"Ice Cream Vans"

music
from local ice cream vans
can soon sound sinister
not sweet

once such music comes to represent
in all its corny oh-so-sweetness
aspects of a childhood

turned suddenly so dark
not sweet
not like ice cream

"In Every Breeze"

immersed in these

my memories

I feel them here

in every breeze

and never really feel at ease

a soul filled with pain

that will

never cease

"Almost Wondering Why"

days weeks months

melt into one another

and we almost

wonder why

and we give the world another try

another try

another try

each time

but sometimes when we stop

for long enough to

consider

we still have to wonder

why

we even try

at all

and yet

and yet

"Broken Dreams"

each direction

each intention

each broken dream

each situation

each frustration

another broken dream

lose direction

and attention

and give up at last on

yet another dream

"Vague"

clarity, beautiful yet brief

focused upon moments - upon being

then vague again

my mind's dull haze

causing confusion

and lack of direction

again

fragile, pastel emotions

so delicate - that's me

why so easy to break

my mind

my heart

still, I want to heal

this time

but yet

so vague

a vacant space inside

"Nothing"

one month blurs

pointlessly

into another

and nothing makes sense

or seems real

any more

"Truth and Love So Pure"

and so

discover innocence

simplicity

once more

honesty

and love so pure

know the truth

again

truth so pure

eternal

universal love

"Sunlit Moments and Enduring Faith"

sunlit moments

of pure love and compassion

captured forever

in the memory of the heart and soul

a reason

to believe

"Their Initials"

I drink my cup of tea, and start to think.
I hear a magpie - watch the sky turn dark.

There has to be a way back from the brink.

They're carving their initials in my bark.

"Raven Black"

tonight

a woman's

raven black tears

falling

falling

falling

"Reflections"

Precious time for peace

and healing:


time to clearly see


the subtle shading,

never visible

to the

naked human eye.


Reflected in this ancient mirror,

what we gradually

start to see

are:

the hidden pastel textures,

connecting us

to The Divine.

"Anxiety"

A rabbit frozen in life's headlights -

I feel the fear in every fibre

of this aching body,

of this racing, pacing mind.

"Scarlet"

scarlet the droplets

an arm begins to bleed

to steadily bleed

like the soul

of someone in pain

of someone in pain

day after excruciating day


bleeding scarlet tears

my eyes

and now the skies too

bleed their scarlet raindrops

the tears of the gods

in pain

such pain

day after day

"Sepia"

precious memories

moments valued treasured

sacred

sepia-toned


framed forever

here

in my heart and mind

"2012: End of the World?"

I try to imagine

beginnings

new beginnings

instead


but still

all I can feel

is endings

screams that leave their endless echoes inside my head


and it feels like

if not the end of the world

the end of my world

instead

"The Truth From The Lies"

decide not to hide

any more

try to divide

the truth from the lies

hear the silence

that still resides

deep down inside

know her colours

feel her rhythm

let her slide

into the corners

of your conscious mind

play pause play again

fast forward rewind

stop eject

reality redefined

"Not Extinguished"

illuminated darkness:

poetry, the defiantly dancing

flame within

"Carousel"

around and around

on the carousel

spinning

around and around

merry-go-round

multi-coloured dreams

vibrant darkness

the colours of confusion

around and around

the endless circles

cycles

horses longing for

the wild

longing to run

far away

leave this fairground ride

of psychedelic craziness

behind

to feel their manes caressing the wind

their spirits embracing the speed

the freedom

around and around

endless cycles

on the carousel of dreams

"Dreams of the Sea"

each morning's

salt breeze

why is it a dream

why is it unreachable for me

I need to heal

I need to breathe

I need to hear

daily

the loud screeches of gulls

I need to escape

but not if "escape" is temporary

"The 'Own Life' Exclusion Clause"

all of my life

I've been assured

that so-and-so

this person that person

has his or her "own life"

subtle exclusion clause

meaning that some "friend"

or family member

no longer wants to know

that you are not a part

of his or her "own life" any more

if you ever were

and that the person no longer

wishes to know

about yours

"Never Was Enough"

the so-called "friends"

the so-called "family"


this life full of lies

whether black, white or grey

and those lies by omission - the cruel, cunning variety


never was enough

to rip the carpet from

beneath my feet

so this time they are taking

the floorboards

as well

"Sample Kyrielle"

I need to demonstrate a skill.

None of my poems fit the bill.

I’ll write a new one. What the hell.

I need another kyrielle.



I must not mention politics

Or religion. I’m in a fix.

A sonnet – that’s all very well.

I need another kyrielle



I can’t go on about my weight,

Be negative, or full of hate.

Won’t settle for a villanelle.

I need another kyrielle.



I mustn’t moan about the shrinks,

Or point out that the "system" stinks.

The truth remains, but I won’t tell.

Just need another kyrielle.



Won’t criticise my CPN.

Oh dear, I must put down my pen.

Must write a new one. What the hell.

I need another kyrielle.

"Unspoken"

haunted


broken


so many

too many

words remain

unspoken

"All Over Again"

I felt real again

briefly

in touch and part of this world

when optimism dropped in

on me


I thought that I was

coming back to life

that someone had

switched me back on

at the mains


but these emotions

of deep sorrow

they don't go away

they simply lie dormant

and then they can catch me

off guard

overwhelm me

all over again

"Orange"

the tinge

the singe

the orange syringe

of

not full rhyme