Street angels

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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

Parental Guidance Recommended

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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

Wired for Sound

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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

Rewind

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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)

Reckless

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Like swimming
In a stagnant pond
Tiresome
But can’t put it
Beautifully
Your face serene
Tender note
Telephoned her
To imagine
Climbing onto her roof
I smelt your hair
On the east wind
Guesses are in store
With innumerable tins
Or else all likely places
Electric fire ends
Whimsical fondness
We should meet again
Dark & grubby
See hear if you wish
Stop. Love. R

Erasure poem from ‘Dying with Henry’ p.135 from ‘Romancing: The Life and Work of Henry Green,’ by Jeremy Treglown

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Pilgrim’s Pass

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Tried, true, black & blue
So close to fine
To have your back
While roasting mine

Move the body
Do not desire
Still the mind
Do not dwell in the mire

The cooking pit
Half filled with smoke
They prepare the spit
Urge us to revoke

Body in a cage
No chance for a dance?
When the river rages
Don’t take the chance

Watch your footing
Past pilgrims plummet
Can’t see from here
We’re near the summit

Companions of the journey
No critique, compete, comparing
Everlasting prize is ours
His compass for our bearing

Null and Void

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Hope up here

Expectation down there

straddle the void

build the bridge

overcome

love without words

give without gift wrap

surpass all assumption

bypass need for affection

silence we’re not listening

playing records on repeat

strumming songs of defeat

who will intercede

between you and I?

 

Every night is followed by a sunrise

– Native American Saying

sunrise bridging the void

Sunrise Dance image – created by Rachel Johnson

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Unveiling

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So much time and effort expended

tediously applying glue

to the shards that fall from the plastered façade

hand-crafted for all to view

How much more time and rest afforded

if we cheered as each piece fell down

allowed it to crumble and fall at our feet

then, rise up on this conquered ground

hobart ruins

 

Image of ruins near Ross, Tasmania – Mercury Newspaper.

 

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