back with courage

Surviving the fray

His friends rallied round and

The snakes went away

Back to their corner and

Whispering ways

To plotting and scheming

And new venom days

One smiled oh so sweetly

And said "was not me"

"I stopped in the corner

And looked far away"

And so as this story

Draws close to its end

Beware of the serpents

Who say "be my friend"

03 The Longest Night

The longest night returns anew

With howling wind and falling snow

Coldness numbs the fingertips

It is the time of Wintersmith

Lanterns glow behind closed doors

Fireplace crackles keep us warm

Snowflakes drifting to the ground

From the garden comes a sound

Who is walking through this night

Who is hiding from plain sight

Elven footprints on the floor

The Holly King is at the door

Welcome, welcome come inside

Will you sit with us a while?

Wine or whiskey, beast or fowl?

A Royal visit makes us proud

Yet time stands still for ne'er a man

The wheel is turning once again

Days increasing oh so little

'Til the Kings are locked in battle

But let's not think on this just now

And celebrate this Solstice night

With wine and gifts and company

Let's sing and dance and merrie be!

*(set to music and recorded by Whyte Raven 2014)

04 The Hospital Cardigan

Never mind what people say

At any time of night or day

Always waiting by the door

Ever ready, that's for sure

It was a regal shade of blue

A colour not for me or you

But worn so easy on your back

You never changed your way or tack

You knew before the phone call came

Somehow a trigger in your brain

Set your senses on the edge

Ready for the journey hence

No matter what the day or hour

The garment wrapped you in its power

As wife or mother, friend or nan

You donned that famous cardigan

You wore it every single trip

Sometimes fastened near the hip

You kept a hanky in the pocket

Heaven cursed if you forgot it

So indeed it stood us proud

We knew you'd come when time allowed

Broken, battered, bruised again

Here comes the famous cardigan

Where is it now, I cannot tell

When you left it went as well

No more illness will it see

No more trips to A and E

But I thank you from my heart

For being there when times were hard

I often wish I'd see again

The faithful old blue cardigan

05 Transparent Butterfly Wings

The other day a friend of mine

A picture sent to me

She said I'll donate 50 quid if you can plainly see.....

A sight not there but yet it is

For everyone to see

So when you find it let me know and your reward shall be

I looked so hard a strange request!

My eyeballs fell apart

But fifty quid is fifty quid and so I made a start

A picture showing nothing there

What have I got to see?

I asked the question and she said "It's nowt to do with me"

For days I looked, and then some more

An ache within my head

Looking hard my ears were numb and so I went to bed

I settled down for forty winks or maybe fifty three

And hours turned into days

The strangest thought occurred to me, a revelation made

Closer looking, closer still

I spotted something there

A line so fine and then one more just like a human hair

My heart was singing very loud

And soaring to the sky

I saw the thing that was not there, a wingless butterfly

A butterfly, transparent wings

For all the world to see

And yet you'll miss it every time, unless you think like me

The fifty pounds? I set it free

I let it soar and sing

There's something greater in the world, transparent butterfly wings

06 The Spirit of Yule

Deep in a forest on the edge of a lake

An old man is silent, decisions to take

He ponders a question yet he is no fool

How can he harness The Spirit of Yule?

People have left him to age day by day

His children deciding to move far away

And so he is asking because he's no fool

"How can I harness the Spirit of Yule?"

Alone in his lifetime his friends passed away

Summerlands' calling but just not today

The answer is somewhere, he knows he's no fool

The answer to harness the Spirit of Yule.

He suddenly wakens with thoughts rushing in

His eyes are wide open and seeing again

Dawning, enlightening no way he's a fool

He knows how to harness the Spirit of Yule.

The day is the shortest and life starts again

The spring round the corner goodbye to the rain

The new sense of life tells him he is no fool

He's now understanding the Spirit of Yule

Rejoice in The Goddess, Rejoice in The God

Rejoice in the snow and Rejoice in the rain

Give of your heart and believe you're no fool

And then you can enter The Spirit Of Yule.

* (set to music and recorded /released by Celia Farran 2014)

07 The Siren's Sound

Just the other morning

While standing in my room

The day was almost dawning

I heard a plaintive tune

The window started shaking

As music filled the air

I felt my heart was breaking

My mind in pure despair

I looked inside the wardrobe

To see if she was there

But all that I discovered

Was brightly coloured air

I looked under the carpet

To see if she was there

And all that I uncovered

Were wooden floorboards bare

The mystery was growing

The music all around

My mind was fairly spinning With that mysterious sound

My head and ears were aching

My feet had left the ground

Electric air was sparking

I'd heard the Siren's sound

So in my head, confusion

What reason could there be?

And then, no more illusion

I live beside the sea

08 Autumn Dew

Dancing tree tops green of hue

Framed against a sky so blue

Herald autumn's falling dew

Shorter days return anew

Northern winds they bring a chill

And longer nights a bitter pill

Drivers need to use great skill

Frosty roads a test of will

Hearth and fire will keep us warm

Safe from windy rain and storm

Once dead spirits are reborn

As Samhain celebrations dawn

The veil is thin and once again

It can be said that folk are Fayne

To be without the mortal pain

And reunite the family name

But all too soon the night must end

The Wintersmith becomes our friend

Till Beltane brings about his end

And summer dancers round the bend

09 Malvolia

Dripping poison's venom

Sitting in your chair

Plucking hateful phrases

From the fetid air

You cannot help but target

Those you consider prey

And yet it stands to reason

These dogs will have their day

How anyone can like you

Is really very strange

They do not see behind the mask

The misery you make

Your evil wicked vengeance

You reap with poisoned words

And one day when you're older

A fate will be conferred

The clock is ticking downwards

Your countdown has begun

Days of scorn are running out

The judgement day will come

10 Do You Feel It?

Tell me do you feel it?

Building everywhere

The beauty of the forest

The magick in the air

Listen with your eyeballs

Hear the things you see

The symphony of autumn

With colours dancing free

Then winter falls upon us

Jack Frost he makes us cold

The whiteness of the Wintersmith

Spreading out so bold

And as we reach Ostara

The sun begins to climb

Days are getting warmer

Much greenery we find

And so we meet the summer days

The wheel has turned again

Dancing in the warmer air

Rejoicing when it rains

And as we turn full circle

The harvest gathered in

And thinking of our Mother Earth

The cycle starts again

11 Girls And Guys

It really doesn't seem that fair

That girls get dresses, shiny hair

Silks and sequins, bows and lace

Soft skin, curves and pretty face

And yet a guy get things so tough

Leathern skin his hands are rough

Drab and dull the colours are

And then he buys a red sports car

But sometimes nature has a giggle

A guy who has a girly wiggle

She puts a sail upon a bike

A challenge to the stereotype

12 The Dime Bar Kid

John and Paul got in a fix

They tangled with some bigger kids

Teased and picked on they would be

Day and night, including tea

Then one day they had a break

A hero came at half past eight

He came around to sort it out

Look at him, has he got clout?

"Now then lads it seems to be

The problem here is lack of tea"

Paul and John looked all a fluster

Was this the best that he could muster?

The stranger who was very hard

Smiled and said "let's make a start"

He called the bullies to the table

Said "sit down where you are able"

"I do believe we have an issue"

"And so let's get the girls to kiss you"

Faces drain, they start to panic

Screaming like a mad mechanic

They ran away to mum and dad

Saying that they weren't that bad

Did you see what he just did?

He really is the Dime Bar Kid!

13 The Raven's Kiss

The Raven's Kiss is a dance in the moonlight

Dark as the sky on the blackest of nights

Once you have tasted the feelings of pleasure

Never again will you want to let go

She rises above on her wings of pure midnight

Above to the heavens and far out of sight

She takes you to places you never could dream of

And never again will you want to let go

Moon shadows herald the first light of dawning

Clear as the Dew in the mists of the morn’

The kiss on your cheek has the touch of a feather

Never again will you want her to go

But soon she will leave you for now and for always

With dreams you'll remember for all of your days

The Raven has kissed you, you'll always remember

Deep in your heart you will never let go

14 Beyond The Veil.....

A glint of sunlight through the trees

Magick myst and budding leaves

Reaching upwards, touch the sky

Colours dance where dragons fly

The lazy brook meanders round

This sacred copse where can be found

A sense of wonder and of awe

Behind the awesome Unicorn

She stands with Magick at her feet

No gentler vision to be seen

Where dancing trees kiss grassy knoll

The Land of Fae is to behold

Such beauty, very rarely seen

And mortal man may only dream

Of wonders that can happen there

Beyond the veil of mystic air

And as the dawn moves into day

The Land of Fae moves far away

The Unicorn has left behind

An image etched upon your mind

A picture paints a thousand words

But words create a great deal more

Did you see upon that day

The Unicorn and Land of Fae?

15 The Moon And I

A silver orb, a jet black sky

She watches o'er with Goddess eye

She helps the tides to ebb and flow

Affects more things than e'er we know

Her power so awesome we can't tell

Affects not you but me as well

But nothing here like moon and June

To show the link twixt me and moon

And so I speak of no such thing

But say she helps my heart to sing

And regular she runs her course

From dark to full on every shore

Yet Moon and I we share a bond

Of mortal being and Goddess strong

And as her power Is drawing down

I feel the Crescent on my brow

The pale glow fills me to the core

I feel Her presence, drawing more

A sense of deep and awesome power

When nothing beats this blessed hour.

16 The Vodka Vixens

The almond flavoured liquid

Sat quietly on the shelf

A bottle to be savoured

And drunk all by myself

It was a Christmas present

Wrapped up in colours gay

A gift from up the mountain

To savour every day

But then the Vodka Vixens

Not having drunk their fill

Searched out the treasured bottle

And emptied that as well

The moral of this story

This epic tale of woe

Never leave your bottle

Where vodka vixens go

17 Lost On Both Sides Of The Paper

When I awoke this morning I knew not where I was

In a children's story or in the land of Oz

The story books had told me to take a few days off

Go have yourself a party, play conkers with the dog

So here I am, not knowing if the world is flat or round

Nor if my ears are waking to the voice of Plymouth sound

The mixed up congregation sing rap songs by my bed

Can you really sing a rap or is the music dead?

But there is more confusion, more words to boil my brain

If two things are quite different how can they be the same?

Supermarket trolleys packed with things galore

This one's full of e- numbers but fresh ones harbour spores

So boil your cooking daily and sterilise your bath

And if you read instructions then,"you can do the math"

The English talk American with tongues inside their head

I think I'll just forget it, and go back to my bed

c2015 Dave Baxter (or am I?)

18 Mr Grey Will See You Now!

The tension slowly mounting

She feels it in the air

The clothing wraps her body

And yet her skin feels bare

She knows her heart is pounding

She feels it everywhere

The atmosphere electric

While waiting in her chair

Her thoughts are wildly racing

She senses feeling there

The great anticipation

She tingles everywhere

The prim and perfect lady

Her voice so soft and low

The telephone is ringing

“Mr Grey will see you now!”

19 Pendle Melody

The Demdikes and The Chattoxes

In Pendle Forest lived

The were two evil families

The village people said

A pedlar man was walking

Across Great Pendle Hill

To market he was going

His pots and pans to sell

Mistress Davies he espied

A-talking to Jim Crow

She on him a curse did place

And caused his mind to blow

So a witch hunt was begun

To put his mind at rest

The Demdikes and The Chattoxes

Not one of them was left

The all were hung on Pendle Hill

With Mistress Nutter too

That was back in 1612

But they still reign save two.

20 Much Burbling

Much Burbling is a pretty place

Beside the River Yeow

It holds a party every day

In the back room at The Cow

The pillagers sow fields of rape

To see them through the year

And if the pub is running dry

They bring their home brewed beer

The landlord's Mr Teddy Lear

A witty raconteur

He has us laughing through the night

And keeps us plied with beer

With music by Obsiddy Anne

She really is the best

And when it's time for singing out

She gets it off her chest

And every village has a fool

In that we do not differ

Our candidate is Julie Phyll

The daughter of the vicar

So here in Burbling we have fun

And parties by the score

We may not have a money tree

But we are never poor

21 The Lilac Panda

I met a friend the other day,

A lady friend of old

We swapped a bit of history

And then a tale she told

That many many years ago

When spirits were quite down

She took a brave decision

To visit China Town

A grand old dam of ninety three

All wrinkled skin and teeth

Invited her to sample

A treatment for her feet

She sat upon a wooden chair

And rolled her stockings down

The older Chinese lady

Began to wear a frown.

Her broken English faltered

She tried so hard to say

That all her corns and bunions

Could soon be on their way

She rummaged through a cupboard

And then with joyous sigh

She turned to look at Elspeth

A twinkle in her eye

Her hand held forth a panda

With white and lilac fur

She could not help but notice

Her spirits start to fly

“Take her” said the lady

“And keep her by your side

The Lilac Panda’s blessings

Will help you bye and bye”

22 Circus Of Marbles

The colours of glass are distracting the eye

Higher and higher the daring ones fly

Causing the oohs and the ahhs of delight

From bystanders watching the magical sight

The dance on the ground is of delicate grace

As watchers look on with huge smiles on each face

Daring and skill mix with talent and knack

Until every challenge is beaten right back

But yet this performance must draw to a close

Mothers are calling the stars to their homes

Same time tomorrow we'll do it again

As long as the sun shines and it doesn't rain

How distant this memory from life of today

When scrambling around was the essence of play

Simple the pleasure of being out with friends

Not sitting hypnosis with monsters for friends

23 Does Anyone Live Here?

The darkness of a summer's night

The stillness of warm air

And as I stood upon the track

I sensed the mystery there

I felt your arms around me close

But could not see your face

And then the rope around my wrists

Held them firm in place

You led me down a rough made road

With rubble underfoot

I could not see a single thing

But heard an owl's hoot

"Stop!" you whispered "here we are"

And much to my surprise

The blindfold dropping from my face

I focused blinking eyes

A mansion dark against the sky

It held no sense of fear

I tried to loosen off my bonds

"Does anyone live here?"

You chuckle softly in the dark

"oh no my dear just me”.

“I bought it as a birthday gift,

Like you it's mine you see”

24 Life In Counterfeit Motion

Today I met a copy cat

Who wore pretty copy hat

Her figure clothed in copy dress

And copy make up on her face

About her wrist a copy watch

Copy shoes made both feet match

A generous waft of copy scent

Left behind her as she went

Beneath her clothes a copy bra

She drove off in her copy car

To buy some copy booze and fags

With money from her copy bag

The copy watch says time to run

Much more copying to be done

Football game on copy grass

In copy strip for all the class

And children now think it's ok

To copy schoolwork every day

Genetic copy girls and boys

Play their games with copy toys

25 The Grass Growing Society

Every week at half past eight

The doors are open wide

And men in caps and cycle clips

Step orderly inside

The multi coloured knitted tops

Tweed jackets side by side

They carry charts and biro pens

All rowed up in a line

Glasses foam with bitter ale

The chairman starts to talk “We gather here this Monday night

To present our Jim his fork”

“He grew the straightest blade of grass

All perfect, green and true

Also the winner's watering can We're pleased to give to you”

A hearty round of mute applause The winner takes his prize

Thanking Mr Chairman Frank

With blinking teary eye

26 The Bucket List

Hilton Guest has a bucket list

Of things to do and say

He wants to swing from Marble Arch

And ride the Milky Way

But in his world the humdrum days

Were very much the same

Until he met the rocking vicar

Snogging Penny Lane

Do unto others as yourself

And never be afraid

Of asking questions of the sky

Do as you would be done by.

“The End is nigh” he heard them say

But is it strictly true

That if you eat too many sweets

The worms will conquer you?

His grandma said a lot of stuff

And none of it made sense

That's why he sat upon the fence

And clutched his bucket pens

One day he knows it will be done

The list will be complete

The things to do will all be done

That trip to Downing Street.

But was it worth it you may ask

To see the policeman's face

Outside the door of Number 10

With custard tart in place?

Do unto others as yourself

And never be afraid

Of asking questions of the sky

Do as you would be done by.

27 The Goddess Moon

A silver light in darkened sky

She watches, guiding you and I

With pure clear sight she sees it all

So will you answer to her call?

The Mysteries along the way

Will be shown to you one day

Step by step you walk the path

With Fae to help you learn her craft

Spirit, spell and candle work

The Goddess Moon you will not shirk

Craft and knowledge gaining strength

Until the crescent you can take

A Priestess of the Goddess Moon

With book and candle, bell and rune

Building power at each Moon Dark

Silver flash and lightning spark

28 Awesome Alliteration

Forty flighty fairies

Flying from Fiji

Found famous Freddy Flintoff

Frying fish for free

Fifty for Fiona

Fed Frances Fred and Fay

Mister Mike McOrange

Met Mary's mother Marge

Making magic moments

Melting mead and Mars

And Martha met my mother

While mending messy mats

"Oh what utter nonsense!"

I'm sure I heard you say

But listen while I tell you

There is no easy way

To use alliteration

In new and novel ways

29 Good Night, Sleep Tight

I want to end this little book

In some way that will round it off

To make it finished and complete

With readers saying “isn’t that so sweet”

A better way, I could not find

To tuck it up till morning time

Than saying words I say each day

To my family, it’s my way

Good night my darlings you sleep tight

Be back again in morning’s light

And as you’re drifting into sleep

I love you more than words can speak

Good Night, Sleep Tight xxx

End Bit

Well readers, you have now successfully completed your foray

into this collection of burblings from The Merlin.

I sincerely hope that you have enjoyed reading this work and

that, as a result of the experience, you will become a life long

fan and shower me with gifts of gold, precious gems, oodles of

cash and kisses (if you are of the female variety).

If you don’t provide any of those things then a simple nod of

appreciation or a recommendation to someone else would be

fantastic.

Here is a list of some other works of mine that may also be of

interest -

Is That Poet-ery Art? - my first collection of poetry

The Merlin Collection - a collection of poetry inspired by the

artwork of Peter Pracownik

Pagan Paths - a living book written by friends and

acquaintances of mine who all have one thing in common -

they follow the pagan path through this life.

In Search of a Lost Dream - a photographic journey along the

remains of the former Barnstaple - Ilfracombe railway line

For more information please contact me:

By email: davethemerlin@mail.com

By phone: 07050 644101

MERLIN

The

“Non - Creative”

Wizard