"Doing a Poem by Halves"

Is your glass half empty
Or is your glass half full?
A bit like your mind in poetry
But then that's half the pull.
All I've been asked to do
Is jot something down in half a page
If it doesn't fit in
I got to have a rage.
For once the tap is turned on
You can't halt the flow of ideas in your head
That's the problem with poetry
You can't leave an idea stone dead.
If you need something to describe me
I'd say I'm quite lazy at heart
But when it comes to writing a poem
Can't leave it half done once I start.
I've no idea what I'm doing
Dave said a page of A5
If it was anyone else I'd say you're bonkers
But seeing as you're 'proper Sarf Lunnon' I'll strive.
Truth is i'm soing this in a notebook
Before I transfer to your size of paper
I hope that doesn't half mess up
His arty farty caper.
When a mate asks you a favour
You help him with his task
From my part of London you don't reason why
Questions you don't ask.
So I've done what he wanted
Even though I don't understand
This half page masquerading as a poem
Done for David from my own hand.

Dulwich Poet 5th November 2014


( A friend of the 'poetry circuit' has been asking other poets to write a poem on an A5 piece of paper, if I understood it right. he wouldn't say what it was for, but clearly part of some sort of 'art project' he's doing. This is what I wrote.)