The Writer’s Almanac reminded me today is the birthday of Gavin Ewart (February 4, 1916 -October 25,1995). Here are some of his poems I found online and liked them so much they had to be here.

Office Friendships

Eve is madly in love with Hugh
And Hugh is keen on Jim.
Charles is in love with very few
And few are in love with him.

Myra sits typing notes of love
With romantic pianist’s fingers.
Dick turns his eyes to the heavens above
Where Fran’s divine perfume lingers.

Nicky is rolling eyes and tits
And flaunting her wiggly walk.
Everybody is thrilled to bits
By Clive’s suggestive talk.

Sex suppressed will go berserk,
But it keeps us all alive.
It’s a wonderful change from wives and work
And it ends at half past five.

Hurried Love

Those who make hurried love don’t do so
from any lack of affection
or because they despise their partner
as a human being –
what they’re doing
is just as sincere as a more formal wooing.

She may have a train to catch; perhaps the
room is theirs for one hour only
or a mother is expected back or
some interruption
known, awaited –
so the spur of the moment must be celebrated.

Making love against time is really
the occupation of all lovers
and the clock-hands moving
point a moral:
not crude, but clever
are those who grab what soon is gone for ever.

Ending

The love we thought would never stop
now cools like a congealing chop.
The kisses that were hot as curry
are bird-pecks taken in a hurry.
The hands that held electric charges
now lie inert as four moored barges.
The feet that ran to meet a date
are running slow and running late.
The eyes that shone and seldom shut
are victims of a power cut.
The parts that then transmitted joy
are now reserved and cold and coy.
Romance, expected once to stay,
has left a note saying gone away.

Prayer

Lord I am not entirely selfish
Lord I am not entirely helpish
O Lord to me be slightly lavish
O Lord be in a minor way lovish
Lord I am not completely bad-mannered
Lord I am not a crusader, mad-bannered
O Lord to me be quite well-disposed
O Lord to me be calm and composed
Lord I am not a dog downed and to-heeled
Lord I am not thick about what has been revealed
O Lord you have it in your power to hurt me
O Lord in your odd way please do not desert me