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The sea crashed on the shoreline
Like the whisper of a lover
Telling the secrets of her deepest being
To the deaf and silent land

The waves rushed in and hardened the shore
And no one dared to touch the sea
But fixed angry glares on her murderous swells
Relinquished only with grudging
With the cold grey morning

Heaving on her stormy *******
Men and birds alike find a living
In the cold cruel mistress's hands
The sea like a field, yields its fruit
Mere morsels to keep her lovers enslaved
Bound in sluggish wedlock
Tempestuous, cold
The men made hardy by her rage
And drunk by her salty kiss
Hearing her call when at night in their beds
Or by the fire, they take stock and rest
For what the sea gives, she demands a return
And for another lost lover, a candle shall burn
Dedicated for all who work on the sea, and their families

This poem was published in the 2009 collection There Are Words and was written in the aftermath of the sinking of the Pere Charles off the coast of Wexford in which all aboard were lost. It was dedicated to their memory and for all those who work on the sea as well as their families.
 Sep 2017 Ananye Krishna
Jay 1988
Remember how you held my hand tight
On the very first day of school
They told you not to sit with me
Together we broke all the rules
I could feel your eyes upon me
Like you'd stare at me for hours
I'd pretend i didn't notice
draw you lovehearts laced with flowers
And when the bell went
you dashed across to me
This thig between us
this school could never teach us
Plan our wedding, name out children put the world to rights for hours
Walk home through back fields, bend right down and pick you flowers

I pulled the hair back, that covered your blue eyes
Smelt your breath upon me as you leaned in and sighed


What about when they told us you were to go away
Don't worry they told us, she'll be home on saturdays
Catholic school across the city
You beg my parents "can he please come with me"
Without you seconds seem like hours
In your room a library of pressed flowers
When the bell went every friday
You stare from the window
i'm waiting at the gate
In my hand a single flower, a bright red rose just for you
Place a kiss upon your cheek
Walk you home from school

Then the priest saw us, marching hand in hand
Kisses and red rosed, those unholy things are banned
But together we still planned our wedding day
Storm clouds fist, then came the rain
Age caught us up way too soon
Before we knew, again you were on the move
Here and there, everywhere
Straight from school, a different city, university .... and then there was me
Am i such a fool ?

I found myself a job selling flowers on a stall
Tuesdsy evenings put by just to take your call
Laughter in the background distance
"Will you still marry me?" I whisper
"I met this guy and then i kissed him"
Those were the final words you said
Now i sell flowers to young lovers who pass by
Now i sell flowers from a husband to give to his wife
I sit at my stall forever
Your forever on my mind
Open up the local paper, a photo of a brand new man and wife
Recognise your face, bowed my head and cried
Pulled some roses from the bucket
Made the most beautiful boquet and i took it
Laid it at your doorstep
Left a note with it that said

You gave your heart to me, i never gave it back
You've nothing to give this man, that is just a fact
Your passion is my comfort that just keeps me going
If you need me, i sit around for hours
Selling lovers pretty flowers
Still calve our initials inside the wood during all of my spare hours
Draw you love hearts every day wrapped in kisses and pretty flowers
What is life without pain?
Whatever it is, is in vain.
What is pain to do in life?
If not help us rise above strife.

Why our soul do we bare?
Why is a moment of happiness rare?
Why in eternal delirium we exist?
If not to find destination past the mist.

And we still praise our life
and seek a petaled handle to a knife.
And we still go on to breath and breath
For we hope for heaven and soul to meet.
Your heart, my mind,
And all those words, written on sand,
Your smile, my eyes,
And the look of love, with gestures nice.

Do you ever miss those moments?
Do you ever want to relive them?
Do you want to fight, so that the hatred survives,
Or do you want to fight the world, so that our love grows?
Tell me, what goes on in your head,
while you stand there, and fight the war of love!

Your hands, my skin,
And the motto of, 'You win, I win',
Your soul, my words,
And all those days, when we were free birds.


All those times that we've been through,
It's all a blur now, except for a moments few,
I recall the time, when we used to be each other's shield,
Now, we stand against each other, fighting on a battlefield.

The hands that used to caress my skin,
Now has a sword , pointing at me,
By each passing moment, we lose in our victory,
We are both our own saviours and destroyers, He said , "We are meant to be."

Dying at your hands, won't ever regret I,
It is the act of killing you, which I shall live to repent,
The war of love will ruin you and me,
And without you, life will not be the same one which I had wished to spend.

Tell me,

Do you want to fight, so that the hatred survives,
Or do you want to fight the world, so that our love grows?
Tell me, what goes on in your head,
while you stand there, and fight the war of love!
What would you do, if the one you love, the one who has in a way saved your life, made it special for you live it, suddenly becomes the reason of your possible destruction?
the letter R is a letter
which commands recognition*
all focus on the R letter's
elevated position

who would dare avert
eyes away from R's shine
every facet of R borders
on the divine

A, B, C, etc aren't of
R's lofty standing
they're all prone to
silly grandstanding

the letter R is in a league
ever so brill
nothing can equal
*R's overkill
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