Stories without Borders
The park where my children used to play; My eldest’s school;My youngest’s nursery;The bustling barsAnd sculptures by the sea: All closed. All closed,Abandoned,Cordoned off;As if unloved, un-longed-for, undreamed-ofThrough dark enduring days:All lies. Lies which daily rule our lives;Lies, damned lies and statistics:50% of this group die while70% of that survive,But then againWho lives? Who lives in isolation?Who... Continue Reading →
How can I go onLike thisI sometimes wonderHow can I go onAt allWhen my body Throws me curveballsAnd nobodyCan be asked to understandThe demons that existInside of meThough only temporarilyThey torment me So I lose myselfFor whole days at a timeAnd one day's damageCan’t be easily undoneIn fourteenWhen it begins againWhen seemingly it wins aginAgain again so... Continue Reading →
The writer said:‘Mine is the voice of All Men’(As alwaysLeaving Women outI note, as an aside)He said: ‘I hear all, know all, say all, Write all down:My powerful words abide.’ The Actor said:‘I'm Everyman, yes I; such is my crown’(No place for Women neitherBy the by)He said:‘Hear my great voiceAnd tremble At the unchecked power Of my... Continue Reading →
I was feeling a bit down yesterday: I couldn't quite put my finger on why. Maybe it's because we'll soon be leaving this corner of the earth (albeit for an arguably even lovelier one - more on this later). Still, there's something special about Andalucía, the bridging point between Europe and Africa. I've tried to... Continue Reading →
Sing on sweet Muse of my lost love;So far away he waits for me;Sing on sweet Muse of my lost loveAnd I’ll sing him to me: A thousand miles away he waits Beyond the sea, beyond the paleAnd I would sing him home to me:Let words not fail. I wait upon this barren rock;The spray hits... Continue Reading →
At liberty For the first time in my life:Free to just drive and driveOr dive into the sea; To live without fearNo longer to careHow harshly you judge me. At libertyTo stand alone Upon a mountain top:I'll stand beside you should you careTo join me But I do not fearTo go my own way. At libertyFor the... Continue Reading →
As today is the First of May, I thought I'd mark it with a poem about the changing seasons. I wrote the first verse as a teenager, but it's taken me until now to finish it. I hope you enjoy it. The song of Summer's ending Lament to lost enchanted days Sings in the early... Continue Reading →
I. In order to maintain focus, choose your drishti:Hold your hands up to the skyIn mountainFocus on your thumbAnd balance: breatheThe stillnessFeel the calmnessBalance peace, release, serenity. II. Focus on your browboneLet your gaze sink backInto skull-socketsSee the colour at the edge of lightBehind your eyelids:Spiritual eyes openPhysical eyes closedTo glimpse the light which brings... Continue Reading →
I'm re-reading John Irving's Last Night in Twisted River at the moment. I love the way he uses the do-si-do as an extended metaphor to describe the courtship dance between key characters. It made me think about the bees courtship dance, or 'waggle dance' which inspired the following poem. As ever, your comments, queries and... Continue Reading →