JOhn farndon
Poems
I began writing poetry in translation and song lyrics. But I write my own poetry and songs more and more – poetry for me to perform and songs for others to perform. It seems a much more immediate way to communicate about things that matter, urgently. Recently, I’ve been performing my big mass spoken-word chorus about the climate crisis, The Silence Ends (with music by Lewis Murphy) in many places from Marble Arch in London to the Edinburgh festival, and collections of my poems have been translated into Uzbek, Kazakh and Russian. Recently, the fabulous Kim Lowings has been arranging and performing some of my songs. More to come…
To Arina
I know a girl in Odessa
Down by the black, black sea.
She’s eyes as dark as coffee
And she’s waiting there for me.
One day I’ll make an odyssey
Down to Odessa’s sea.
Like Homer’s hero, coming home:
That’s just how it will be!
Maybe I will come in spring
When blossom clothes the trees,
And the air is gently humming
With the sound of eager bees.
Odessa then becomes a bride
All dressed in pink and white,
Just waiting for the moment
When Odysseus comes in sight.
Of course I am no champion
No soldier from back then.
I’m just a humble man of words
Armed only with a pen.
But I will come to find that girl
With eyes as dark as tea
And win in love’s arena
Down by the black, black sea.
My Perfect Partner
Oh my perfect partner, dance through the world with me
Let’s whirl across life’s dance floor, let our steps be free!
I may not have much technique; my feet are made of clay;
My legs are made of jelly and my rhythm’s all astray.
But my love is more than ready to sweep you off your feet:
To glide and swoop precisely and match you beat for beat.
My heart will dance your polka, my words will be your rond
And as we move together, our love will be our bond.
Our ballroom’s in the land of dreams, not stuck upon the floor.
Our waltz can glide on skywards and last forever more.
In Requiem, Grenfell,
Parkland, Kemerovo
Grenfell No More
Mutually Assured Redemption
I need you
Music and words John Farndon, played by Lola Perrin
Music and Songs
Crime of the Heart
Anthony and Sam Cable
Star of the Morning
Siri
Old Man in the River
John Farndon & Kelvin Thomson
The Sleep of Winter
Koleso
You Were a Legend
Mich Kemp & Will South
You Were a Legend
Mich Kemp & Will South
Diamonds in her Eyes
John Farndon with Kelvin Thomson
and Frank Biddulp
The Closed Door
Koleso
Only Love Can Do That
John Farndon & Lola Perrin
I Can See the Tears
Peace in My Heart
Siri with John Farndon trombone
Old Man in the River
Mick Kemp & Will South
This Baby Sleeps
Koleso
The Day I Saw You on the Wall
Anthony and Sam Cable
Stories
How The Earth Was Born
John Farndon with music by Natali Drosou
The Octoroon Mistress
John Farndon with music by Natali Drosou
Journey to the Stars
John Farndon with music by Natali
Drosou
Ossian and The Pig-Headed Princess
Words and music John Farndon
The Frist Ringing
John Farndon with music by Natali Drosou
Contact Author
jfarndon@dircon.co.uk