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From cloister
he walks,
the black robed
monk,

pausing in the aisle
of the abbey church
to genuflect;
stopping,

he gazes at us,
then into
the bell tower
to ring the bells

for Compline.
I watch
as the red altar light
flickers

into semi dark
of the abbey;
remembering she
who kissed

in another dark
with warm
kissing lips.
The bells break

the silence
of the evening chill;
one by one
the monks enter

at their own pace,
hooded
in black robes,
each to their own place.
ON SEEING MY FIRST MONK IN 1968 AT COMPLINE.
He swam
in the sea
of her moistness-
warm waves,

tide on tide,
her fingers,
shark like,
set about

his flesh as
of fish; -
who else
could swim

as such?
he recalled
the *******
hot finger tips

of her love,
the way
they dived
into waves

of oncoming
passions;
you-
you,

my young love,
he said,
I the youth,
diving, deep,

breath held,
eyes closed.
Where are you now,
my long ago love?

He asked,
in what waters
do you now dive?  
Or are you

in Davy Jones' Locker?
Or are you still alive?
REMEMBRANCE OF A LONG AGO LOVE.
 Jan 2015 Terry O'Leary
r
It's unseasonably warm
for a January morning.

I was dreaming of a girl
and blue western skies

...a faded bedsheet
sideways in the breeze
on an old clothes line.

I was dreaming
she was mine.
r ~ 1/18/15
When you write
About broken hearts,
Anguish, angst
And loss,
Think on Heathcliff
And pathos.
 Jan 2015 Terry O'Leary
Joe Cole
I, who faced death on so many occasions
Like so many contributers here did
I, who dealt out death in equal measure
Like so many contributers here did
Can still weep for the sadness in this world
But there are no tears left to fall
Each day a new atrocity
Each day the innocent die
Each day I want to weep
But there are no tears left to fall.
 Jan 2015 Terry O'Leary
Joe Cole
When I got home this morning
My wife was tearing hair from her head
I said what's the problem darling
She said the ****** toasters dead
She said I've tried everything to
Get that thing to cook
I said just take it easy
I'll go and take a look
Tool bag in hand I entered
That electrically haunted space
I surveyed the situation
The answer  was clear to see
I unplugged the multi cooker
AND PLUGGED THE TOASTER IN
Yep fellers this really did take place this morning
 Jan 2015 Terry O'Leary
Joe Cole
Late last night I watched a film
Field Punishment No  1
About 6 New Zealanders
Who refused to fight the ***
Beaten, abused and humiliated
The stood up for their beliefs
And the army couldn't break them
Despite the torture and mental grief
Threatened with a firing squad
They steadfastly held their ground
We will not yield to you on bended knee
Though in fear for our young lives
We choose our own destiny

Up to the age of 19 years I had Catholicism forced on me
But when the killing started
I finally opened my eyes to see
No Gods in their compassionate wisdom
Would allow such things be done
Then praised in halls of worship
Allow fine hyms of death to be sung
And so I made the decision
Not to go down on bended knee
And so at the tender age of 19 years
I chose my own destiny
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