This is a note,
That I wrote,
With the finest nib.
Then mailed to you.
Which you read,
Then pondered,
And mulled,
Contemplated.
Then wrote
A carefully
Crafted reply.
You paused just,
A second,
Before pressing
SEND.

    ©  Nick Strong 2014

When the world smiles,
The Sun shines,
When the world cries,
The rain falls.
When the world hiccups,
A volcano erupts.
When the world feels alone,
The snow blankets.

Do we ever listen?

    ©  Nick Strong 2014

When the world fell apart, no-one listened
To the splintering timbers, to the cracking ice,
When the world fell apart, no-one noticed
The carbon tasting water or the smoke filled air
When the world fell apart, no-one spoke,
Of rancid, rotting plastics, or net drowning dolphins.

When the world fell apart, everyone forgot her name,
EARTH.

    ©  Nick Strong 2014

Thank you,
Just, Thank
You,
For all the moments,
spent  together.
Thank You for
letting your path
wander alongside mine
Just thank
You x

    ©  Nick Strong 2014

Black bird,
Eye on you;
Watching,
Thinking
What a worm!

    ©  Nick Strong 2014

This robin,
Sitting On,
That branch.
Singing songs,
For you.
Tis true.

    ©  Nick Strong 2014

W h y   d o   t h i s  ?  
C h a n g e   m y   p o i n t   o f   v i e w ,
T a k e   m y   w o r l d  
A n d   t u r n,
T w i s t   i t   u p s i d e   d o w n .

S h o u l d n' t   h a v e   t a k e n   i t
S h o u l d   h a v e   l e f t   i t  
i n   t h e   b o x
L o c k e d   u p,  
k e y   t h r o w n   a w a y ,
B u t   n o,  

Y o u ‘v e   t a k e n   m y   w o r l d
A n d   t h r o w n   i t   u p s i d e   d o w n
S h a k e n   a n d   s t i r r e d
A l l   t h a t' s   i n   t h i s   s o u l

S h o u l d n' t   h a v e   t a k e n   i t
S h o u l d   h a v e   l e f t   i t   i n   t h e   b o x
T h r o w n   t h e   k e y   a w a y
B u t   n o   y o u   d i d n' t ,

D i d   Y o u?

    ©  Nick Strong 2014

Aching twisted limbs, gnarled and torn,
Wind battered, weathering and worn.
What stories can it tell?
Through generations of sunshine,
Through decades of rain,
Storm battered, weathered in pain.
What stories can it tell?

    ©  Nick Strong 2014

Came here by car,
Rode in the fast lane, past,
Concrete avenues all lined,
With suburban memorabilia.
Seen the sunrise cross the asphalt
Trundled down country lanes,
cattle tamed.

Across war torn highways,
Miles stretch out, as
The highway passes by
Feel I’ve been chasing
Down shadows,
Across endless plains
Have seen the broken hearts,
Through cracked windscreens.
Watched teardrops spatter,
Cross a dusty windshield
As a rainbow glistens
In the corner of my eye.
There’s a reason these express ways,
Reach towards the horizon.

Have travelled here,
Came by car,
But
Don’t know where
Here is.

    ©  Nick Strong 2014

A picture of you smiling,
Fading in black and white,
Torn and gone.
I smile back,
Tears.
Oh, where did those,
Years go?
You were so,
Vibrant and bright.
Shining like a beacon,
Against the darkness.
Now all that remains.
Is this picture of you.

(for my mother)

    ©  Nick Strong 2014

Broken heart on shattered stone,
Frozen feelings on cracked ice.
Like the leaves falling from the trees,
The winter returns once more.

    ©  Nick Strong 2014

Marmalade,
Tangy orange heaven.
Chunked to the max
Smothers toast.
A bite, a crunch.
That citrus burst.
A sigh,
A slurp of coffee.
Ready to tackle the day.

    ©  Nick Strong 2014

One star for each person,
Long gone, but not forgotten.
A gentle reminder that,
Each stars a soul,
Woven and sewn
With silvery threads
Stretching for the moon,
Blinking, flashing, calling,
Cascaded memories
From each star
A Soul

    ©  Nick Strong 2014

Minty green and mean,
Mushy pea clean.
Add to the plate,
Of your best mate.
Mushy peas and chips,
Raised to the lips.
Believe me when I say,
A sensation so intense,
Will leave you, in suspense.
Mushy peas
Minty green, yet supreme.

    ©  Nick Strong 2014

She said.
He said.
It doesn't matter,
What they said.

She touched.
He touched.
It doesn't matter,
What they touched.

She heard.
He heard.
It doesn't matter,
What they heard.

She felt.
He felt.
It doesn't matter,
What they felt.

It doesn't matter,
It was theirs
In that moment.

    ©  Nick Strong 2014

Speaking silently,
Through gentle whispers.
A hushed voice telling tales,
Brushes across the grass.
I hear it calling my name
Softly, achingly whispering
From a time long since gone.

    ©  Nick Strong 2014