Kodokushi

                Daylight vanishing

the kitchen floor needs a wash…

Ah, that’s where the butter knife got to.

I really must fix the light in the fridge

when I get a chance.

 

Was it crispbread or was it Ryvita? 

The stuff that gets stuck in the teeth and roughs up the tongue. 

 

                Moonlight enters

I reckon I can make it 

to the bathroom – if

I pace myself

when I get a chance.

 

A multi-coloured ice lolly. 

Dripping down wooden stick onto small tanned hand, in shade of Princes Park Cafeteria.

 

                Backlit

a quiet life

betrayal, exhaustion

another misstep

will I get a chance.

 

I was supposed to meet you. 

By Eros, Piccadilly and I forgot, you’d travelled up from Shrewsbury especially.

 

                Neon bounces off

Rain clouds in distance

Night temperature falls

Traffic fades

I never stood a chance. 

English Psychedelic Whimsy #1

Looking out of the back bedroom, 
        beyond the orchard, 
beyond the stream, 
beyond sleep…
A brief glimpse of a fairground - kaleidoscope eyes, 
the world looks better from a candyfloss tree…
as toffee apples slide down the helter-skelter ride
whilst the magpie swoops from the edge of a hedge
a caterpillar train creeps in and out the drains 
and the butterfly leaves float away on the breeze
the gentle soothing feel of grass growing through toes 
an ancient Wurlitzer plays a requiem for the lost Bossa-Nova beat
worn brakes of summer shudder to a halt in a slip road
dead dog hot-dog stands do unfathomable business
fresh tarmac masks the stench of midweek excess
showground elves on a cigarette break, burn holes in the sky
and gold cascades from heaven… 
in a sugar-soaked trance, the liquid light show evocation begins
a flamingo stand’s aloof by the giant teapot 
while poltergeists chatter round the back of the haunted house
the ghost train rumbles round the track (ah-hoo)
delicate little proto-zombies stagger/lurch right/left
numbed goldfish dizzy with the dash swim head-on crash
the tarot fraud hides the truth behind polka dot headscarf
and the freshman in a scarlet tunic disappears in the shifting crowd            
and...

    all the while 
a young child
in the bad room
keeps staring
at the moon
keeps talking 
to the moon
“Where does the rest of you go?”
“Where does the rest of you go?”
“Where does the rest of you go?”
 
The rocking horse in the corner of the cold room, watches the child talking to the moon and says nothing. A Spider waits on the grandfather clock…

…The clock strikes thirteen.

And then a silence fell (for Judy Page)

And then a silence fell...

no more walks with Turner 

on the banks of the Thames

no more talks of Shakespeare

where the old river bends

 

and then a silence fell...

no more strolls to the station

for the slow London Line

no more drives to the country

through the backstreets of time

 

and then a silence fell...

no more flights to the old haunts

on BA 65

no more cats at the back door

they have said their goodbyes

 

and then a silence fell...

no more talk of the sixties

“you should have been there”

no more trips to the West End

that immaculate hair!

 

and then a silence fell...

no more orangeade sunshine

or trips to the beach

no more glimpses of young you

on a warm Chelsea street

 

and then a silence fell...

no more Sax on the jukebox

or a Sunday lunch pub

No more phone calls from midnight

from a Soho Jazz Club

 

and then a silence fell...

no more sharing the legend

of the family passed

no more tales of soft shadows

or any questions to ask

 

and then a silence fell...

no more gentle reminders

of the best thing to do

no more gracious, nor precious

nor lovely than you.

 

And although a silence fell...

These sweet memories live on for ever

A.Franks

Cºuntrycide

 

The soundtrack to the demise of the UK

Released on Bandcamp 01/01/2024

To be released on Spotify & iTunes on 31/01/2024

Who’s been sleeping in my head?

I returned back to the world last night

And someone had stolen my dreams

I’d left them alone with 

my keys and my phone

yes someone has stolen my dreams

 

the truth’s been lined up against the wall again

and honesty’s been shot in the back

she’s been left to die

like a random drive by

yes honesty’s been shot in the back

 

Insanity is rampant and hatred’s in vogue

The future’s been strangled at birth

with no golden days

just the sun’s final rays 

yes future’s been strangled at birth

 

Wisdom’s been banished and empathy vanished

and the yellow brick road has been sold

to a small group of men

who’ll no doubt sell it again

yes the yellow brick road has been sold

 

I switched on a screen and wanted to scream

whilst watching the whole thing implode

but no bang or whimper

there was barely a simper

when watching the whole thing implode

 

A friend slid off the earth today

Hardly anybody noticed he’d gone...

Cºuntrycide

Cºuntrycide is a spoken word piece, initially written to recognise the decision of the British people voting to leave the European Union. However, Post Covid, post Johnson, post Truss and with the country currently in the venal/vicious grasp of the most right wing government the UK has ever had, it is a requiem for my country.

credits

released August 31, 2023 
Cºuntrycide

Words - Andrew Franks
Music - Andrew Franks/Jenny Douglas
Voices - Andrew Franks, Melissa McLeod, Jenny Douglas.
---
Recorded at The Factory Studio, Mona Vale.
Engineered - Ben Johnson
Mixed - Ben Johnson

Click image to download...

Do you remember America?

Lilac skies dissolving into an indigo night...

Do you remember America? Burning brightly in the numbing embrace of history. 

Do you remember America? When it stood alone & lost
Do you remember America? Careering down the freeway with Dean at the wheel and Maggie on his arm
Do you remember America? With candy & silk stockings to burn
Do you remember America? Hanging out at The Factory 231, East 47^th, Midtown
Do you remember America? From the dust bowl to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Do you remember America? In a log cabin just outside Woodstock
Do you remember America? Wrapped in a flag and burdened with hope
Do you remember America? Slashed to the waist, tattooed top to toe

Do you remember America? A neon sunset shimmering over Vegas

 

...followed by the pitch black dawn

©️Andrew Franks 2023

Day in the life...

 The Beach Generation

Nobody

else

is

awake 

-

Atlantis

is 

closed

for 

another

two

hours 

-

We

glide

barefoot

to

the

beach 

-

We

are

the

Beach

Generation

...

sprawled

on

the

sand

once

again.

Happy Brexit Day

CLICK HERE NOW!

Day in the Life... (September 2020)

Midlight

-- The creature 

skitters in the eves.

Sleep is a luxury,

one we cannot

afford.

Somnambulants 

are on the move

--- Neighbours 

have informed

the Government.

Latest reports...

...  bleak outlook

broken spirit...

... banished souls

Torches supplied---

---- The book burning

will start at 8:00pm

attendance compulsory.

---Four hours until Midlight!

"No to decadence and moral corruption!" 

"Yes to decency and morality in family and state!"

"I consign to the flames the writings of

The Traitor Franks"

Day in the Life... (September 2020)

Isolation

-- Communiques

are fading

in the ether,

in dawn's

evaporating

mystery.

The final

notes of

a symphony

disappearing

on the neap tide.

---- A ship

goes down

all hands on

deck -----

Love's final voyage.

Day in the Life... (September 2020)

Espresso

-- Days as dark

as Espresso.

The rule 

of six...

--- Clandestine.

The law

of diminished

returns.

13:00 hours

and the 

short-wave radio

repeats the 

same message...

Black lightning.

Day in the Life... (September 2020)

Flame

-- A cooling zephyr.

The garden alight

with the flames of Ra.

A TR-808 fires up

--- 120 BPM

a soundclash.

Sunday sessions

moving through 

the years...

Dub dreams

bass heavy --

A Samba breezes

through the leaves.

Welcome to 

'a discoteca solitária'!

Day in the Life.. (September 2020)

Silent

-- The dove flies 

in through 

the open window.

It sits on 

a wooden table.

The neighbourhood  

Bodhisattva

has arrived.

---- Sunflower seeds

on terracotta tiles.

The fragrant scent

of morality fills 

the kitchen ---

The man and the dove

a weekend meditation

silent.

Day in the life... (September 2020)

Return of the English Ghost

-- Battersea Power Station

midnight, Autumn.

The coast train 

pulls in to the 

empty station 

(Southbound platform).

Four carriages. 

Late night final

scattered across

the blue seats.

Nothing to eat

Whisky to drink.

-- Underneath the tracks

night buses evaporate 

in the mist of remorse--

A glance at the moon

------- The apparition 

stares down from 

the brick cathedral.

Silence empties the night.

--- Dark days herald 

the return of the 

English Ghost.

Day in the life... (September 2020)

Release

-- Being 

in love

with love.

Might just

be better

than being 

in love...

Meanwhile,

A man walks alone

on Curl Curl beach.

---- Modern Mersault

contented, passive

a low flame.

Sanctuary

release. 

Day in the life of... (September 2020)

Spies work alone

-- Rattling around

the safe house.

Keep the mind active.

Wait for instructions.

Perfectly happy

in the silence.

---- London is

so very quiet. 

No news

for months.

Meanwhile, 

on the other side

of the world.

Another day,

another dead 

drop. 

Day in the life of... (September 2020)

 Blue Passport

-- Escaping heaven

in a VW beetle.

Midnight flit,

handheld torch

tracing a path 

along the 

Coast Road.

--- A new Mythology.

With a Blue Passport

in my hand.

A taste of liberty,

the guiding hand

of a God who

never existed.

Sun coming up 

at the end 

of the road.

--- We can't get any 

further East.

Aphrodite...

... We can't get any 

further East.

Day in the life of (September 2020)

 Another Planet

-- Light ricochets

around the bedroom.

A tanned arm,

white sheets.

--- They've been 

in these poems

before.

Somebody

somewhere.

-- I wonder

if we can stay

in here

all day.

Outside the sunshine

dries the fallen leaf

and a Magpie

walks across

the lawn.

The world

will carry on

anyway.

Day in the life... (September 2020)

 Everything's Tuesday

--- A lone detached

dragonfly wing

lies ignored 

on the wooden table

outside the kitchen.

--- Dust clings to

the shop window.

--- Off Grove Road.

Second hand 

record shops,

brimming with 

teenage delights.

Invictus blue

labels spin

relentlessly

at 45 RPM.

--- and we sigh

Everything

is Tuesday.