The Tui Poets

Tui by Charlie Norton

Not many people know, how Tui got its name

The tale begins with a parson bird, named Tui, who had aspirations of fame 

Now, Tui the parson bird was a middle child, you see

Neither admired as the eldest or still babied at age 23

Tui was simply left at home on the flax while siblings 1 and 3 flew to the river to relax

Tui would have loved to join his brothers as they swooped around in the sky

However, neglected and forgotten, Tui was never taught to fly

So often when his brothers would go out drinking nectar

Tui would employ his time as an amateur string collector

Twines and vines Tui did hoard and kept his six prize ones on a board

Tui was so proud of his collection

He took it with him (when very occasionally) he left the nest

On the day he decided to meet his brothers at the water hole

He strung his board over his shoulders and set upon his quest

Three toes in front, Tui walked amongst the thistle

After walking for, what seemed like hours, Tui began to whistle

Unfortunately for Tui, his whistle attracted a cat

Tui could hear the claws in the grass, going pat pat pat 

Tui tried to run as fast as he could, even flapping his wings but it was just no good 

Finally the cat had Tui trapped, he pounced while Tui flapped and flapped 

In his distress, he hit his board with his wings and down he stuck on his six strings

He cried out too, leaving the cat confused, for never before had he met such a muse 

The melody attracted all animals nearby.  Even his brothers flew down from way-up in the sky

With all this attention the cat ran away, leaving Tui, with an audience, listening to him play 

His six-stringed board became a sensation and his singing soon spread across the nation

As the animals from all the country came to see the new star, Tui, who sang played his guitar 

Posters were put up to spread the word and soon every animal knew of the bird

“Tui” they cry, and to this very day, the parson bird has been renamed after his display

But Tui’s legacy doesn’t stop there…

If you travel to where Tui the Tui first met his rival, every year, the place of that very show

In his honour, they hold a festival.  I highly recommend that you go!

You Were Right by Sarah Jones

A tribute to my father Allan Jones, who raised me in a house of music......  Wagner, Bizet and Mama Cass

And who isn’t here now to hear me say.........  “OK, I take it all back, you were right!”

- best read out loud within earshot of Martin Curtis’

OK, I take it all back, you were right!

As kids we danced around the lounge, to Beatles, Byrds and Cat

But no stamping or the needle jumped and Dad got cross at that

Neil Young and Steeleye Span, we danced ‘til we were sick

But then I became a teenager and things changed really quick

I became too cool for songs selected by my Dad

And became a New Romantic, which required dressing really bad

Human League and Adam Ant drove me almost wild

I learnt the songs, I had the hair, I was Le Bon’s love child

But then I got too hip for Rio for me garage, house and rap

And for you oldies that’s not DIY but mixing and talking crap

After a while of being black my indie phase began

The coolest music I’d ever heard I was a die-hard fan

The love affair lasted for years there wasn’t much competition

Just Boy Bands and Girl bands, spewing indistinguishable emission

But with the wisdom of age perhaps a strange thing, t’was almost scary

Into my music collection sneaked Peter Paul and Mary

Before long James Taylor, Dylan, King and Trad

All slyly crept upon my shelf and I realised that I had……….

In fact become my father.  The circle had been closed

He was right after all and it was as he’d supposed

That folkies know a thing or two, I’ve found now where my heart is

But I still have taste and draw the line at playing Martin Curtis

best read out loud within earshot of Martin Curtis’