THE BOOK OF FEARSOME BEAUTY
I
Some plastic surgery
is beautiful
but I am afraid of it
II
A giant squid
is beautiful
but I am afraid of it
III
Turtles
are beautiful
but I am afraid of them
IV
A broken heart
is beautiful
but I am afraid of it
V
Tigers
are beautiful
but I am afraid of them
VI
Death
is beautiful
but I am afraid of it
VII
Balloons
are beautiful
but I am afraid of them
VIII
Giving birth
is beautiful
but I am afraid of it
IX
Lightning
is beautiful
but I am afraid of it
X
Snakes and spiders
are beautiful
but I am afraid of them
XI
Sharks
are beautiful
but I am afraid of them
XII
My wife
is beautiful
but I am afraid of her
XIII
Abandoned buildings
are beautiful
but I am afraid of them
XIV
The deep ocean at night
is beautiful
but I am afraid of it
XV
Moths
are beautiful
but I am afraid of them
XVI
Brilliance
is beautiful
but I am afraid of it
XVII
When my daughter is angry
she is beautiful
but I am afraid of her
XVIII
Fire
is beautiful
but I am afraid of it
XIX
Love
is beautiful
but I am afraid of it
XX
Samurai swords
are beautiful
but I am afraid of them
XXI
Thunder storms
are beautiful
but I am afraid of them
XXII
Birds
are beautiful
but I am afraid of them
XXIII
My dad
is beautiful
but I am afraid of him
XXIV
The sun
is beautiful
but I am afraid of it
XXV
Peacocks
are beautiful
but I am afraid of them
XXVI
My body
is beautiful
but I am afraid of it
XXVII
Waterfalls
are beautiful
but I am afraid of them
XXVIII
Sweet voices
are beautiful
but I am afraid of them
XXIX
Butterflies
are beautiful
but I am afraid of them
XXX
Youth
is beautiful
but I am afraid of it
XXXI
Fish
are beautiful
but I am afraid of them
XXXII
Spiderwebs
are beautiful
but I am afraid of them
XXXIII
Rose bushes
are beautiful
but I am afraid of them
XXXIV
Belly buttons
are beautiful
but I am afraid of them
XXXV
Flying
is beautiful
but I am afraid of it
THE BOOK OF FORGOTTEN NAMES & FAMILIAR FACES
a woman at work called Joanna
and another called Suzannah
a lady with a lilting soft accent
a lady with beautiful large eyes
who I call Naomi, or Natalie
the quiet, passive-aggressively
ardent lady from the Arts Centre
a guy who comes into work
who looks like another guy
the guy who lives next-door
various colleagues at work
that sort of look the same
THE BOOK OF INSCRUTABLE PLEASURES
I
I like
outer space
but I don't understand it
II
I like
electricity
but I don't understand it
III
I like
digital radio
but I don't understand it
IV
I like
particle physics
but I don't understand it
V
I like
the theory of black holes
but I don't understand it
VI
I like
Chinese custard tarts
but I don't understand them
VII
I like
music
but I don't understand it
VIII
I like
magnetics
but I don't understand it
IX
I like
Twin Peaks
but I don't understand it
X
I like
my husband
but I don't understand him
XI
I like
post-modernism
but I don't understand it
XII
I like
my daughter
but I don't understand her
XIII
I like
cooking
but I don't understand it
XIV
I like
quantum physics
but I don't understand it
XV
I like
the vagina
but I don't understand it
XVI
I like
ballet
but I don't understand it
XVII
I like
being aware of energies around me
but I don't understand it
XVIII
I like
tatoos
but I don't understand them
XIX
I like
Shakespeare
but I don't understand him
XX
I like
the universe
but I don't understand it
XXI
I like
death
but I don't understand it
XXII
I like
my children
but I don't understand them
XXIII
I like
Woody Allen films
but I don't understand them
XXIV
I like
Arabic music
but I don't understand it
XXV
I like
other cultures
but I don't understand them
XXVI
I like
the way flowers open
but I don't understand it
XXVII
I like
modern art
but I don't understand it
XXVIII
I like
the internet
but I don't understand it
XXIX
I like
life
but I don't understand it
XXX
I like
women
but I don't understand them
XXXI
I like
men
but I don't understand them
XXXII
I like
television
but I don't understand it
XXXIII
I like
fractal formations
but I don't understand them
XXXIV
I like
air travel
but I don't understand it
XXXV
I like
butter
but I don't understand it
XXXVI
I like
things that I don't understand
but I don't understand it
XXXVII
I like
not knowing
but I don't understand it
XXXVIII
I like
cheese
but I don't understand it
XXXIX
I like
gambling
but I don't understand it
XL
I like
the sun
but I don't understand it
XLI
I like
dancing
but I don't understand it
XLII
I like
gardening
but I don't understand it
XLIII
I like
the Spanish language
but I don't understand it
XLIV
I like
Korean pop music
but I don't understand it
XLV
I like
Moles
but I don't understand them
XLVI
I like
Astro-physics
but I don't understand it
XLVII
I like
classical music
but I don't understand it
THE BOOK OF IMPROBABLE PLACES
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
the surface of the moon from a spaceship
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
New York, Los Angeles and Beverly Hills
I will probably never see
inside my Dad's neighbours garage
I will probably never see
a peaceful earth, without famine, war or unsustainability
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
Nepal, Haiti and Puerto Rico
I will probably never see
the corner of your kitchen cupboard
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
the dark side of the moon
I will probably never see
the inside of an active volcano
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
a crowd of 30,000 cheering for me on stage
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
the bottom of my clothes cupboard
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
the blue planet, full of craters and waterfalls
and friendly creatures dancing around
I will probably never see
the inside of the building
in the very centre of Mexico City
I will probably never see
the view from the Empire State Building
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
the inside of my Dad's heart
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
Prince William's underpants
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
shining over northern Norway
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
I will probably never see
all of the mugs in my kitchen cupboard
a barrier around my heart
to be worried about my future
about 15 pairs of my old shoes
to validate my self-worth
self-doubt, self-criticism
and the sense-memory in my body
of the violence it experienced in the past
my primary school uniform
THE BOOK OF SKEPTICS
I
I've been told
this book is valuable
and will make my world better
but I don't believe it to be true
II
I've been told
that fairies exist
but I don't believe it to be true
III
I've been told
that true love exists
but I don't believe it to be true
IV
I've been told
an old dog can't learn new tricks
but I don't believe it to be true
V
I've been told
that I will go to hell
but I don't believe it to be true
VI
I've been told
that there is democracy
but I don't believe it to be true
VII
I've been told
you can achieve anything
if you put your mind to it
but I don't believe it to be true
VIII
I've been told
we should allow for everything to be true
but I don't believe it to be true
IX
I've been told
it's not the size
it's what you do with it
but I don't believe it to be true
X
I've been told
I will be alright
but I don't believe it to be true
XI
I've been told
my old school is haunted
but I don't believe it to be true
XII
I've been told
that human nature is greedy and cruel
but I don't believe it to be true
XIII
I've been told
that politicians stand for election
because they want to help people
but I don't believe it to be true
XIV
I've been told
love lasts forever
but I don't believe it to be true
XV
I've been told
that worrying about people I love
won't keep them safe
but I don't believe it to be true
XVI
I've been told
that the communion host
actually becomes the body of Christ
but I don't believe it to be true
XVII
I've been told
that if there is love
there is a way to resolve everything
but I don't believe it to be true
XVIII
I've been told
that everything happens for reason
but I don't believe it to be true
XIX
I've been told
mood and atmosphere are everything
but I don't believe it to be true
XX
I've been told
that cold weather
does not cause the common cold
but I don't believe it to be true
XXI
I've been told
Jesus loves me
but I don't believe it to be true
XXII
I've been told
that one God
is better than another
but I don't believe it to be true
XXIII
I've been told
that fungus is O.K
but I don't believe it to be true
XXIV
I've been told
that Bryan Adams handed back
his Canadian citizenship
but I don't believe it to be true
XXV
I've been told
that people can read my mind
but I don't believe it to be true
XXVI
I've been told
that growth is forever
but I don't believe it to be true
XXVII
I've been told
"it's free"
but I don't believe it to be true
XXVIII
I've been told
"I'll help you"
but I don't believe it to be true
XXVIX
I've been told
that life is like a box of chocolates
but I don't believe it to be true
XXX
I've been told
that cat's won't run away
when you move house
if you put butter on their paws
but I don't believe it to be true
XXXI
I've been told
that God exists
but I don't believe it to be true
XXXII
I've been told
that the economy is in trouble
but I don't believe it to be true
XXXIII
I've been told
that the government is clever
but I don't believe it to be true
XXXIV
I've been told
that the mind has the answer
but I don't believe it to be true
XXXV
I've been told
that increasing the wealth of the wealthy
increases the wealth of the poor
but I don't believe it to be true
XXXVI
I've been told
that people don't deserve a second chance
but I don't believe it to be true
XXXVII
I've been told
about life after death
but I don't believe it to be true
XXXVIII
I've been told
penguins can't fly
but I don't believe it to be true
XXXVIX
I've been told
that true love doesn't exist
but I don't believe it to be true
XXXX
I've been told
that there are dragons
but I don't believe it to be true
THE BOOK OF DISAGREEABLE ODOURS
I
I am sickened
by the smell of
nail-polish remover
II
I am sickened
by the smell of
petrol
III
I am sickened
by the smell of
eggs
IV
I am sickened
by the smell of
bacon
V
I am sickened
by the smell of
alcohol on someone's breath
VI
I am sickened
by the smell of
Vicks
VII
I am sickened
by the smell of
the meat works
VIII
I am sickened
by the smell of
aero-planes
IX
I am sickened
by the smell of
soap
X
I am sickened
by the smell of
flowers
XI
I am sickened
by the smell of
wafers
XII
I am sickened
by the smell of
feet
XIII
I am sickened
by the smell of
chemical cleaning compounds
XIV
I am sickened
by the smell of
fried vegetables
XV
I am sickened
by the smell of
the Mobil refinery
XVI
I am sickened
by the smell of
rock-melon
XVII
I am sickened
by the smell of
dill
XVIII
I am sickened
by the smell of
industrial rubbish bins
XIX
I am sickened
by the smell of
marzipan
XX
I am sickened
by the smell of
mulled wine
XXI
I am sickened
by the smell of
fish guts
XXII
I am sickened
by the smell of
salmon
XXIII
The smell of
patchouli oil
makes me feel sick.
XXIV
I am sickened
by the smell of
fried field mushrooms
XXV
I am sickened
by the smell of
anaesthetic
XXVI
I am sickened
by the smell of
dead echidna
XXVII
I am sickened
by the smell of
gas
XXVIII
I am sickened
by the smell of
failure
XXIX
I am sickened
by the smell of
farts
XXX
I am sickened
by the smell of
vomit
XXXI
I am sickened
by the smell of
deodorant
XXXII
I am sickened
by the smell of
beef mince being cooked
XXXIII
I am sickened
by the smell of
sushi
XXXIV
I am sickened
by the smell of
overripe bananas
XXXV
I am sickened
by the smell of
acrylic nail salons
XXXVI
I am sickened
by the smell of
men's urinals
XXXVII
I am sickened
by the smell of
his aftershave
XXXVIII
I am sickened
by the smell of
beer
XXXIX
I am sickened
by the smell of
rubber
XL
I am sickened
by the smell of
greasy food
XLI
I am sickened
by the smell of
duck fat
XLII
I am sickened
by the smell of
rotten potatoes
THE BOOK OF FAREWELLS
I
Bye bye my love.
II
'till next time.
III
C ya.
IV
I have to go . . .
V
It was nice seeing you.
VI
(A big smile)
goodbye.
VII
Paalam!
VIII
(with a crying face)
I love you.
IX
God bless, take care.
X
See you in the next life.
XI
(Middle finger up
at the traffic lights)
XII
Ciao bella
XIII
(Just stop talking,
pretend they have fallen off
like a frozen wart)
XIV
Parting is such sweet sorrow.
Goodbye.
XV
Goodbye
(Hug the person
and say a prayer
for their happiness
and well being)
XVI
(Put you hand in the air,
bend your elbow, like
your giving someone a high five,
and move your hand to the right and then to the left)
Bye bye.
XVII
See you next time!
XVIII
(A big kiss!)
XIX
Sayonara
XX
I love you
(Peck on the cheek
and a proper cuddle).
XXI
Smell ya later.
XXII
CUL8R
XXIII
K, L8R
XXIV
So long.
XXV
(Take the other person's hand,
shake and extend into a hug,
kiss once or twice, depending
on the level of intimacy).
XXVI
Hug & hug & hug
XXVII
Keep it kooky!
XXVIII
Shoo!
XXIX
Toodles.
XXX
Toodle pip.
XXXI
See you when I'm lookin' at you!
XXXII
Haste ye back.
XXXIII
Toodle loo.
XXXIV
Next time!
XXXV
Seeya later alligator.
XXXVI