The Dark Knight Rises

Reviewing The Dark Night Rises without spoilering in any way is pretty tough, you just wanna shout plot points from the rooftops and share your excitement with the world. Alas, revealing any of these points makes you a jerk and so we will just try and convey the excitement of the experience. Yes, it lives up to the hype, yes it’s brilliant, yes it’s dark, but not as dark as the last chapter and yes, Bane and Selena are both great. The most depressing thing about the performance I saw was that the awesome Man Of Steel trailer got no reaction, whereas the new Kevin James movie (man becomes cage fighter, man falls over, repeat to fade) got applause and endless laughter. This country. Still I was surprised by how good The Sweeney looks, there’s no nudge-nudge irony and Ben Drew seems a great choice. Ticket, please. So, The Dark Knight Rises, three hours of pure comic book joy. I loved Bane in Batman And Robin but here he is fleshed out, just a darkness full of appetite for destruction, it’s his film in the same way that The Dark Knight belonged to The Joker and Batman Begins belonged to The Scarecrow. In fact, the movie goes through most of its length without any Batman at all, just a broken down Bruce Wayne ignoring his demons before fighting back. Gotham itself is more of a character, with a post 9/11 chill throughout. You will not be disappointed.

POEM: 'Boy Alone'

Where are you? He screams without a sound. Staring through a stained glass telescope Seeing nothing but colourful black. Through the blindness comes a shape A humanoid mistress reaching out without hands Speaking through a muted mouth. The chase is up. Time to close the wardrobe door. The smashed mirror shows a violent image Reflections of times gone by. Memories bled under glass Feelings trapped on the other side. Where are you? He screams without a sound.

POEM: 'Black And White'

Never again the girl she was yesterday. Eyes can't delete what she's seen The towers can't go back up. Fire, falling, deadly smoke, Screaming, "Help Me!", bellowed to noone To everyone. She sees a thousand deaths Dignified grace till the end. Twenty years later She's taking valium to sleep And cocaine to stay awake. Still smells the smoke Still hears the cries. Six, twenty six, sixty The nightmares never end.

POEM: 'The Ballad Of The Pepper-Sprayed Nobodies'

So I bought a magazine in WHSmiths Grabbed a coffee from Starbucks And got on the train. Achtung Baby on the Walkman, Some guy from ITV opposite me (not Tom Bradby) And a very understocked onboard shop. Watch the world go by for a while Check the Adidas reflection I’m looking okay I toast myself with cooling coffee. Off the train Pasty from Tesco and some Coca Cola And a walk through London’s welcoming streets. Spend two hours in HMV Praying at the altar of Ryan Adams The only god who gives something back. Look at the buildings in Tottenham Court Road Stare at the iPads with electronic Manga eyes. Starbucks Espresso perks me up Buy tickets for a big West End show Knowing I might not be around to see it. Get a taxi to St Paul’s Cathedral Shooting protestors with bullets from Wal-Mart And a gun I bought from Ebay. Welcome to Capitalism, you fucks, It allows you to buy coffee twenty four hours Buy Shrek DVDs at two in the morning And you know, get stuff cheaper, whenever you wish. If you were in school instead of whining on the church’s doorstep you might know that. Where’s your god now? What was your point again? Wait, is that a Nokia in your pocket? Can you spell h-y-p-o-c-r-i-s-y? I shake my head, eat some Nestle chocolate and fire off a few more rounds Explode a few more empty heads. Drink another Coke Read Time Wait for the police. Oh hang on, Weren’t you protesting about law enforcement last week? Seems the Met is in no rush. I wait a while then take my gun and go home Whistling a tune on my Sony Walkman And thinking of the Webber show later tonight.

POEM: 'Girl Note'

I’m not an open book
Keep emotions in rusty fortresses.
Faded images for the camera
Becomes the real me.
I’ve worn the mask so long
I no longer recognise myself.
To find no need to hide is delicious
Yet simultaneously terrifying.
I can be hurt now though
As if a large target waits on my heart,
No poison arrow please
Just a smile and a loving look
And I light up like the sun.
A simple complex creature,
My confession – I like you.

POEM: 'Spirit'

See her across the Bourbon line
Still, whilst the room constantly spins.
Eyes look towards the heavens
Manga stare deflected through the night club mirrors.
Neon forms a halo,
My goddess of imagination
Worshipped in a church of cherished memories.
So so dear in the future too.
Don’t press the self destruct
I turned it off for you.

POEM: 'Enlightened'

The snow capped mountains stare down in judgement
Whispering distain through the cold air.
I continue the search for you
Without the necessary map
Without eyes.
Blindly I follow the line
Into the dark iced chill of the soul.
There you spill your answers
Kurtz-like
Mad Buddha lecturing.
Now I understand
I turn and walk away alone.
Over the moon
Then over the edge.