~~~
Sunlight sweeps above the dale
while shades of heather
lift their veil
Then gentle mist of morning
swirls
enhancing dawn
with nature's pearls
~
Songbird's flight encircles glen
to spot late crawler's
search for den
Yet...
not all that dwells in understory
hides this day...
this day's their glory
~
The songbirds flee... the piper grins
"Far Darrig O'Malice
yer at it again"
The silence broke
the wildwoods rustle
From near and far
the wee ones
hustle
~
The songs roll out
the barrels too
the leprechauns abandon shoe
They all break out one piece of gold
To waste
before their play grows cold
~
They barter sheep
while lifting hogs
They saddle...
ride
the farmer's dogs
And all the while they laugh and shout
they never spill their mugs of stout
~
The Cluricauns with stouter trumpet
descend the town
subdue the strumpet
Spend their purse to chase romance
The quean much slicker
steals their pants
~
Within the glen
with dusk's approach
the smoke gets thick as suppers roast
The music swirls
the echoes sail
The dancers chant an Irish tale
~
And those with naked butts
are taught
They stop
it gives the bugs a shot

Far Darrigs crawl beneath the kegs
they pop the corks and fill their legs
~
St. Patrick's blessed another year
The sound of snoring
now all you hear
~~~

~
When clouds roll by
Disappear
in a blink
Leaving starlight
to compete for a nook in my cranny

I find
that the sum of my brim
grows brighter each night
But
I persistently
reflect
from my *****
~

~~~
Hearts in memory drawn before us
haste display their vesting style
Daydreams shed and plead ... restore us
dancing o'er a rusted smile
~
Chancing fancies may discover
heart-light cast where sins may dwell
Shadow-darkened skies recover
the isolation sought to quell
~
Sifting through those haunting traces
ringing round a fading light
Who might stop and trade us faces
invest a smile to warm the night
~
To the wise that rise above us
bend an ear to wishing well
See the dancers push and shove us
to the brink of living hell
~~~

~~~
The pitch o' night her captain feared
her leeward pending doom

November's raging breath
ensnared
to daunting reef she loomed

Her belly shattered
pitched and gorged
as raging swells
reclaim

The drift of break
flew
blizzard cold
~
"Come Sail Away"
is her name
~

~~~
Hiking through a woodland glen
as mellow shards
of sunset bend
to capture
bright
in waters clear
reflections
caught
from mountains shear
The silhouette sings twilight's best
Enchanting beauty
north by west
'Twas then my heart
forgot to beat
while visions to my gaze complete
A gentle sigh
resets its rhythm
I step toward this face from heaven
~
In twilight's eerie haze she stood
amongst the tranquil shades of wood
where timeless paths
bestow the land
she beckons
with extended hand

Surroundings
waver
hardly seen
I spring a trap
laid there between
Then falling
deep
to darkest dread
Above ...
the trap
once more is spread
~
I tumble blind through timeless mist
as things unseen
tear skies to bits
Attesting shrieks bare blackest dreams
When fingers
grab
they choke the screams
I'm lifted
tossed
to brink of ledge
I scramble
safely
back from edge
Breath wheezed
lungs filled
sanguine air
but shadows dance
to flame's despair
~
Perusing cavern round about
entwined with scents
of mash and stout
The shadows fade
as faces bare
Their eyes unblinking
strangely stare
Just who they be I have no clue
In cloaks of rag
bereft of shoe
A boiling ***
spills
overflows
Aroma wafts
to pull my nose
~
As grumbles strike beneath my chest
a bowl they pass
I say my blest
The taste is odd
but strangely
good
Then laughs
coalesce
beneath their hood
It strikes me now this tale I'm told
just echoed back
from memories cold
Beware the pit from beauty set
Where mortal feet
tread
with regret
~
I sense
the danger lurking near
Too late
I'm ****** through worlds of cheer
Round about
with no control
Immersed in love
then stripped of soul
Tears of pleasure
tears of pain
Round about and back again
Conscious whirling
twisting
vain
Blackness lifting
Drenched with shame
~
Hiking through a woodland glen
as mellow shards
of sunset bend
to capture
bright
in waters clear
reflections
caught
from mountains shear
The silhouette sings twilight's best
Enchanting beauty
north by west
'Twas then my heart
forgot to beat
as visions through my haze
complete
A pondered thought
sends senses reeling
'tis Déjà vu

I've got this feeling
~~~

~~~
When tomorrow's reckoning
draws a bite
and contemplation concedes to fear
Most expectations
fade their light
as echoes flash from yesteryear
~
Aspersion paid
to good advice
proceeds to mock all sacrifice
Return
of future's past
you see
invades your pride and revelry
What goes around
comes back
to be
In due time
~~~