With not one leg dispensable,
It sits secure and stable.
Four legs is very sensible,
The standard for a table.
Now six would do, and may I say
That eight or ten is fine.
And even more would be okay,
But four’s a good baseline.
And lest this seem like so much tripe,
Just useless information.
It’s far from existential hype,
It’s dinnertime’s foundation.
© Copyright Philip Barton 8th May 2019. All rights reserved.
I miss the days when elephants
In giant herds would roam,
Up and down the hallway,
And in and out the home.
They’d dance around outside my door
While I was trying to sleep.
They’d bellow and they’d trumpet,
As I tried counting sheep.
But now the giant herd has gone
And the house is quiet and still.
And I miss them every single day,
And I think I always will.
© Copyright Philip Barton 23rd November 2021 All rights reserved.
He poked his ear
And scratched his head
And pondered on the state,
Of everything
And everywhere,
And ditty’s dreadful fate.
His editor was ruthless,
Razor tongued and vile.
A foul and ghastly ogre,
Who bathed in bitter bile.
Dear ditty died of innocence,
Verse slashed by analytics.
He couldn’t cope within a world
Of harsh and horrid critics.
And now each day is darker,
One ditty’s light extinguished.
He’ll twinkle on in memory,
Posthumerously distinguished.
© Copyright Philip Barton, June 28th, 2025 All rights reserved
If all men stopped pretending
That they’re busy every day.
To their business they’ve been tending
From their youth until they’re grey.
How much time would be on show
And would the future move away?
Or would the speed of time just slow
So yesterday’s today?
© Copyright Philip Barton 2nd May 2017. All rights reserved.
I had a rather nasty fall,
Which took me by surprise.
My nose got stuck within one ear.
I couldn’t believe my eyes.
© Copyright Philip Barton, February 13th, 2026. All rights reserved
I set out to write something sensible,
Something meaningful,
Clever
And smart.
But it all fell away in a childish display
When I realised that line rhymed with ‘fart’.
© Copyright Philip Barton 28th May 2009. All rights reserved
Words can be thought of as families,
Some are perfect and others quite gross.
And some are estranged,
Or completely deranged,
Some happy and others morose.
But each has their place in the balance
Of a world that is tuned to perfection.
For all of their quirks,
Their place in it works,
It just takes a bit of reflection.
© Copyright Philip Barton 4 February 2017 All rights reserved
I washed my hair as usual,
One otherwise ordinary morning.
Then a sudden cough
And one ear fell off.
So let that be a warning.
© Copyright Philip Barton 17 March 2008 All rights reserved
When markets rise it’s no surprise
Your government takes the credit.
It’s a cleverness and vision thing,
Bold leadership that led it.
But when markets fall and suffering starts
It’s business thugs who bled it.
Those greedy corporate crooks are jailed
And your government takes the credit.
© Copyright Philip Barton 24 November 2014 All rights reserved