Scribbles

2 slice of Lemmon 1995

2 slice of Lemmon was a book of poetry I put together following the death of my young brother Dean from lung cancer. It is a collection of older poems and some thoughts which were rushing around in my head at the time of Dean’s passing – not sure where some of them came from or how they made it to paper as it was a difficult time for our family and although I seemed to take his loss well at the time it took a few years to finally hit me. The introduction to the book sums Dean up well – a Whimsical Spirit:

“In May this year a spirit died. Not the immortal kind you dream of for guidance, but a wicked spirit. A spirit who questioned. A spirit who mocked. A spirit who lived life way past the full, towards greedy. A spirit who shone bright and a spirit who hung over love as some familiar friend. Dean Lemmon was a tutor and a looter, he stole your heart and offered you times way beyond your imagination. Anyone who felt short changed by Dean was emotionally dead. Dean Lemmon 1962 – 1995”.

At the time of his death Dean was well on his way to being a successful writer of situation comedies. One of his first screen plays “Stand up the Falls Guys” reached critical and commercial success. I also retain several of his uncompleted works and still today dip into them for inspiration or just a good laugh or cry. They continue to amaze me with their grip on the human condition and our limited emotions.

Craig's Work

I started writing poetry because I had run out of money to buy paints. I couldn’t yet understand the limited 1983 German TV shows or had I came to the realisation that most people went to bed early during the week? So time to kill, a lack of oils and something to say led me to scribble down some thoughts and gripes about love, loss, perception and guilt much of which is captured in my 1984 poem Proclaimers and Dreamers Reunite, which was short listed in the 1988 Scottish Open Poetry Competition.

Dean's Work

Dean wrote from the heart, the head and made sure you knew where he stood on issues he cared about. Never shy to wag his finger or ensure you left with his thoughts embeded in your head and heart. He knew how to twist words, an argument and sometimes the knife when making a point. He toyed with you and laughed with you and he left something of him with you. Someone cut short in his prime, a spirit sharp and wild but now at peace in the hands of the Lord.