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While sitting at a café once
a boy of sorts went by.
His clothes were bright, he wore a suit
a purple, orange tie.
He looked around him while he walked
and then I caught his eye.

His hair was wild and fairly long,
his shoes were bright and new.
His face was lit up with a smile
and said “how do you do?”
He waved his hand, his giant hand,
the smile quite simply grew.

He walked on over, then he sat
down on the chair across
from me and all my company
a friend, his wife, my boss,
and handed me a brochure of
Learn how to play lacrosse.

“The name is Nathan Douglas Day
of age I am nineteen.
I have thick hair that gets quite gross
which then, I have to clean.
The knots that form, they almost dread.
You do know what I mean?

But hair is not all that I am
there’s skin and bones and thought,
but even then, that isn’t much
my weight is almost naught.
The mem’ry in my brain is small
which leaves much to be taught.

The people call me names to do
with where they know me from
like, Mugbo, or the wanderer,
or rang-rang, or Nathan,
or Nathan Douglas Day and some
don’t call me anyone.”

This speech of his, it left me shocked.
What kind of life was this,
to have more names than anyone
from this metropolis?
I was so puzzled and confused
there was something amiss.

I said “Okay…” and looked straight down
to where the pamphlet lay
and then began to read about
Lacrosse and how to play.
And Nathan snapped his fingers loud
and got a piece of cake.

A strawb’rry shake came next and then
a plate of biscuits came.
he offered them around and said
“they all taste much the same.”
We ate them all. He sat quite still.
I learned about the game.

My boss and friend were wondering,
who was this Nathan day,
this boy who came from nowhere and
sat down and seemed to stay?
They asked me with their eyes but I
did not know what to say.

Then Nathan started talking to
the wife of my good friend
he made her laugh and laugh and laugh
and laugh it didn’t end.
We all wanted to hear the joke
he wouldn’t say again.

“Lacrosse seems very difficult”
I said to stir the air.
“It is” he said “I played it once
but now, I would not dare”
I wondered then why he would hand
the pamphlets out with care.

I wondered maybe did he work
in trade from door to door.
I asked him this and his reply
it shocked me even more
“I do not hand them out” he said
“I found it on the floor.”
Glasses on my nose
Make me look slightly smarter
But I'm still silly.
My eyes hurt a lot.
Why is there so much pain inside?
I can't keep them open for much longer
and my dreams start in the edges of consciousness.
Reality is being blurred with non-reality.
What is that!!??
Oh ok, just dreaming... right...
Head drooping down into
the computer keyboard...
but i really must...
finish poem...
but I...
have...
no...
energy...
left...

ahgoehgquogbuio;g
Inspired by one night where I almost nodded off at the computer while I was doing my homework.
When I first met you.

I met you first at the reception,
we'd never met before that day.

Your cousins wedding was such fun.
To get in I posed as a waiter and served you.

I saw you and my mind said "wow".
Instant attraction and my eyes stayed on you.

Part of the catering crew, handing you spring rolls.
What fun my best friends big brothers wedding was.

I'd never seen you before but I wanted more.
At reception of cousin and best friends brother.

Clashing Emotions and Doubt

What happened to stable, solid emotions?
They've become a puzzle with a deadline.

My feelings for you are confused and complex.
I don't know what to do, do i like you or not?

Is it possible to like a girl and not know?
How is it possible to find out, when emotions are thrown everywhere?

I can't understand my own feelings for once.
I used to be a master of my own emotions, not anymore...

Like a mystery novel with loss of life at the end,
the solidity has faded and the tables over turned.

The Forgotten Sunset

We watched the sunset from the feild,
orange and purple spread before us.

I don't really remember its features,
your features are all through my mind.

Your pretty feet with bright blue nails,
bare upon the grassy plain.

You asked me if I fancied you,
scared I said, "I don't think so".

Bare feet running through the grass,
painted nails and toe-ring.

The vision of you won't leave my mind,
your beauty beating the sunset's.

The sun went down with beauty bright,
as we watched it I watched you.

Mistakes and Regret

No longer stable and steady like rock.
Floating and free and impossible to guess what's happening.

I used to be in control but now have no idea,
feelings of regret and lost hope, mixing with earlier confusion.

What have I done? How could I betray my feelings?
Fear and the unknown my only excuses.

Strong feelings of loss and confusion flood my mind,
all hopes of order washed out and mixing with *******.

How to solve this dilemma I have made? Life is at stake.
Order and peace have vanished, replaced with regret and wonder.

When I last met you**

Different wedding, different reception. I met you again.
I've only seen you a few times, I wish I could see you more.

Pretending to have fun when all I could think of was you.
No need to act as a caterer this time, eating spring rolls.

Is it possible for you to forgive me?
I'm kicking myself over what I said.

No need to help out this time they are my friends.
I acted like I was having fun with my friends and with you.

Will we ever meet again, sometime in the future?
Will we meet again at the next reception?
In tranquility we sit,
effervescent beverages in hand as
the descant moves into the mix.
So mellifluous...
So promiscuous in whom it touches...
Hoping to stupefy the audience with its
flawless and free life.
Until our enjoyment is shortened
by the loud clomping from
outside our autonomous dwelling...
Something outside bonks into the ground
before a silhouette breaches our safety
and our eternity is threatened with...
I wrote this poem as part of an excersise where we were given words that we had to use once in the poem and one word per line. These are the words we were given and the meanings that I used them for.

Autonomous - self governing
Descant - a melody played in accompaniment to the main melody
Tranquility - calm and undisturbed
Mellifluous - sweet sounding
Silhouette - a dark shadow or outline seen against a light background
Eternity - the endless period of life after death
Enjoyment - to get pleasure from (enjoy)
Clomping - making loud noises with your feet as you walk
Promiscuous - indiscriminant
Bonk - to collide with something
Effervescent - to give off small bubbles of gas
Stupefy - to stun with astonishment
Flawless - perfect
Above the sea there flew a lonely hawk,
so far away from home, too far to walk.
The fish he caught he did not like to eat
and all that he could think about was meat.

He was upon a ship with men with tats,
and there could eat his fill with lots of rats.
But then the ship, it struck a rock and sank,
and from then on, the rest of life, it stank.
My early memory of farm,
Blackfella’s hill, banana sand,
exploring, chasing rabbits.
And riding round with grandpa,
in the white and well loved station wagon
checking sheep, windmill and chooks.

The lollies in the tin were there,
to help him stay awake at night;
but grandchildren were once allowed
to sample from the tin of treats,
in longer trips with grandparents,
while out on country roads.

The farm, a favourite place of mine,
away from school and normal life,
but Modb’ry North not quite the same.
With grandpa still out shearing though,
the farm-like feel not far away,
and granny kept a strawb’rry patch.

I went a-shearing with him once,
About six customers that day
and I can’t count the load of sheep.
I earned five dollars on that day,
while travelling around in ute
with shearing stuff all in the back.

His love of music satisfied,
the grandchildren are all gifted,
the music played from instruments
of cello, clarinet and bass
of flute, piano, violin,
and voice as well from Kate and Jo

Called grandpa day or dad or Doug
he’ll be remembered, days to come.
The stories will be told and told
of happenings while he was here,
from farm or Modb’ry North or else,
from other places he has been.
This is a poem that I wrote for my Grandpa when he passed away earlier this year.
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