More poems! Hurrah!
These are a combination of very in depth and very strange, probably saying rather a lot about my state of mind at the moment. And just so you know I’m still having a lot of fun with this, which at around the 30 poems mark is quite something in itself!
This first poem is inspired by the words “atom, hiking, Aberystwyth” which were very kindly donated by Mark Newton (@MarkCN). Mark is the author of the Legends of the Red Sun series of books, if you’ve not heard of them then you’ve clearly not asked me for a book recommendation. Go and check out his books, or his blog – both are fab reads.
“River Mouth”
A dull train becomes multi-coloured
by the inhabitants, glad of a rest.
Hiking boots are unlaced
as adults rest while the train crashes
into the hill and continues upwards
looking back towards Aberystwyth and
beyond it the world.
A gateway and a divergence.
Children tamed by ancient Kings dance to the pier.
The train carries on the same journey
repeating on a grand scale right down to one atom
the visitors change but don’t vary.
A place seeing people – watching them
and reading their history.
Some stay, some leave a few learn,
looking beyond.
The words for poem number two came from Louise Brownhill - brownhills over on Etsy and were “tactile, recycle, mindful”.
“Ashes and Wine”
A small dash between life and death
one date to another remembered
the just born and barely dead
connected by a tactile link
to touch for the first or last time.
Belief in a purpose – hope for a future.
Welcomed with tears and sent away
with a sea of open smiles.
To recycle a life – once more and again,
the hope that we will live on
in a form, with something to someone.
The meaning of life to find it.
Every person mindful of the next day
only considered darkly in the recesses
not held up to the light.
No one knows what will come next.
Paula McKay – Altered Eras on Etsy has given me “Aquarius, dusk, breathing” to work with. I should explain that some of these will be coming out in a different order to the forum posts because of the amount of research I need to do for some of them. They will more or less be in order though and I’ll keep putting up the posts on the Etsy page as well!
“Ptolemy’s Vase”
Time is running out to watch the sheep
dying in a cloudless drought.
In the middle of the sea but the eagle
flies far away to find water.
A boy lays back in the dusk
counting each day to the midwinter
on all his fingers and toes.
Aquarius stares down at his sons
from a distance further than they ever walked.
The strongest horses cannot survive
the danger of a dying myth and
take final steps, no longer breathing.
Instead their bones forma framework
for a new country to be built upon –
eventually a river runs through their rib cages
bringing more water to the ocean.
"Alienated, desert, cookies" was given to me by Eva - fromtheheartbyeva from the Etsy forums. I am still a little unsure of how this one turned out but it just turned up in my head fully formed. So here it is.
“Better”
Trapped in a desert but not forever
too young to drive, far from the tracks
and out of reach of the airport.
Forced into a world of milk and cookies,
screaming at the fundraisers but only silently
beneath a pasted-on grin.
Beaten into submission by history until
the subconscious convinces you that
you are wrong. Not them.
A blinkered mind in a town of bullies,
eyes averted from distant kindness.
Children being reinforced instead of taught.
Everyone is alienated so it becomes
Accepted and acceptable.
One day it ends and new people
gather around, you can leave and find
the real life – the good belong.
Waiting is harder than giving in
but the only way is up.
That's this batch done. More soon. Thanks for reading all this way down!
Vick.
wonderful & thank you!
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