Magical Mystery Tour

Here is a poem I originally wrote in my second year of university in 2009. It is a tribute to the Beatles with one main voice, being Ringo Starr who is addressing the other absent voices – Paul McCartney, John Lennon and George Harrison. The structure of the poem mimics a song with verses and a chorus and my poem adapts some of their lyrics from their songs. Whilst I wanted it to capture the essence of their music, I also wanted it to tell a story of how fame and fortune can come at a cost and that in the end we will all end up in the same place.

Magical Mystery Tour

We lived beneath the waves,

Sky of blue, sea of caves,

Me and Father McKenzie,

All the lonely people and Cartney,

Here comes the song.

 

All together now,

‘I want to hold your hand,

I’ll tell you a plan –

Dig a pony.’

 

There’s a shadow hanging over me,

Mother Mary, let it be?

Don’t be afraid, Mr Postman,

Make a sad song even better,

By climbing up the Eiffel Tower,

‘Get down from there.’

 

All together now

‘I have to hold your hand,

I’ll tell you a plan –

Pick a moon dog.’

 

I read the news today and saw

How many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall.

So I’ve got a good reason, ya teaser,

To try to please ya,

‘goo goo g’joob, goo goo g’joob n goo.’

 

All together now,

‘I need to hold your hand,

I’ll tell you a plan –

Roll a Stoney.’

 

I say ‘Hi’ and you say ‘low’,

You say ‘yes’ and I say ‘no’

Give me your diamond rings, little darling

Spinal cracker, monkey finger, mojo filter

Got to be a Joker –

‘Joo Joo eyeball.’

 

All together now,

‘I need to hold your hand,

I’ll tell you a plan –

Do a road hog.’

‘Mr Kite on Trampoline’

In your cartoon, what a scene.

Or was he ‘sitting on a cornflake?’

What could I mean as

Words of wisdom come to me?

 

All alone now,

Dream sweet dreams for me,

I haven’t got a plan –

You doubted me.

 

In The End,

The love you take,

Is equal to the love you make,

So I will sing your lullaby –

‘See how they fly like Lucy in the sky,

Hello, Goodbye.’