A New Vision

A new vision for a new time, a new episode, a new year

for the future is full of uncertainty mingled with hope

We face it with a sense of expectancy

hopeful yet daunting in an immense complexity

Energy, wisdom with a strong sense of purpose

are required to embrace the unknown

We approach a mist, a maze, an entanglement

it is from within, our inner sel...

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There is no Shangri-la

The grass is greener on the other side or so they say

I climbed the stile to see for myself

All I found was more of the same

hardly any difference at all in colour or shade

I travelled afar to a tropical paradise

an island drenched in sunshine, palm trees and full of colour

A balmy climate, golden sands and blue skies

but it offered nothing ...

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Friendship

Ir comes with no price tag and is freely given

Few are they who enter through this door

Acquaintances queue in their scores to seek entry

but many are flawed with deceit or other motives

Friends are bars of gold to be treasured

nothing will shock nor disappoint them

They listen attentively and advise wisely

what they say is for the benefit of the soul

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Out of Darkness into Enlightenment

The darkness of conformity stifles mind and soul

It drains even a flicker of life as uniformity holds sway

There is no fertile growth as seeds perish in the earth

No amount of water gives light to the void

Darkness is the cloak which enwraps itself around us

Ideas lay dormant or die unless the light shines

Fear thrives in the portal...

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The Cauldron

We inhabit a cauldron of confusion

in an inexplicable existence

where bewilderment reigns supreme

We are but empty vessels

tossed about on a turbulent ocean

the land in sight is barren and foreboding

The wounded cry out as sirens in their warning

but their suffering goes unheeded

yea ignored

The bells of Christendom and the call

of the minarets of...

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The Bus Station

Under a roof of opaque glass

there is the roar of engines

as buses arrive and depart

Pollution with diesel fumes 

pervades the air as people 

come and go.

Many with families destined

for holidays whilst others take

short or long haul journeys

An elderly lady sits on a

suitcase twice her size looking

disconsolately at those about her

A cou...

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Disquietude

I possess a troubled soul along with many others

which searches for rest and ease

for a spirit of tranquility

in a world which is saturated in torment

I do not yearn for fame or wealth

or any particular sense of achievement

only to find peace and creativity

where I can be alone and free

I search for a place of contentment

liberated from a ca...

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The Gay Manta Ray

The Gay Manta Ray felt out of place

especially amongst a shoal of plaice

He swam the oceans mostly alone

without the comfort of a mobile phone

He was shunned by many of the other Rays

because he lived according to different ways

Essentially he was in search of a mate

yet frequently found only a hake

Often mocked by crab and eel

this wa...

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A Fire Screen for Learning

A card table and fire screen combination

a wedding gift to my parents

made entirely by hand

A woven tapestry of an alpine scene

in a wooden frame covered in glass

Every evening I would remove it

from its place in the hearth

re arrange it into a low table

on which my school homework was placed

I sat cross legged within easy rea...

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The Najd

A landscape commanded by the sun

whose hands manipulate the will of

their master  to create a swirling wind

Craggy rocks wrinkled by fissures 

of heat and wind over many millennia

An undulating sea of shifting sand

a silence imcomparable

No evidence of life

Browns, ochre, yellow and burnt sienna

Lifless, bereft of birds, no echoes heard

A searing sun ...

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Disdain

Seldom are words ever spoken 

the eyes give their full expression

I refuse to cower but my soul is intimidated

Whispers, stares and unspoken words

from the platform of the self righteous

It would be better to be crippled or in

some way retarded as they receive

overt compassion and help

To be different is to the ignorant a

challenge whose response is preju...

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The Visitor

The house was silent and still

I was sat reading a book

as my dogs slumbered 

on a nearby couch

The story stimulated my imagination

as I became less aware of

my surroundings

A mighty roar awoke my attention

a rushing sound of fury unleashed

A powerful wind assailed the house

the curtains blew about in a frenzy of panic

as window panes and shutte...

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What Comes Next

The imponderables fixate us

as we reach out beyond our existence

For some it does not bear thought

Yet it remains a mystery unsolved

We see with clarity of evidence 

our earthly demise

and decay bringing us to nought

Do we possess an indestructable spirit

which continues, but to where

Is there a destination or other dimension

For what purpose w...

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People Watching

A venue of opportunity is required

to observe a microcosm of humanity

as it tarries to and fro

Examples of life styles abound

as couch potatoes mingle with

aspiring six packs

Where the elderly express impatience 

with the young

The finest coiffure crowns its 

elegant frame as the indolent

care nothing for their appearance

Where the unimagina...

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The night is polluted with light

until I clamber up to the tree line

where darkness is a shroud

covering the silhouettes of the pines

Stillness and silence are all pervasive

solitude becomes my cloak of warmth

Flora and fauna slumber in sacred sleep

An oasis of unadulterated nature

fearless I embrace its sanctity

A welcome drenches my soul

I am so close to my original...

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The rudder broke and disappeared

out at sea the ship drifted aimlessly

The captain faced uncertainty

as the engine faltered also

Disagreement on the bridge

fuel perilously low

Fever breaks out below decks

it is highly contagious

Sails are raised but torn

no whisper of wind apparent

Radio reports pirates are close

The ship carries gold bullion

Water trickles into...

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The Passage of Time

History is a great teacher

and needs to be heeded

Nothing is permanent

all is transitory

People come and go

as do civilisations

cultures and ideologies

What is built 

is brought to ruin

What comes to fruitiion

falls into decay

The delights of today

are the detestations

of tomorrow

What is hailed now

is soon trampled on

Con...

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The Cerebral Cavern

I wish to live in my mind

to observe from afar

to avoid direct contact

or verbal confrontation

I am comfortable within

at peace with who I am

unaffected in pure isolation

With age others become tedious

my patience is at a low ebb

My mind is fertile

full of imagination and creativity

Here in this inner sanctum

I can compose, paint and ...

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November

We reach a heavy purple velvet curtain

which appears to stand in our way

It beckons us forward into a darkened chamber

Inside it is cold and damp

The walls are festooned with the names of the dead

All Souls

We search for our kith and kin but in vein

The names are innumerable

In the distance the muffled sounds of gunfire

the dull thud of explosions

Sil...

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Appearances

Don´t judge a book by its cover

words which are true indeed

But what of people

and their outward appearances

With inexplicable instinct

I am able to determine like or not

Face, expression, eyes and demeanour

before a word is spoken I know

I am seldom wrong or misled

even at a distance with no introduction

my mind is made up

where does ...

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Ageing

I am old yet young

I feel as if I am thirty

but in reality close to seventy

My friend Maria is eighty one

yet insists she is twenty four

and is determined to remain so

Every year we celebrate her birthday

I wish her a happy twenty fourth

anniversary

Old with vigour and vitality

concealed within an ageing frame

Ambition and desire supressed

by...

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The Rat Race

I am spun like a spinning top

my vision blurred almost to blindness

I hear nothing but the whir of the top

I am overcome with a sense of nausea

I beg for it to stop and set me free

In time the revolutions lessen

some vision is restored

Then I am still, unsteady, off balance

as I focus on my surroundings

Anxiety and the need to lie down

overco...

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Juxtaposed

We have reached that portal of sadness

adorned with emblems of grief

Memorials, monuments and the Menin Gate

Few now remember or are connected

to human slaughters fading into the past

Bugles sound to replace gunfire and sirens

Bowed heads in silence to replace steel helmets

The future promises nothing better

as the repetitive cycle of war gathers momentum

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My High Street

A disabled seller 

of lottery tickets

Rowdiness from drunks

in a nearby bar

Groups of elderly men

with black coffees and 

endless cigarettes

Obese women strapped

into lycra pants

Graffiti depicting a

crude penis

An overworked

pharmacy with a queue 

of hypochondriacs

Washing drying

on balcony rails

An unceasing flow

of traffi...

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The Young

To treat a child as an adult

is eminently sensible

the height of being responsible

To speak down to a child 

engenders a demeaning

bereft of sense or meaning

To enable them to grow

the more they need to know

Don´t insult the intellect of the young

they are as yet unsung

Engage them and converse

otherwise they will go in reverse

Take them along ...

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Petriified

A day at Chester Zoo

happy and carefree

full of interest

A variety of animals

abounded for all

to see and wonder

A large cage

housed many

monkeys who made

a horrendous din

We peered in curiously

as they too were curious

They shrieked

then a little girl

crawled close to

the cage

She was gripped 

by a frenzied monkey

He shook h...

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A Life of Anxiety

The family fled into the

air raid shelter

leaving my mother behind

in a state of undress

fumbling in the dark

Sirens wailed

anti aircraft guns barked

search lights scanned the sky

the drone of approaching bombers

Eventually she left the house

by the kitchen door

as an incendiary bomb

fell and exploded in front of her

She screamed and...

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Unfinished

Enthusiasm the engine of my soul

often flags and fails on life´s road

A sudden burst of unbridled energy

soon extinguished as if by a canon of water

Occasionally revived as a wilting flower

but never regaining its former luscious texture 

Onward, forward and undeterred

a rekindled flame of renewed vigour

Each day brings recharged light and hope

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Desire

To see is not to touch

a frustration too much

The love to reach out and feel

would make the heart reel

A burning fervent desire

from which I never tire

These thoughts forever with me

how else could they be

It occupies much of my time

in my head singing like a rhyme

I am forever on the look out

for those who may be about

A brief enco...

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Personal Fashion

I used to wear

what I thought 

was right

Now I wear 

what I personally like

I was perpetually

concerned about 

my appearance

Now I have given way

to no allegiance

I have become quite 

outrageous in fashion

I suppose it is

some kind of passion

I often copy the attire

of others

but no longer

do I bother

I have given way

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The Enigma

The enigma within rests

imprisoned in my soul

As a bell rings it is

ignored, accepted or

disregarded

Identity is complex

as a rain forest rich

in diversity

beauty coupled with decay

I look about and within

to fathom who we are

in this kaleidoscope

bewildered, bemused yet strangely safe

Puzzled by others, often hurt

frequen...

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Existence

Surrounded

hemmed in

suffocated from life

perpetually a prisoner

from the world about

Encircled by convention

stunted by false love

a self made cell

from which escape

is only for the birds 

of paradise

Pressed down and locked

desires pitted with shame

a weighty past as a 

stone around the neck

Where is the passage

to freedom, the wa...

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Depression

Clouds settle upon us

we are incarcerated within

A heavy atmosphere prevails

no view is in sight

Little light filters in

time becomes endless

Interest is diminished

everything falls to a new low

No longer a desire to read

enthusiasm plummets

Routines are interrupted

life stalls, even fails

Meaning is in abeyance

introspection...

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The Shell

The shell opened gradually

as I peered out earnestly and deftly

Light filtered into my tiny cavern

as I pondered what lay without

The darkness was one of security

and obscure confidence

Yet I had an appetite to see

outside and see all that I had been told

No dismay only amazement

as I took leave of my

oceanic home and its kingdom

I stood...

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Love at first sight

Together we unite

but in the darkness of the night

Filled with hope

we are fooled

as dawn brightens

and day comes

What was before

is no longer now

Passion vanquished

and sated

Hope remains but

clarity has a new destiny 

a new landscape

Lust remains

but insecurity

arouses doubt

Love is desired

but fearful of

what is r...

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Recovery

Eyes that spiral with delight

a heart filled with hope

confidence renewed

self esteem restored

talents recognised

social skills firmed

enthusiasm gained

optimism forefront

Lile revitalised

happimess realised

life energised

Love accepted

appreciation achieved

A new world awaits

opportunities arrive

Friends welcome

family restored

f...

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Dark Times

Darkness pervades

our light is diminished

Pessimism now reigns

as hope does fade

Calamity in the ascendancy

no respect for humanity

Bullets ring out

as people fall and shout

The world is bleak

more so every week

Souls are vanquished

as evil is cherished

We glance with concern

but fail to learn

Confusion is King

new bells do ring

Ho...

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Dark

It was late and dark

I was restless, inexplicably so

I wanted to be out

and in the night

I sat in secluded silence

unable to decide or reach out

I needed to be unfettered

utterly alone and

unencumbered

I took off all my clothes

nothng remained to adorn me

I was naked from head to foot

Slowly, assuredly I walked

silently to the door

The air was...

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The Inner Sanctum

My inner sanctum 

a cavern secreted

from the glare of this

mortal coil

undisturbed, inviolate

where creativity and thought

hibernate happily to bring

peace to the enquiring and

troubled mind

A den exorcised of temporal

intrusions where orchestras

play concertos and symphonies

of constant delight to lure 

the soul and seduce the spiri...

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Reason

Years lost

time scattered as waste

fruitless the labour of conformity

Passion suffocated, stifled, past

Energy lost in a sea of serenity

Sacrificial, an offering

for nothing

A worthy soul damned

to eternal loss

by a heartless world

For what, for why?

I collapse in despair

as torment rages within 

my empty soul

With energy and faith

I gave...

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The Deep of Night

An inky sky studded with

an array of celestial lights

envelops the town below

where most slumber

in worlds of dreams

and fantasies

A high street empty

almost desolate

with a solitary line

of lamps which glimmer

as if moved by some

silent  pulsating rhythym

A cat scurries across

the street as a distant

door is slammed

The scene ...

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The Morass

As blinkered mules they chew the cud of life

neither hearing the wind or the cries of others about

Single minded, encased and enclosed

they stumble and roam with heavy muffled hooves

Their sphere is not to share or appreciate

they could be eternally cast off

and be unaware of their travesty or fall

we behold them but they see us not

Gratificatio...

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What have we done?

We inhabit an interface world

a separation of our own creation

causing structures to arise against

the pristine wildrenesses of

incomparable perfection

Concrete, glass, bricks 

and tarmacadam

sprawl in a constant motion

an invasive force at war

with our natural landscape

We deface with buildings

of no grace without a

trace of beau...

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The Twilight Years

Should I go home to die

or remain here to lie

Shangri-la does not exist

so why stay here and persist

Should I return to my home county

as if reclaiming some lost bounty

Could there be a corner waiting for me

in the shade of an old oak tree

Three score years and ten

and along comes this yen

To abandon a peripatetic existence

and ...

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The Surrogate Writer

My thoughts could never languish

as does my mortal frame

As my mind is a perpetual

cascade of ideas each which

indent themselves in my complexity

Words are in a flurry

as snowflakes dance about

Phrases interlock and call

to be heard and remembered

Intense activity inhabits

and pervades my thinking

capacity, relentless in 

a desire, a...

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What we do...

A day bright and sunlit

breezes curling about

the pliant foliage of

natural life

A tranquility whose

exterior conceals all

For to see clearly it

is inside our minds 

and homes a reality

to find

A child plays with glee

in the shade of an

outstretched tree

The labourer with bricks

builds a wall, a house

A mother cooks and bakes

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Two in One

I cherish solitude

the door through

which inspiration enters

Alone my mind

creates conversations

between us both

In mental confinement

I deliver lectures

and speeches

I comment on others

none of which is ever

heard or known

as it remains within

I am fascinating

hilarious and 

self opinionated

often arrogant

and surprisingly rude

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A Dormitory Town

It registers not a thought as one passes through

an assemblage of stale architecture and dark alleys

Culture and history find no abode here

It wakes before dawn, deserted by day and dormant at night

Its inhabitants eat, drink and sleep in dreary shadows

Seasoned drinkers and smokers manipulate dominoes

with wrinkled faces and bleary eyes

Doorsteps from...

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Black Lives Matter?

Nature´s mighty arm moves with unstoppable power

Winds erratic and forceful sweep all before it

This momentum of intense movement, a prelude to a cleansing rain

which thunders down as mighty bullets

to saturate an earth already quenched

A landscape soaked, no longer firm

gives way as a hillside dislodges itself

Moving mud slides inexorably forward a...

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The Nation State

I do not want to be part of a federation

I prefer to live in a sovereign nation

where my individualism and identity

are connected to my cultural entity

We must reserve the right to be who we are

and not imposed on or influenced from afar

We have our own language and way of life

and do not welcome invasion or strife

We live comfortably with...

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Steam

An incessant rant of noise

a cacaphony of varied sounds

Raised voices and porter´s trolleys

clunking over concrete platforms

Whistles blowing, green and red

flags waved to signal and to warn

Steam hissing from unseen

apertures and smoke billowing

from vibrating funnels

Groups of people assembled

to greet and bid farewell

Men and women in uniform

kh...

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Lowered

They lowered the coffin into the earth

unceremoniously with inaudible words

My mother had reached the point of departure

the church filled with family

a few friends too

No eulogy

Tears shed only by two

Twenty minutes then the final farewell

I felt nothing, emotionless

I was as cold and hard as stone

No one lingered

We left as silently as we had arri...

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Trumpit   (Prose)

Who is this man who has ascended the steps to the portico of power? Who defied the pundits and the pollsters, who confounded the oppostion with a style not hitherto witnessed. A no frills president, brash and self contradictory who fuels and incites the anger of the establishment and media. He bypassed convention with contempt and disdain to forge an instrument of power with f...

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Not Included

There was a family gathering in a certain place

but for the two of us there was insufficient space

No invitation was uttered or even sent

yet we did not complain and remained content

They lacked the moral courage to explain why

we have come to acknowledge excuses with a sigh

If challenged they appear aghast

as if confronted by ghosts from the past

...

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Refugees

I have a photograph from a magazine

which countless readers must have seen

A father and son walking along

followed by a familial throng

They walk along a country lane

as it is about to rain

A group of refugees without a home

they wander in a land quite unknown

Apart from a few bags and cases

they have lost all except their senses

Truly alone...

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Stop

Stop and look

perhaps read a book

Stop and see

a busy bee

Stop and ponder

the horizon yonder

Stop and wish

and cook your favourite dish

Stop and mend

before you spend

Stop and make

a delicious cake

Stop and write

to put matters right

Stop and draw

what you saw before

Stop and think

at the kitchen sink

Stop and create

for heaven´...

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The Spirit

I refuse to wear or own labels

I belong to no associations, clubs or groups

I shun all religious institutions

I flee in fear from political parties

No one will claim my soul

I am unattached, I am free

Yet a spirit moves within me

directing heart and mind toward goodness

I often leave the path of the spirit to my peril

The spirit beckons me fo...

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Existence & Purpose

So why are we here in this place

I am over awed by this experience

Creation is an abundant wealth

incorporating the reality of ourselves

the mystery of desires and dreams

For creation there must be a creator

whose genius is limitless in its 

scope to be a part of every molecule

that forms all that is visible and invisible

The ability to contro...

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Before you......

I was born eleven years before you

into a world which was very different

of which you can concceive so little of

With your parents you travelled

from one continent to another

educated in different cultures and languages

You developed a sophistication

a world view very different to my own

I lived in a dull grey post war Britain

in a street where a...

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Abused to abuser

Sacred feet walked this treasured earth

where now we find that love is scarce

With healing and good will he came

the fruits of which bear not his name

A gift from God, a light to reveal

on this land he did set his seal

Fountain of goodness and grace divine

has sadly not stood the test of time

Romans came and soon they went

yet there rem...

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Trust

Who can I trust

in this race of uncertainty

when all about

their own names speak

Where are the pure

and honest

without avarice

or self advancement

I search for the

undefiled those

with no agenda

The monsters of

deformity abound

garnering the labour

of innocent souls

What of the meek

and humble

pillars of integrity

whose love needs...

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Damned

From your recumbent posture

a pit of idleness

and self pity

your rouse yourself

to gain notoriety

amongst a

sympathetic gathering

of drunken fools

where you hold court

spewing forth

your repetitious lies

falsehoods to besmirch

and defame those who

came to your rescue

which was a ploy

of your deception

to use then abuse

the very best

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The Second World

I live in the First World

or so I am told

There is also a Third World

of which I know little

But is there a Second World?

I suppose there must be

A first and a third

would surely merit a second

Where is the Second World?

is it wedged between the

first and third?

Where can I find it?

Are maps available?

What are its characteristics

...

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Trees

They grace the landscape

giving character to where there is none

No two are alike or conform to a pattern

their idividuality enriches their identity

A variety with no comparison or equal

nature´s adornment and majesty

They give forth fruit for man and beast

A breeze bends their stature

a wind yeilds yet seldom breaks them

Some stand erect in columns of sple...

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Stand up

Stand up and be counted

acquiesce and a part of one is lost

Be bold and take heart

courage is a noble quality

It rests in the conscience

pure and untainted

Speak out, loud and clear

let those already sold hear

You may be in a minority

but at least you will possess integrity

Fear is destructive and infectious

valour is pure and cleansing

Stand up...

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An Allotted Time

We come and go

for better or worse

A span of time

I believe pre determined

an allotted period of life

as with all creation

nought is forever

Leaves flourish on trees

fish swim, rabbits run

cattle graze and birds sing

But only for a season

in an everlasting vortex

All is transitory

nothing has permanency

Birth, a life then death

...

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Despair

I have slid down the neck of a bottle

in times of utter personal despair

Abandoned, alone and misunderstood

condemned out of hand and deserted

I often lay in a stupor of self pity

with no place of refuge or person to turn to

I have been to the edge, the very edge

to the ultimate brink of capitulation

In these times I was invariably alone

save fo...

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Duplicity

To say one thing and do another

To smile falsely

To knowingly lie - to live a lie

To live a life of deceit

To lack the courage to tell the truth

To be afraid to stand up for what is right

To run the risk of being unpopular

To support openely what is repugnant

To go with the flow out of fear

To deceive oneself and others

To indulge in prejudice to cur...

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Where the heart is....

I cherish my home

with my belongings about me

Time spent reading, thinking

inspired moments to write

To ponder on the past as

if seeing a flickering screen

To appraise my books

portraits and photographs

Secure in a den

warm, self indulgent

safe and in tranquility

The door closes as a 

drawbridge leaving

a moat of division

The...

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They are ours

A disquieted soul

of tragic images

as rain falls steadily

I am saturated

with a universal pain

a burden immovable

a weight overwhelming

Scenes of suffering

broken bodies

of our people

buried alive or

pulled from wreckage

of swollen bellies

gaunt expressions

sheer hopelesness

I cannot turn aside

ignore or pretend

As I sip wine

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The Serpent

Evil is akin to a serpent

seldom seen nor hardly heard

It moves whichever way it pleases

often seeking a vulnerable prey

It flees in terror from the bold and strong

yet spits a venom on the unsuspecting

A sharp tongue and scaled exterior

it challenges the faint hearted

It seldom attacks the face of its prey

prefering to go where the blood does freely ...

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Dunkirk - then and now

Dunkirk seventy seven years the same venue

where courageous soldiers stood in fear and waiting

A battle raged amongst strewn wreckage

bodies floating in a moving tide

Bombs rained down from enemy planes

Blighty and home well in sight

A nearby forest dank and unnoticed

groups of immigrants assembled

They too could see Blighty, their hoped for d...

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A Refugee Family

Huddled together in trembling

a darkened room as their only abode

hidden beneath the floor

of a shell marked building above

No light save a flickering candle

clasping each other as detonations

sounded like knocks on hell´s door

Rockets above, the sirens of doom

the attrition of hell s war had broken loose

a nearby thud and the building shook

T...

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Human Nature

As a boy I lived close to an impressive green pasture

 in those trouble free days I could not grasp human nature

Unspoiled beauty of undulating grass in a summer´s breeze

the worse thing that could happen; the pollen made me sneeze

Long summer´s days endlessly at play

at the end of which there was little to say

Supper was served, then it was off to bed

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Restless Inner Solitude

Alone amongst others

lost in a crowd

alienated without choice

friendless with no voice

killing time alone

a desire to speak

an inability to do so

cocooned in a crowd

self imposed exile

inner repression

detached from humanity

seeing but not speaking

but why?

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Despondent

Crushed once more

as flotsam and jetsam

used and re used

as a kitchen cloth

generosity freely given

abused with a wince

a discarded wine bottle

no longer of value

recycled humanity

bereft of self respect

no respect for others

a forest fire rages

scorched earth remains

but nature does renew

pain and recovery

restored by the dew

as w...

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To Hoard

Don´t throw it away

as it might come in use one day

Shall we put it in the loft?

O don´t be soft

Better in the garage

with all the other baggage

Let us cut out all this din

and put the lot in the rubbish bin

I would rather stay with caution

and at least keep a portion

I suppose you think that I am a magpie

said with a resounding sigh

I could not...

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Uncertainty

Nebulous seas of unchartered waters

break their waves over the forecastle

of our insignificant  beings

Raging storms, gusts of hurricane winds

batter the rigging of a ship tossed about by fear

Then we stumble into the tranquility of the waiting doldrums

where mother nature settles the ocean to that of a pond

We are aghast by the stark reality of drought,

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Free Thinkers

Humanity is its own manipulator

in complete defiance of its creator

Life becomes institutionalised

yet sadly seldom realised

Religions and Ideologies do confuse

as they inspire many and enthuse

Institutions are man made

with foundations badly laid

They aim to control and indoctrinate

and are frequently the sources of much hate

Free thinkers and m...

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Winds of Freedom

O random air with such celestial flair

do take me from all this daily care

I caress you for a flight of freedom

to a new and perfect blessed kingdom

Blow me on a breeze of liberty

releasing me from all temporal misery

Take me to another yet distant place

free from this infernal terrestial place

May I share your breeze so light

to carry ...

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Homeward Bound

A simple wooden boat glides

across a sea of immense tranquility

No engine or sail to propel her forward

only a gentle movement to traverse

I am a solitary figure

on an empty open deck

Ahead lies the promontory of 

a land which is the horizon before us

with a setting sun behind

Closer I see the silhouettes

of people waving a loft

They beckon f...

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Indoors

She won´t come outside the house

steadfastly refuses any encouragement

Not for a walk or breath of air

no explanation is offered

an inexplicable mood

of self pity or guilt for past wrongs

Days have gone by, weeks in fact

not even a front door appearance

The flower has wilted

receeded, refusing to be watered

A pallid complexion of inner pain

wearing ...

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Self Imposed

You were exiled from your reality

imprisoned in a self created womb

It became your jealous existence

your only means for survival

A dual performance for all

but a withdrawl into the wings

A cave of self created fantasy

rich in bizarre imagination

for there was no audience

You kept a glimmer of light

a ray of constancy in hope

A waiting room for...

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The Aftermath

We do not see the aftermath

carnage and horror concealed

Anguish and pain hidden from view

such violence is incomprehensible

Momentarily the face of evil is visible

Images and wounds that never do assuage

flashing lights, a chorus of sirens

People in panic take flight

acts of heroism impelled to the fore

Shouts and screams, an echo of horror

a ca...

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Gender Enjoyment

I take delight in the intricate sight

of a lady preparing herself for a social night

Every ounce of femininity is lavished

in order to be absolutely ravished

Hair is given the highest attention

with cosmetics which defy inspection

Jewellery is then chosen to adorn

with a dress or outfit newly worn

Every part of her mortal frame

is given the best ...

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Moods

Whether it rains or shines

there seems no reason or season

for how I come to greet a day

Often surly and downcast

lacking in energy or any real zeal

a dull lack lustre feel, a vacant stare

Stagnant and bereft of any seed of inspiration

introspective and just tired of it all

Was it something I ate the night before

or a film I saw or book I read?

Was I dis...

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Sir Winston S Churchill

Of small stature and odd in shape

he never once did our attention escape

A statesman bold and forthright

he held high the sceptre of right

A orator of incomparable eloquence

which few others could ever silence

A politician adroit and adept

a man of compassion who easily wept

With pen and ink he enriched each page

a master of brush and canv...

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Sheeple

Sheeple are a common breed or herd

forming the greater part of humanity´s resevoir

They flock to the latest craze

and will do what anyone says

Incapable of original thought

they go in search of a Shepherd to follow

The unscrupulous see them coming

and welcome them into the fold

Sheeple are really people in disguise

wearing the garb of conformity and willi...

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The Eyes

The eyes are the windows on the soul

they are like two open watery bowls

In their depths they can conceal all

but without a murmur or word they can call

Sadness is protrayed in their gaze

as if some veneer comes to over glaze

Joy lightens up their gift of sight

with forcefulness comes their shrewdness of might

When the heart is in grief the eyes c...

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Hold onto Power

Up until the final daunting hour

dictators will hold on to their vestige of power

It is only around the next bend

when they will meet their deserved end

Before they are ready to go

what they reaped they will sow

Their legacy is the result of evil

and those left suffer only upheaval

They have sat for long in their Ivory Tower

ruling with ...

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The Formative Years

Those early days were precious indeed

although I was unaware of this

I was inquisitive and observant

with an analytical and retentive memory

I possessed an open mind from the outset

and nurtured this against prejudice

I listened and watched with interest

and in particular to older voices

These from experience transmitted their wisdom

from whic...

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Justice & Peace

Calamity and tragedy co exist

with the ageist, racist and the sexist

Everyone with an axe to grind

and don´t care what others mind

Self centeredness and selfishness

no one really does care less

there are those who champion a futile cause

whilst others stockpile and prepare for war

Money and power motivates so many

as others keep and coun...

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Another Place

I long to be in another place

away from this barren and arid space

Somewhere quiet and very remote

where the music plays a different note

Times of solitude I would relish

but occasionally a lover to cherish

This must sound like the absolute ideal

yet we all know it is wholly unreal

In this world of excess and stress

we live for moments to touch...

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Wavelength

Men and women occasionally arrive

as we are unaware of their approach

Their appearance belies their identity

an automatic bond is soon established

A relationship which is not tangible

or at best inexplicable

It lies in a deep unspoken place

which emits echoes into a mutual space

A bond, a link, maybe a touch

words then gestures do soon affirm

T...

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The Steamroller

When I retired from working life

I climbed aboard a huge steamroller

a vehicle which I had never before driven

At first fearful of its size and power

I engaged the lowest gear

Steadily forward I did drive

with each mile confidence grew

Why might one ask such an enterprise

when most who are retired don´t want to drive

My steamroller had waited...

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The Season for Love

Spring is the most auspicious

as new life breaks forth

and passions stir

A resurgence of sorts

a reawakening of dormant desire

reappears on a fertile plain

The candle of ardour is lit

a welcome speaks out

renewed longings murmur love

Lust shakes off the dust

passion boils to the brim

the need to be satiated overflows

It takes a route ...

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The Wind

From where does it come

to where does it go?

From where does this energy flow?

a gentle breeze to cool the day

can scatter everything in its way

With a sudden violent gust 

it whips up all the dirt and dust

Then it meanders and swirls

and about turns and twirls

Sometimes a powerful and destructive force

but from where is its limitless source?

When ...

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Two Voices

We are together and united

We stand shoulder to shoulder

They will not divide us

We will fight hate with love

They will not take away our freedom

or our way of life

This is an assault on our Democracy

Doves are let loose in flocks

People light candles

Floral tribues are laid

Communities come together with one voice

the voice of love, tolerance an...

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A Different War

When the Germans attacked London City

they did so without an ounce of pity

Hundreds of bombers came every night

with our guns putting up a damned good fight

The population went for cover underground

as the bombs and guns made their awful sound

When the raiders returned to their home

the people struggled through the wreckage searching for their own

It...

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A New Vocabulary

New Words evolve every day

as people find new things to say

I now have friends who are considered virtual

and I´m told the police neutralise in total

any terrorist considered to be local

After this the event goes viral

and the language does readily spiral

The English Language so very rich

seems to have been thrown into a ditch

I could happily neu...

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The Barrack Room

Twenty two men each with his own space

was a complete microcosm of the human race

We came from north, south, east and west

and not one of us was considered the best

One guy loved the art of calligraphy

whilst another was devoted to hard pornography

Giles was forever reading the Times

whilst I tried to make my poems rhyme

There was no north and south...

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Motorbike and Sidecar

Before we could afford to buy a car

we seldom travelled very far

The motorbike and sidecar was for us

a darn sight cheaper than the bus

It was cold, noisy, windy and wet

but it was all my father could get

My mother sat in the front

as I was wedged in like a runt

My father wore an army coat and goggles

to this day the whole mind boggles

We...

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When it is over...

When our spirits have left this place

and eartly cares do cease

A new dimension will appear

on a distant horizon far from here

The toil and tribulation will be over

as a new page is finally turned over

What lies in store is yet unkown

and not ours to own

The shores will be rich in sand

to herald a new and beautiful land

There we will find jo...

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The Joys of a Technophobe

I have some difficulty with computers

as do many parents with their daughters

A technophobe is what I am

but really this is a bit of a sham

Although I struggle with most devices

I appreciate the fullest of advances

Sitting before my home computer

there is a world for me to seek after

At the press of a key I am in a Concert Hall

a few min...

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A Hermitage

Solitiude speaks of a need from within and without

from the depths of our inner being

and from a world which unfolds about us

These yearn to be brought together in solitude 

to a retreat into the desert landscapes

for it is here where the recluse is to be found

unfettered by distractions and others

Luxury is not needed here

basic food and drink for body ...

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Election Time again

A Jaguar outside graced our road

where my Nan had her abode

The Tory Candidate did then knock

and my Nan let loose the door lock

Are you coming to vote today

in his finery he had come to say

My Nan replied yes but a little later

as she would first like to read the paper

A Ford Cortina pulled up outside

the Labour Candidate said come ...

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The Russians came to Tea

From behind the Iron Curtain

they came to tea for certain

Serge and Elena for sure

but feeling a little insecure

We were told they would be nervous

but they seemed quite impervious

They beamed comradely smiles

as they had travelled several miles

We avoided the International Situation

and steadfastly the Crimea did not mention

They brou...

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Politicians

Are they patriots or philanthropists

given to good works and the welfare of mankind?

Do they seek to change for the better

or is there some hidden agenda?

Politicians are a breed set apart

out for themselves from the very start

They preen themselves to receive acclaim

and fast enough to submit an expense claim

They become quite detached from us all

be...

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Behind a Closed Door

It took four hours in the air

then a further one by train

before I reached my destination

He was there, we had never met before

a replica image of the photo I bore

His smile was broad and warm

we embraced with a degree of awkwardness

It took a brief drive to complete the journey.

Then came a blur of heated passion spent

hours of relentless lo...

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Italy

With accumulated disdain for his own

he looked despairingly and said

¨What are we known for - our language and opera 

his voice filled with disparaging sadness

Silence invaded our confined space

how to respond to such harsh words

Suddenly anger flared within me

words spoken with stern reproval

Opera and language - yes

but who on this planet can with you com...

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Those Halcyon Days

Those days of youthful vigour

that indomitable spirit

a strength inviolate

brimming with optimsim and passion

nothing to stand in one´s way

Each day a seductive adventure

limitless opportunities to seize

The sun always shone high above

life was at its summit of conquest

We flew along in utter delight

little to care for or impede

all came ...

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A Wartime Journey

With no warning the train drew to a halt

only a few miles outside of Birmingham

It was dark with the blinds drawn

the compartment was dimly lit

The guard came along the corridor 

¨An Air Raid, Ladies and Gentlemen

please don´t tamper with the blinds ¨

It was late, fast approaching midnight

we sat in subdued and expectant silence

In the distance ...

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Air Raid

Judy always whimpered ten minutes beforehand

her astute hearing and senses alert

She had grown accustomed to distant sounds

a routine filled with fear and foreboding

Always at the top of the stairs.

The sirens wailed across the town

the family hurriedly made their way downstairs

Judy in the lead barking loudly

inside the shelter she remained by the door

...

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Gallipoli

Ships sailed slowly through the Straits

a battle raged in fury on the land

Men retreated into the sea

Regiments were routed and scattered

On the deck of a Merchantman

stood my Grandfather in uniform

In the uproar of battle a voice cried out ¨Bill¨

there wrestling and grappling in the mud

he saw a man from his home town

He knew the man well, very well in...

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Air Gunner

On into the night four engines did drone

with a crew all chilled to the bone

Other planes alongside flew in formation

each man´s heart so filled with anticipation

From the perspex turret a gunner did stare

he sat secluded in his own little chair

The intercom cracked and then did the flak

would there be a chance of getting back

Searchlights probe...

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The Heat of the Night

Dark with a stagnant sultry air

not a whisper of a breeze to stir

Distant sounds somehow subdued

fans whirring round in futile labour

even the crickets gasp for air

the geckos inert to conserve their energy

Mosquito nets obscure the room

sheets damp through constant perspiration

A dimmed bedside lamp attracts besottted moths

a glass of water...

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The Madding Crowd

Sheep need a shepherd or they get lost

with a shepherd they are easily led

Most of humanity fall into this category

Easily conformed and happily led

with no discernment or thought given

they follow their leader or some creed

blindly and obediently and easily conformed

These form the pathetic majority of humanity

directly or indirectly they are the ...

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The Demobbed

They wanted only normality

because they had earned it

Years of absence and bitter conflict

they had survived the odds

In demob suits they came

different to when they went

in many ways not the same

A settled life was their only want

a home and family to feed

a job, a bike and a garden shed

Visits to the local pub

and heaven sent sleep from above

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Imagination

It sits as part of who we are

an essential aspect of being

A creative force of doubtful origins

spontaneous in full expression

Often pondered upon at length

the fruits of which can astonish

captivate the mind and ambition

Forms, shapes and shadows play

sounds, music and words from where?

Thoughts mushroom into a theatre

to entrance, to tantalise an...

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Waves

Evidence that creation is not dormant

they are an increasing reminder

of a sweeping movement

in and out, high and low

They are the auspices of the moon

lunar power in constant motion

a rhythm of exorcism

as they cleanse the sand

nature´s absorbent door step

At times they lap gently and quietly

in storms they crash against the immovable shore

with a cr...

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All in All

He knows, owns and sees all

having created this terrestial ball

There is nothing which takes place

that is hidden from his face

If this is to be fully believed

then he cannot be deceived

Therefore, we can cheat each other

but nothing from his gaze smother

He is master of all he surveys

and watches all our many ways

To what purpose is this power

f...

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Turn the other cheek

A violent assault at the heart of our nation

which involves children is beyond our comprehension

Evil is at large and amongst us a violation

how should we respond to such a situation?

To strike back and to counter attack

in reality only creates a set back

And does any real intelligence lack 

we need to adopt a very different tack

Destr...

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An Idyll

It was an English summer´s day

with my friends we were at play

Behind the parish church there was a field

with grass waist high about to become the farmer´s yield

We frolicked, shouted and fell about

school was closed and we were out

The field sloped down to a hidden dell

where we had made our secret den

The trees surrounded a muddy pond

from which grew ...

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Fruition

Age ripens what is in full growth

it is the point of fruition for both

A seasoned appearance is brought forth

like the bright star from the north

Perfection is finally accomplished

as natrue´s work is completely finished

It is presentable for all to admire

before the time comes for it to expire

A moment, a day, at the most two

radiant in full b...

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Life´s Span

Childhood is a growing stage

until we reach a certain age

Then we enter adolescence

and feel shy about our very presence

Soon arrives the fullness of maturity

which banishes any vestiges of purity

Later on along life´s lane

we sometimes end up lame

But the end does finally come

when we are all said and done

This experience takes many years

from ...

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Soggy goings on...

A heavy toxic mist rises from the swamp of Swonshon

a quagmire of disgusting green weeds

which coagulate in the fetid waters of their existence

The Swamp is vast and vile and wide

It ferments its filthy odour on the planet Soda

around its encrusted shores creatures vie for their sustenance

Above fly swarms of Swerdles

with jagged wings and bodie...

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The Mellow Years

I walk with experience, perspicacity and wisdom

I am no longer a young immature man

Before me now I see the pitfalls

I discern deceit and duplicity from afar

No longer do I act in haste

but ponder and wonder much more

Occasionally I am still taken in

led down a blind alley which goes nowhere

I tread carefully amongst wolves

whilst I try to care f...

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Sunday

Sunday morning when tranquility is restored

even if it only lasts until lunch time

A few hours for the world to catch its breath

to allow a breeze of peace to prevail

Seldom do many find their way to church

as the secular world holds its sway

But nothing so far has robbed Sunday

of being a Special Day

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Self Destruction

Every calamity that came my way

was an avalanche or a tidal wave

too much to bear I retreated elsewhere

My strength could no longer withstand

I felt under constant demand

to be someone who I was not

I finally surrendered to a bottle

and did oblivion seek to escape

This developed alarmingly so

as I realised there was no where else to go

Depress...

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A Train Journey

I relaxed into my seat

homeward bound to dinner and bed

The train shuddered forward

gaining speed into the advancing night

Day was spent and night was present

the carriage window reflected all within

Without we saw an array of scenes

the backs of houses some dimly lit

with families at table or in a kitchen

Trees silhouetted against the sky

with...

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The Tobacconist

I stride with adopted arrogance through the door

an almost brazen entry across a varnished floor

Signs abound, Smoking can Kill

with a smiling cashier standing behind the till

I glance about as a potential buyer

and do the fragrance of tobacco savour

Other customers seem to hide their shame

and refer to the tobacconist by another name

I peer at a vas...

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First Day at School

Four years old, timid and shy

I entered the playground for the very first time

My mother bade me a tearful farewell 

as I stood awkwardly with tears beginning to well

Other children who were much older

were already at play as to begin their day

Two boys I saw were wearing clogs

they were scruffy and wore no socks

At speed they ran and then violen...

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The Ultimate Love

A compass that points to love

directs the heart and mind

To a source rich and from above

which at times is hard to find

The compass bearing is always the same

taking us along a familiar way

It is a strange route along a simple lane

from which we frequently stray

A way often tortuous and long

with many a tear shed

Yet as we approach ...

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Stress

Stress, the disease of stealth

borne out of our driven age

Where we strive beyond our strength

only to succumb and then relinquish

Strong or weak stress seeks its prey

it affects almost every aspect of each day

It lies, often dormant before it strikes

then brought low, ill or in despair

We struggle to function as before

There is no immunisation or remedy o...

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The Poet Philosopher

The poet observes the world about him

without pre judgement he takes all in

He stops to pay attention to beauty

and regards it in all its purity

He views tragedy and sadness with compassion

and is forever ready to learn a new lesson

He gazes to the heavens and beyond

to search for that eternal bond

He frowns with dismay the destruction...

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Hidden from View

I am within myself concealed

only to a chosen few am I revealed

You cannot see behind my skin and bone

because that is where I dwell alone

The outward facade is what you see

but be assured this is not the real me

A black beard and a bald head

leaves an awful lot unsaid

I carry myself with a certain air

which does not mean that I don´t c...

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A Circle of Friends

They do not number many

but are worth every penny

on the exchange rate

they seldom do fluctuate

Each is a complete individual

our friendships are very personal

We have so much in common to share

and generally with little time to spare

We endlessly write, send cards and messages

and when together enjoy a few beverages

These are sol...

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Lost but Held

Her grief was too much to contain

too unbearable to accept

She dropped the brown envelope to the floor

held fast to the arm of a chair

What she had most dreaded

had come to pass in a few typed words

Loss, regret, courage - Killed in Action

Their Majesty´s condolences

A bomber in the night sky over Kiel

her son who had seldom known fear

A mother i...

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Old Father Tom

One of nature´s gentlemen

embued with nobility and humility

a rare combination

A priest of sincerity, integrity and prayer

a rich composition

You made your way to the Julian Shrine

and there, whilst in prayer you passed on

they found you there

gently resting your head on a pew end

whilst communing with your Lord

He had taken you to himself

in...

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She sailed in...

She sailed into view

almost appeared in a way

an arrival expected but

a sight for sore eyes

A blue sky mirrored

an ocean of azure

Seagulls circled the vessel

with a chorus of cries

She was dignified

not some cruise ship

with cabins piled high

but an old styled Ocean Liner

with dignity and grace

From her funnels she sounded her sirens

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Turmoil

Where is this long winding road leading me

with treacherous bends, ravines and dense forests

views unparalleled, but to where am I headed?

Like some floundering vessel unable to keep on an even keel

a compass haywire, no north or south in sight

Sometimes I am constant and steady

the pantry is full and stability reigns

Then everything is thrown into confusion an...

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Berlin

Onward into the heart of the city, the capital

a landscape dark with a sinister eeriness

where the hastily erected new, had replaced the bombed

where pockmarked facades

bore witness to bloody ferocious conflict

Along cobbled streets where some buildings remained

to dark shadowy figures moving silently

a place shrouded in guilt and shame

the doomed silence of ...

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The Tango

Blue smoke swirled about the dance floor

as couples moved with dramatic ease

a dance of arrogance with serious intent

An orchestra played to a staccato beat

in a sultry moonlit night

Determined steps paved their way

to left and right, sudden turns askance

a combined spirit of music and dance boldly linked

There seemd to be no background or foreground

no...

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Your Book

The story is unique as are all the others

from a first chapter of pristine quality

there unravels a personal narrative

 abundant with love and sorrow

time filled memories long since past

People who came and went

to be replaced and re enacted

in endless realms of time and space

Moments of self doubt and despair

then to leap upwards into the air

Dark t...

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Reaching Out

I keep reaching out

for what may not even be there

But I continue to reach in faith and hope

of touching and knowing

It could all be in vein

I hope not as I cannot stop

I reach for that which I cannot see

but should I touch

then I´ll know that it is for me

Time passes yet still I reach 

for what could be a soul mate

a lover maybe to meet

but...

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Nan

You once told me when I was a boy

that when you should die

you would like all your grandchildren

to be at your bedside

Family prejudices and petty quarrels

denied you this and alone you died

Not even was I there to comfort you

In life you gave everything you could

even a son at Dunkirk

At least by God´s good grace

you are now at rest with him

who gave h...

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Hither and Thither

Animals live by instinct

Have I become the same?

Do I react and respond

as a spider´s web in a breeze?

Am I incapable of coherent thought

but a play thing of no discernible purpose?

Winds blow and piles of dried leaves mount

Am I a leaf cast about by

a capricious whisper of air?

Do I even care to think?

the consequences are not mine

Is sp...

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The Bike Sheds

An innocently metal framed construction

hardly worthy of any mention

The custodians of numerous bikes

yet known for more dubious likes

Behind the Bike Sheds, out of sight

is not a place to go to read and write

It became known as a place for all who dare

for all manner of goings on do occur there

To those seen furtively going behind this scre...

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School Sports Day

School Sports Day was a major event

for which there was a very large tent

In fact Mrs Smith said it was a Marquee

behind which was a place for us to pee

The day took place in a local park

and each running lane had been given its mark

Mrs Burrows was in charge of First Aid

behind a trestle table appropriately laid

Several races were due to...

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Step outside

The world we create for ourselves

is often small, narrow and confined

We need to branch out and go further afield

to explore, to taste, to leave our place

The landscape is rich and varied

it can be a challenge to embrace

From our comfort zone we can fly

as far as the sky or eye can see

Distant sounds and strange tongues beckon

New cuisines and cultur...

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