“Can-do person”
less and less soon
just a person
will that do?
will I lose all
but the real ones
the few and far between?
who call the very minute
and hour of need
no matter how long it’s been..
so long
“Can-do person”
less and less soon
just a person
will that do?
will I lose all
but the real ones
the few and far between?
who call the very minute
and hour of need
no matter how long it’s been..
so long
Women, neighbours
flat screen glows
shattered window blows
children in care somewhere
paying her way out
giving out offers for
mother’s day photos
at the family park
for commission
Sin of omission
a fortune spent
don’t blink! Little faces
immortalized in ink
on my wall
I am reminded of her
in them all
A word collage of quotes from my reading today…
“Blessed be the man who took notice of me
Relative, Guardian, Redeemer of my family
Removed his sandal as a vow
to renew her life.”*
“We don’t talk much but I believe
we have a more complete communion
with one another than even lovers have.
We are two minute sparks of life
what does he know of I or I of him?
Formerly we should not have
A single thought in common
now we sit with a goose between us
and feel in unison
are so intimate
that we do not even speak.”**
*The Book of Ruth- NRSV Bible
**”All Quiet on the Western Front” by Erich Maria Remarque, p.85. (HEB London, 1986)
Seems the things that make us happy, haven’t changed much since we were in nappies – love food, stimulation, mother nature’s inspiration – rap lyrics to ‘The Favourite’ (author unknown)
Like a bolt out of the blue they came to me
Standing in wait as I walked aimlessly
In the dark, the day, back street, bar pew
The night market, car park, the mall
Just standing around head looking down
Saying words under their breath
The names have escaped, their faces erased
But if not for intervention it was surely death
For just the week before or the night after last
Another girl just like me had also walked past
But they met a different face and ever since had paid
Ultimate price for freedom to walk out past late
Fellow from far North under dim street light
Walkabout round nowhere I’d been serving tables
Waiting just to take me in and serve me soy tea
He showed me what it meant to set my Spirit free
The woman waiting patiently each day on every street
For the one to hear her words and in turn agree
She gave up all she had also her family
To bare her soul to every passer by she’d meet
Once I knew the code of this secret army
I found them plain clothes everywhere
Staring right into my soul carefree
Just when nobody else would dare
At break of day our Padre
Awakens and stirs me
Words and phrases exchanged
Ruminating upon this mind
The purveyor of fine intricacies,
Subtleties and non-sensicalities
Steeped in Pathos here relieved
To bathe in bathos
At the wink of an eye upon pillow
We exchange a therapeutic peek-a-boo
With the clouded sun peeping out
Casting light round and round the garden
Reporting life
In distorted
Staccato
Sentences
One word in front
Of another
Why bother?
Well, it’s just
A long journey
I intend to take
In order that
My journey and I
Will make
A natural end.
A Penny for your thoughts..
Tuning in frequently
sound bites, snippets
pop up in low fi
filling my mind
through wireless ears
Static surrounds and drops down
Ringing and pinging hearts beating
Your gestures punctuated
by prayers and pleading
begging for what we’re needing
to hear
connecting dots
between points
numbered
pulling together
problems and silence
soaked deep in Word
sewn together into
a larger world view
illustrate illustrate
no mundane repartee
sacrifice secular stoics
devout pleasure in pain
tears restrain
buoyed by passion
de-liberation? wrong..
good people I’ve managed
to hold attention too long
Thanks to Mikey
I would never
let go
of fraternity
but if you asked me
I wouldn’t
say no
I can’t always be here to warm your toes..
I caught myself
On a cold wet night
Mesmerised by
That same sight
On the winding lane
I laid eyes on
the lighted way
That holds my own
Heart’s recipe
It makes me see in
Rear view clearly
When I could be
What I dared to be
I’d speak out loud
When I want to speak
Do whatever I cared to
I’d feel much more than
I ought to feel
Because there’s none
But you
The night sky is dark and heavy
Like my love
a nod at James Shelton’s famous song Lilac Wine (1950)