The Argos Catalogue is our holiest book

Oh the Argos catalogue is our holiest book.

And if you don't believe me, you should take a closer look.

It's for all ages, for all classes. It's not snobbish, it's not tribal.

Fifteen hundred coloured pages all much brighter than the bible.

Laid out in useful sections, page after page it seems

Can bring us the material to realise our dreams.

Here the dreaming bold explorer can wrestle nature's rages

With anoraks and wind-proof tents in ten full-colour pages.

And the young girl who is blossoming imagine she's a queen

Wearing ear rings, nose and toe rings and everything between.

The toddler and pensioner can dream they're bully boys

With bicycles and tricycles or shining techno toys.

There's pages and pages of things you'd love at school

And a tiny, shiny mobile that will make you feel so cool.

And the spotty adolescent can imagine he's a stud

With that so-cool leather jacket and that holder for his “Bud”.

There's potions, and there's lotions, and perfumes from afar

That will help convince your lover just how beautiful you are.

There's things to make life better no matter what you do

Every page turned is a promise there can be a better you.

Oh the layout it is tawdry. And the text is rather naff

But that need n't be a worry. It's the things that we must have.

Yes there's really something holy in pages such as these

We're so simple and so innocent and such easy folk to please.

And a dream that things can change you's not as stupid as it seems

For us fragile human beings are as fragile as our dreams.

Nick Mellersh 2008

 I think I wrote this when I was church warden.  And if any job is likely to make you despair of religion, it is that.  Anyway there is still something innocent, and childlike, and even admirable in the hope we put in getting new things.  Experience tells us it won't help, but who learns from experience? 

Anyway the ebooks are nearly ready so more news of them soon.
Nick 

Sorry I've failed to get a poem up for a few weeks.  I've been away and came home to find my boiler and my septic tank didn't work any more.