‘Tis the eyes of the Lobster: all beady and black
Little black pearls; but luster they lack
They stare and stare with nary a blink.
And heavens to Betsy if you know what they think!
With pinchers and crushers and blood of blue
I’m not so sure I’d want one in my stew!
The new year dawns and here am I
Writing of lobsters and I’m not sure why!
Oh, but I jest and of course I do!
‘Twas a bet! I lost! And now pay my due.
Sincere apologies to those who read.
I know it’s rough. I must complete this deed.
          I hope this ditty; whatever it be
          Fits the bill and you’re more than pleased, --!

with a heavy heart and heavy steps

i climb the stairs

and enter the void.

Emptiness - my silent, inhospitable host.



She has prepared nothing --

offers nothing.

nothing but Her smothering, palpable, deafening presence.



my shoulders drop all the more as She takes hold and draws me in.

then, for the longest time i stand,

having moved no further than those few steps into Her house.



She does not care to make me comfortable.

why should She?



from within my being

hunger cries out.

an insatiable yearning

no, not for food but for more --

so much more.



i long for him to hold me close;

for his breath to settle upon my neck.

i crave his nearness as he whispers in my ear;

telling me everything will be alright.




my body aches to be touched.


my being cries to be held.


my heart hungers for something it has tasted,

but knows it cannot have.



i know not how to satisfy those needs;

only the simplest of necessities.



i have not eaten this long and busy day

and so, as i do many days of late,

i take from Her cupboard

and prepare a dinner of breakfast cereal.



there seems no point in sitting.

why seek comfort with one that does not wish to give it?

so i stand beside the island bench in Her kitchen;

eat out of necessity;

and drink in Her ceaseless, deafening mockery.



"how apt", i think,

and  then smirk along with Her;

as i realise i truly am standing on an island --



alone.

lonely hours pass into days
and I know not where I should turn
in the dead of a summer haze
my sorry heart doth mutely yearn

with comfort and caress long gone
and hope but a fanciful dream
should all reveries be withdrawn
and solitude held in esteem

where is reason and where is rhyme
they move not forward nor restart
the pulse of life and love mark time
and dimly march upon my heart

what’s it called - this place without name
this place without beat and cadence
perhaps … inertial reference frame
or is it ... a place to commence

On ever-changing tides
they floated for nigh a lifetime
growing worn
tattered
and frayed around the edges

They were tangible once
and precious
even solemn

But
somewhere along the way
they were neglected
discarded
and abandoned

On the darkest of stormy seas they bobble now –
weather-beaten
unrecognizable
decayed and fetid

The things of a lifetime
rotting -
in their cold
watery grave

in the hush of the moment
there is much to cherish --

a child at play
with his imaginary friend

a shimmering glimmer
in almond-brown eyes

the dance above town
of birds in flight --
rising
falling
crisscrossing the sky

a winter’s eve
and a hot, deep bath

candlelight flicker
the moon and the stars

a rainy day
spent snug in my bed

the sun that smiles
and kisses my head --
peaceful
soothing
my soul well fed

those sleepy eyes
from sweet dreams wake

a hug he gives
my day he makes

and you, my love
you fill my heart

the gift of you
my world thou art

I close my eyes
my prayers I send

in the hush of the moment
these things never ...

Tall, frightful, mountainous man
the fear you strike within is easy to explain
sheer size causes my heart to pound
so fast and loud that it is all I can do to contain
it from leaping outside my tiny frame

With whisker twitching and hide flinching
I crept from the safety of my hole, inching
one small step by paltry step
seeking meagre crumbs; mere scraps of food
to feed my hungry brood

And there I chanced upon you
(well, it was your dark and menacing shoe
that first caught my beady little eye)
then, fleetingly, thoughts I was about to die
stopped me in my tracks, and there was I,
wondering ~ should I fight or fly?

Yes, there I stood, frozen in time
and it seemed that you were too
as we, the two of us, both you and I,
for one moment (or was it two?)
took measure and looked each other in the eye

But I am not a silly fool
and though I am just an insignificant being
I have learned a golden rule ~
at the very instant a man moves his feet
it is time I must be fleeing!

On golden fields
your painting so vivid
vibrant
bespattered
far and wide
burgeoning with hope and cheer

and mine eyes behold

Your orchestra
performing
a beautiful golden-yellow symphony
trumpets trumpeting
powerful
intense
sometimes a little boastful
perhaps even narcissistic

and mine ears respect

Across your gilded seas
the bells toll
heralding new beginnings
composed
in unison
together
but not

wandering lonely
silently drowning in unrequited pleas

forever holding faith

and I, your witness

Oft had I thought ‘twas meant just for a male
And mindlessly I’d chosen not to read
Until one day I was summoned to heed
Melville’s epic tale of The Great White Whale

The wandering sailor - “Call me Ishmael”
Captain Ahab -  vengeance his greedy need
Reckless, careless; anything to succeed
Yet, his destiny, rightly, was to fail

Hodge-podge of cultures from all walks of life
Scruples, beliefs, tenets, lessons  and more
Adventure and religion - all were rife
Herman challenged and gave voice to it all

The world then -  the world now - deeply in strife
When will we learn and stop fighting the war?

glistening, wet jewels
well in the camber of hazel eyes
like droplets
brimming on the tip
of a dewy green-brown leaf

resting but a moment
holding tight a promise

yet threatening to tumble
as the maelstrom
erupts
in eerie quietness
mutely twisting
whirling
spiraling downwards

then
without a whisper

and in the hush of aloneness

a shining bubble
spills

and bursts

Sliding from the silky, satin sheets
Slowly she saunters to the terrace
And scans the sparkling, star-sprinkled sky
  
As slender arms loosely clasp her svelte, ******* swathed silhouette
So too her thoughts encircle her sweetheart
  
She smiles as she recalls their tryst...
  
          His strong embrace holding her safe and secure
          Lips that tease with nearness
          At last bestowing passion-soaked kisses
          Whilst hands slide up to her soft, supple breast
          And trace circles around her sensitive, cerise *******
  
She is lost now
Caught in the exquisite snare of sinfully-sweet reminiscences
Of two lovers seeking to please
And thirsting to be satisfied...
  
          Slow, tantalizing caresses gracefully ****** their souls
          Hearts, minds and bodies of two lovers now aroused
          Suspended over the precipice
          Oh, yes, such blissful anticipation
          And then … surrender
          Surrender to sweet, sweet ecstasy!
  
As she stands now on the circumference of sensual abyss
She sways slightly
A soft breeze strokes her sun-kissed skin
It whispers to her spirit and begins to sing a song
A song so enticing
So stirring
That small goosebumps rise and glisten
  
So once more she slips betwixt silky, satin sheets

Bewildered
Too little to understand
Bitter cold fear
Reflected on a tear-stained, perfect little face
In vivid blue eyes
Distress and panic
Then
From a little boy’s grief-stricken heart
A plea --
Echoing on the chilled air of Winter’s night
Desolately
Desperately
Untamed and barren
Again and again --
* “Daddy!  I’m sorry daddy!”
“Come back, daddy!”

Celestial, heavenly queen
Beauty unrivalled
Oh vanity! ‘Tis quicksand of reason
And angry Gods speak

Purity and innocence
Surrendered
Shackled to crystalline quartz
And blamelessness the sacrificial quarry

Retribution is costly --
Though beauty shines brightly
With vanity
Comes lonely truth

If I could wish a thousand wishes
I'd give them all to you
For one is all I need my love
To make my dreams come true
From now until the end of time
I'd wish to stand by you --
To sleep with you and wake with you
Would be the perfect rhyme
Of things and grandeur I’d not want
Just simple joys of life and love
Heav’nly gifts so freely given
A blessing from the Lord above
        And so one wish is all I need
        A small but magical seed

Love is kind
Love is true
Love is blind
Love is you

In time this river will run dry
though now it flows fast and free
boundless and untamed
it knows no fear
it is not tranquil and composed
but ruthless;
brutal

Carried harshly in its fierce flow
I have nothing left within
to fight the torrent that surrounds me
that time and time again
compels me downwards
beneath frenzied eddies of rage and despair

Now and then this river releases her hold
and I struggle to resurface
I am beaten
I am near willing to drown;
to end misery --
overwhelming misery

As I wretchedly grasp for air
something inside refuses to yield
it beckons me onward
calls me to fight against surrender
to flow with the flood of grief
and journey each bend

I know now that in time the surge will ebb
and this river will become a stream
a tributary
a branch
an arm --
that I may grab hold
stand again
and walk away

and then there was nothing –
the company of his smile now lost
words have vanished
they no longer wrap me up
and hold me tight
blue eyes no longer see me
they’re gone now
all of them – gone
there is nothing now
just emptiness
space
silence
and a sun that laughs

O sweet daughter of mine, my heart you have
You had it at the start
I gave it with all my heart
to hold in yours; ne’er to part

A picture
painted with all the colours of imagination
hangs in the gallery of my mind
A beautiful image
and I can't help but gaze upon it with delight

I suspect it will hang there forever more

A sound
playing over and over again
in my ear
A voice --
your voice
unique and soothing
but becoming almost inaudible now
I try hard to remember it
and I ache to hear it

But I fear I may never hear it again

A wish
uttered countless times
rests now upon my lips
Yes, it rests
but only for a while --

*I will utter it again

Cool ripples of water caress her toes,
sand percolates in between--
sunlight and sea dance playfully,
transcendent and serene.

Gliding high on the playful breeze
wings spreading free and wide--
seagulls call and soar together
over the shifting tide.

He knows she is waiting for him alone
there on that distant isle--
in mind's eye she waves to him,
her face lit by a smile.

Yes, eagerly there she waits for him
feeling his love so near--
she lingers awhile by the water’s edge
seeing his face quite clear.

She's dreaming of their togetherness
of the moment she'll hold his hand--
and while she waits, she writes to him
this poem in the sand.

With generosity of time and care
He teaches her about the things he knows.
Such as a couplet is a rhyming pair
And how a sonnet ought to be composed.
Pentameter iambic is the key
With accents, syllables and scansion too.
It seems a huge and baffling mystery
But bit by bit he gives a hint. A clue.
“It helps to tap your fingers on the desk
To count the syllables and hear the beat.
For some this seems bizarre and quite grotesque
But listen hard and count along. It’s sweet!”
          A teacher true who cares for flawless rhyme
          I thank you friend for giving me your time.

I remember when you first came into my life.  I had another brother … not a sister … but another brother.  That was okay though.  I was your big sister and so I could look after you.

I remember brothers who ganged up on their big sister when she was left in charge.
  
I remember hours and hours of playing board games together and riding bikes up and down the street.

I remember the day you ran away from home.  We looked and looked for hours but you were nowhere to be found.  They called the police and then everyone was looking for you.  Hours later they found you in the bushland near home.  I still don’t really know why you ran away that day but I think I know.

I remember how you were always quiet.  Shy.  You preferred people not to notice you.

I remember your paintings, the comics you wrote.  They were amazing.

I remember your suffering through illness and the terrible things it did to you.
  
I remember the day I had to admit you to hospital.  It was so difficult to do.  You  did not want to be there.

I remember hoping and praying that you would be okay.  That you would recover and become all you could become.

I remember your last visit with me.  A goodbye that I did not realise was being said.

I remember the next day.  The day they told me I would never see you again.
  
I remember your poems.  The ones you left behind … the poems so hard to read … so full of pain.

I remember the beautiful letter you wrote me.

I remember an innocent boy and the kindest young man.

I remember a child of God who never wished to hurt anyone or anything.

I remember an idealist who imagined peace for the world.

I remember your love for me.
  
I remember a beautiful soul.

I remember you.

And I will never forget you.

With a smile and all our love
We send this wish to you
This wish of Happy Birthday
And blessings all year through
For you our friend are dear to us
More dear than you can know
So here we are now - one and all -
To let our feelings show

You rouse our hearts and minds to see
Those with less than you 'n' me
To count our blessings; search our souls
And thank God we are free
To dare to dream; to spread our wings
Are all that you inspire
And so we fly above those clouds
Soaring high and higher

More gentle, kind and caring man
We would be hard to find
You lift us up and share your love
You are one of a kind
We love all that you do for us
So these wishes we send
May you have the happiest day
Happy Birthday, dear friend!

This moment when the night is all aglow
My heart awakens with a love for life
Yet misery still lingers just below
This moment when the night is all aglow
I long for right with all the world - you know
A world where peace and joy and food are rife
This moment when the night is all aglow
My heart awakens with a love for life

Cute snowy-haired child
Sprinkles of freckles; gilded face
Tender spirit; meek and mild
Paints a glorious picture of grace

A child of December
The angel I remember

Gentle, this boy; and unpretentious
A quiet achiever; naturally gifted
Imaginative and conscientious
But even here you drifted

A boy of December
The angel I remember

Kind and selfless; not materialistic
Boy not boy and man not man; Seeking alone.
Always seeking. Exceptionally artistic
The gentlest of gentle I've known

A son of December
The angel I remember

The poet emerged
Words lingered on lips. And died. Unspoken.
Feelings buried. Submerged.
Lineage and ties broken.

A man of December
The angel I remember

From the humblest of beginnings
Began a tough innings
A family deprived
His dad had died

So to work he went
To help pay the rent
From a teen to a man
In a short time span

He had many a job
Hard earned each “bob”
He was a keeper of bees
He picked beans and peas

With marbles and shanghai
He had a keen eye
So rabbits he’d stalk
Their pelts he sought

A butcher and baker
And fence post maker
A fisherman and fruiterer
And even spud picker

A shearer of great ability
Those shears he clicked with agility
From morn to night
He worked hard alright

Met a girl and made her his wife
Ten children now blessed his life
He provided as best he could
Forever working for their good

A large family and so little money
Life, of course, was not always sunny
Simply he lived, simple his dwelling
The trials he faced so very compelling

A ****** awful thing was done
A terrible tragedy stole his son
With grief immeasurable and untold
He held together; staying controlled

Children struggled to forgive their mother
As she left him and found another
Yet for her he would always stand
Always hoping to win back her hand

Another tragedy claimed a limb
We thought it would be the death of him
His work, his wife, his health now gone
Yet silently, painfully he continued on

We knew his heart was terribly broken
Yet always forgiveness he had spoken
We knew he lived with daily pain
But silent and strong he would remain

His strength and courage was beyond belief
But for him there would be no relief
His children were now all grown
He died, one night … alone

I breathe you in until I can no more
And savor ev’ry moment that you’re near
Breathless. Winded. Your closeness I adore
For in your sweet embrace I have no fear
I drink you in until I am replete
You fill and overflow my wanting heart
Two souls rejoice and hearts together beat
A bond beyond compare; never to part
And as we slowly dance this dance of love
And all others are but a silhouette
You draw me close; as one; like hand and glove
Then speak to me the words I’ll not forget

And in my heart they’re locked; and there they’ll stay
Forever more – until my dying day

This pearl. Ah, this beautiful, precious pearl.
Creamy, buttery; rich and velvety.
A teardrop. Wrought beneath the churning swirl
Of a deep and unfathomable sea.
A tear shed for unobserved injury
Penetrating calcareous armour;
Weeping silently; seeking serenity
And embracing quietude with ardour.
The injured life gives way to a treasure
Near unimaginable.  Beguiling.
A jewel in life beyond true measure.
Natural and pure. A gift of being.  
      The world is our oyster. Imperfect. Whole.
      The pearl - a lithe and unencumbered soul.

First kiss. O dulcet, glorious, first kiss!
Undeniable, absolute and sweet.
Honeyed naivety. Breathtaking bliss.
Nigh naught in life can possibly compete.

Your kiss. O mellifluous, first true kiss!
Delicate symphony of pure passion.
My heart surrenders; it cannot resist
The sounds of soft, diaphanous satin.

Our kiss. O inimitable first kiss!
Melody of sweet spontaneity.
Intoxicating and velvet abyss.
True desire; nay mere velleity.

Heavenly pleasure ‘tis the first, sweet kiss
Heart and mind will forever reminisce.

‘Tis you, my love, who are my fate
You fill my heart and make me smile
My kindred spirit, my soul mate

Of you I dream, For you I wait
Each moment with you, so worthwhile
'Tis you, my love, who are my fate
  
We talk each night until it’s late
Sharing truth, heart, self and trial
My kindred spirit, my soul mate

Heartfelt poetry we create
The language of love our writing style
'Tis you, my love, who are my fate

I love you heaps, I dare not wait
To tell you this once in a while
My kindred spirit, my soul mate
  
Treasured moments, just you and Kate
The moon and stars, an ocean mile
‘Tis you, my love, who are my fate
My kindred spirit, my soul mate