Met an old friend at the Lion & Lobster
he retired ages ago
but at the toss of a coin fairly soon I will join
and pensioner days I will know
But I'm not there yet at the Lion & Lobster
I'm still working you see
Though I'm still a great fan and am making a plan
and a pensioner soon I will be
Sitting in a London pub
waiting with a jar
seemed the right thing there to do
the meeting place not far
Carnaby Street and Kingly Court
around the corner there
where in a bit I'll wander
a lovely meal to share
At the Buckingham Arms with my Bro for a beer
Our local, our pub - we both love it here
Conversation will flow and we'll have a good time
with a chat and a game over beer or a wine
It's our mindfulness tonic for mental health's sake
so we'll waste not a moment this pleasure to take
I'll not be going to the pub
this evening with my Bro
which is against my wishes
more's the pity yes, I know
But I'd much sooner keep myself
and loved ones safe from harm
so need to make the sacrifice
and not raise the alarm
For Omicron, the varient
is something I'd prefer
to never meet or entertain
and always to defer
And so it is to Bradford
on another winter night
I find myself at Noble Comb
with time to sit and write
It’s fairly packed this evening
with families eating out
and workers sharing pints of beer
their voices raised to shout
The feet upon the wooden floor
Are moving to the beat
as conversation struggles
for those who’ve found a seat
The man up on the microphone
is getting really loud
But the music’s really throbbing
and is pleasing to the crowd