Sapphire Lagoon

Sapphire lagoon – burble, fizz
the river nymph wants to erupt,
volcanic ash on her eyelids, biding time
by a lava trickle. Here, earth is
paint by numbers, splashed and flecked
haphazardly outside the lines.
Bygone creatures tread carefully
in the trail of ancestral rhyme.
Bubbling sauna, this pool of mirrors,
while fairies lather with a lily
and elves play ball with dewdrops.
I know it sounds quite silly –
but join me if you will, in the sapphire lagoon.

Sapphire lagoon – no poisoned fruit
to drown the sinking heart, river nymph
is nearer now and smiles. A refugee
from her ocean bed with fireworks
and photographs. Scarlet ink strokes
a libido, swift the craft of a loving knife,
sand ruffles curved along her neck
in intricate patterns. Beaten by life,
now in this mysterious land. Honey powder,
sweet the shore where we once lay,
champagne pebbles in our hair.
I know it sounds quite silly –
but join me if you will, in the sapphire lagoon.

Secrets

Please talk to me
Tell me anything at all
Any simple detail, it doesn’t matter
I just want to know it all
Don’t shut me out in the dark
Because I see a thread of light
And no matter how you distance me
It’s just the same inside

Do you tell me
The things I want to hear
Is it all a lie, and are my dreams
The ‘Illusion of The Year’
How do you know the facts
When life and substance get in the way
Who ever knows what’s what
When emotions stand in the way

Please talk to me
Tell me anything at all
Any trivial fact, it’s all the best
I just want to know it all
Don’t close me off in the day
Because I see another side
And no matter how I distance you
I can never really hide

Do you tell me
The things I want to hear
Is it all a lie, and are my dreams
The ‘Illusion of The Year’
How do you know the facts
When life and substance get in the way
Who ever knows what’s what
When emotions stand in the way

So tell me now…
Why would you never promise me
So tell me now…
How much I don’t see

Secret World

From greyest green to deepest red
Forest paintings in my head
Butterflies and blushing daisies
Swirling make my vision hazy
In leafy tint and violet hue
Bluebells singing out to you
Misty jewels of dew-dipped flowers
Keep my petals soft for hours
For mandarin and marigold
This fairy’s magic kiss do hold
Silky webs of woven pleasure
My secret world, my only treasure.

State of Mind

I do not know
What state of mind I’m in
Am I depressed, am I ok
Am I happy, who’s to say
How can I ever understand
The workings of my head
I want to give it to someone else
To work out instead

And maybe they could tell me
You are in danger of losing the plot
You obsess over nothing
You know you do not have a lot
Or maybe they’d tell me
You are of sound mind
Your obsessions are understandable
Some day I’ll tell you mine

Well I don’t know the answers
But when I lie in bed at night
I hope that one day I’ll be cured
And everything will be alright

Give me my childhood
Teach me about adulthood
Help me get the balance right
Help me when I need it most
Which is never when I show it
Help me without me having to say
Just know me
And understand me
The way I am
And reasons that I hide it
Just understand it
And I will have found my true friend for life
And I hope I can return it.
ll the best
I just want to know it all
Don’t close me off in the day
Because I see

She

She,
her fingers gnarled, trembling
like knotted branches of an aged tree,
clasps a linen shroud – which, like
a cloud, settles around her weathered face.
Nameless one, hides her expression
behind a makeshift burka, one eye
watching with curiosity, but
she is afraid. Who can blame her,
being a widow never became her.
Her husband put on his war boots,
marched out of her life, then his own.
She,
sells eggs and goats, trying
to make a decent living, desperate
to help her ailing mother.
To God she prays, please let her recover.
Faceless one, whose dreams were shattered
when habibi breathed his last. How can
she leave the past, or even escape?
She is afraid. Who can blame her,
the last attempt they stripped and maimed her.
She aches for freedom, yearns for love,
her childhood home now merely dust,
She.

Siberian Tiger

Tiger of the snow
Your fur pales like forgotten gold
Stripes of burnt umber
Softer dark in winter cold

Mountainous beauty
Never leave my sight
Spellbound by your grace
And your smudges of white
I follow in your pugmarks
With frozen delight

Silence

The silence
is wonderful
even if it only lasts
a few quiet moments.
No-one rushing through,
busy on an errand;
no-one coming to complain
of urgent needs.
The fish tank
a calming addition
to this welcoming area.
The colours remind me
of paradise in Costa Rica,
I want to swim in there
with the brightly lit fins.
Plants droop from high places,
curling around shelving,
their ruddy colours vivid
against a warm yellow wall.
The sign I put on the front door
which catches you off guard
with it’s bold statement: (Stop!
Have you signed out?)
corner unstuck, needs new
luminescence. Seats are empty,
glad of a rest from tired bodies.
So quiet.
But now, it’s two o’clock
so I open the office
with a smile on my face
and welcome the people
that no-one else wants to know.

Silken Flowers

Silken flowers don’t grow
But they look so pretty
They have nowhere to go
It’s a pity

They stagnate in a smoky room
They have no passion
No perfume

A friend said
“But they last forever!”
I say
I’d rather be real
Live and die in all life’s glory
Face the storms
The unpredictable weather
Than live my life
As a perfect bloom
In the land of never-never

Silken flowers may look pretty
But they don’t grow
And that’s a pity

Sky Eyes

Sky eyes
Frowned lightning branches
On knotted blue oak
Headache showed
In bursts of glaring light
Tired veins of electric
Worn into
The ever-changing lamplight
From the sun
Hair of dark clouds
Eyes that know
The gnarled creature
Down below
A mossy mountain peak
But no sound, no-one speaks
Hair strands will flow
Willing sacrifice
Will suffice
Where forest pines
Will grow

Some Lyrics

Spiralling through life itself, in never ending blurry times
Locking of the inner self, in ever winding nursery rhymes
Wishing I could have the strength, to conquer all those demons
Knowing it is beyond control, without a sense or a reason

I want to run barefoot through grass, moist with dew and never ask
For help, just skip through daisy fields, and laugh among the sand
Time runs out so fast, I know this well, and friends sense something
But they cannot tell
I need a friend, I need, I need, a true friend

Somewhere

The string that tightens around my thigh
Causes me to wonder, and to sigh
The branches of the ivy tree – they still have
A hold on me… a hold on me
Love… such a delicate word
So obscene and so absurd
I watch it float away
To another flower

The rope that strenghtens around my neck
Causes me to wonder, and to suspect
The petals of the reddest rose – they still have
The power to deliver – and compose
A curse on me… a curse on me
Lust… such a lonely word
So confusing and absurd
I taste it move away
To another flower

Please do not leave me like this
Don’t wind me in and then abandon
Do not confuse love with bliss
Tell me what love is
And I will surrender

In sometime
Somewhere

Sneeze

Someone sneezed. It was a Tuesday
which means you kiss a stranger.
Now his wife is filing for divorce.

Sunlight

Sunlight creeping through these cracks
Beams of golden understanding – lighting the way
Tangerine dust settles on my back
Ruby glows gently once again – just for today
Conquer all those demons
Knowing it is beyond control, without a sense or a reason

Soldiers

In caves of volition the soldiers settle;
confined inside their own discretion,
cause forgotten, biding time.
Waiting for the next wide-eyed casualty
to slump in a circle of claret,
they imagine their homecoming dinner,
and ponder the question:
should the steak be bloody or well done?

Sometimes

Sometimes I don’t know
where to begin, sometimes
I do. To weave a silky line
of words can sometimes be
a fruitless task – nothing looks
as it should. Leaves of
inspiration fallen into soiled
darkness, blank stare,
nothing comes. Then sometimes,
the bright rays of word blessed
sunshine greet my eyes with
smiles of gold. Truth be told,
I love it either way. What more
can I say?

Song One

Some people say ‘nothing matters’
‘And who really cares anyway’
‘I don’t want to think about the suffering’
‘Tomorrow is just another day’

But I am the one who always wonders
And imagines a life so far away
I am the one who dreams a lot, that’s a fact
I always want the best we’ve got

And I must be strange to only need to love
I must be alien to the rest
‘Cause I only see the dream before me
And I never think of consequence

Forever in my heart is the music
The patterns against the fading sky
And I don’t ever want to lose it
Even if it’s just in my mind

Well I guess that love is just a story
And an outdated fairy tale
I suppose that there’s no real glory
And anything true is bound to fail

So I carry on in my reality
Trying so hard to forget what’s real
I never stop to think, or listen, that’s a fact
After all, what’s the point in that

But always in my heart there is laughter
And memories of a time I know
And I don’t ever want to lose it
I hope I never hear you say ‘no’

Because you make me high
You make me care
You make me want to dare
You make me laugh
You make me cry
You make me want to brush the sky
And I love you
I love you
I will always love you
Until the day I die.
float away
To another

Soul-Filled Moment

Whispers echo in secret places
washed with gently ebbing
laps of silvery bliss;
midnight sky spills loving shimmer
amongst her heavenly velvet.

Standing at the misty gates of time
Looking to lift past’s snowy veil
with sighs of wonder;
jewelled petals sparkle by candle
inside her scarlet tinged cradle.

Rainbow drops flow from ancient gazes
spread in pools around the heart
beating with colour;
moon filled rivers dance a magic waltz
within her curves and creations.

Sphinx

They call you
Guardian of the horizon
The essence of Egypt
In your silent and stony eyes
You are strength and wisdom
The true lion king

I wonder
Were you born from Khafre’s hands
Or even to him were you ancient?
Your colour
Chipped and flaked away
But still you sit majestic

My dreams are for Egypt
You wear them in your stela
I feel it should tell
The story of my life

They did not see the beauty of you
Until they cleared the sand around you
Buried deep in secret and desert

Survivor of the sands of time
Knowing, seeing all who paused
In wonder at your feet
Witness of the centuries
Your aura is dusty whispers
Hidden words await within you
I am honoured to have met you.

Surprised

If I told you how I really feel, you would be so surprised
You would take two steps in reverse
And you would realise
Everything I’ve hidden from you has been for the good
Of our situation, but I’m always misunderstood

If I told you how much I think, you would be so relieved
You would dance the rhythm of joy
And you would clearly see
Everything I’ve taken from you has always been because
I could not bear to finish it, and never cut this off

I tell you that I want you to stop
But promise me one thing
That you will never listen to me
When I say these things
Promise me….
y

Please talk to me
Tell me

Stained Glass Window

Stained glass window
Ruby red – the blood of Christ
Jaded thoughts and blue of midnight
Golden glow of hope tonight?
I doubt it

Where is the hand of God?
It was never on my shoulder
And as I get older
I want to believe
I long to be touched by kindness
But instead, in endless days
I grieve

Stained glass window
Scarlet glint – the heart of Christ
Emerald eyes and sapphire light
Golden embrace of love tonight?
I doubt it

Please
Prove me wrong

Stonehenge

We pulled in by the Station Stones
Set up our rainbow corner tipis
And smoked by a crackling wood fire
Everyone was yawning, sleepy

But so excited! So delighted!

Travelled weary roads to be here
Music, magic, megaliths
So I’ve heard them called.
This festival is free for all

Midsummer dawn on Salisbury Plain
I bow down at the Altar Stone
A horseshoe around me, protecting me
Bluestone, sandstone, groovy stoned

Sorry, meant to say
Groovy stones

Someone passed me a spliff
We both agreed it was a joint decision
To get high stones
High stoned
High up on the stones!

We must climb the Sarsens
Perch atop the lintels and watch our star
Paint colours amongst the drifting clouds

The Druids were out in full force
Yet were lost amongst the crowds
Swarming like hungry bees to a hive
It felt so great to be alive
That morning.

I thought about the builders, the creators
Of these giant observers
These watchers of the world, silent and strong
How much blood was shed
How much sweat was glistening on their faces
How many tears fell on sacred ground
To make a Stone Circle to surround

Something astronomical

Mysterious beauty
It bears witness to the heavens
Dances with the rhythm of moon and sun
Tells us when next eclipse will come

Some say Merlin waved his wand
And in stardust the stones appeared
From thousands of miles away
I felt the magic that day.

The sun was stirring from its peaceful dream
Beginning to stretch out golden arms
Over the horizon.

We raced down the Avenue
Stopped, feet hurting, laughing
Engulfed by such an ambience
Peace and love a reality
For a few brief moments
Scent of juniper oil and marijuana
Mixed with something new

The brilliant dawn rays
Crept up the side of the heelstone
Then dazzled us from the top
As if it was offering warmth
Back into the early sky
Like light came from within
All of us amazed

I closed my eyes… had another toke
Then giggled as I heard
Whoops of joy, drumming, cheering
Applause
The stillness of my mind expanded
Hands touched, bodies melted
Then no-one spoke

Free loving groovy stones
Free loving
Groovy
Stoned

Stop

I couldn’t stop when I started this morning
It was like a flood that had been held back
Behind the banks for many months
And barriers gone, it poured like rain
I needed it, I’m not ashamed

Yet where were you really? Not with me
Instead hiding in your own insecurity
I’m sorry if it’s selfish but I just needed
You to hold me and stroke my hair
Yet you’ve had enough, I guess, of my despair

I know it must be hard for you to cope with this
When so many every day stresses persist
And I feel for you, I really do, it’s not
What you need when everything else is a mess
But couldn’t you just try a moment

If it was me, in spite of anything
If I heard you crying like a baby behind a door
I’d make sure I disregarded any problem I had before
And I would be there, especially if
You hadn’t let go for months at a time
Yet you could not cope or knew not how to respond
I appreciate that, I really do
And I’m sorry I made it worse for you
And I really feel for all your pain
In my heart, I am disgraced

But please can you just touch me once
Make me feel that it will be good
And I will be so happy just
From that one understanding
From that one not-misunderstood

Straighten Up

I’m told I need to straighten up
Yet it is my humble opinion
I was never warped in the first place.
Or if I am,
Bent, distorted out of shape
Find the ones who twisted me
Originally
And make them sort me out.
That seems fair.
I’m too busy
Just struggling to be happy

Streetwise

You, so streetwise,
I am barely moving clockwise.
Safecracker, to me
means a healthy lunch.

Take care,
you might as well,
you took everything else.

Situation

You ask of me what I cannot give
You rely on me for an impossible situation
You drink the wine of my undoing
You reach to me when there is nothing
You persist
And I hate myself but I love it

Don’t want to let go of the dream and let it fade
But with each day I think I’ll go crazy
Unless I turn away
Turn my back on this love
Because it came at the wrong time
And unless you can be mine…
Let it go

Let me go and try to understand
It’s not my hand at work but the voice of another
Up above… it’s all in fate
How can I love the situation I hate
Why do I feel so strong this bond
When it is wrong

Well it’s not wrong, it’s not something bad
In a different situation, all would be unveiled
But I’m so sad, and I have to continue as I am
Or I will be crazy and you will bear the burden of that

Let me go and try to understand
It’s not my dismissal at work but some other
Force I don’t know… It eats at my soul
How can I cope in this greyness and pain
Why do I feel so strong this light
If it is not right

I have to let it happen, I have to leave
All this behind
What else can I do
They say that love is blind
But does that make it wrong
I think not, so I will sing this song
For you

So you can comprehend
What I’m telling you
So you can realise
How much I miss you
And although I cannot show it
You know it
The same way I do.

Summer Scent

Your summer scent
It seems unspent, just waiting
For me to catch a breath
Stop still
And I will
When I hear the songbirds mating
Call to me, you’re so exciting
I want to tear the cloth
To be better off
In the feel of us uniting

Summer Song

A time of roller-skates and baseball bats
Who come outside to play but once a year;
Tepid milky lotion and wide-brimmed hats
Dominate the landscape when sun appears;
While barbecues spit a scent of charred flesh
Sizzling and smoky like an engine on heat;
And strawberry ice-cream tries to refresh
The tongues of young girls who just want to eat;
Warbling birds make their way to the river
To paddle and splash, drinking nature’s brew;
Heat waves set the horizon aquiver
With silhouette Frisbees gliding into view.

Snotty-nosed children head straight for the beach
While sultry mothers seek out parasols;
Meanwhile the fathers are eager to teach
Their offspring to build the best sandcastles;
Blossoming sweethearts rock boats on the lake
As eager sport-lovers capsize a canoe;
Mischievous wasps buzz around a milkshake
Like teenagers fight for the water-slide queue;
Tired old donkeys must bear screaming kids
Who climb up and down in a clammy parade
Licking ice-lolly from their fingertips
They smear sticky hands on bright plastic spades.

Humid and parching, stray dogs on the street
Drink trickles of water from broken pipes;
As cats play it cool in the shade of a tree
Washing and sleeping as much as they like;
Paddling pool noises from gardens arise
Excitable boys shoot water from guns
Spraying their neighbour who’d just closed his eyes
For an afternoon nap in the blistering sun;
Tropical places on picture postcards
Pushed through the doors of those who receive
Or images of some naked coastguard
Say “Wish you were here!” which no-one believes.

Superb Paradise Bird

Superb
Paradise Bird
Elaborate feathers
Embellish your proud chest and back
As you dance a fine display of courtship
Stun her with your blue ribbon prize
Flex that plumage forwards
Ah, a black disc
With eyes!

Sweet London

Honey trickles past Big Ben
Glitters in the midday sun
Warm and sticky
The kids are having fun
Jumping in barefoot
Expecting a splash
Wait a minute not so fast

Chocolate flows over Tower Bridge
Smooth and silky like Galaxy
Hot and sweet
Drivers are in ecstasy
Stopping their cars
Wanting to explore
Stop the traffic not so sure

Ice-cream fills the London Eye
Crying in the lunchtime heat
Tepid and tired
Tourists eager to eat
Sitting in their dessert
Like an unchanged nappy
Hold the ride please not so happy

(At three fifteen all will change
With dark clouds overhead)

Kids are screaming near Big Ben
Twisting in a golden pool
Legs and arms stuck
Honey starting to cool
Held fast in glue
Asking to be saved
But parents made their own mistake

They’re yelling in cars on Tower Bridge
Stranded in a cocoa mass
As the chocolate hardens
The vehicles have them trapped
Can’t even open
The door to go home
Family and friends won’t answer the phone

Communication’s ruined
By vanilla flavoured cream
The Eye became blind
Stopped turning mid-stream
People at the top
Shouting down below
When’s rescue? (Better they don’t know*)

*Police are imprisoned behind lion bars
Firemen + doctors held up by double deckers
Running on hot fudge sundae service

Sybil

Sybil you can be a real pain
When I get in from work and you’re whining again
Sometimes I want to strangle you
But you’re still sweet
I can’t deny it
There’s no hiding from it
I still love you

Sybil you make me insane
When I arrive home and you attack me again
Sometimes I wish you’d go away
But you’re still lovely
I cannot hide it
You are undeniably the best
And I still love you

Sybil you whine for tuna
And when I feel down it’s the last thing I need
Sometimes I wish you’d stay out of my way
But you’re still fucking purry
I cannot deny it
No, I cannot hide it
You are beautiful and fluffy
And I will always love you
In spite of your weird ways

Sybil

Sybil’s Complaint

I have a few complaints to make
To you, my Owners dear:
I’ll start at the beginning so
It’s absolutely clear.

When you stagger downstairs at 7 am
Crinkle-faced with lingering sleep
Don’t head straight for that noisy room
To fill your drinking water deep

So deep you can sit and splash in it
Now that’s just being greedy
What about your poor old cat
Left thirsty, cold and needy?

I haven’t eaten for five whole hours
So why do you make me wait
Sitting on the edge of your water tub
For fifteen minutes straight?

Oh, you may say to me “Hi, gorgeous”
Do that thing you call “embrace”
Meanwhile my tummy’s rumbling
So shall we just cut to the chase?

Finally! Into my eating room
Your strange pink paws reach for my dish
I purr my thanks and – what the hell?
This doesn’t look like tuna fish!

Do you expect me to eat this junk?
My dears, you haven’t got a clue
Surely you should know by now
Only the best will do.

Now you’re walking out your door!
(Incidentally, it’s bigger than mine)
Now I’ve eaten what will I do?
I’ll have to sleep to pass the time.

Yawn – stretch – I wake from my doze
Again rudely interrupted
By the sound of you within the hall
Saying “Sybil, are you up yet?”

You return, disturb my blissful snooze
But now that you are back
Make yourself useful, will you, and
Give me a good ol’ scratch?

Oh, and there’s another thing
When I kindly bring you a mouse
After hours of hunting in a field
And let it loose within the house

Why do you always catch my gift
Then take it outside for release?
Not only have you spoiled my fun
You’ve ruined my midnight feast.

Take heed of this warning, Owners
My revenge will be so sweet
I’ll sneak into your sleeping room
And pounce upon your feet.

But I don’t want to sound ungrateful
So if you want to make amends
Stroke me for an hour or two
Then maybe we’ll be friends.

Tanka

Bountiful heaven
Like a newly-made mother
Providing shelter
Head full of stars, eyes that spill
Tears, to nurture earth’s children.

Tao Thoughts

Please stop comparison
Since you are only inferior
To that you judge superior
And if you don’t know as much as some
You know much more than others
Therefore do not judge yourself
Or, in doing, understand that
It is only an opinion based on contrasts
There is no good or bad
But only what is in your ability
And things are as they are
It’s only ourselves
Who label differences in life
In reality, we are all as one
All inter-connected
To give of yourself naturally
Work in harmony
Is to give the best of you
You can clear the muddy water
By leaving it alone
If you remain calm
You don’t need as much renewal
Be still in the midst of action
Therefore helping others
To find their way back to centre

Stretching too far
Will cause you to lose balance
And your strong connection
With the ground

Tattoo

Today my soul went hang gliding
Over unfamiliar terrain
And I know time is a stethoscope
Hearing each hidden beat
With silent refrain
And truth is a stranger on a train
I tell myself over and over
Bad things come to those who think
And his beauty was a mere tattoo

Today I went there for dinner
He said what would you like to drink
I said laughter on the rocks
But bad things come to those who think
He threw me a wink
And put my heart on the barbecue
I’ve been lonely since I heard
Love took up kickboxing
And his beauty was a mere tattoo.

Taut Suspense

Taut suspense, this involuntary shift,
slowly eroding within. Angst,
my fresh-off-the-shelf adversary,
lingers with intent, threatens
to immerse me in a minus whirlpool
of neglect.

Tears

I cried real tears today, and I know you heard
Yet all you said was: ‘Are you ok?’
Outside the bathroom door, and I felt
Sadly disappointed that you didn’t open up
And come inside to wrap your arms around me
Tell me it would be alright

Instead all I felt was a slight guilt for not
Being there for you when you bottled up
Outside the bathroom door, and I cried
Even more because you didn’t shout or cry for me
Or force your way inside to question what reasons
Hold me despite anything

I cried real tears today, you know…

Tersa Rima

With blurry eyes of grey fatigue
I battle with myself for sleep
But in the night I am intrigued.

Inside the darkness, cold and deep
My mind searches for answers new
But misses sense that I can keep.

When morning cooks its bitter stew
I taste it with an anguished cry
This light takes me away from you.

I struggle on, I have to try
Paint on a face with ruby smile
They shouldn’t part us, you and I.

Let’s tie knots they cannot sever
Hold me in your arms forever.

Thank You

You sent me a picture
In a beautiful frame
Unexpected
Of you and me, me and you
I bet I make you feel old
Your thirtieth birthday girl
But you made me feel young today

Thank you Dad
For taking the time
For softening
This muddy heart of mine

The Astronaut’s Mother

His mother worried endlessly
About his journey to the moon;
Packed his lunchbox with sandwiches
Added yogurt and a spoon.

She took his dripping spacesuit
From the old washing machine;
Hung it out on the line to dry
Scrubbed his lunar boots clean.

She wrote him precise directions
For his lonely trip to the stars;
In case he broke down she told him
About a service stop on Mars.

She kissed his cheek that morning
The only goodbye that was fitting;
Asked for a postcard by no-air mail
Then went back to her knitting.

The Bridge

standing on a stony bridge
alone
bricks are cold and crumbling
they are tired
of staring at the water
that only moves pebbles
from one spot to another
no-one comes
to the lonely bridge
that tries to make connections
no-one cares
time is everything
thoughts are nothing
on this aged arch of wondering

The Church

The church is bleached by uncivil sun;
suffused with light, pearly as
the gates of heaven.
Spire, sharper than mountain peaks
that surround, a finely chiselled
wonder. What calls her here?
Is it the echo of isolation, or
nature’s supple grace, or is it
serenity’s aura waiting inside?
It is a jewel nestled amongst
leafy expanse. She takes a chance:
pushes against the splintered door
which groans as it opens;
woken from a lengthy slumber.

Daylight, eager to explore,
rushes through the open door.
It has been frustrated:
years spent trying to gain access
by leaking in through tinted windows

The Future Us

Snowball prayers for God
Alone can grant our peace.
To Mary, lift up your eyes
Be sure to kiss her feet.
Trial and tribulation
To increase, increase, increase
Six trumpets sound, Revelation unleashed.
Three days of night, followed by sun
Ten kings arrive, then the Antichrist comes.
But Jesus approaches; His Kingdom will rule
New heaven, new earth – they’ll teach it at school.

(Roman Catholic future)

A better world, promised again
Justice will prevail.
The Temple will be restored
We’ll move back to Israel.
Borders, bloody battles
But there will be a cure
The Messiah smiles; makes our land secure.
The Torah will shower afterlife stars
A true resurrection in Olam Ha-Ba.
Earn your way to heaven; the sinners won’t last
The Holy Land’s ours – so it will come to pass.

The Handshake And The Honest Smile

The handshake and the honest smile
Can it ever really cross the miles?
Your history is rich, your reality poor
Many people here will slam the door
Closed in your face.
But what of race?
There are those of us who build a gate
To join our humanity and our faith.
In truth, most of us who live
By our Western dream (which in fact, only is
An illusion – a closing of collective eyes
Against the tyranny and the lies
Fed to us with the spoon of wealth)
Are rarely content with our gift of space
There’s always one more thing
We want or need, or have to chase.
But you, the only ones who know
How it is to be bound and thrown
Your hearts in chains, your tears of blood
Pursue only freedom, only love.
So I say to you, with arms open wide
Come over, stand here by my side
My smile, and the hand I share
Can’t undo the pain you’ve had to bear
But I hope that it will show you this:
Compassion can and does exist
There are those of us who do not see
The borders and the boundaries
So take my hand, and trust a while
In the handshake and the honest smile.

The Last Pharaoh

Elegant at seventeen
Last bright spark of Ptolemy
Witness to the mighty fist of
The Holy Roman Empire

Caesar’s hand most powerful
Shook Alexandria’s shores
He was stronger than the rest
Despite his vicious wars;
An oriental carpet brought
Into the palace heart
Now twenty two, a lovely queen
A gorgeous work of art;

The Missing

Inside my chest it hurts.
A hand squeezes at my heart
I almost cannot bear it.
Adrenaline dances up my veins
Catches in my throat.
I’m choked
Cannot say what I long to say
This story ends too quickly
As we start to fade away.
Yet still, when you bless my eyes
My heart is twisting
But only inside I cry

The Nile

Ethiopian snows were melting
And African forests welcomed the rain
The God of Water raised his head
And cried a flood where desert had lain
This beautiful river of dreams

At first his tears came slowly
Reflecting those sparkling emerald eyes
But as the sunshine touched his hand
Ruby red stars poured down from the sky
This beautiful river of dreams

Eastern children began to smile
Then kissed the damp ground with sunburnt lips
The God of Future breathed a song
Blew magic lilies from his fingertips
This beautiful river of dreams.

The Tree

Eagerly she awaits those sweet daytime hours
Welcomes the brightness and undisturbed light
Her branches exposed; too long without flowers
Naked and barren from winter’s harsh bite.

Budding with hope at spring’s touch of fertility
Emerges new birth from her outstretched embrace
Compassionate breeze restores her agility
Her fervent young blossoms crave the sun’s face.

At last it arrives – summer’s generous heat
The leaves of her body now rich and alive
She cradles the softness of songbird’s young feet
Stands tall and proud knowing she is revived.

We can all learn a lesson from this mighty tree
Who held herself high throughout much darker days
Certain that sunshine would once again be
Revealing her beauty, in season’s next phase.

They Call Her Aquarius

The Aquarian Sun
Winked at her birth
Knowing she would be different
Daring, not caring
For worldly conventions.
When forced to conform
The spark is set
Ignited by the hot breath
Of a growing storm.
Always she returns
Jumping, skipping on her own star
Explosion!
Shower of fire in stinging needles.
Don’t try to tell her what to do
In life, she follows her own rule.
She becomes Houdini
When bound up in red tape
Angry with authority
Drifting place to place.
Blessed with kisses of three u’s

Unconvential
Unorthodox
Unusual

Light years ahead of time
But burdened by her gravity.
Inventive aircraft
Speeding through
The clouds of her mind.
Is she one of a kind?
Just like the tree that falls
Which does or doesn’t make a sound
When no-one stops to hear it
If she speaks to the crowd
Who don’t pay attention
Does she speak at all?

So she always seems
To begin alone
Create an art of her own

Routine is a filthy word
Caked in dreary mud
Poor girl always needing change
Provoke it, poke it
Rock the boat, baby

Intense emotion breeds distrust
She will not be restricted
No difficulty and no fuss.
Only her thoughts remain
The confidant she leans upon
Her heart knows right and wrong
Loyal to the ones she loves
Faithful soul that lost a song.
But vibrant words sail from her lips
On a river of understanding
Always trying
Not to jump in headfirst
Not to sink in waves of crying.
Communication is a stable door
And she, the white horse that bolts
And yet unbolts.
Distracted by a photograph sun
Who beckons over the horizon
She runs… and she runs…

Thing

You’re a strange thing
A rearranged thing, and I sometimes think
A slightly deranged thing

This Time Of Year

Being set up to gamble
A chain on the ankle
Twisting in cyclones
Evoking the jinn
So breathe the atmosphere
At this time of year
Texture of promise
A thrill under skin

This Day

Today I don’t know where I am
Iam completely lost in disillusion and I feel
Cheated and upset, I feel there is something better yet
And I have good friends
That is all that matters in the end

Today I know not how I feel
I am totally abandoned in this life of caring
Left here and distraught, I fell deeply down the glow of hope
And I have good friends
That is all that matters in the end

Thankyou to all of you so real
Who made me feel something of me that was worth sharing
You were positive and made life worth the wait, finally
And I have good friends
That is all that matters in the end

I know I have not been myself,
But if you saw the other side of me then you’d know
Something else, and not the person that you always will see
I know I have good friends
That is all that matters in the end

I don’t want to put aside
The warmth of feeling that I often hide
And the caring that I get from you
You are all wonderful and I want you to know
That I appreciate you
And everything you have done or will do for me
Thankyou, thankyou, for what they don’t see
My friends
On this day.

Thoughts

For Mike

Thought together we would lie
Like sleepy fires glowing
In gentle emotion with chocolate dreams
But darling
You were more delicate
When faced with my fever
Your beautiful lips hot
From sweet talk’s embrace
Slowly, surely
Fanning the flames of love
To rise in my face

The Thoughts of Marc Anthony

Here, in Tarsus, ruby sandals leave traces of her step in the dust
She drifts towards me with the poise and grace of a vulture
I draw in the scent of her ebony ringlets, aroma of sweet almond oil
Now I see beads woven and strung in beautiful patterns
Inlaid with gold rosettes.

She is near, and I’m a victim – lured by those dark and dusky eyes
Enhanced by viper-coloured eyelids, and a drop of moisture
Upon ochre-tinted lips, slightly parted – an enticing and colourful smile
The skin upon her cheek is as white as the lotus flower
Tinged with fuchsian glow.

Around her head a ring of shining cobras, in honey yellow coils
Gleaming horns rise on either side of a precious solar disk
The wind rustles her sea-green cloak, revealing a crocus-yellow gown
I glimpse some scarlet silk beneath as it twinkles in the moonlight
She glitters like a treasured jewel.

They warned me she would be alluring, but nothing has prepared me
A flame ignites within my heart – my blood is white-hot passion
Her smouldering gaze melts into mine, consuming me with trembling fever
Caesar, now I comprehend seduction in its many forms, for tonight
Spellbound, I’ve fallen for her.

Tiger Sea

Dawn coloured desert or rainforest eyes
Ripe with golden sleep
When the red river speaks
So do I
Rocking like a horse on grass
Growing lemon blossom in my hair
Many more will come
Only tiger sea will dare

Time

Time is melting
Trickles slowly down the table
Dripping numbers to the floor
Time after time
Into a pool of equation
A life in congealed moments

Is that a face before me?
Or a woman draped in clock?
I cannot tell, for true illusion
In your world, runs amok.

What’s that in the distance?
Looks like steep cliffs and the sea
But you can bet your lifetime
If you blink, and look again
You’ll see another fantasy

Paperweight spider,
Do you melt too?
Caught inside your glassy web
Which you did not construct
How much do you know?

And time is still melting…

To The Moon

Blossom moon, you make the night shimmer
I’ve seen you blush, in my eyes you have glimmered
Every night, you are goddess serene
Without a care, mysterious queen

Sapphire moon, please tell me your secrets
Why do you hide, like forever’s a weakness
Constancy, it has earned you respect
Despite the dark, you’ve blinded regret

Lavish moon, voluminous beauty
I feel your need and your ocean-kissed duty
Truth is love, for it shines on your face
In ecstasy, nocturnal embrace

Today

Maybe the bus will arrive – and the driver will throw me a smile
The birds will sing contentedly and Blair speak sincerely
People in the city will slow down their walking pace
While taking detours through the park to look at scenery

Maybe workers will be late – they’ll all show up at twenty past ten
The sun will shine brilliantly and kids play noisily
People on the roads will reduce their driving speed
While shouting greetings through the glass and being neighbourly

Maybe at quarter past twelve – everyone takes two hours for lunch
The food will cook deliciously and prices drop considerably
People in the shops will buy things they can afford
While lovers dancing through the streets are kissing constantly

Maybe on the evening news – they’ll tell us that all wars are over
The leaders will talk happily and agreements rise instantly
People in their homes will feel safe when they go out
While families laughing through the house are caring instinctively

Maybe when I go to bed – I won’t cry myself to sleep again
The memories will fade gently and won’t return fleetingly
People in my dreams will not remind me of your name
While I am sleeping through the night I’ll find peace finally

Tonight

Tonight
I don’t know who I am, I just stare into those depths
Of time, and wonder if I could ever really
Be myself again
Because you have changed everything for me
Every single thing changed in that moment
All that I know vanished
Disappeared
And I was left with something else

Tonight
I don’t know who you are, I just lose myself in your
Longing, and torture inside the question: if I
Can find myself now
Because you have altered the only thing
That I knew was real before that one time
Vanished
And I was bereft of life

Tonight
I know you are the only one, yet I am so unsure
Of you, and rivers flow deep beyond the sunset
Would touch the shore now
Because you have promised life beyond this
A dream made reality just for me
Appeared
And I am joyous throughout

Tonight
I know I cannot read your thoughts, but I can see your heart
So deep, and lotus flowers grow beside the banks
Can revitalise now
Because you have loved a world above this
A fantasy that was made to exist
Surfaced
And I am breathing magic

Tonight
I lose everything to you

Touched

You know that sound
It pounds inside your head
Can leave you for dead
If you stick around

You know that sense
It jumps inside your veins
Drowns you in the rain
Strips innocence

I never let anyone
I never let anyone see the truth
No-one gets through
But I could be touched by you

Truly

The wheels and the singing prayer
Call to me in my sleep, and just before
I close my eyes, it’s always there to keep
Me alive

The sound of devout truthful singing
Whispers to me in the night, and even though
I try to shut it out, permanently
I feel free

The hush of the morning dew silent
Tells me I’m missing something, this happiness
I hate pretending but there you have it
What can I do?

I saw you and my eyes came alive
I heard you and my heart cried
I touched you and my soul denied
Everything you are
You are my soul deep sparkling star

Love me the way I am
And I know that you do
That is what makes everything so hard
When I try to contact you
Leave me in peace, and run away
From the fire in my blood
Your sentimental poetry has made me
Give you up

This is not what we expect
In our society
But I care not for what they say
I only feel the rightous way
And I know that I love you
I love you always
Difficulties they preside
But no-one can deny the truth they hide

Stay with me
Comfort me
Make me laugh and make me cry
Hold me so tight you think I’ll break
That’s how closely I want to be held
Tonight

Trumpets

So they played their trumpets out of tune
From the yellow parlour rumours came
If they had stayed at my feet
It would have been better for me
But oh, my bewildered heart weakened
Let them in

Give me another route through time
Another opportunity
I’ll stuff their instruments
With sharp and dirty paper
Polish them with vigour
Revealing
Dull, scratched surface beneath
And the shine will die
In tone-deaf audience’s eyes

Truth

I have built myself a prison

And I can’t escape its walls
They totally surround my head
Make me want to give in to it all

I have constructed a cocoon
Where nothing can break in
It totally surrounds my world
Makes me want to touch again

Never underestimate
The power of the eyes
Never try to undertake
The one you think you can rise… above

I have dreamt of gleaming palaces
And I can’t turn myself away
It completely engulfs me
Makes me sleep though I’m awake

I have built a roaring fire
And have been feeding from the sparks
It totally possesses me
Makes me tumble in the dark

Never underestimate
The power of the eyes
Never try to undertake
The one you think you can rise… above

And always understand
That whatever you may do
The truth is always out there
And it’ll come for you

Try

A poem for self-motivation

It may be difficult sometimes
Or even most times.
But think a while, what do you gain,
If you give up the path of choice again,
Short term pleasure or long-term Joy.
Joy the happier of the two.
You need to stay focused,
Remember who you are inside
Inside the spirit, inside the mind
No need for anxiety, you can do this,
You’ll be so proud that you got through this.
If you just try. Go now,
Come back when you need love,
I’ll remind you of the little things
That build up to a lot.
Stick with your first decision
It’s the best one, as you know
Return for motivation when
You’re falling out of flow.
I’m here to help and guide you
Pay heed to what I write
Nothing comes from nothing
If you never even try.

Tulip

I was picked once from the soil
So why does no-one pick me now?
Left alone, shivering,
In an empty bucket, cold
The water tastes stale
Feels infected.

Only this morning my roots
Were intact, I was nurtured well
Surrounded by family

Twilight Shadow

The delicate line of progress is never straight
So I dig out my old pencil case and throw away the ruler
Replaced by freehand – uncertain waves
Which still ascend but they recognise
Blips and bumps and two steps back
Yet my sandaled foot still makes one move forward
Maybe onto dusty roads and potholes
This time with doubt acknowledged and loved
As part of life

I find comfort in written words and sayings
They give me cause to justify this existence
To learn to grow and if I falter, add water and try again
The sweet rays of the sun act as unprescribed remedy
Warming the soft skin of understanding
Held in place by milky peace and fluffy smiles
Candle-lit splashes filled with earthy fragrance – they heal
They flicker with romantic abandon, revealing
The essence of love

Not everyone will relate to what I write today
The meaning is thick like mud and treacle
Save transparency for crystal glass and sparkling teardrops
Inhale, my friend, and breathe in your air of understanding
Take from this mixture of letters and sounds
Relate it to your pictures and your glittering dreams
Dip your toes into this pool of honey; if you enjoy it dive inside
Meanwhile I’ll swim for mercy and comprehension
My twilight shadow on the horizon

Two Years

Two years of madness and grief
Two years of insanity
Two years of uncontained belief
Two years of depravity

Two years of shame and hurt
Two years of self-hate
Two years of missing worth
Two years of painful fate

Two years… I wait… I wait
Two years I succumb in part
Two years I control my urge
Two years I fall apart

Two years I live in darkest water
Two years I run from this
Two years you tried and sought her
Two years I know your kiss

Two years I feel a caged animal
Two years I feel I’m free
Two years I should appreciate
Two years be glad for him and me

Two years I just want the lightest touch
Two years I want to feel
Two years I dream about your smile
Two years I wish it real

Two years I hold on to your image
Two years I love your eyes
Two years I don’t want to discourage
Two years I breathe your sighs

Two years I fall inside your arms
Two years I close my eyes
Two years I feel your body close
Two years I don’t disguise

Two years I suffer in disgrace
Two years I cannot stop
Two years I cry in your embrace
Two years above the top

Two years I cry in your shining eyes
Two years I want you more
Two years I don’t know what to do
Two years I close the door

Two years I battle constantly
Two years I walk away
Two years I leave you painfully
Two years I want to stay

Two years I hold you in my pain
Two years I can’t let go
Two years you’re everything to me
Two years I love you so

Two years I hate my own reflection
Two years I can’t justify
Two years I know the man I love
Two years I fantasise

Two years, and you won’t go away
Two years, I love your smile
Two years, your laughter with me stays
Two years …