'i'm right behind you',
chirped Mrs. Blackbird,
with belly speck'd ecru
her nape feather furred

she stood in the shadow
'neath privet hedge
overlooking a meadow,
grass, buttercup, 'n vetch

he was silent,
head askance
look, intense,
as if in trance

then, waxing violent,
legs in dance,
in thrilling suspense,
his bill a lance

with hell-bent obsession
a drill in progression
making accession
in swift succession

yellow beak struggled
with fat 🐛
quietly snuggled
beneath garden tiller

'twas an uneven fight
for poor little mite
in one swift bite
his day turn'd night

now he dangled,
head now mangled,
chicks wrangling
mouths angling

And from side portal,
Time gave small chortle
o'er combat mortal
of cycle immortal

knock, knock,
who's there?
then again,
Couldn't care

I'm lethargic,
mind can't think,
Standing on
edge of brink

someone catch me,
Anyone there?
Anyone love me?
anyone care?

G-d, I beg you,
heed my cry,
G-d I need you,
'Yes', you reply

I hear you say
'that's all i wanted,
to hear you pray,
"L-rd, I'm daunted"

I can't alone
I so need you
nobody else
at all will do

yes, i'm flawed,
You made me so,
I'm a fraud
but good also

so, yes, I'm saying,
i may be swaying,
but from Your Grace
I fall to Your Face

For in the depths
Of the darkness
in back-steps,
when sky is starless

there I know Your hand in mine
there my tears in Yours entwine,
and when i hear Thine Heart beating
I'll know the reason o' mine entreating

that when things are bright
and things look right,
I'm really far
from seeing Your Might

and when i dwell in lifetime's night,
I know that dark adjoins to bright,
and as the moon reflects sun's light,
i know the sun will end the night.

and at the end,
when things unfold,
all will ascend
as of old

for the prophets told of things exemplary
that will be of You testamentary
that all will behold Your Face in reverie
as no more will this world bear stench of treachery

and as past and future fore You are one,
in this moment, it's all begun,
revelation of Your Face,
and in this darkness is Your Grace.

sun shines bright
in sky within
unending height
surrounded by skin
earth and leaves
of heart's desires
rustle in breeze
of spirit's fires
and dreamer dreams
life without screams
when all proclaim
G-d's inner name
when misery dissolves
in His absolve
in abject admission
of world condition.

Love had a son
Light was his name
But Light needed shadow
To see his game.

So Love bore shadow
Darkness was his name
Both born by Love
Light and shadow same.

there once was a cow that gave cash
from its udder - came out in a hash,
said farmer, "that's strange
she don't give no change
but i'll add that to the rest o' me stash!"

soft upon the earth i crept
and listened with my ear
when all a sudden before me leapt
a man as musketeer

he was not more than a foot
in height from toe to head
and roundabout his body put
a gown of lily-red

the musket was, i do believe,
from grass or stick or ****,
and on his head was placed a leaf
that looked like Harris Tweed

he bade me listen well to him
for words of true import
he looked right earnest, chin so grim,
that i did myself comport

and when i heard of the plight
the things that he foresaw
i do confess of the fright
the horror and the awe

that gripped me as in a vice
made me cold as a cadaver
until he offered some advice
as he ended his palaver

he said we always have a choice
wherever we may be
and we can always use our voice
to change humanity

those words he whispered like the wind
as he told of things to be
and afterwards he bowed and grinned
and vanished as banshee.

there once was a little robin,
frequent visitor to our garden,
how i loved to see it bobbin'
on sun-drenched soil, paths well-trodden

it came within a foot of me,
with tilted head for me to see
into innocent, soulful eyes
that had soared the hills and flown the skies

well puffed was he on plentiful diet
of grains and seeds and slugs so quiet,
he loved to sip from the water tub
and shelter 'neath the bay-tree shrub

but now alas i see him no more
that robin redbreast that came to my door
i know it now but not before
he made life richer and now i am poor

he walked along cracked, parched earth,
stick in hand, bent over,
gone were the dreams of youth and birth,
gone was resilience and fervour.

life had ****** out all vitality
no tears could be wrung from his heart
all was dry, all banality,
how he longed now for fresh start.

too long he'd walked along perfection,
not stepping on someone's toes,
too long ignored his own connection,
had fallen on his nose

he had laid himself wide open
to pink and pinch and ***** and punch,
now he saw the path a-slopin'
heading for final crunch.

he saw a rope, a saving line,
but had no strength to reach it,
so slid he down steep incline
his life and blood long-leeched

and now, at end, at finish-line,
he walks a crooked walk,
he cares no more for life's decline
nor those of crooked talk

there's a veil flappin' beckonin',
he knows now he must go,
he knows there'll be a reckonin'
for his play in the show

but he's had enough of fakery,
the double-talk and sham,
he welcomes break from apery
the falsehood and the scam

and as he neared his last few days,
his step 'came spry 'n sprightly,
for he could hear the songs of praise,
the sun that shone so brightly

for from the mist came love and truth,
a smile he used to dream of,
so he skipped to that new-found youth
and left the world that seemed of

push me, push me harder,
push me till i cry,
squeeze me in a corner,
crush me till i die

stamp my head with all your might,
use your claws to **** me,
use your skill at dead of night
to snare me like a bilby

and when i finally breathe my last
lying on my death-bed
you'll be there sitting fast
waiting till i'm dead

you'll have tears to show the world
show them how you cared
how at my feet you'd lie up-curled
in my pain you shared

London's burning, Lies are churning,
Fetch the engines, Retching vengeance,
Fire Fire! Liar Liar!
Pour on water. Call for order.

London's burning, Lords are earning,
Kvetch the tensions, Cut the pensions,
Dire dire! Mire mire!
Pour on water, 'gnore the poorer.

silvery orb who rules the night sky,
heavenly sphere, are you lonely as I?
aware of your beauty, aware that you know it,
your vision transcends the words of a poet,

your brightness delights the human eye,
your form, close, but so very high,
my hand longs to reach and touch you,
to kiss night sky, to draw you nigh

but lo, thine essence in lonelier than i,
you shun all contact in your night sky,
though you shine the light of the sun,
you speak of emptiness, you say, 'i have none'.

Is this your secret, your magic, your grace,
that though you rule, you know not your place,
as a shy fawn with innocent charm,
your coyness delights, it makes hearts warm.

Wrapped in a white cloth,
Candle at his head,
A vacuum of feeling,
Much left unsaid.

I saw the building,
Saw the cask,
Tears rocked my being,
'Why?' I did not ask.

Dreamed he was alive,
Smothered underground,
Dreamed he would survive,
That he was still around.

But my soul had died,
Together in that cask,
I lie there by his side,
In lost love to bask.

In the storm,
The darkness of sorrow,
As petulant winds threaten
And the thunder takes hold,
All shadows loom close.

no light, no angel on my shoulder,
no, just the devil caressing.

Hope dwindles.
Cringes in the darkest corner,
Dreaming of a deus ex machina,
The dawn of a new journey.

My melody faltered long ago,
Lost in the discordance of false society.

it was not there 'neath pebble or stone
it was not there in sigh or moan
it was not hidden in the bank
of yen or dollar or pound or franc

i could not find it in my house
'mongst the knick-knacks of child 'n spouse
it seemed i'd lost forever and after
time

but then i found lost time one day
by giving a smile 'n myself away,
he came back slowly, unsure at first,
but then returned, as bank that burst

the more i gave, the more i found
'twas not lost nor died nor drowned
he just was hiding all around
as twinkling dust on the ground

Sanguine fluids course my veins,
Neurons, synapses, excite my brains,
Nectar of life in unfolding leaves,
Verdant runner-beans ascending weaves,
Roses deep purple with aromas sweet,
Lupins and lettuces, begonias 'n beet,
The sound of blackbirds in morning chorus,
The light of the sun in breaking auras,
The patter of rain quenching the deep,
Herds of cattle, flocks of black sheep,
Stretching wings soaring the skies,
Laughter and smiles, frowns and cries,
Wind and hail, sunshine and breeze,
Love is the essence of all these.

caress, to and fro,
'neath pier, beach o'erflow,
water to dust, heaven to earth,
sea tickles sand in laughter 'n mirth

rippling sunshine breaking on shore,
amid tidal whispers, amid tidal roar,
where the twain meet, each says, "i am yours",
two avid lovers behind closed doors

the voice He whispers in words unsaid
in the breeze 'pon barley heads
in the air amongst the leaves
there the One, His spirit weaves

in the water, in the forest,
in the glistening fur of fawn,
the shades of green as window florist
in the stillness of the dawn

'speak to me', i hear him whisper
in the voice of unsaid words
in the spirit of the Drifter
'midst the song of singing birds

hidden from all, as riverbed
far beneath the murky water,
where the shy young otters tread,
there He hugs His only daughter

there He whispers words unsaid
as we drift away from shore
hearts abeat as newly wed
as He lets my spirit soar

i tip-toed forwards through time
glancing over my shoulder
swirling round in tempo rhyme
as soul would not grow older
eternity was mine to keep
though shell might break and moulder
though frame would one day fall asleep
i'd be with my Beholder

Stop press!
I confess
for wedding-band
i did not stand
nor for my rights
to scale life's heights
to spend my nights
with set sight
my soul's delight
who shined so bright
upon my midheaven

oh yes, i regret,
my life's meander,
i'll not quick forget
that living wonder
drop o' thousand rainbows
secret of green meadows
more delicate than a buttercup
graced by angelic dewdrop
why did i not tell you
not send you billet-doux
about the million sparks of you
that shine upon my heaven

ding, ****!
I'm here
lub-dub,
the sound of fear

lubbedy-dubbedy
aint it queer
you're frightened of nobody
nobody's here

they can do
nothing to you,
lub-dub,
give 'em a snub

you can put
foot after foot
walk your path
without fear of wrath

lub-dub,
aint it sweet
to hear the club
of my heartbeat

I dip my quill
Into the ink
And wait for it to write,
Thought starts flowing,
Letters appear,
As sweet fire ignites.

Letter begets word,
And word - image,
Creating worlds old and new,
Magic of words
Combines with mind
Enchant you as voodoo.

From my mind,
The words flow,
Guided by rhythm 'n tempo,
Through my arm,
Into a pen,
Rising to a crescendo.

Like musical notes
There is a beat,
A tune the poet hears,
With dexterity
He arranges
Sweet music for your ears.

Quill, quite dry,
I let it rest,
Peruse rhyme manifest,
Mind finds pleasure
To read at leisure,
And sweet rhyme ingest.

plant a tree too close to others
its growth is stifled, development smothered,
it'll wax scrawny, tall and lank,
needing its neighbours to cling to the bank

its roots cannot spread,
its branches are muted,
without anchor or head
smallest gale can uproot it

plant a tree without support
it'll grow awkward, twisted and gaunt,
plant a tree without protection,
it'll be trampled or plagued by infection

but plant a tree with space all round
with support and guidance, staked to the ground,
it''ll grow proud with full formation,
a shelter for humans and bird habitation

tie a horse to cart or hearse
without bit or bridle, reins or headpiece
it''ll run amok, out of control,
subject to whim, race, gallop or stroll.

tie a horse too tight to carriage,
whip with crop without fear of carnage,
it'll suffocate, unable to breathe,
or bristle and flare, simmer and seethe.

but tie with care, treat with sensitivity
it'll reward you with years of activity
it'll enjoy its ride with you
a friend 'n ally till its adieu

smother a child with rules and restrictions
it'll develop maladies and evil addictions,
or else be forever unable to speak,
individuality suppressed, character weak.

treat it with abandon and over-laxity,
it'll never understand the meaning of chastity,
capricious and fickle, as ship without rudder,
there'll be crime 'n disgrace to make Bluebeard shudder

cram the child into class of peers,
without room to breathe, develop in years,
it''ll mature narrow, petty and limited,
easily broken or slanted 'n bigoted.

but guide it with love, with room to develop,
surround it with friends but not to envelop,
show it firmness while broadening horizons
a free spirit with integrity 'twill be till it wizens

three thousand years of Passovers
in paper-thin bread,
three thousand years of sweat and tears,
of happiness and dread,
three thousand years of martyrs' biers
and of giggling new weds,
three thousand years of history
in flour, 'n soul imbed.

Melancholia!
there's magic in the word
like 'male-genitalia',
each syllable unslurred

and the term itself
what images it conjures!
as a mischievous elf
intent on misadventures

with a black, sticky net
'gainst crimson sunset
with sad secrets scary
to capture the unwary

on his face a grin
as he bows to you low,
"howdy, please step right in"
and oblivious, you go.

and then you are caught
as he draws the string tight
as you struggle for naught
as the day becomes night

as all outside becomes blurred
all syllables slurred
everything of one colour,
a dark, deathlike pallor

and then there's the sinking
as you can't stop the thinking
like repetitive gramophone
with monotonous undertone
over and over
it draws you in further,

to no appetite
complete lack of enjoyment,
to no respite
through own self-employment

feeling culpable
for nothing at all,
feel unlovable
as you stare at blank wall.

Melancholia.
What a beautiful word.

i lay on the tiles
dust around me
cried like a child
thrown in the sea
waves rise up
higher and higher
a babe's plastic cup
melting in fire
none to reach out to
i slipped and i fell
slid down the avenue
of seven gates of hell

and here i lie
slime on the walls
no silent cry
nothing at all
just ******* blackness
that won't go away
all stale flatness
that won't let me pray
i could carry on
but what'd be the use
life-spirit's gone
now tighten the noose.

he's there lurking, in the background,
sometimes a woman, sometimes a man
sneering, smirking, i feel drowned
helpless i lie there, a ***** bedpan

monochrome photos
scattered haphazard
records and stereos
quests unanswered

whirlpools ****** into
fantasies that ne'er were
chambers of worldview
combine in whirr 'n blur

liminal space
'twixt fact 'n delusion
twist experience
from fact to illusion

painful emotion
adds to confusion
as concept 'n vision
unite in fusion

a cacophony of noise
projects its poise
on memory montage
on life-collage

and whisper and cozen
with devil collude
for soul's erosion
all goodness elude

I once knew a boy
Blue-eyed wonder
dressed in corduroy
and knit-weave jumper

he'd go amongst the laurel
in hidden, shady paths
surrounded by leaf 'n floral
sheltered from the blasts

of domestic quarrel
shouting and loud noises
he'd speak amongst wood-sorrel
and he'd hear the voices

of his own whispers
to his own G-d
he'd say his own Scriptures
upon the ****** sod

that boy is still around
buried beneath burnt ember
sometimes when i make no sound,
he makes my soul remember

sun set at midday,
you closed your eyes, breathed your last,
stole my breath away,
your time went too fast.

whilst those in a torpor
tend to parry the capricious,
those with vigour,
invite the flighty 'n ambitious,

but as in all themes,
these two extremes
have a golden mean
that lies in-between

the middle way is to move with grit
along a forethought plan,
when things get hard, not to quit,
but stride with resolve as a man.

kneeling on the carpet,
back to radiator,
heels against the parget,
wails 'gainst her hater,

for life, the gladiator,
mark'd her out as target,
the **** of aggravator,
the eye of senseless orbit

copious tears doleful shed
in lament of menopause
heavy heart and heavy head
vainly search for latent cause

as despondent dejection
spreads his grey-black wings
snuffs out flame o' resurrection
of hope of better things

it happened on the day 'fore last,
when all looked grey and overcast,
when suddenly, the sun, unasked,
shone. He'd smiled.

the teenage girl was locked in angst,
nervous, blues, 'n private cranks,
when all at once, she whispered, 'thanks'.
What? He'd smiled.

the wards were grey with peeling paint,
the old walls sighed with moan 'n plaint,
when inmate whispered, 'You're a saint!'
'Why?' 'You smiled.'

sweet soul, tell me your secrets,
let me enter your inner shrine.
what do you crave for if you could reach it?
can i tempt you with bread and wine?

what is your form, if i could see it?
how do you appear in heaven?
your inner essence - can you teach it?
are you neutral or pervading leaven?

I can be purified or debased,
my form depends on the way you face,
your actions and your thoughts and speech
clothe me as a shirt and breech

my cast in heaven can only appear
according to the way you adhere,
so though from place of light am i,
from highest source beyond the sky,
a part of G-d, of divinity,
my form depends 'pon your affinity.

so look at yourself with eyes of steel,
wherein your energy? where your zeal?
according to your constant practice,
is my mien 'fore celestial justice.

I turn away from inner counsel,
bewildered by the truth,
my soul appears 'fore divine council
as rascal, lout, uncouth.

Between the woods and frozen lake, a winter's chill,
A white blanched silence blankets dale and hill,
In crystal frost, diverse potpourri of nature's twill,
All still, in whispered breath of Divine Will.

there's music in the skies
a kaleidoscope of colour
each orchestral player vies
tries to eclipse the other

every note like piccolo calls
rings the air o' castle's turrents
live pink salmon in waterfalls
somersaults 'gainst the currents

there's magic for those with ear
transcendence you can hear
a message, loud and clear
'In the music I am here'.

though deaf i be
to harmony
i hear the music
in a-b-c