Steven Ronald Cooke's poetry

15/08/2026

Spokenword version of my poem 'Decent' -https://www.facebook.com/SteveCookePoetry/posts/pfbid02jc3PifzQugcesiSPKCgfiu4Zn7AJdMdD6Q1ZGYtCcKMiUG2rCaZJhi2bZWAS6bmBl

14/08/2026

MR PARKINSON

There is a man that I detest
And despite my best efforts,
I cannot forgive him.

Abuser, often, of old men
And, now and then,
Young men too catch his gaze.

In deep malaise
He reaches out his crooked hand,
Grasping and squeezing life
Out of mighty men.

It was in this way then
That I came to meet him,
That detestable man,
My contempt began for...
Mr Parkinson.

Bad enough that childhood star
Admired from afar
Should fall to his wiles
While still in his prime,
Time robbed from woodland gent.
Oh, how I resent
Mr Parkinson.

Then my contempt
Would turn to hate;
Never did I contemplate
That he would invade my home,
Spit upon my sire's throne,
And rob me of hero's strength.

At length, I have tried
To come to terms
With the terms
Of my father's end
But each time Fate would send
Images of that man into my mind;
Mr Parkinson.

He is the enemy of great swathes
And perhaps we shall see the day
When we will have the power
To be rid of him,
Never to be seen again.
No more pain.
No more loss.
No more
Mr Parkinson.

08/08/2026

POET MAN
(Lyric spoof of 'Piano Man' by Billy Joel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxEPV4kolz0 )

It's 7:30 on a Thursday
The regular crowd climbs the stairs
There's Jim the Host sitting near to me
Giving me prophetic stares
He says “Steve can you stick to the time limit?
You know how this always goes
It's 5 minutes, not 7 or 8,
You do this at all of your shows.”

La, la-la, di-dee-da
La-la, di-dee-da da-dum

Read us a poem, you're the poet man
Read us a poem tonight
We're all in the mood to be entertained
Though we've paid sod all for this sh*te

Now Andie Cropper's a friend of mine
And we all get to see her for for free
She's got solid verse, both verbose or terse
And I know she's a better poet that me

I say “Andie I believe you are good enough
To be a poet more widely known”
She says “Steve I believe that could be the case
But I'm happier staying at home”

La, la-la, di-dee-da
La-la, di-dee-da da-dum

Now Nicky works with them Firemen
No wonder she writes poems so hot
And she's talking to Ellie who turns the air blue
With the ranting rhyming poems she's got.

And Geoff P has deconstructed English
Creating comedic phrasing so well
Jim say's he's available for Children's parties
He could be joking, but who can tell?

Read us a poem, you're the poet man
Read us a poem tonight
We're all in the mood to be entertained
Though we've paid sod all for this sh*te

We get a pretty good crowd for a Thursday
And that's all thanks to the efforts of Jim
Who for 14 years has kept Dave Stead fed
As we sink money into the bar for him.

And the microphone is always the right height
Because Jim steps on stage to adjust
He's only Sky Arts Nominated you know
But still acts like a roadie to us.

La, la-la, di-dee-da
La-la, di-dee-da da-dum

So I'll read a poem, I'm the poet man
I'll read you this poem tonight
You may not feel like you've been entertained
But you still paid sod all for this sh*te.

-------------------------------------------------------

About, inspired by and dedicated to
Away With Words Hull

08/08/2026

MADUSAS

I am sorry that I look there,
I'm really not being a perv
And its not that my eyes wonder
Naturally down to that curve.
It's that I'm a passioned scholar
Of the Ancient Greek Hero tales
And I am painfully aware of
What ills befall some of their males.
Such as the many men before
That crept into Medusa's lair
And may have tried to show respect
When coming face to face with her
Until finally Perseus
Who could reflection see, it's true,
Through his shining, burnished bronze shield
Dodging becoming a statue.
So since I carry no mirror
And in case Gorgon title fits,
You might have petrifying eyes
But I bet you can't with your t**s!

I've made my choice 😑

06/08/2026

Big thanks to Sam Bartle - Poet for my copy of the Poet In Verse Journal in which features my poem 'No Fear Until I Met You'

Get your copy from Amazon (it's a best seller for a reason!)

04/08/2026

Performing my poem 'Blame' and my Yorkshire Day poem at Wotlarx Open Mic this afternoon.

Photo and event courtesy of Andie Cropper

01/08/2026

YORKSHIRE DAY POEM

In this land of Viking stock
Where with love we may call "c**k",
Where present and past may be had
As we greet thee fondly, "now then, lad",
With a broad smile and a nod of head,
Where God lives and giants still tread,
Where moors roll forth, heather soaked,
And sun shines on wolds warm mist cloaked,
There is a folk whose vowels are short
And on small things may oft' retort,
Who treat a stranger as a friend,
And seek only to all ills mend,
Whose ancient blood still runs strong
And will fiercely stand against all wrong,
Proud and generous communal past
Who if had coin would give their last.
For warm and kind and keen to share
Are MY people of MY county, my Yorkshire.

31/07/2026

Going to be supporting friend and fellow Hull poet Andie Cropper this coming Wednesday @ The Birdcage in Lincoln (thanks to the legend that is Geoff Probert).

Also shout out to host Ron Booth (also a cracking poet in own right and well worth a follow)

Uncaged@TheBirdcage 5th August 7.30pm Special Guest: Andie Cropper
Born and bred in Hull, Andie started writing poetry 8 years ago but, growing up painfully shy, she had no inclination to share publicly.
Until 3 years ago…she attended her first spoken word event and unleashed the unabashed performer within! Now she performs wherever she gets the chance – “I’d attend the opening of an envelope if it meant I could read my poems!” she says. Her work is mainly autobiographical- strange encounters, childhood memories, life changing events; sometimes poignant, often humorous, occasionally a little bit weird!
She also hosts a monthly spoken word afternoon, Wotlarx Open Mic, in her home city of Hull.
Come along as audience or take part on the open mic poetry, short stories and comedy set

24/07/2026

LILITH

Born of the same earth as you
Born of the very same dust
Born at the same time as you
So 'male right' I will not trust

Born with the same fire as you
Born with the matching same strength
You couldn't abide by an equal
Be rid? Go to any length

Not fall did I to darkness
Not flee did I into Hell
Stride did I away from you
Forsaking my tale to tell

My s*x snubbed by our Father
My body shamed by your kin
My side warped by your ego
My words called whispers of sin

Mother of demons you'll say
My daughters you will admire
Mother of sinful pleasure
Igniting son's minds with fire

My name is that of the wind
My story is womankind
When your daughters seek freedom
In me, they'll salvation find.

15/07/2026

BLAME

You would have been 16 now,
Making that transition
From child to man
Trying to understand
Your place in the world
While hormones raged
Inside a caged heart.

I was told I am not to blame
But I feel I am all the same
And you're gone.

They all said
It would get better in time,
A lie, a crime,
Said to grieving mums
Missing sons
That never were.
And though you never were,
It still feels like you were.

I was told I am not to blame
But I feel I am all the same
And you're still gone.

I overhear whispered voices
Making the stupid choice to
Air their soulless opinion,
Still in earshot of me,
That I'm being sensitive
And just not letting go.
They just couldn't know...

I am told I am not to blame
But I feel I am all the same
That you're gone.

I remember the day
Like it was yesterday,
That we were told
I would one day hold
You in my arms...
And then my alarm
When you were, just, gone.

I am told I am not to blame
But I feel I am all the same
That you're gone.

And though they all said
These thoughts in your head
Would lessen in time
And that you were not 'dead'
As you never had chance
To live and breathe.
If true, why do I grieve?

I was told I am not to blame
But I feel I am all the same
That you're gone.

And though others came
None has your name,
That which makes you
Real and gives face to miss,
Cheeks to kiss
That I cannot kiss,
And I take the blame...

I am told I am not to blame
But I feel I am all the same
That you're gone.

Why did my body reject
One made so perfect?
Am I so flawed
That you chose
Not to be born to me?
These thoughts torment,
16 years spent... thinking.

I am told I am not to blame
But I feel I am all the same
That you're gone.

No words can relieve
My need to grieve
Or can distract
From the fact
That there is you shaped hole
In my life forever.
I'll never... forgive myself.

Though I'm told I am not to blame
I'll always feel so just the same
Until I am gone.

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Poem inspired by 'The Girl That Never Was' by James Blunt: https://youtu.be/LgG4KWvbRRE?is=TbORDchjSUWmVUDG

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Raw photo by Ron Bieber on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rbieber/377383038/