When kingdoms fall, what is left
besides the dead and bereft?
War leaves all wounded and poor –
most more wretched than before.
Who cares how right the victors,
their flags, displayed in pictures,
atop the now rotting crop
of those stopped. In the bookshops,
pundits from the winning side
boost sales, playing on our pride:
we’ve won and evil is done!
The score: none for everyone.
13 MAY 2025
Leave a CommentNot soft and still, or squawking,
but breaking silence, seeking
to stand tall without slouching:
the time has come for speaking.
The truth must pierce the lying,
and loose the light, dispelling
the darkness that is growing.
These words need more than telling.
For night brings stormy weather.
The time is now or never;
to counter these foul measures,
we must be wise, and clever.
We must resist the hating,
else what hell we’re defeating
makes us the dark we’re fighting.
These words need much repeating.
Be bright and shining beacons:
the time has come for being
not just bravado boasting,
but light useful for seeing.
28 APR 2025
It should be more troubling:
a lack of common sense abounds,
and this thin gruel bubbling
is not fit food for the hounds.
Is there anyone believing
they will eat their fill tonight?
When your day’s spent aggrieving,
what meal brings you delight?
Look where the wolves assemble
just past the last fire’s glowing;
we prattle and dissemble
while darkness keeps on growing.
10 APR 2025
Leave a CommentOn these three things the world depends:
life purpose, effort and one’s friends.
The first provides velocity:
forward motion, destiny.
The second supplements one’s sails
when wind and tide desist or fail.
The third reminds us to respect
those in the world whose paths connect
with our own journey, for a while,
and share our sorrows and our smiles.
Without these things, the world is flat;
and our adventure, nothing that
is worth much. Neither time nor health
is substitute for this true wealth.
07 JUN 2017
Leave a CommentPerhaps there is no in between;
it’s either pitch black or light.
You inch forward or slip backwards,
fight each turn of day to night
imagining in fierce battle
you will lose your coward’s mask.
Believing in some great reward,
you ask your sword to hold fast.
There is no time for fool questions,
no need to see shades of gray.
Forget that distracting tension;
let play your guns, heroes say.
Perhaps there isn’t a middle
ground where opposing sides meet;
only space between the goalposts,
where cheats and ghosts find good seats.
18 MAY 2017
Leave a CommentIf you would seek wisdom,
the walls of your prison
must be made a prism.
To purify vision,
let light begin creeping
like mice, softly sneaking,
almost still half sleeping –
if wisdom you’re seeking.
03 MAY 2017
Leave a CommentEach new day is so fleeting:
like a busy bee flitting
between its sweet hits, floating,
never slowing nor quitting.
Life’s made of days flying:
sighed hellos and then goings.
Through each room we go gliding:
near colliding, then dying.
19 APR 2017
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