PAINTING THE HOUSE

My friend and I are painting the house
In between all the other Bag-a-tale that makes up this thing I call my life
It is alternately frustrating and rewarding
I want the FRUITS but not the LABOUR

I know enough (which is not much) to know that if I can just keep going
I will get it done.
But life has OTHER ideas.
Busy-ness exploits, late nights, and tiredness
All contribute to a three week over-run

Meanwhile, what chaos and mayhem

I am reminded constantly just how EVERY-THING affects another
So, take three rooms ALL needing painting.
ONE room is lagging behind.
Meanwhile, one cannot move THIS to THERE
One has to squeeze past, step over, bend down, make do.
Temporary sleeping arrangements which after a while
Feel NOT so temporary.
Clothes are like a Chinese laundry

Meanwhile, ONE mess begets AN-OTHER
Why bother tidying THIS, when a thin layer of dust permeates everything?
How many MORE banged shins and stubbed TOES before we GET to the NEW?
How many evenings WISHING I had just ONE more HOUR in me?

TRYING too hard!

I’ve been putting off that Window.

Once INTO it my mind starts to wander off.
Good riddance!
NOW I am ENJOYING the WORK
It is EASY to do a good job in such a state

Every now and then my mind wanders back in from its travels
And says things like…..

Hurry UP!
Who are you doing this for
You don’t even own this house!
LEAVE that bit.
Won’t it be lovely WHEN it’s finished?
If you get THIS done, then you can do that, and then THIS is possible, and
then……….
But you CAN’T do this yet, and maybe THIS won’t work, and , and…..

Fuck off!

Oops, me apologies, Ma’am.

Meanwhile, the painting’s gone to shit!

Maybe it’s the fumes from the painting
Don’t look now but methinks me monkey’s gone for a kip

Ain’t it funny how certain FILMS re-appear when you’re painting?

Anyway, I begin to muse over GRAND designs and BEING creative.

Hoo-HA, WOULDN’T it be Gggrr-REAT?
Tony the TIGER, that’s me!
Great MATE, Woof!

Meanwhile, I have learned enough to know (which is not much) that to ME,
it’s MY life, MY plans, MY dreams, MY trials and tribulations, my problems,
my OBSTACLES, in short, MY GRAND IDEAS. Whereas to LIFE, it is just Innocent
Twaddle! (well not ALWAYS innocent!)

For some reason this has me laughing my head off at my predicament and the
“hu-man condition”! .

After ALL is said and done, is not LIFE just ONE big WIND-UP?
What arrogance to THINK I can even change a THING, OUT there!?
I can only change me, self. And be content with THAT!

Ha! Just ONCE , though, I’d like to get my OWN back! I’d SHOW life!
I’d WIND, UP, life!

What’s IN this stuff!? Hee hee….

Now THAT would be CREATIVE!

Meanwhile, that WINDOW’s come up a TREAT!

With love from a Bard of the Setting Sun
Falling off his laadder