PALM TREE PUBLISHING Iver, England SL0 0LB © Robbie Moffat 2014 First published MARCH 2014 Revised SEPTEMBER 2015 Typeset: Times Roman ISBN: 0 907282 55 6 The right of Robbie Moffat to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 All the characters in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is pure coincidental. This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that which it is published and without similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent publisher. LAST QUARTER This collection of poems covers Robbie Moffat’s poetry output in the last quarter of the 20th century and the 2nd Millennium. It commences in 1974 and ends in 1998. Many of the early works are simple, but they are included here to show the poet’s development. Besides the major works The Undergraduate, Universal Being and The Wanderer, the collection contains many of Moffat’s unpublished works previously uncollected, un-typed, and forgotten about. In all, this collection contains almost thirty thousand lines of verse and is set out in chronological fashion. The poet’s notes on when and where the poems were composed are included and these give an insight into his life during the twenty five years the work covers. Because of the volume of work, it has taken fifteen years to gather all of the poems into this one collection. The two major exclusions are Frog - A Tale For Adults, an illustrated poem first published in 1980, and Fettlepan Fayre, written in 1975. Otherwise, the poet believes most of his work is represented here, and if it is not, then it was not meant to be preserved. I dedicate this collection to everyone who inspired me to write for them, about them, or because of them. Thank you. Robbie Moffat LAST QUARTER - Robbie Moffat IN SEARCH OF A GURU BUS CONDUCTOR BARCELONA (fragments) [Spring 1974] [17th Aug 1974, Barcelona] Dreaming … thinking of what life is – We have reached Barcelona, If I applied myself, the genius I could be. And now we venture forth … I’m really rather clever, its not plain to To hitch our way to Madrid see – To end this tortured road. My dream is to be accepted by society. The room is great, white walls, Fighting in an army isn’t for my likes – tiled and easy on the soles. The navy? The sea’s not for me. The bed’s soft, pin-stripped top, Flying does not wow me with joy – Maggie’s happy, laughing at it all. So its the buses collecting fees. LERIDA A1 SOUTH [18th Aug 1974, Lerida, Spain] [11th Aug 1974, A1, Gateshead] Maggie says she’s losing weight, Maggie and me going over the sea I think she’s just joking – To see what we can see - Her lily legs resemble We’re standing here with all our gear, The plucked skin of a chicken. Waiting, and waiting and waiting in fear In case we can’t get a lift our of here – Rain, rain, go from Spain, Who knows, we might be here a year Go back to England once again. Before we make it abroad. NO MORE DOUBTS DOVER [19th Aug 1974, Madrid] [12th Aug 1974, Dover] Phones to my ears, the music Waiting on the Dover quay – Bringing on the tears – Passport in hand, My sentiments are running high, Francs from the bank – My fears are lost in blue skies; Just waiting, waiting, waiting. Here worries don’t exist, STUCK Happiness is not a myth, [15th Aug 1974, France] Everything is working out – I have no more doubts. The sky is blue, the grass is green, The air is clear, the water is fresh; But what a shitty place to be dropped And left. 5 LAST QUARTER - Robbie Moffat FRANCO (ii) [19th Aug 1974, Madrid] Britain seems a long way north – Franco’s got a bad leg, Scotland, Glasgow, Shawlands Cross. Cancer or something they say. The rain brings back many thoughts Who should be believed though? Of times in youth I had forgotten; The Church? The Doctors? The Army? How long will he live? Those days when summer came and went Tomorrow? Next year? A decade? And winter passed on to Lent; We’ll all find out one day – I’d cock a snoot, have no cares When fascist Spain is saved. If outside it was fine or fair. MAGGIE The rain for me cleansed the streets, [19 Aug 1974, Madrid] I’d pad and paddle, sodden footed; My mother, worried for my health Maggie has taken some prunes Would try to coop me up indoors. To help with her digestion – I guess we’ll know soon enough She’d say ‘You’ll catch your death by If they’ve aided, helped or hindered cold!’ Her constipation. I’d not agree, and speak out boldly – An action that oft brought regret A RAINY DAY IN MADRID When I got a clout on the head. (fragments) [20th Aug 1974, Madrid] Back then, all I had to pass the time Was the burgh clock’s distant chimes; Back a hundred years – I’d watch the raindrops earthwards fall As the power fails, the darkness splits Into puddles, pools and holes – Into a thousand sectioned shadows By candlelight. The steamed up windows, my only fun Drawing pictures with my thumb - Madrid is – the Prada, All other things seemed unimportant Piatza de Roma To the make-belief of an infant. The Calle de Goya, The Banco de Espana, The rain stops, my memories fade And the Metro I return from my childhood daze – Under the centro. The sun begins to split the clouds To shower rays on my reflections. We live by the autopista, A life of leisure and ease, For now I’m free to go outside With friends Inaki and Joahna – With no fear of a mother’s chide; Some Premmies from Arturo Soria. I choose in Madrid to stay indoors And dwell upon my fading innocence. The rain pours, and pours – The washing gets wetter and wetter. 6 LAST QUARTER - Robbie Moffat GERALD R FORD One foot on the wall, [21st Aug 1974, Madrid] One eye straining at the door, The other closed. Gerald R Ford made a statement today, And it wasn’t about the weather – My cabin mates scurry to and fro, In fact it concerned the new vice – pres, I lie here, calm and cool – Ex-major of New York – Rockafeller. Perhaps they should be told That in my mind, I travel Nelson, you see , is really quite pleased Not in inches, or by hashish, At being appointed over Barry Goldwater; To an inner land, a distant star He was full of big smiles, a mouth of No amount of dosh can get you to. cheese – But I doubt if things will get better. My star is reached by thought, Thought alone - a far land For Nixon by now, we know all about, I am trying to know, to get to - His friends Erlichmann, Haldeman, Dean; my jouney’s end. History will say, without a shadow of doubt, FO RMENTERA They were dirty, crooked and mean. [26th Aug 1974, Formentera, Balearic Isles] All of them now have bitten the dust With the exception of Spiro Agnew – The beach last night, it was okay. He’s been forced to resign amidst public I could have hoped for better – mistrust But now I don’t care – the weather Over the back tax bill he’s acquired. Has turned wet. It rains, it shines, It rains, it shines – I think we wait President Ford has the task of his life For winter. Who knows? Who cares? To get callous America straightened – I do not for Formentera. Let’s hope it’s the end of what we’ve lived through ROUNDED UP BY THE FASCISTS Since Kennedy was murdered in Dallas. [27th Aug 1974, Formentera, Balearic Isles] TOMO RRO W IBIZA [23rd Aug 1974, El Saler, Spain] Formentera – we must leave For the police say so. Rounded up, Tomorrow we sail to Ibiza – Passports taken from us hippies. That golden isle of sun; To sleep on the beach is not Perhaps we’ll think it’s worth it The Franco way – they’ve let us For all the miles we’ve come. Know so. I TRAVEL NO T IN INCHES To Ibiza we must now go – [24th Aug 1974, Valencia Ferry, Spain] To find a place to sleep - Herded on to the ferry – One foot on the ventilator, at gun point, we shuffle like cattle 7 LAST QUARTER - Robbie Moffat on to the crowed deck - The light on its stern. the spirit of Europe’s youth made to revisit Auschwitz. When out of the darkness five figures appeared – IBIZA four were the boatmen, [27th Aug 1974, Ibiza, Balearic Isles] the fifth we all cheered. Ibiza is a shitty place, As everyone inwardly I really am pissed off – Let out a sigh – I must keep a smiling face Amazed that the man For Love and Peace, man. Stepped aboard still alive. MAN OVERBOARD FRANCE 1974 (fragments) [30th Aug 1974, Ibiza-Barcelona Ferry, [ 31st Aug 1974, Cerbere] Spain] Out of Spain, and the rain – A man fell overboard, Into France, and bon chance. As the ship sailed on – The alarm was raised, [1st Sept 1974, Toulouse] The ship blew its horn I went for some food We searched for an hour To fill myself up, Or two, then much more – And what did I do? Still we saw nothing, I broke a china cup.