.
The emptiness is full of lost joys ...

The heft and fall
          of a wood axe
                    splitting down winter logs
The sight of girls
          pretty and fair
                    exposing flesh in the sun
The smell of flowers
          scented breeze
                    and fresh mown grass
The pint of real ale
          quenching thirst
                    after a long days graft
The company of friends
          killing loneliness
                    laughing and telling stories
The piquant moments
          of happy and sad
                    when tears flow easily
The arms of lovers
          on a cold night
                    and raising a heartache
The taste of fruit
          so ripe and lush
                    dribbling juice down chins
The feel of a smile
          crossing lips
                    releasing hormonal pleasure ...

The emptiness is full of lost joys …



© Pagan Paul (03/06/18)

sitting on the loggia
watching the rain come closer
with thunder and lightening
counting the seconds
     between the flash and the rumbling
enjoying the spectacle
     of brilliant spidery fingers
     illuminating the evening sky
each a different shape
     followed by its own soundblast
the noise of the rain
     growing louder and harsher
     with heaviness
bending the branches of trees
     roses and lilies to the ground

simply fascinating

Every day you play with the light of the universe.
Subtle visitor, you arrive in the flower and the water,
You are more than this white head that I hold tightly
as a bunch of flowers, every day, between my hands.

You are like nobody since I love you.
Let me spread you out among yellow garlands.
Who writes your name in letters of smoke among the stars of the south?
Oh let me remember you as you were before you existed.

Suddenly the wind howls and bangs at my shut window.
The sky is a net crammed with shadowy fish.
Here all the winds let go sooner or later, all of them.
The rain takes off her clothes.

The birds go by, fleeing.
The wind.  The wind.
I alone can contend against the power of men.
The storm whirls dark leaves
and turns loose all the boats that were moored last night to the sky.

You are here.  Oh, you do not run away.
You will answer me to the last cry.
Curl round me as though you were frightened.
Even so, a strange shadow once ran through your eyes.

Now, now too, little one, you bring me honeysuckle,
and even your ******* smell of it.
While the sad wind goes slaughtering butterflies
I love you, and my happiness bites the plum of your mouth.

How you must have suffered getting accustomed to me,
my savage, solitary soul, my name that sends them all running.
So many times we have seen the morning star burn, kissing our eyes,
and over our heads the grey light unwinds in turning fans.

My words rained over you, stroking you.
A long time I have loved the sunned mother-of-pearl of your body.
Until I even believe that you own the universe.
I will bring you happy flowers from the mountains, bluebells, dark hazels, and rustic baskets of kisses.
I want to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees.

When this world became too heavy for you
and you thought there was nothing you could do
to lighten your load
pay the debts that you owed
you called it quits
You said “That's the end of it”

Though beaten by the waves
for a moment you became brave
strong enough to seem tough
You abandoned your body and your mind
You left it all behind

You went off on your own to a world unknown
Turned off the lights and you closed your eyes

You were washed by the waves
thrown up on the shore
and freed from the sea
where you'll swim no more
You left it all behind
You left your body and your mind

You went off on your own to a world unknown
turned off the lights and you closed your eyes

Goodbye my friend, we wish you well on your way
from here to there, from darkness to day

Advice for Geraldine on her Miscellaneous Birthday

stay in line. stay in step. people
are afraid of someone who is not
in step with them. it makes them
look foolish t’ themselves for
being in step. it might even
cross their minds that they themselves
are in the wrong step. do not run
nor cross the red line. if you go
too far out in any direction, they
will lose sight of you. they’ll feel
threatened. thinking that they are
not a part of something that they
saw go past them, they’ll feel
something’s going on up there that
they don’t know about. revenge
will set in. they will start thinking
of how t’ get rid of you. act
mannerly towards them. if you don’t,
they will take it personal. as you
come directly in contact face t’ face
do not make it a secret of how
much you need them. if they sense
that you have no need for them,
the first thing they will do is
try t’ make you need them. if
this doesn’t work, they will tell
you of how much they don’t need
you. if you do not show any sadness
at a remark such as this, they
will immediately tell other people
of how much they don’t need you.
your name will begin t’ come up
in circles where people gather
to tell about all the people they
don’t need. you will begin t’ get
famous this way. this, though, will
only get the people who you don’t need
in the first place
all the more madder.
you will become
a whole topic of conversation.
needless t’ say, these people
who don’t need you will start
hating themselves for needing t’ talk
about you. then you yourself will
start hating yourself for causing so
much hate. as you can see, it will
all end in one great gunburst.
never trust a cop in a raincoat.
when asked t’ define yourself exactly,
say you are an exact mathematician.
do not say or do anything that
he who standing in front of you
watching cannot understand, he will
feel you know something he
doesn’t. he will take is a serious
blow. he will react with blinding
speed and write your name down.
talk on his terms. if his terms
are old-fashioned an’ you’ve
passed that stage all the more easier
t’ get back there. say what he
can understand clearly. say it simple
t’ keep your tongue out of your
cheek. after he hears you, he can
label you good or bad. anyone will
do. t’ some people, there is only
good an’ bad. in any case, it will
make him feel somewhat important.
it is better t’ stay away from
these people. be careful of
enthusiasm…it is all temporary
an’ don’t let it sway you. when asked
if you go t’ church, always answer
yes, never look at your shoes. when
asked you you think of gene autry
singing of hard rains gonna fall say
that nobody can sing it as good as
peter, paul and mary. at the mention
of the president’s name, eat a pint of
yogurt an’ go t’ sleep early…when
asked if you’re a communist, sing
america the beautiful in an
italian accent. beat up nearest
street cleaner. if by any
chance you’re caught naked in a
parked car, quick turn the radio on
full blast an’ pretend
that you’re driving. never leave
the house without a jar of peanut
butter. do not wear
matched socks. when asked to do 100
pushups always smoke a pound
of deodorant beforehand.
when asked if you’re a capitalist, rip
open your shirt, sing buddy can
you spare a dime with your
right foot forward an’ proceed t’
chew up a dollar bill.
do not sign any dotted line. do not
fall in trap of criticizing people
who do nothing else but criticize.
do Not create anything. it will be
misinterpreted. it will not change.
it will follow you the
rest of your life. when asked what you
do for a living say you laugh for
a living. be suspicious of people
who say that if you are not nice
t’ them, they will commit suicide.
when asked if you care about
the world’s problems, look deeply
into the eyes of he that asks
you, he will not ask you again. when
asked if you’ve spent time in jail,
announce proudly that some of your
best friends’ve asked you that.
beware of bathroom walls that’ve not
been written on. when told t’ look at
yourself…never look. when asked
t’ give your real name…never give it.


Copyright Bob Dylan
This was printed in the programs of his October 31, 1964 performance.
at Carnegie Hall, in New York City

Ocean spray flays ancient cloisters,
Darkening already withered stone.
Moonlit towers crumble, humbled
By the weight of stolen thrones.
Sound proclaimed in hollow domes
Found shallow, wanting and alone.
While wind rips down forgotten walls
Tapestries tap out in hallowed halls.
Memories shed shadows in the fall.
The call of rust, echoes of war.
Ruin and dust for now and evermore.