LIFE ON MARS

I call her by her first name
Think it’s somehow sweet
We dine in fancy restaurants
Not watching what we eat
Our talk needs no explaining
Of gods and movie stars
Words ‘til midnight waning
Imagine life on Mars

She dresses kind of different
Laughs at foreign ways
We plan our next engagement
For all the world’s a stage
She reads the works of Lennon
Thinks my Stones a laugh
We argue to the bedroom
Imagine life on Mars

We play the field as hopefuls
Trawl the neon streets
I lie of my life’s journey
She kneels to wash my feet
We count the cost of being
Drown sorrows at the bar
Plan our time of leaving
Imagine life on Mars

Bridge:
One short trip in light-year terms
Imagine it, the things we’d learn

David O’Connor

BY ANY OTHER NAME

Sitting, drinking coffee
Freckles at the Hub
Watch you through the window
Just can’t get enough
(I) should be in the classroom
Learning sums and speech
But matters of the heart
A subject they don’t teach

Clipping wings and feathers
Captivating air
Watch you shape my future
Just can’t help but stare
(I) should be swotting Shakespeare
Working on my As
But how to win a lady
Not part of their degree

Chorus:
Megan, I’m believing
I could love you for all time
Megan, got no reason
Except I think you’re fine
Megan, find it pleasing
Every look you send my way
Megan, what I’m feeling
Love by any other name

David O’Connor

WONDER IF SHE’S REAL

She likes my social standing
Comments on my wall
Find her texts enchanting
Feel my heart rate soar
Tweets sweet sounds exotic
Excites with bracket three
Sensual and hypnotic
Wonder if she’s real

She posts her music favourites
Her profile pic superb
My thoughts of misbehaviour
Seem totally deserved
She twitters to the faceless
Of where and when she’ll be
Consuming all my spaces
Wonder if she’s real

Her friends are more than many
Tags of youthful lust
I’d advertise I’m ready
If thought a chance of us
My entries hint at hero
Poetic licence feel
Awaiting her next upload
Wonder if she’s real

Bridge:
By phone and pad
She drives me mad
By PC screen
She haunts my scene

David O’Connor

LIVING IS A MYTH

When God a figment of
Imagination plus
When nothing ever was
Without a sense of touch
And faith a worthless cause
Panacea and crutch
Then living is a myth
And don’t amount to much

When God a hopeful dream
Believers’ paradise
When nothing ever been
Unless before our eyes
And faith some harebrained scheme
Full of holes and lies
Then living is a myth
A pause before goodbye

When God a concept for
Mentally deranged
When truth is nothing more
Than what is on display
And faith a weeping sore
Reality the drain
Then living is a myth
For little earthly gain

Bridge:
Fact without a wish
Where evidence is perfect bliss

David O’Connor

LIVING SIMPLY LIVING

In this world of wealth and wisdom
I’m inclined to turn my back
Please don’t question my decision
Time is right for me to act

In my eyes the weak and wayward
Climb a mountain love can’t buy
Life is more than what one pays for
Understand my reasons why

Bridge:
In my mind confusion streaming
Chosen path a lack of meaning
Cost of freedom overpriced
Lost in maze of good advice

Chorus:
Living, simply living
Getting back to peace and earth
Living, simply living
Nothing more than I deserve
You deserve

David O’Connor

FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH

Say a prayer for me
It can do no harm
God don’t charge a fee
And I could use some calm

Say a prayer for me
It can’t really hurt
God, He works for free
Believe He’s well rehearsed

Chorus:
Say a prayer for me
For what it’s worth

Say a prayer, please do
Water rising fast
God a trick or two
Keepsakes from the past

Say a prayer, please do
Drowning not my style
God the will to move
Dry land in just a while

Chorus:
Say a prayer for me
For what it’s worth

David O’Connor

PAST THE POINT

Chase me from your table
Lock me from your room
Past the point of able
Repair the broken loom

Push me from your presence
To the street beyond
Past the point of pleasant
Hope and healing gone

Wave me from important
Zero care concern
Past the point of free rent
Nothing in return

Bridge:
Rain and sleet
Biting deep my hands and face
Never again
Stare of pain through double-glaze

Chorus:
I never saw the end
When chose to cross the line
My love, I won’t pretend
Never saw the signs
Only when resigned, I learned
Past the point of no return

David O’Connor

SITTING WASTING TIME

I’ve been lying here forever
Fooling with my English rhymes
And while you think I’m so damn clever
I’m just sitting….
Sitting wasting time

I’ve been blessed with words of wisdom
Worthless as a cheque unsigned
Procrastination, indecision
I’m just sitting….
Sitting wasting time

I’ve been out where crowds are many
Seen the doubt in people’s minds
And while you think I’m past pretending
Like the rest….
Just sitting wasting time

David O’Connor

IN SIMPSON DUST

One hour forty on a plane
Hit the tar in Uluru
Dry with flies, dingo shame
Culture club on history tour

One hour forty on a plane
Desert life with mulga fair
Local bloke tries to explain
How and why the rock sits here

Chorus:
I’m not listening to his dreaming
I’m so city smart you see
I’m not listening to his dreaming
Learning how I came to be
No sign my past….
In Simpson dust

Four hours forty on a bus
Off the tar to Uluru
Tourists love a bit of rough
Captives to the outback lure

Four hours forty on a bus
Air-conditioned, white domain
See it now, avoid the rush
Local bloke tries to explain

Chorus:
They’re not listening to his dreaming
They’re so worldly smart you see
They’re not listening to his dreaming
Learning how they came to be
No sign their past….
In Simpson dust

David O’Connor

GOD IS SLEEPING

God is sleeping in today
Had it with this race
All the dreams and plans He made
Thrown back in His face
Why the crying, why the dying
Questions never stop
Why the lying, wrong denying
Responds a tired God

God is taking leave this week
Had it with this earth
Saving lonely, lost and weak
All His efforts cursed
Why the praising, need of saving
Questions running hot
Why time-wasting, navel-gazing
Responds a tired God

God is off the air for now
Had it with us all
Given us both life and power
To find we ask for more
Why this Jesus, need to leave us
Questioning the lot
My son Jesus? Free believers
Responds a tired God

David O’Connor

DEEP

Deep in trouble
Deep in sleep
Knee-deep rubble
Peasants weep
Deep in ashes
Deep in sand
Thirty lashes
Don’t understand

Deep in danger
Deep in guilt
Dark haired stranger
Anger spilt
Deep in worry
Deep in dross
What’s the hurry
At a loss

Deep in silence
Deep in shame
Efforts tireless
Lay the blame
Deep foreboding
Deep insane
Coming, going
Please explain

David O’Connor

LADY JANE

She tells me what to say
And so I know I must
When all is said and done
Important thing is us

She tells me what to do
In gentle prodding style
When all is said and done
I’d walk a thousand miles

Chorus:
Tell you true
For life I love her
Tell you true
There is no other
Than my lady Jane

She tells me of her day
As wipe the dishes clean
When all is said and done
Heavenly this team

She tells me go to bed
Awake to TV on
What more could one man ask
When all is said and done

David O’Connor

PETER, TEACH ME

If I sit here long enough
I’m sure I’ll find the going tough
Someone there to kick me when I’m down
If I wander, mind in gear
No doubt be living with some fear
One thing or another wrong I’ve found

I don’t know if all of you
Look at life the way I do
Less than perfect there to bring me down
Only hope you’re not the same
Only got ourselves to blame
Right outside life waiting to be found

Bridge:
Too quick to speak, my words they flow
Too quick to act, my actions known
Too quick deny the pain I feel
Thank God, we see His love revealed….

Chorus:
Peter, teach me wisdom
Show me how He’ll right my wrong
Show me how to fail and still belong
Peter, teach me slowly
Know me, my desire is strong
Know in you, my learning carries on

David O’Connor

SIPPING MAXWELL’S

It was a summer
And the changing of the moon
The days were long and hot
A gentle breeze to cool
Sipping Maxwell’s
With a taste of rusty tin
I watched the world go by
Shaking from within

My face was aging
My hair was chasing grey
So easy sit and contemplate
Twilight’s passing gaze
Sipping Maxwell’s
With a touch of oil of cloves
I watched the world go by
Without a point to prove

Chorus:
Sipping Maxwell’s
Southern vales and vine
Sipping Maxwell’s
Waiting for a sign

David O’Connor

FLAGS TO FLY

Cold the water wakes the lie
Knee deep stain no hope remove
Flight of death comes rushing by
Piercing deep tomorrow’s youth

Wave on wave, the growing scar
Digging deep in shell shot sand
Some way off a bridge too far
Coping with the job at hand

Watching on, the camera whirs
History has its part to play
Country first, then his and hers
Glory lives in future days

Painful thoughts one comes to bear
Right and wrong march to a tune
Love and war is never fair
Loss forgotten all too soon

Chorus:
White cross, green field
Great loss revealed
By side, by side
With flags to fly

David O’Connor

DO OR DIE

Morning in the sweet crisp air
Flying high without a care
Cotton clouds to break my fall
Steward okay after all

Evening in the sunset hue
Chasing rainbows as you do
Shutters down with darkness fall
Restless dreaming I recall

Bridge:
Running, no goodbyes
Avoiding tearful alibis
We counted love in years
Nothing ever as it appears

Chorus:
Shame you never had a clue
Hid it well from public view
Can’t complain, I didn’t lie
Came the time for do or die
Do or die

David O’Connor

ON MY WAY

I’m on my way
From where I’ve come
Whistle blows
Good for some
As for me
I’m on my way

I’m on my way
Be there soon
Crowds around
Standing room
Got to move
I’m on my way

I’m on my way
No turning back
Some might say
I’m off the track
Line is fine
I’m on my way

Bridge:
Made the choice
Sometime past
Heard the voice
Chose not to ask
Close the door behind

David O’Connor

DAY AWAY

Escaping from your Canterbury
Shades of home in every point and turn
Trouble in the look and see
What the locals never seem to learn

Freedom hour out and it’s okay
Solace deep, gasping on fresh air
Far too far for holidays
Should be right tonight, a room to share

Round to south, warming to the day
Find a village scene for floating high
Hog’s Back joins the serenade
So what you think…. easy when you try

Bridge:
Running on an oily rag
Why it’s sad, so sad, so sad, so sad

Chorus:
Day away in Brighton
Don’t be frightened by the wall-to-wall
Not interested in fighting
Try to call….
We’ll all have toast and tea

David O’Connor

JUST WORDS

We talked while time went by
No thought of who or why
Just words so interesting
Sweet played on every string

We laughed at where we moved
Nothing left to prove
Just words so patiently
Waiting to be free

We wept when felt the cold
So close when lives unfold
Just words to pick the lock
Dark rooms that time forgot

Chorus:
Lead me astray
Just words their part to play
No thought of wrong
Just words to carry on and on and on

David O’Connor

COMING FLAME

Fast approaching reckoning
Deadly quiet, all living thing
On the land and on the wing
Sense the coming flame

Batten down the house and shed
In the paddock good as dead
From the blue stalks fear and dread
With the coming flame

Mantelpiece, the memories bare
Only clothes are those you wear
One last look, a single tear
Feeds the coming flame

Engine roars in one escape
Start again is what you take
Left or right could spell your fate
Outrun the coming flame

Reprise:
Blackened ridge, an empty land
Centenary gums, alone they stand
Stubbled fields to desert sand
All done….
The coming flame

David O’Connor