Short Splutters Poems

I'm the drive behind the man,
That does the job, to pay the doc,
Whose beady eyes are on the clock,
With pen and pad there in his hand,
As my wife splutters out her shock,
Reclining on his buttoned couch,
450 buck’s an hour, Ouch!...

Read More

My wild woman
She splutters to start
Crunching and grumbling
She let's off a fart
Creaking and grinding
She oils up her bones
Knocking back coffee
She stifles the moans
Time for a "tune up"
Obviously slightly "out"
"Come on old dragon"
She Roars with a shout!...

Read More

It clicks and it whirs and it chunters,
This wonderful little machine,
As it takes and measures and grinds
Those marvellous little brown beans.
It hisses and it gurgles and it splutters
Then finally begins to pour
And just seconds later
A Kaffee Lang awaits once more,
Which just slips down the throat
So any morning muzziness slips away;
After such a fine coffee
Any man can face any day...

Read More

Listen to poem:

I see a clearing
It's big enough to land in
The grass is short
No rocks or bumps
It's all clear for landing

My heart beats in panic
Tears of sweat run down my face
Fear grips my body
In expectant embrace

The engine splutters and coughs
Bangs erupt from broken wings
I hear my own screams

The smoke is acrid in flared nostrils
My flesh burning, stinks

Ah! I savour a touchdown, touche!...

Read More

Looks here what do we see
A funny man, dweedle dee dee 
His wonky eye and messy hair
He spits and splutters everywhere 
A pair of socks, with no shoes 
His hat is made from last weeks news
Many people stop and gaze
Their look is often, full amaze
Yes this man maybe weird
With his long and wirey beard
This he knows, it makes him proud
He is unique and very loud
I do adore this man you see
He is my brother, eternally...

Read More

Nine rivers you swam
Bang, into the marathon
Now six rivers you row
Into the eternal riddle.
Thunder frog-jumps out of mouths
Rain splutters from pale sockets

...yestersay.
Now I adjust my backpack
In memory's frigate.
I try to smile
For I am not alone-nor ever will be-
You answer me in the tree-tops
And in the cowrie-dance:
I peep into tomorrow today
I crack the kernels
In the barns of years and years and years to come....

Read More

nothing 
it means nothing 

wings spread 
eagle span 
to soar 
like lead 
crash and burn 

kick the tin can 
blue petrol spills 
ignition 
splutters 
coughs 
stutters 
into time's abyss 

dying with less a whimper 
only slapping 
forehead 
with wet fish 

stupidly incredulous 
the simpleton grows 
simpler still 

nothing 
it means nothing 
don't get it

try denial 
last resort 
it works on all 
that ails 

and all that ever fails...

Read More

Uniformed camels
Backpacks in the place of humps
Looking left then right
The gates inviting the herd
Ready for a new school day

Mr Jones's car
Yet again won't bloody start
It revs and splutters
Bursts into life and then flames
He works from home anyway

Winnie's rose garden
where the birds come for a bathe
and shelter from rain
There she goes, mowing again
She needs a belt for those pants.....


Jodie Williams for
Francine's The View contest
17th Sept 2011...

Read More