Posted on by Ian Hanchet · 2 Comments

I Don’t Like It Here (Not One Wee Bit)

While travelling back to North Wales from London by tube and then Train I overheard a whiny little boy who quite clearly was fed up with waiting around in Euston train station. I wrote the words he spoke: “I don’t like it here, not one wee bit” in my notes folder. Back at the home where we were staying I picked up a guitar forgetting I had tuned it DADGAD. I grabbed what I thought was a D chord but in this tuning was a D7. The next chord (Bb) was just where the song went…almost like it was dictated to me. The words rushed out in a torrent as I channeled my own experiences of discomfort and imagining those of children with Autism who I have known. As I was writing it all down I was aware that I actually DID like it there. It was a beautiful experience to travel in my ancestral homeland.

Everything is noisy, no-one’s sitting still

I won’t drink the poison, I won’t swallow that pill

I don’t like it here, not one wee bit

my clothes are feeling itchy, I need to take a shower

feeling itchy, snitchy, bitchy,  minutes seem like  hours

I don’t like it here, not one wee bit

everyone looks worried and no-one looks around

scurry hurry worry, people driven underground 

I don’t like it here, not one wee bit

we all know time is fleeting, time to beat the clock

time to miss more meetings, time to take a nature walk

I don’t like it here, not one wee bit

(today) all the trains are running, but nothing runs on time

pacing, racing, chasing, I have no peace of mind

I don’t like it here, not one wee bit

I tend to glorify the past I want time to stand still

but nothing ever lasts and nothing ever will

I don’t like it here, not one wee bit

I feel ill at ease, like I don’t fit my skin

I need to be released, my patience is running thin

I don’t like it here, not one wee bit

cooped up, locked, up locked down, locked out,

look out, look up black out, fed up

I don’t like it here, not one wee bit

I don’t like it here, not one wee bit

Posted on by Ian Hanchet

They Lost Their Way

In 2014 I experienced my first Christmas in my part of Canada (Quebec) where there was no snow. If it wasn’t the first, then it was the first I was cognizant of. That was pretty weird, but it didn’t really hit me until I was returning from Arnprior, Ontario on New Year’s Day after a visit to my sister’s home. We were driving south east along the Trans Canada between Ottawa and Montreal and I saw Geese flying North. Canada Geese are usually gone at this time of year, and they go South. With Global warming/climate change a real and challenging threat to our existence this got me thinking about how muddled things are and how we have messed with nature, and how now nature was messing with us. This song arrived pretty much in a chunk. No real work involved. I don’t think I even had to erase a word or a line. I am not saying this to brag, but to underline that necessity is the mother of invention. Of course the next year had a ton of snow and I din’t sing the song. Subsequent years have been very different. The norm seems to have gone from copious amounts of snow to variable conditions. This year, as I write, there is rain and freezing rain throughout the region bringing the relevance of this song into focus especially as there seem to be more politicians abusing their privilege to encourage behaviour detrimental to our planet.

They Lost Their Way

I saw them flying North today

A sight for April or for May

But today is New Year’s Day

I guess the geese have lost their way

There was no snow on Christmas Day

No jingle bells no one horse sleigh

No more laughing all the way

Not just the geese have lost their way

It’s not just tradition dying

Canada Geese should not be flying

What a way to start the year

This warming filling me with fear

I saw them flying North today

The lakes are open and the fields are grey

But today is New Year’s Day

I guess the geese have lost their way

They used to know instinctively

When to arrive and when to flee

They’d hit the air and form a  “V”

They knew exactly where to be

It’s not just tradition dying

Canada Geese should not be flying

What a way to start the year

This warming filling me with fear

The patterns of the centuries

All disappear when the lakes don’t freeze

So give me ice and give me snow

And geese who know which way to go

Posted on by Ian Hanchet

Whatever

You went on the attack
You stated it as fact
The truth it shot right back
Showing every little crack
“Whatever”
You stood there with a grin
Spinning your spinny spin
About never letting them in
Alternative facts again
“Whatever”
“Whatever” is never the right answer
“Whatever” doesn’t need proof
“Whatever” doesn’t need digging
“Whatever” is never the truth

Feed them all the Dogma food
The Slogans are in their beer
Homogenize the neighbourhood
And fill their heads with fear
“Whatever”
The facts you can’t collect
With a lazy intellect
The truth you can’t Select
Cause your facts are not Correct
“Whatever”

You jerk your knee and take offence
You want a wall, a rigid fence
Your hatred Trumps your common sense
You wallow in your ignorance
“Whatever”

What ever happened to human kindness?
What ever happened to equality?
Following, believing caused your Blindness
It’s only shadows of shadows that you see
“Whatever”

Posted on by Ian Hanchet

Thoughts And Prayers

Strolling up on easy street, It couldn’t happen here

I’d better send an easy tweet with Thoughts and prayers

I think i’ll get a coffee,Think i’ll go downstairs 

But not before sending off  My thoughts and prayers

 

Thoughts and prayers, Thoughts and prayers

Staring blindly at your screens In your easy chairs

Sending thoughts….and prayers

 

This has triggered something,I gotta show I care

But I can’t think of anything But thoughts and prayers

just another bloodbath, life is so unfair

I won’t stop a shooter, but I’m sending

 thoughts….and prayers

 

Thoughts and prayers, Thoughts and prayers

Staring blindly at your screens In your easy chairs

Sending thoughts….and prayers

 

Now If your faith had legs you wouldn’t vote for millionaires

That won’t change the gun laws, But send their thoughts and prayers

 

No blood on MY hands, And got no Helping hand to lend

But I feel like a hero Because I pressed “send”

 

Thoughts and prayers, Thoughts and prayers

Staring blindly at your screens In your easy chairs

Sending thoughts….and prayers

 

I didn’t cause it        thoughts and prayers

I can’t control it        thoughts and prayers

And I can’t cure it.    thoughts and prayers

thoughts and prayers ad nauseam thoughts and prayers

 

Just sitting in my bubble, I was caught unaware

That things like this might happen

Here’s my thoughts and prayers

 

I gotta make excuses To show I really care

Sending off my useless Thoughts and prayers

 

Thoughts and prayers, Thoughts and prayers

Staring blindly at your screens In your easy chairs

Sending thoughts….and prayers

 

Then there are the victims, But They no longer care

They’d rather have their life back

Stead of your thoughts and prayers

Thoughts and prayers, Thoughts and prayers

Staring blindly at your screens In your easy chairs

Sending thoughts….and prayers

Written in July 2018 as a response to yet another mass shooting.

Posted on by Ian Hanchet

Out, Damned Spot!

  

Out, damned spot
You're all I see
My guilt, my shame
my misery

out damned spot
My hurt, my blame
Out, damned spot
you’ve stolen my name

No nod for me
No, Not even a blink
Nomasté for me
I drink, think, stink!
Out damned spot

Healer heal the healer
(Out damned spot)
Listen to the birds
(Out damned spot)
Feeler feel the feeler
(Out damned spot)

Don't listen to the words
Out damned spot
Spotlights out
Out damned spot
Spotlights out
Out damned spot

This song lyric was found in an old notebook. Not sure the date, but it is a universal feeling of guilt for something. Maybe something as innocent as chipping a plate and not telling, or something like making a decision that affects others.