POETRY book "ALCHEMY" offers over 50 MICHAEL ASHBY POEMS including a selection of Michael's most read inspirational modern FUNERAL POEMS helping to comfort death, grief and loss ("I AM NOT GONE" while you remember with me, "A LONG CUP OF TEA" death is too negative for me,"I WANT TO BE BURIED WITH MY MOBILE PHONE" to ring in the changes at my new home) together with his latest memorial poems "HEAVEN ON EARTH" and "WAITING FOR THE TIDE TO COME IN". Poetry about losing ("EARLY GLAUCOMA", "GETTING EVEN WITH CANCER") loving ("THE WEDDING" - " 'It's about looking into someone's eyes, And seeing your future there ...' ") living ("OLD AGE ISN'T FOR WIMPS", "SALCOMBE'S ESTUARY ORCHESTRA") and laughing ("BERT AND ETHEL", "THE SOCK MONSTER" ) challenge the lows and celebrate the highs of life, providing twists, turns, tears and humour on MICHAEL ASHBY's poetry roller-coaster "ALCHEMY". CONTENTS I Salcombe's Estuary Orchestra 7 The Toucan And The Dodo 8 Checkmate 9 The Wedding 10 The Australian National Animal Band 11 A Brief Matter 12 War Zone 13 Ghosts Of The Fallen 14 II Glowball Warming 17 A Sting In The Tail 19 A Kiss To Ponder 20 Bert And Ethel 21 An Englishman's Castle Is His Home 23 Des Res 24 Something For Nothing 25 The Rich Daydreamer 26 Nelson's Column From Barbados 27 III Milking The Moments 31 A Long Cup Of Tea 32 My Mum 33 Getting Even With Cancer 34 Prostate With Grief 35 Just In Case 36 Good God 37 Sun Arise 38 Alchemy 39 Golden Moments 40 Early Glaucoma 41 IV Devon Cream Sea 45 Paddling 46 All At Sea Aboard The Esplanade 47 Lifeboat Crew 48 The Blue Gym 49 The Woodbury Tree 50 Human On A Lead 51 Being Homo Sapiens 53 Old Age Isn't For Wimps 54 The Black Horse Loses Power 55 V Dr. Rows (S.O.C.) Conundrum 59 The Sock Monster 61 Christmas Lunch On The Run 63 Happy Rappy Birthday 65 VI I Want To Be Buried With My Mobile Phone 69 A Miscarriage of Justice 70 Life Sculpture 71 One Last Flutter 72 A Leap Of Faith 73 Heaven On Earth 74 Rainbows On The Moon 75 Waiting For The Tide To Come In 76 I Am Not Gone 77 Swan Song 78 After Words: Epitaph