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Nov 2018 · 713
Fragile
Debbie Taylor Nov 2018
so fragile
     like glass
destined to shatter
     but when the sun catches her eye
nothing else matters
Aug 2017 · 339
cracks
Debbie Taylor Aug 2017
every now and again
cracks
start to appear
along the edges
of our carefully constructed
realities
and for a brief moment
Reality
shines through
and
instead of revelling in it
we shiver
and hastily repair our worlds
because
God forbid
we actually
face
Reality
Aug 2017 · 323
Running?
Debbie Taylor Aug 2017
the only
running
that counts
is running
out of time
Jul 2017 · 296
Sense
Debbie Taylor Jul 2017
we
spend
our lives
testing limits
wrestling faith
questioning wisdom
pondering existence
all in an effort
to make
sense
of it
all
Jul 2017 · 264
we need order
Debbie Taylor Jul 2017
order beats chaos
but chaos eats order
for breakfast
a little light humour...
Jun 2017 · 667
She was not from here
Debbie Taylor Jun 2017
her eyes reflected a distant sky
beautiful but bereft of warmth
years of toiling
in an unforgiving landscape
took its toll on her
slowly changing her
until a cold blue hue
radiated from her pores
a freak storm separated her
from her kind
and she was left battling
the wind and waves
on her own
as wave
after gigantic crushing wave
pummeled her
again and again
she sank below
almost ready to succumb
but in the depth of despair
deep down in her soul
she found the strength to survive
and something else
an ability of sorts
she was able to shield herself
from the violence of the storm
and raise herself above the waves
she wrapped herself in a cocoon
storm raging outside
absolute calm inside
silence
absolute focus
she looked beyond the storm
but it had swept her from all she knew
she found herself
in a vastly different place
everything unknown
she buried her birth place in her heart
and embraced this new world fully
in this place she healed
herself and others
always helping
never harming
it was almost as if she was atoning
but never reaching
the point of full atonement
she was not from here
but she was
Home
based on a dream I had the other night, I'm still trying to remember the whole dream... it was vivid and completely Alien
May 2017 · 1.1k
Techno?
Debbie Taylor May 2017
technology
will create
robots
of us all
Debbie Taylor May 2017
Like the millions of stars
Which shine late at night
Each star cast adrift in space
Following its own flight
Or the millions of grains of sand
Which scatter the beaches and sea
Blown by wind or washed by water
Each following its own destiny
So scatter the tiny fragments
Of my broken heart
Broken by a man who shot
Askew with Cupids Dart
Now I'm left in the shadows
Of a love that could have been
Wondering aimlessly like a ghost
Searching for the scene of its crime...
Another flashback to young naivity
May 2017 · 322
Attitude
Debbie Taylor May 2017
I have a strange
      black
         cat,
      with bright
   green eyes,
and a curved back
   but truly strange
      is it's
         At
            Ti
               Tude
that all reason
                  defies
Wrote this when I was young and naive...
Apr 2017 · 2.1k
Freedom Day (SA)
Debbie Taylor Apr 2017
Freedom from Discrimination
Unless you belong to the wrong race
Freedom of Religion
Unless you follow the wrong religion
Freedom from Gender Bias
Unless you're the wrong gender
Freedom to Speak your Mind
Unless you contradict those in power
Freedom?
A complete Farce!!!
27 April 2017
But this is not only restricted to South Africa
Apr 2017 · 396
Contrast
Debbie Taylor Apr 2017
Brains out
   wired wrong
Inclined to see the dark
     And shadows
       But
   We forget
That we only see shadows
     because the sun was shining
And we only know sweet joy
   Because we tasted
     Bitter pain
Words of Sam Vaghi, my rock
Debbie Taylor Apr 2017
looking backwards in time
done so effortlessly
revisiting those moments
that made life absolutely magical
that shattered hopeful spirits thoroughly
smiling sadly

looking forward in time
done with difficulty
trying to imagine the unimaginable
hoping for sunshine and gold
expecting only heartache and pain
sadly smiling

why the pessimism?
Trying to say it's easier looking back than forward...
Feb 2017 · 321
Survival
Debbie Taylor Feb 2017
We all survive
Till the day we dont
Then who's left survives
Till the day they don't
Jan 2017 · 440
Midnight Feast
Debbie Taylor Jan 2017
Relaxing to the core

Watching the blanket of stars
   decorating the sky above me

Smelling the soft scent of plants
   as the wind caresses my face

Listening to chirping crickets
   competing in the darkness

Tasting the absolute nostalgia
   so palpable on the night air

Feeling the powerful silence
   of the earth beneath me

And of course giving in return
   as mosquitoes join my therapy
:)
Oct 2016 · 810
Wild Child
Debbie Taylor Oct 2016
Wild Child
Crouched inside
A naughty grin
As eyes go wide
Hair untamed
Covered in leaves
Acorn in one hand
Ladybird in the other
The trees her father
The earth her mother
Trying to free the wild child within...
Sep 2016 · 345
Check it up
Debbie Taylor Sep 2016
People with bad hearts
Get their tickers checked
People with good hearts
Get their thinkers checked
:)
Aug 2016 · 490
Run Run Run
Debbie Taylor Aug 2016
From the
   very first
      moment
   we take our
very first
   breath
      in
   this
life
   we
      start
         to
            die

Death
   is a part of life
Death
   is inevitable
      but
run run run
   is all we do
      run run run
   all the way
      run
         run
            run
               away
Aug 2016 · 968
Normal?
Debbie Taylor Aug 2016
Normality
   is a myth
      something
   they tell
you to
keep
   you
      in
         line
Aug 2016 · 329
existentialism
Debbie Taylor Aug 2016
I have this continuous feeling
   that my existence
      needs to be validated...
That I need to justify
   being here at all
      I exist
   therefore I am
      I am
   therefore I exist
      But
   do I really
      Exist
         at all?
Aug 2016 · 582
Words (spark)
Debbie Taylor Aug 2016
Unlike that famous song
   Words can come easy
When arranged just right
   They can numb or astound
Pack a punch or a hope
   Make you laugh or cry
Deepen the darkness
   Or enlighten the soul
And in the depth of despair
   May bring a glimmer of light
      To ignite a spark in a heart
   Here or in some far-off Galaxy
Jul 2016 · 421
cocoon
Debbie Taylor Jul 2016
I love to create
Imagining a world
I have all to myself
A beautiful planet
I'd be free to roam
Lucious meadows
Bustling with life
Rolling hills framing
Magical sunsets
A world uncorrupted
Free from heartache
But the problem with
Creating something
So stunningly beautiful
Is that it eventually
Becomes extremely hard
To return to the real world
So as each day passes me by
I retreat deeper and deeper
Into this unreal cocoon
Jul 2016 · 621
hush
Debbie Taylor Jul 2016
shh
hushed
a breath held
for a brief second
an echo of a heartbeat
as trepidation creeps inside
almost silently tiptoeing in
taking root in tiny cracks
settling like grey mist
upon a weary soul
seeking shelter
breath held
hushed
shh
Jun 2016 · 386
E~motion
Debbie Taylor Jun 2016
A teardrop
     escapes
slowly meandering
  down the ***** of
her tear-soaked face

A sigh
     barely audible
hanging on her lips
  gets swept away by
a cold autumn wind

A stray
     lock of hair
dangling unnoticed
  as her eyes focus
beyond the horizon

A fist
     Unclenching
hangs by her side
  as anger fades and
resilience takes root
Feeling like I need to will some hope into words that are as fragile as ash in the wind
So work in progress but need to write
Jun 2016 · 702
perspective
Debbie Taylor Jun 2016
My soul lies prone
Trapped under
The weight
Of the world
Squashed
Pressed flat
Against
The ground
Lifting it
Requires
More energy
Than I have
So I will myself
To accept the
View of the clouds
Passing me by
From this
Flat
Flat
Perspective
May 2016 · 403
balance
Debbie Taylor May 2016
If you go against the current
You become too weary to go on
And eventually sink into darkness

If you go with the flow
You watch as the world goes by you
And eventually drift into indifference

If you can find balance
You make small adjustments as you go
And eventually survive the experience
Trying to put thoughts into words is harder than it looks...
May 2016 · 447
Human (continued)
Debbie Taylor May 2016
Eyes blinded by sight
   Hands numbed by feeling
Smell suffocated by senses
   Heart crushed by blood
Humanity shrouded by shadow
   Love drowned by greed
Dreams displaced by reality
   Wisdom replaced by savvy
Sunlight blocked by pollution 
   Trees reduced by buildings
Time accelerated by technology 
   Souls infected by emptiness
Earth overrun by humans
Humanity... is it all its cracked up to be?
May 2016 · 324
rainbows
Debbie Taylor May 2016
Tatters of rainbow slivers
fluttering in the wind
the colours diluted
the light faded
the dream
broken
up
Work in progress
Rainbow nation
May 2016 · 502
perspective (key)
Debbie Taylor May 2016
From my point of view
   I am always right
From your point of view
   I am totally wrong
From his point of view
   I am out of my mind
From her point of view
   what I do is so alien
From their point of view
   I mean absolutely nothing
Perspective is ever changing
   But always needs a key
May 2016 · 283
thunder
Debbie Taylor May 2016
the
thundering
is deafening
is it
my heart
beating too fast
beating
out of control
or
my head
echoing
needing
a
padded room
May 2016 · 320
parasite
Debbie Taylor May 2016
Ever thought about it?
   You being an actual parasite
In that body you think is yours?

We live our lives
   Ignoring the multitude
Of protestations
   From our bodies
While we flood them
   With too much of our vices

Sugar
   Alcohol
      Nicotine
   Food
Stress
   Time

Living for the day, today
   Putting off thinking about it
To tomorrow
   or the next
Or never
   Until its too late

How do you know
   You are not
An Uninvited Guest?

   A Pest
A parasite?
Apr 2016 · 248
outa here
Debbie Taylor Apr 2016
At a certain stage
in your bustling life

Where you come from
Becomes less important

And getting out of here
Is always on your mind
Just for fun
Apr 2016 · 271
silence
Debbie Taylor Apr 2016
The silence was deafening
Without you lying beside me
I lay with a pillow over my head
Blocking echoes of the silence
But it infiltrated even my dreams
Trying to describe the echoes
But words seem to come up empty
Apr 2016 · 653
Hurricane
Debbie Taylor Apr 2016
Finding inner peace
   is like
Searching for a cat
   in a
      Hurricane
Apr 2016 · 303
Human
Debbie Taylor Apr 2016
Eyes blinded by sight
   Hands numbed by feeling
Smell suffocated by senses
   Heart crushed by blood
Work in progress
Maybe
Apr 2016 · 398
Absence
Debbie Taylor Apr 2016
I open my eyes after the longest time
searching for any remnants of the light
that used to brighten the corners of my soul

and suddenly realise the search was in vain
that the light inside kept the night outside at bay
and that darkness had saturated my soul

I close my eyes and beathe in the darkness
focusing inwards on those dying embers
using the darkness to fan their faint glow

and ever so slowly start to see echoes of light
softly penetrating the darkness within
and a trickle of hope lingers on the horizon
Introspection
Mar 2016 · 610
circus
Debbie Taylor Mar 2016
We are South Africans
   We live in a real live circus

The Clowns run around acting serious
   just one look at them walking proud
      and the World laughs out loud

The Chimpanzees run amok
   Their handlers ail of Culture shock

Chasing Trapeze artists round the ring
   Men on stilts are finally suffering

The Lions have sold their claws and roars
   For a few extra child subsidy encores

The Tigers crouch in fearful shame
   The latest casualties in the Blame Game

And the crowd just stares on dazzled
   As everything fails, likely embezzled...
A little too vivid
Apologies if I offend...
Feb 2016 · 272
create
Debbie Taylor Feb 2016
When you spend idyllic hours
   Taking bits of this
   And pieces of that
Moulding them into a new whole
You also mix in a piece of your soul
So when you send it out into the world
   Whether for admiration
   Or a need to tempt fate
That little bit of you remains out there
A little reminder of the spark to create
Feb 2016 · 311
down
Debbie Taylor Feb 2016
How down is down?
   Below the grass?
Below the soil and rocks?
   Below Earth's crust?

The deeper you go in
   The more you reach in
The closer you get to the centre
   What's down about a centre?

Tis the heart that beats in time
   Tis the heat that fires the crust
Tis the spin that moves the world
   Tis the soul of the earth alive

But below my soul
   Is no centre pole
Where the centre should be
   Is a gaping hole
Deep dark holes
If only the eyes looking back
Showed a spark of light
Feb 2016 · 303
words
Debbie Taylor Feb 2016
While you ponder your existence
   Obsessing over the here and now
      Remember there is more to life
   Dreams keep the heart alive and
Smiles lift any water-logged soul
Jan 2016 · 692
Raindrop (continued)
Debbie Taylor Jan 2016
Pitter
  Patter
Ever thought of the life of a raindrop
  Flying through the atmosphere 
Such an idyllic trip
  Then Splat!

Shhh
   Shhhhh
But that's not the end of the story
   Filtering through rocks and sand
An inevitable journey
   Then Splash!

Swishing
   Swashing
Travelling in underground caverns
   Darkness slowly ebbing
Light sneaking in
   Then Flash!

Trickle
   Trickle
Rivulets become streams become rivers
   And all the while flowing to the ocean
A delightful destination
   Then Ouch!

Whisper
   Whimper
Old Sol beams down his scorching rays
   Drawing water vapours into his embrace
Rising, grouping, clouding
   Then . . .
Everyone knows this story has no end
Jan 2016 · 1.2k
fate
Debbie Taylor Jan 2016
Tens of millions
   Of invisible strings
      Hold the world together

As strong as flowing water
   As flexible as the will to live
      As inevitable as time passing

Get hold of one and pull
   And the vibration will echo
      Far beyond the here and now
Jan 2016 · 341
culture shock
Debbie Taylor Jan 2016
We are living in a "it's someone else's problem" culture these days.
Just how can we escape?
Jan 2016 · 613
Raindrop
Debbie Taylor Jan 2016
Pitter
  Patter
Ever thought of the life of a raindrop
  Flying through the atmosphere
Such an idyllic trip
  Then Splat!
Dec 2015 · 447
Thirst and Dust (cont)
Debbie Taylor Dec 2015
Thunder in the distance
Rumbling ominously
This dry dry earth longs for those
Precious few drops that promise to fall

The wind blows the dust around
The wind blows the dead leaves around
The wind blows the hot dry air around
The wind just blows and the sky is brown

The wind stills for a moment
And the earth sighs
But the rain does not fall
Not a single drop to quench her thirst

There is a long long pause
And then nothing
The wind sighs a silent sigh
And then a drop falls

Another drop follows
The earth holds her breath
And another drop falls
and then another

Pretty soon the rain smell follows
Forgotten is the heat and the dust
Forgotten is the oppression
Only concentration on the drops

Each drop life giving
Each drop rejuvenating and cool
Each drop precious
Each drop quenching her thirst
Bloemfontein SA
Dry does not even begin to describe it
Dec 2015 · 306
Thirst and Dust
Debbie Taylor Dec 2015
Thunder in the distance
Rumbling ominously
This dry dry earth longs for those
Precious few drops that promise to fall

The wind blows the dust around
The wind blows the dead leaves around
The wind blows the hot dry air around
The wind just blows and the sky is brown

The wind stills for a moment
And the earth sighs
But the rain does not fall
Not a single drop to quench her thirst
Dec 2015 · 261
Work
Debbie Taylor Dec 2015
Work work work your ***
Work your life away
Then happily rest your weary soul
Upon your dying day
Nov 2015 · 953
a lonely rock
Debbie Taylor Nov 2015
We sit here
   Bemoaning our fate
On this rock we call Earth

The only one
   In billions of light years
Deigned to jump start our birth

Sheltering us
   From cosmic rays

Surrounding us
   With abundant life

Supporting us
   Despite our ways

And yet...

We still sit here
   Basking in self pity and hate
Pillaging this lonely rock called Earth
...looking at what we've done
I really feel more kin to outer space
than this human race...
Nov 2015 · 315
Paranoia
Debbie Taylor Nov 2015
How much is too much?
When is too much ever enough?
Ever been too paranoid
About too much paranoia?
Nov 2015 · 501
inertia
Debbie Taylor Nov 2015
The morning alarm has rung
     But getting up is getting old
The sun is shining outside
     But my coffee cup is cold

What comes to mind is a whip
     To chase me outa bed
Either I get up and get going
     Or lie around like lead

And yet time slowly creeps by
    And I'm still cuddled in this cocoon
Waiting wondering anticipating
     For someone to pop this inertia baloon
Sep 2015 · 319
hope
Debbie Taylor Sep 2015
we live in a cruel cruel world
and yet we wake up every morning
expecting the world to change
expecting today to be different
expecting today to be the day
that everything goes our way
we trudge through the day
with hope tucked in our pocket
and each night we take it out
shake it out
and put it away lovingly
in that pocket close to our heart
hoping tomorrow will be that day...
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