Poem: The Trampoline Instructor

The Trampoline Instructor

(For Jake and Annie)

Tell me, have you ever been

Bouncing on a trampoline?

Have you flown way up high

Until you’re floating in the sky

Like Superman or an acrobat?

There’s nothing better than that

On a trampoline.

Bounce, bounce, 

Bounce bounce bounce bounce!

You feel like you don’t weigh an ounce

Or a milligramme.

Send a telegram to say

You want to bounce today,

And if telegrams are out of date 

Then text

It’s your turn next!

Bounce, bounce

Bounce, bounce 

Bounce bounce bounce!

Be careful, you might get a shock -

Take off your shoes, bounce in your socks,

And watch that you don’t hit the edge.

You must always mind your head

It has so  many thoughts inside

So do not bounce over the side

Stay on the trampoline.

And if your tummy’s full of chips

Do not perform those double flips.

Wait a while after you’ve munched

Maybe an hour after your lunch

For if you’re sick I fear

Your lunch may reappear

On the trampoline.

Chasing the sunset tonight, Eshaness

Au Revoir to Unst

Here's a wee video which compiles some of the snapshots I took of Unst during my four months as Tourism Development Officer. The music is a performance of the Unst Bridal March, by Chris Duncan, Catherine Strutt and Julian Thompson from their album The Red House - The Heritage of the Scottish Fiddle.

Enormous thanks to the people of Unst for helping me get to grips with the job and welcoming me into the community. I'm only sorry I couldn't have spent more time on the island and stayed longer in post.

The Beatcroft Social Volume Six: non-alcoholic edition

Just because I was in a bit of a rush and didn't get the chance to choose some whisky! I'll make up for that next week, with some really special drams.

Meanwhile, some particularly fine music I think, some of it old, some of it very new, ranging from Dundee and Lochgoilhead to the deepest reaches of the American south. Nick Drake, Pictish Trail, Chiara Berardelli, Sadé, Little Junior Parker, Sam Baker and more.

The Beatcroft Social, Volume Six by Tom Morton's Beatcroft Social on Mixcloud

The Beatcroft Social, Volume Five: Bushmills edition!

Bushmills Distillery will always have a place in my memory as location of my worst motorcycle crash (so far).

A borrowed Triumph Street Triple, a degree of tiredness, restrictive leather trousers and a protruding tailpack on the bike combined with the distillery car park's camber to ensure that getting off the lovely wee thing was a disaster. I caught my foot on the tailpack, fell to the ground and brought the bike down on top of myself.

I was undamaged. But when the bike was taken back to Triumph (it was a press trip, my first and last courtesy of a motorcycle firm) that broken indicator and scarred engine casing, plus a bit of scratched panelling, amounted to £2000 of repairs. The press department were, let's say, not amused.

So by way of penance, I have since then owned not one, but two Triumphs. And occasionally tippled at Old Bushmills.

Music this week from Tom Petty, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Angel Corpus Christi, The Hold Steady and much more. Plus a wee dab o' whiskey of course!

The Beatcroft Social Volume 5: Bushmills edition! by Tom Morton's Beatcroft Social on Mixcloud