How should it be said?
Should it be written in pretty prose?
Signed with blood, distilled through memories of  initial carved trees
and passions spent
Should it be told within the stillness of a whisper
Or with joyful cacophony ?
Three small words bring me to stumble,
while all the while my eyes betray the thousand words needed to describe your beauty.
Do you see me now?  my heart aflame, held within my quaking palm.
A smile alone could free me from this incessant torment.
Your voice brings rain, summer sweet and oh! how my world awakens in your gaze.

You might think it silly
you might think it strange
you might think I'm crazy
or even deranged.
You can call me a hippy
a snowflake or worse
for putting my feelings
into rhyming verse.

My poems release me
from a world filled with hate
where everything's wrong
if its not white or "straight".
Where we persecute immigrants,
and  breastfeeding mothers,
the helpless, the homeless
and millions of others.

I yearn for a world
where we all live in peace
arm in arm with our brothers,
would we then find relief?
Or would hatred still flourish
in the smallest of minds,
passed down through generations
'cross the passage of time.

So, call me a Marxist, a snowflake, a hippie
call me a communist, bleeding heart leftie.
While you rail at the world with your ignorant view,
fearing all others who don't look like you.
I'll still be here like a thorn in your side
filled with love for my brother, with arms open wide.
Your hatred will fester, an insidious cancer
as you hoist up your flag and attempt  "Rule Brittania"

In this quiet place I sit,
all alone, yet never quite,
to watch the twilight bleed the day
and bring the bounty of the night.

He comes to me as evening wakes,
His silent solace ever true
bewitched I fall into his eyes
and there I feel my soul renew.

The whispers of madness now leach through the walls
and darkness it draws ever near
buried in sorrow, hope faded away
and left only anger and fear.

I do not fear death everlasting
nor the weight of a judgement long due.
What I fear is the monster I harbour
as I'm slowly but surely consumed.

While sitting quietly where you lay
I heard the little drummer play
his beat went on forevermore
calling all young souls to war.

His beat it echoed o'er the  world
Come one come all you boys and girls
Be strong be brave, now is the time
to take up arms, to join the line

The little drummer silent fell
his call to arms a call to hell
no longer heard 'cross hill and glen
until the marching starts again.

I sat beside your grave and cried
for those poor souls sent out to die
in battle for anothers cause,
then spoke a prayer to end all wars.

All alone and feeling free
nothing here to bother me,
blue as far as I can see
being all that I can be.

Walking barefoot on the ground,
not another soul around
a sense of peace is to be found
when the joys of Spring abound!

Silent codes
solemnly whispered
halt the silent scream
burning in the throats
of stronger men than I,
who care to remember
days free from the abyss.

souls reckon amongst scrolls
of all that is lost.
I find myself adrift
on strange tides
time no longer a concept,
brings a primal urge to destroy.
Sanity now a hopeful myth
Pounds at my brow
with circadian flow
banishing emotion to vessels unseen.

Blow a kiss and let me go
bid tempestuous fairwell
Such lies have passed these trembling lips
the truth of which I can not tell

Stand and let my shadow pass
through evening shades, to darkest black
Soothe my soul to sleep once more
with tales of never looking back.

Then **** my love to deepest hell
though countenance may break your heart
and break our spell to set me free
to live in peace now we're apart.

For sale, one heart.

In basic working order.
The exterior shows many failed attempts at repair.
The interior, hollow.

Many previous owners.
Sold for use as scrap or parts.
Any bids considered.

Pick up only, as fragile.

I saw you today
for the first time in an age.
Troubles drifted off with the long summer breeze
and swept your hair from your understanding eyes.

I heard you today
and all the bells and birds
rose in symphony at your laugh
as the sun envied the brightness of your smile.

I lay here, alone
pushing in pins
feeling my form disappear.
Years spent searching
as blood seeps slowly
sickly sweet
against craving skin.
I will walk in shadow,
when dawn breaks.
Time will snap these hollow bones,
folding my soul
into butterflies
as flight takes hold.
This final girl
will be no more
than she has ever become.
This will be my triumph

Bow down your head and pray my love
For  all that's gone before
Rejoice and know that you are held
in love forevermore

The lark will ring her joyful tones
the bells will flower blue
while all the while my heart will mourn
this aching lack of you

Then when the final bell does toll
and all our hope is gone
I'll walk in darkness til we meet,
My ever loving one.

The sun it rises with our eyes
as purest love within us grows,
it put down roots within our souls
before our fates were ever sown.

It sits within us old as time,
yet feels as new as winter snow
and wiser Saints than you or I
would burn to never let it go.

So with this dawn we'll make a pact
no blood will spill, no daggers drawn,
and you, my love will own a heart
that sings for you with every morn.

I wish I had known you
before darkness came,
as the girl who danced freely
barefoot in the rain
but all of my sorrows
have wrapped me too tight
and left me at mercy
to the perilous night.

I wish I had known you
when my eyes were of fire,
all lit up with youth
and boundless desire
but that girl is now broken
held together by fear
and wonders if someday
She'll just disappear.

I wish I had known you
before fading to grey,
my hair like the autumn
my smile on display.
But my smile is an echo
that stirs in my soul
I wish that I'd known you
back when I was whole.

I have no need of salvation
My soul is my own
It stands defiant
within this mortal shell.
It bleeds as I cry
Every drop a blessing
to those who wish me harm.

I have no need of forgiveness
I am humbled by my deeds.
I do not linger on every indiscretion
they are the flames from which I grew.

I have no need of redemption
I do not hear the voice of God
he speaks not of my virtue
but I will raise my face to his
as surely as the sun rises to mine.

I have only the need for love
rare and precious in its truest form
yet deserved by every being.
I will accept no less, nor ask for more.

Oh how her tiny wings flutter
against my heart,
her sorrow mine.

All encompassing love
could never hold her.

She exists within summer whispers
with never a cold touch to her soul.

Beyond beauty she flies.
Never to be held,
Lest she falls apart.

Buried in my shroud of tears
I walk among the ******
I count the souls of dreamers past
Upon my weathered hands

There'll be no solace in my name
no mercy at my feet
as daylight crumbles into dark
your soul will cry defeat.

Yet should you feel my icy touch
and hear my ragged breath
fear not, for I will hold you close
in sweet unending death.

Hold me close, then let me fall
away from you and all I know,
leave me lonely where I lay
down where the water lilies grow.

Loathe my heart with every cry,
**** my eyes with every breath.
Rejoice! for I am happy now
within this sweet, eternal death.

The lone tree stands atop the hill
in centuries t'will stand there still.
It witnessed love when young and bold,
then saw it's Autumn laced with gold.
It now brings shelter from the frost
that's only felt when love is lost.

I think about the times you used to tell me pretty lies
Like my illness didn't bore you and my thighs were the right size
and I loved you just for knowing all the things that I denied
and we talked about forever, like those songs that we despise

Now I sit with ghosts in empty rooms just asking myself why
all my rainy day tomorrows are the colour of your eyes,
and I'm drinking down this liquor just to get me through the day
It doesn't bring you back but it sure helps keep me at bay.

You used to bring your beast to breakfast
but it wouldn't make a sound,
I used to hide inside and treat my demons to another round,
but the corridors between us made the silence seem too loud
we could have made it through but we were just too ******* proud.

So I'll talk about my trauma
cause it lets me say your name
I've tried to conjure you with self harm
But the scars don't feel the same,
Well I guess I'll have to wear them
cause they cover up my shame,
the truth sits pointing fingers
but no one will take the blame.

As blood drips slowly from the hands
of monstrous men from foreign lands,
we bow our heads and wring our hands
but the song it never changes.

The lyrics speak of death and fright,
the guns by day, the bombs by night,
another mother's soul takes flight
but the song it never changes.

As tempo builds, hear the melody swell,
a million babies born to hell,
we hear the slowly tolling bell
but the song it never changes.

The mortars crash, the weapons roar
to soothe vain men from distant shores
who'll never know the price of war
but the song it never changes.

I once saw a magician
make a woman disappear
I couldn't understand it
she was there, then wasn't here.

Over many years that followed
my mind still wandered back
to the disappearing woman
in her box all draped in black.

Was it nice there, in that moment
When existence wasn't hers?
Was she tempted to just stay there
When the crowd called out the words?

When the box had finished spinning
and the crowd had settled down
she appeared there, smiling brightly
perfect hair and sparkling gown.

But out beyond the stage lights
'neath the make up and the glitter,
the disappearing woman knows
it's all just smoke and mirrors.

Amidst the rich tapestry of our dreams
We walk side by side through the dark
Each longing for echoes of lovers long past
Both blindly in search of a spark.

Through turmoil and riot we stand apart
Our silence a sumptuous repast
To those who would too gladly dance on our bones
and witness each breath as our last.

I wish I could do a *** right now
it really makes me sad
that I'm sat here in the basement
watching **** Hub with my Dad.

All the Women have turned Toxic
now they're dressing for revenge,
and their hips are always lying
about where the night will end.

They think they're ****** special
Something precious to behold
but they're all just slags and munters,
with diseased and sagging holes.

They're all just filthy ***** ya know,
each one of them the same,
look like they'd **** you senseless,
when you try it...they complain!

Wish I could do a *** right now
It makes me really sad.
I'm gonna grab a can of Monster,
can you pass the tissues Dad?

They sing God save the King
and the pride that it brings
always puffs out their beer barrel chests,
see them posture and sneer
causing hatred and fear
with their slogans and Wife Beater vests.

"Rule Britannia" they shout
"Get the brown people out
'cause they're just not the same as we are,
they're taking our jobs,
and I've heard they eat dogs
That Woke lot have all gone too far!"

"We need to be free of all Muslims you see,
cause they're bringing in Shakira law,
all these fighting age men that the lefties let in
will behead you outside your front door"

"They're not fleeing war zones,
they have Nikes and Iphones,
they risk death to leave France, it's bizarre!
Now they've come over here
and the reason is clear
it's the benefits, housing and Car"

They sing God save The King
and the "pride" that it brings
leaves the rest of our Nation ashamed.
With hands clutched to their chest
and the flag they love best
they'll destroy what once made Britain Great.

While you were sleeping
the world found its way,
Peace counselled destruction
as shame walked away.

The crosses stopped burning
and praised on the lawn,
the bluebirds were soaring
to hurry the dawn.

The fallen, once turning
as new heroes fell,
lay at ease in the meadow
as we bid hate farewell.

The children all crept out from under their beds,
the homeless found shelter, the hungry were fed,
As Ego was conquered he turned with a sigh
"Have your moment, enjoy it, I'll be back by and by"

When there isn't a song that will soothe you
and your head's filled with clatter and din,
when the words of the poets won't move you
and a war rages on deep within.

Take a moment to look at your showreel
all the best bits, the outtakes and flops,
all the things that you loved and then hated,
all the lovers you loved and then lost.

All the mix tapes you ever recorded
and the posters you had on your walls,
all the first times, the last times, the heartbreaks
all your triumphs, the fights and the falls.

Like the song you heard once on the radio
that caused an obsession to start,
or the novel they said you were bound to enjoy
that ended up breaking your heart.

A life is well lived if you live it,
and death takes its toll on us all
Make the time, take a risk, grasp the nettle,
take a leap, do your thing, have a ball!

The enemy lies bleeding
I cut off all her curls
I scrubbed the scarlet from her roots
and wore her eyes as pearls
her tears, now diamond droplets
sit cold against my cheek
in reverence of solitude
a blessing to the meek.

The courtroom it hums like a sewer
the pundits are all turning green
while a clown nanna naps in the foreground
caring not for the "witch hunt" it seems

The Lawyers make lying look easy,
slight of hand, fleet of tongue, jazz hands please!
While the Judge sits agog at the Weather
as she blows through their follies with ease.

Oh what will become of poor Donnie?
What fate will be wrought on this soul
who did nothing...to no one,
like....ever....LOVES the bible...
Oh look!
Sleepy Joe!

Silently she comes to me
in places that I seldom go
though swift as summer she may be,
midwinter is her afterglow

She whispers of a rebel child
once raised amongst the walking dead
and how that child became the sword
that hangs above the monsters head.

She sings to me of spinning skirts
that twirl and lift to raging storms
while all the raindrops yearned to dance
and freedom reigned, as yet to fall.

She will not speak about the dark,
she pays no mind to sorrow
but in her eyes I see she bears
the weight of all tomorrows.

Then with a whisper leaves me here,
where silence weaves it's lonely way
into this once proud rebel child
who surely soon will have her day.

My bones now ache with fear and pride
my heart is lead astray,
my soul still craves departure,
while my spirit longs to stay.

My judgement remains clouded
my fate is marked "unclear,"
my nightmares remain laden
with the words I used to hear.

Too quick to put my trust in fire
with rapid heart and shaking hands,
too glad to be a man's desire,
too lost to ever understand.

How will I ever tame this heart
who only sings for darkest souls,
and offers all I am to burn
for those who cannot love the whole.

What it is to be small
barely something at all
while my silence engulfs every breath
I could yearn to be seen,
because yearning is free
though the outcomes are laden with stress.
So I'll just stay sat here
little freak, bound by fears
Marked by all that I ever dared love,
While the clocks mark the hours
and my heart is devoured
by a man who knows not what he does.