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"carriages" poems
Doom train hurtling along Through the fog in my mind Towing freight, rectangular and oblong Dim headlights, you're travelling blind Five carriages long, excluding engine and caboose Metal against metal, spitting sparks on steel Undetermined path, rails will choose Chugging along on dirt covered wheels In the cabin, I see the light Emanating from your furnace Swallowing up coals in your gaping bite Tongues of flames licking the surface Fire breathing, spewing thick black smoke Almost unseen, against the dark of night A long plumy arm as if extending to choke And plug the remaining sources of light Meandering precariously on tracks that weave Over uncharted, unfathomable terrain Your store, so reliably you heave Worming your way through my brain What's in that cargo of yours? What lies within those boxcars? What drives you to diligently run your course? What fuels you to travel near and far? Loads of self pity, self loathing and self reproach Snaking your way to an unknown destination Screeching brakes as if a stop you approach Herald the train of dubious intentions Light is upon you, dark will dissipate Your plumes starting to lessen from your stack The dawn breaking horizon you didn't anticipate To see another charging towards you on this very same track...
0
Sep 27, 2014
Sep 27, 2014 at 4:16 AM UTC
Doom Train (I)
*our hands are like flowers eaten by a fox we cut off our clothes to make room for these words and disguised our souls in nothing feelings suspended we rear-ended the world stood upon bridges waving at girls shreds of starlight reflect the falling carriages sadness and birth are beyond your marriages same story told throughout the eons our personal feelings are diluted in the sea just as we could no longer hold on our shadows found the ground and we floated down to safety*
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Mar 26, 2017
Mar 26, 2017 at 12:00 PM UTC
fox medicine
Outside it's raining fire Inside we're burning snow The world seemed like a safe place once Now I don't really know. My people fall around me Their blood the color of the sky Crimson clouds dot the horizon I have no more tears to cry. The wind picks up it's forces I look on to see them go Skeletal carriages drawn by dead horses And they wonder why they descend so slow. I open my eyes and see it In the field of red and green She stands there cracked wide open Our beautiful, dying queen. I thought that I could fix this Whatever this may be But sweat and tears make oceans And now we're drifting off to sea.
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Aug 21, 2015
Aug 21, 2015 at 10:57 PM UTC
Dystopia
Standing on the hillside is a rustic yellow cottage, Rusty yellow staining from the steel dust of the trains. Passing, rushing carriages that crisscross by the hour, The ten o clock from Frankston meets the City train detained. Golden light of sunrise in the calm of early morning Golden light reflected on the rusty cottage roof, Puffing at his briar and sitting at the doorstep Old Grandpa drinks the peacefulness whilst stroking cat aloof. Bacon smells a-beckoning from coal range fires a-glowering Delicious tang of coffee from my Granma’s breakfast fare, The clattering of silver wheels as silver rails reverberate Sings the music of the morning with not a trace of care. Memories from yesteryear I treasure on reflection, Memories, a little boy, recalled from times secure. Memories of cuddles in the ***** of my Grandma And the scent of plum tobacco giving Grandpa’s pipe allure. Perhaps a trick of memory, perhaps my passing fancy But I clearly recall a sign above the kitchen door, A simple sign of welcome with a sense of real belonging In the gentle name of “Sunrise” to warm the heart galore. Marshalg In memory of my dear Nan and Pop Cummings @ Mordialloc by the bay. 23 April 2013
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Apr 23, 2013
Apr 23, 2013 at 2:58 AM UTC
"Sunrise"
Hurry now, it’s leaving soon Car door slams, gravel underfoot And from the boot Grandmas lil helper is lifted Oh! Where did it go? Wind twists scarf to snake Released from frames captivity I stoop and tug Under your foot, Gran She shuffles, Ties it firmly around tiny shoulders Bright colour against delicate skin Paper thin, both, One for beauty, one to hold the blood in And may it hold the blood in, Just a little longer... The train awaits, Monstrous, Steele stark against surrounding bush. Matt has a sausage, Mum bothers about tickets, Both fuss and fizzle, I press lips firmly together Deciding then and there Never to let entertainment turn to stress; It’s more than it’s worth. We’re to be in the engine room, The rest will be left behind - As something faulty. Matt lifts Gran up; She’s tiny, She’s flying, She’s in. And then we’re all in. Crammed. We stare longingly through grimy glass At empty carriages Can’t we be in there? It’s all a bit stuffy. There’s a fire along the track But we don’t go any further. The smoke streams out over forest. And jerking and bumping, Dipping along, We reverse back to whence we started. Petrol fumes and smoke fill our tiny cocoon Here, let me help you Passenger to passenger, Fellow human, Compassionate eyes. Gran has a seat; She sways while we lurch. Deep within Railroad country I make believe I know something Of the girl Of the Plannies; That sacred connection To land and sky, To Native country, To Golden Macrocarpa I stare over hills of tree ferns, Kawakawa, Wheki, Punga And, knowing no other, I feel this land Majestically My own.
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Nov 3, 2014
Nov 3, 2014 at 9:47 PM UTC
Railroad Country, Sacred Land
Hurry now, it’s leaving soon Car door slams, gravel underfoot And from the boot Grandmas lil helper is lifted Oh! Where did it go? Wind twists scarf to snake Released from frames captivity I stoop and tug Under your foot, Gran She shuffles, Ties it firmly around tiny shoulders Bright colour against delicate skin Paper thin, both, One for beauty, one to hold the blood in And may it hold the blood in, Just a little longer... The train awaits, Monstrous, Steele stark against surrounding bush. Matt has a sausage, Mum bothers about tickets, Both fuss and fizzle, I press lips firmly together Deciding then and there Never to let entertainment turn to stress; It’s more than it’s worth. We’re to be in the engine room, The rest will be left behind - As something faulty. Matt lifts Gran up; She’s tiny, She’s flying, She’s in. And then we’re all in. Crammed. We stare longingly through grimy glass At empty carriages Can’t we be in there? It’s all a bit stuffy. There’s a fire along the track But we don’t go any further. The smoke streams out over forest. And jerking and bumping, Dipping along, We reverse back to whence we started. Petrol fumes and smoke fill our tiny cocoon Here, let me help you Passenger to passenger, Fellow human, Compassionate eyes. Gran has a seat; She sways while we lurch. Deep within Railroad country I make believe I know something Of the girl Of the Plannies; That sacred connection To land and sky, To Native country, To Golden Macrocarpa I stare over hills of tree ferns, Kawakawa, Wheki, Punga And, knowing no other, I feel this land Majestically My own.
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67
Cramping legds their crying Like the babes, lying In their mothers' arms What are the charms Which parents ensnare Like poisonous air Be witched to reproduce Nature's silent truce Though you die you can live Vicariously and give What makes you, you To another imbue The train halts brakes squealing Interlocking carriages feeling Each other and the air Signal lights stare And the track opens up before us
0
Jan 31, 2015
Jan 31, 2015 at 7:04 AM UTC
the train
Friday- the most promising day of all. The beginning of the weekend, but the one day that will spark appall. Down on Mainstreet all the girls In their fringed dresses, pouting their foxy lips and their hair waving in short messes. The hags frown as the winged ladies pass by- displaying their carriages a little sly. Oh, but Jane's favourite speakeasy was 'The Back Room' down on Norfolk Street: the place where the lost creatures meet. Tin ceilings, velvet wallpaper, plush thrones and back in that dark corner, there is the sound of low moans. 'A whiskey, neat, please' as a shadow in a tuxedo walked towards her and he whispered 'Hi,' in a sensual purr. 'Who are you?' he stirred, 'Oh, I'm Miss Doe' and he lept into the stool with a swift flow. And the jazz trumpets married the spontaneous harmonies and the saxophone created sublime melodies. So they sat as idle as ghouls in the dim spotlights, until Jane asked Mr Buck: 'D'you fight in the war?' And he whined 'Cambrai, Amiens and Lys' - his lips seemed a little sore. 'I'm sorry - do I know you?' His face looked as familiar as Jay to Nick. A brief pause in time at that smile. That was the final chord to the "lick". He drove her down to Roslyn- to his replica of Versailles and Jane looked intensely shy. 'Oh, do come in,' the desperado soughed. And she walked into the gilded palace which Cupid's presence bowed. 'I have a favour to ask of you, Miss Doe. Would you be as kind to wash away my woe?' And as they congressed under diamond chandeliers, his comrades gathered around the bed in amorphous silhouettes; watching disgustedly. As for Mr Buck he was an alien, skin-to-skin with a haunted beauty and Miss Doe- a labourer on duty.
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Jun 24, 2017
Jun 24, 2017 at 6:32 AM UTC
Flapper Jane (Doe)
Friday- the most promising day of all. The beginning of the weekend, but the one day that will spark appall. Down on Mainstreet all the girls In their fringed dresses, pouting their foxy lips and their hair waving in short messes. The hags frown as the winged ladies pass by- displaying their carriages a little sly. Oh, but Jane's favourite speakeasy was 'The Back Room' down on Norfolk Street: the place where the lost creatures meet. Tin ceilings, velvet wallpaper, plush thrones and back in that dark corner, there is the sound of low moans. 'A whiskey, neat, please' as a shadow in a tuxedo walked towards her and he whispered 'Hi,' in a sensual purr. 'Who are you?' he stirred, 'Oh, I'm Miss Doe' and he lept into the stool with a swift flow. And the jazz trumpets married the spontaneous harmonies and the saxophone created sublime melodies. So they sat as idle as ghouls in the dim spotlights, until Jane asked Mr Buck: 'D'you fight in the war?' And he whined 'Cambrai, Amiens and Lys' - his lips seemed a little sore. 'I'm sorry - do I know you?' His face looked as familiar as Jay to Nick. A brief pause in time at that smile. That was the final chord to the "lick". He drove her down to Roslyn- to his replica of Versailles and Jane looked intensely shy. 'Oh, do come in,' the desperado soughed. And she walked into the gilded palace which Cupid's presence bowed. 'I have a favour to ask of you, Miss Doe. Would you be as kind to wash away my woe?' And as they congressed under diamond chandeliers, his comrades gathered around the bed in amorphous silhouettes; watching disgustedly. As for Mr Buck he was an alien, skin-to-skin with a haunted beauty and Miss Doe- a labourer on duty.
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20
The sky is cloudy, yellowed by the smoke. For view there are the houses opposite Cutting the sky with one long line of wall Like solid fog: far as the eye can stretch Monotony of surface & of form Without a break to hang a guess upon. No bird can make a shadow as it flies, For all is shadow, as in ways o'erhung By thickest canvass, where the golden rays Are clothed in hemp. No figure lingering Pauses to feed the hunger of the eye Or rest a little on the lap of life. All hurry on & look upon the ground, Or glance unmarking at the passers by The wheels are hurrying too, cabs, carriages All closed, in multiplied identity. The world seems one huge prison-house & court Where men are punished at the slightest cost, With lowest rate of colour, warmth & joy.
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3.9k
In a London Drawingroom
There were four pines, Straight, that branched Out over the hedge With holes. High beside The cement goldfish pond They stood, near the fence And alleyway. From our rows Of potatoes, And needed weedings, A hedge ran across The back, connecting The Tehtercotts and Taylors; We worked the garden Beneath the line Of drying clothes, Throughout our summers, Beneath the shade, And the intermitent shadow. ***** blades heeled Into mounds, We five posed For this poem Half a century ago. Over the hedge Carriages and bikes Rolled between houses With porches, And patios, Leading to lawns. Near Kevin's ***** A red and white rubber ball Had landed, From beyond the hedge. He turned it over With a shovel of dirt, And broke the sod With his blade. He was distracted, Singing us a Beatles song. But it wouldn't have mattered.
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Apr 13, 2015
Apr 13, 2015 at 10:43 PM UTC
Singing A Beatles Song
About me young careless feet Linger along the garish street; Above, a hundred shouting signs Shed down their bright fantastic glow Upon the merry crowd and lines Of moving carriages below. Oh wonderful is Broadway -- only My heart, my heart is lonely. Desire naked, linked with Passion, Goes trutting by in brazen fashion; From playhouse, cabaret and inn The rainbow lights of Broadway blaze All gay without, all glad within; As in a dream I stand and gaze At Broadway, shining Broadway -- only My heart, my heart is lonely.
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3.7k
On Broadway
Saying “Women of the Night” Might be alright As a description for some girls, They stream eastward Along the bank, Checking for marauders and adjusting curls. Yet courtesans are different; They came as swiftly as they went, Called on by important men. From house and hotel they are borne, In carriages, and in finery worn, For those who have a yen. Yet others still elude one name, Of condemnation or fame. They do not wander at men’s whims. They deliver terms to him or him. And live in dwellings finer still, Until the payer has had his fill. But with the latter does he ever Tire of the source of pleasure? For some the need outlasts his want, And he becomes the supplicant! Then woman’s wit becomes the master, While her body wields a whip. The sinner’s desire speeds still faster, As she the body’s scale does tip.
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Sep 5, 2017
Sep 5, 2017 at 11:49 AM UTC
Courtesans and Stars
How far is it? How far is it now? The gigantic gorilla interior Of the wheels move, they appall me --- The terrible brains Of Krupp, black muzzles Revolving, the sound Punching out Absence! Like cannon. It is Russia I have to get across, it is some was or other. I am dragging my body Quietly through the straw of the boxcars. Now is the time for bribery. What do wheels eat, these wheels Fixed to their arcs like gods, The silver leash of the will ---- Inexorable. And their pride! All the gods know destinations. I am a letter in this slot! I fly to a name, two eyes. Will there be fire, will there be bread? Here there is such mud. It is a trainstop, the nurses Undergoing the faucet water, its veils, veils in a nunnery, Touching their wounded, The men the blood still pumps forward, Legs, arms piled outside The tent of unending cries ---- A hospital of dolls. And the men, what is left of the men Pumped ahead by these pistons, this blood Into the next mile, The next hour ---- Dynasty of broken arrows! How far is it? There is mud on my feet, Thick, red and slipping. It is Adam's side, This earth I rise from, and I in agony. I cannot undo myself, and the train is steaming. Steaming and breathing, its teeth Ready to roll, like a devil's. There is a minute at the end of it A minute, a dewdrop. How far is it? It is so small The place I am getting to, why are there these obstacles ---- The body of this woman, Charred skirts and deathmask Mourned by religious figures, by garlanded children. And now detonations ---- Thunder and guns. The fire's between us. Is there no place Turning and turning in the middle air, Untouchable and untouchable. The train is dragging itself, it is screaming ---- An animal Insane for the destination, The bloodspot, The face at the end of the flare. I shall bury the wounded like pupas, I shall count and bury the dead. Let their souls writhe in like dew, Incense in my track. The carriages rock, they are cradles. And I, stepping from this skin Of old bandages, boredoms, old faces Step up to you from the black car of Lethe, Pure as a baby.
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3.6k
Getting There
How far is it? How far is it now? The gigantic gorilla interior Of the wheels move, they appall me --- The terrible brains Of Krupp, black muzzles Revolving, the sound Punching out Absence! Like cannon. It is Russia I have to get across, it is some was or other. I am dragging my body Quietly through the straw of the boxcars. Now is the time for bribery. What do wheels eat, these wheels Fixed to their arcs like gods, The silver leash of the will ---- Inexorable. And their pride! All the gods know destinations. I am a letter in this slot! I fly to a name, two eyes. Will there be fire, will there be bread? Here there is such mud. It is a trainstop, the nurses Undergoing the faucet water, its veils, veils in a nunnery, Touching their wounded, The men the blood still pumps forward, Legs, arms piled outside The tent of unending cries ---- A hospital of dolls. And the men, what is left of the men Pumped ahead by these pistons, this blood Into the next mile, The next hour ---- Dynasty of broken arrows! How far is it? There is mud on my feet, Thick, red and slipping. It is Adam's side, This earth I rise from, and I in agony. I cannot undo myself, and the train is steaming. Steaming and breathing, its teeth Ready to roll, like a devil's. There is a minute at the end of it A minute, a dewdrop. How far is it? It is so small The place I am getting to, why are there these obstacles ---- The body of this woman, Charred skirts and deathmask Mourned by religious figures, by garlanded children. And now detonations ---- Thunder and guns. The fire's between us. Is there no place Turning and turning in the middle air, Untouchable and untouchable. The train is dragging itself, it is screaming ---- An animal Insane for the destination, The bloodspot, The face at the end of the flare. I shall bury the wounded like pupas, I shall count and bury the dead. Let their souls writhe in like dew, Incense in my track. The carriages rock, they are cradles. And I, stepping from this skin Of old bandages, boredoms, old faces Step up to you from the black car of Lethe, Pure as a baby.
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68
Once when I was young, I was told you could swing so high you'd be able to just fly away.      I learned early on                That not everything we're told is true                The fantastical can sometimes amount to a pile of plastic bags scattered in the wind                     The end isn't always happy and there's not always closure       Punctuations are more often question marks than definitive periods                 And looking for a definite explanation took prevalence over allowing our imaginations to fill in the blanks.          Play time was replaced with study time,              And before we knew it, it was time for work                       We strayed from the playgrounds of our youth,       Never returning to the top of the slide, we'd hit the ground a bit too hard to keep the enchantment of seemingly endless possibilities going                                               Carriages became pumpkins long before midnight,               And the school bell rang before we could finish our fun                        But to tell the truth, sometimes,      When everyone else has gone inside, back to the real world, full of logic and banalities,          I sit on the old swingset kicking my feet     Hoping it will let me soar
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Jun 8, 2016
Jun 8, 2016 at 5:05 PM UTC
Swingset
Once when I was young, I was told you could swing so high you'd be able to just fly away.      I learned early on                That not everything we're told is true                The fantastical can sometimes amount to a pile of plastic bags scattered in the wind                     The end isn't always happy and there's not always closure       Punctuations are more often question marks than definitive periods                 And looking for a definite explanation took prevalence over allowing our imaginations to fill in the blanks.          Play time was replaced with study time,              And before we knew it, it was time for work                       We strayed from the playgrounds of our youth,       Never returning to the top of the slide, we'd hit the ground a bit too hard to keep the enchantment of seemingly endless possibilities going                                               Carriages became pumpkins long before midnight,               And the school bell rang before we could finish our fun                        But to tell the truth, sometimes,      When everyone else has gone inside, back to the real world, full of logic and banalities,          I sit on the old swingset kicking my feet     Hoping it will let me soar
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17
Cinderella, Cinderella Where have you been? Wash the windows, sweep the floors Do all the chores Cinderella Cinderella Where have you been? Those clothes are mine not for you Change before I claw you Cinderella, Cinderella Where have you been? Pumpkins aren't carriages, mice can't be horses ***** aren't for maids Cinderella, Cinderella Why can't you stay? One dance isn't enough You must please stay Cinderella, Cinderella What were you thinking? The prince doesn't love you Fairy tales are for children Cinderella, Cinderella When will you learn? Happily ever after is only in books
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Sep 7, 2014
Sep 7, 2014 at 9:04 AM UTC
Cinderella
Trains at the bottom of the garden metal dragons breathing out smoke and steam huffing and puffing, waiting for the signal some compact with tanks affixed others larger, more grand pulling colour matched tenders sometimes bearing shields and names beginning with 'Duchess' or 'City' mostly black, some rusty deep reds or greens with contrasting lines edged in gold Once one came in matt pink and I wondered why it didn't gleam like the others, perhaps pink was a colour not to be given it's equal due with other less feminine shades it had to be denied vibrancy yet I loved the pink one best later I learned somehow that the colour was that of the primer used to inhibit the rust and my pink engine was just an unfinished paint job pressed into service prematurely to give cover for another that was broken I wrote down the numbers regardless it was a ritual that one performed though I didn't understand why yet it was exciting to record a new one that hadn't passed before Behind the business end came carriages laden heavy with the visitors of summer come to fill our beaches and our town with their loudness their raucous laughter with strange accents brummie, scouse, mancunian faces pressed against glass expectant, excited, impatient almost there now anxious that this last delay pass quickly and the half mile remaining be completed We would lurk beneath the bridge like adopted troll children it was cool there in the summer heat darting out from behind pillars or in my case watchfully, cautiously edging my way forward to place pennies on the track or sometimes nails then to retrieve them flattened, thinned, squashed once the train had passed sometimes we'd wait hours or so it seemed sometimes no train would come and we would trail home for tea and bath and bed leaving our offerings to the gods of the rail for rediscovery and inspection the following day. Cynthia Pauline Jones 17/10/13
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Mar 19, 2014
Mar 19, 2014 at 2:23 PM UTC
Trains
Trains at the bottom of the garden metal dragons breathing out smoke and steam huffing and puffing, waiting for the signal some compact with tanks affixed others larger, more grand pulling colour matched tenders sometimes bearing shields and names beginning with 'Duchess' or 'City' mostly black, some rusty deep reds or greens with contrasting lines edged in gold Once one came in matt pink and I wondered why it didn't gleam like the others, perhaps pink was a colour not to be given it's equal due with other less feminine shades it had to be denied vibrancy yet I loved the pink one best later I learned somehow that the colour was that of the primer used to inhibit the rust and my pink engine was just an unfinished paint job pressed into service prematurely to give cover for another that was broken I wrote down the numbers regardless it was a ritual that one performed though I didn't understand why yet it was exciting to record a new one that hadn't passed before Behind the business end came carriages laden heavy with the visitors of summer come to fill our beaches and our town with their loudness their raucous laughter with strange accents brummie, scouse, mancunian faces pressed against glass expectant, excited, impatient almost there now anxious that this last delay pass quickly and the half mile remaining be completed We would lurk beneath the bridge like adopted troll children it was cool there in the summer heat darting out from behind pillars or in my case watchfully, cautiously edging my way forward to place pennies on the track or sometimes nails then to retrieve them flattened, thinned, squashed once the train had passed sometimes we'd wait hours or so it seemed sometimes no train would come and we would trail home for tea and bath and bed leaving our offerings to the gods of the rail for rediscovery and inspection the following day. Cynthia Pauline Jones 17/10/13
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69
as the sky closed daylight away her magic box came out a few loose threads soon wound themselves into carriages fleet of foot on the forever road delivering love and quick boys with with stout hearts and steel eyed resolve a few loose potions spilled and away flew mysterious birds loosed upon the bright eyed world free to fly high among soft clouds a few magical words spilled out too and thats when i found you you were complete from the very beginning you danced delicately along the sweet musics and then you smiled at me knew i was yours didn't you...you weren't wrong now look at us an enchantress made us in some long ago to be here together made for eachother with loves thread made with passions potion's for eachother forever fly away with me now lover sweet lover
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Aug 6, 2014
Aug 6, 2014 at 1:22 PM UTC
magic potions
ugly men on the way back from work watch the summer dress and the small body within walk with the breeze down the steps, down from the station while the trains pull away, their carriages carrying the sea and the low-tide estuaries' breath within them and they watch the dress and the body and the breeze cross the road into the sun swallowed supermarkets and the ugly men walk home beneath retired balconies and the slow beginnings of evenings.
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Jun 26, 2015
Jun 26, 2015 at 12:08 PM UTC
hard days' evening
649 Her Sweet turn to leave the Homestead Came the Darker Way— Carriages—Be Sure—and Guests—too— But for Holiday ’Tis more pitiful Endeavor Than did Loaded Sea O’er the Curls attempt to caper It had cast away— Never Bride had such Assembling— Never kinsmen kneeled To salute so fair a Forehead— Garland be indeed— Fitter Feet—of Her before us— Than whatever Brow Art of Snow—or Trick of Lily Possibly bestow Of Her Father—Whoso ask Her— He shall seek as high As the Palm—that serve the Desert— To obtain the Sky— Distance—be Her only Motion— If ’tis Nay—or Yes— Acquiescence—or Demurral— Whosoever guess— He—must pass the Crystal Angle That obscure Her face— He—must have achieved in person Equal Paradise—
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2.4k
Her Sweet turn to leave the Homestead
blood                                                   blood patter and splash                             leads us         concrete toward tracing back        til the scene         i’ve flashing thoughts of the brutality    the violence     that must of cussed     between persons                      in fear    fray    and inebriation down the steps                                                  my four year old child and I go           the greasing bleed     in bronze putters   growing and leadening on stone labours glowing citrus    the refrigeration                           of the underpass           ‘flips the bird'   at the summer blaze grey dead coral bricks of urination   seasoned in deep   beading now cold the broke up weapon                                            candy slates of brittle teeth glass / bottle / beer /brown     the neck its' hilt                    and the main mud of the bleeding the flies are the thing                                                          that bothers my ‘little nipper’ usually a flapper of queries on repetition no other queries are raised      just eager for the vibration       of train carriages gatling over our heads i stopper any words i may have on the matter   he holds my hand with his hot hand we progress under a port arms                                                                procession of caged floodlights       and walled in by fresh graffiti fingers dripping   retching for the guttering
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Dec 22, 2023
Dec 22, 2023 at 3:05 PM UTC
melrose underpass (26/06/23)
blood                                                   blood patter and splash                             leads us         concrete toward tracing back        til the scene         i’ve flashing thoughts of the brutality    the violence     that must of cussed     between persons                      in fear    fray    and inebriation down the steps                                                  my four year old child and I go           the greasing bleed     in bronze putters   growing and leadening on stone labours glowing citrus    the refrigeration                           of the underpass           ‘flips the bird'   at the summer blaze grey dead coral bricks of urination   seasoned in deep   beading now cold the broke up weapon                                            candy slates of brittle teeth glass / bottle / beer /brown     the neck its' hilt                    and the main mud of the bleeding the flies are the thing                                                          that bothers my ‘little nipper’ usually a flapper of queries on repetition no other queries are raised      just eager for the vibration       of train carriages gatling over our heads i stopper any words i may have on the matter   he holds my hand with his hot hand we progress under a port arms                                                                procession of caged floodlights       and walled in by fresh graffiti fingers dripping   retching for the guttering
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35
Eyes that flash the soul of civilization And warm the heart in observation. Love that whispers with a gentle touch And surrounds with hugs that seem so much. Cry Beloved! Water that caresses with a thousand tongues Sunshine that coos all the birds’ songs Teachers and vets, pronouns and clowns Croissants, marmalade, coffee and new lawns. Cry Beloved! Breezes and sneezes, walks by the shore Seashells that capture all the sea’s roar Powdery sand and laconic lagoons Daydreams and naps in the afternoons Cry Beloved! Smiles, museums, carriages in the park Salads with friends and chocolates too dark Rowing among lily pads and turtles and frogs Hiking and crossing the streams on new logs. Cry Beloved! Flowers and bees buzzing in the sun Hummingbirds hovering, dogs on the run Children running, giggles and wiggles Caring, learning, reading and snuggles Cry Beloved! Snowy mountains, valleys green Faith proclaimed, faith unseen Wonder and ponder, awe and reverence Invitations from God to join in the dance Cry beloved! Hands held together in prayer and in love Eyes raised to heaven on the wings of a dove Caring so deep, affection so real Feel the love and start to heal Cry My Beloved!
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Sep 6, 2010
Sep 6, 2010 at 8:40 PM UTC
CRY BELOVED
*" It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews,             Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and                   Illuminations from one End of this Continent                       to the other from this Time forward forever more.”       John Adams – July 3, 1776.* Webster Groves - 2016 The Townhall fountain dances cheerily in the morning sun. The red-white-blue shirted crowd rises as one for the colors. Laughing children scramble for tootsie rolls and sweet tarts tossed by a strolling  clown.          Philadelphia, July 3, 1776         Carriages sped toward Philadelphia         where resolute patriots         would turn the pages of history         and tell an unsuspecting world         that a new nation had given birth to itself.* Sousa strains peal from the marching Statesmen, Girl Scouts guide their well-groomed mounts - hooves echoing through concrete caverns. Vintage firetrucks and autos sound their horns and sirens as candidates work the crowd, pressing the flesh.         *Each crass insult from the British crown         had tightened the noose on the colonial neck.         The middle ground was soaked with patriot blood         and revolution was the only course left.* Barbecue clouds drift over Pat and Lee’s farm Horseshoes spin and clang and frisbees fly. A pot-luck feast with beans and franks interrupts the pop and glare of bottle rockets.         *One by one, each patriot quilled the parchment         resolved to endure the costs of liberty -         knowing to the marrow that defeat         would spell certain ******* and death.* We reach the lakeshore at dusk - unfolding chairs - spreading out blankets - strains of Americana drift over the lake. then a pyro-technic extravaganza blazes across the summer sky.           *Washingon’s tattered and bloodied men         cornered Cornwallis at Yorktown.         Then surrender - all British claims         to American soil banished to the tomes of history.* The grand finale pummels the darkened sky raising cheers and whistles from the crowd Toddlers collapse in parental arms, car doors slam, engines ignite and head-lighted caravans, turn for home, spiraling off in every compass degree. “Happy birthday,” America and endless happy returns "from this time forward forever more!”   Robert Charles Howard
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Jul 4, 2016
Jul 4, 2016 at 2:07 PM UTC
Independence Day
*" It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews,             Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and                   Illuminations from one End of this Continent                       to the other from this Time forward forever more.”       John Adams – July 3, 1776.* Webster Groves - 2016 The Townhall fountain dances cheerily in the morning sun. The red-white-blue shirted crowd rises as one for the colors. Laughing children scramble for tootsie rolls and sweet tarts tossed by a strolling  clown.          Philadelphia, July 3, 1776         Carriages sped toward Philadelphia         where resolute patriots         would turn the pages of history         and tell an unsuspecting world         that a new nation had given birth to itself.* Sousa strains peal from the marching Statesmen, Girl Scouts guide their well-groomed mounts - hooves echoing through concrete caverns. Vintage firetrucks and autos sound their horns and sirens as candidates work the crowd, pressing the flesh.         *Each crass insult from the British crown         had tightened the noose on the colonial neck.         The middle ground was soaked with patriot blood         and revolution was the only course left.* Barbecue clouds drift over Pat and Lee’s farm Horseshoes spin and clang and frisbees fly. A pot-luck feast with beans and franks interrupts the pop and glare of bottle rockets.         *One by one, each patriot quilled the parchment         resolved to endure the costs of liberty -         knowing to the marrow that defeat         would spell certain ******* and death.* We reach the lakeshore at dusk - unfolding chairs - spreading out blankets - strains of Americana drift over the lake. then a pyro-technic extravaganza blazes across the summer sky.           *Washingon’s tattered and bloodied men         cornered Cornwallis at Yorktown.         Then surrender - all British claims         to American soil banished to the tomes of history.* The grand finale pummels the darkened sky raising cheers and whistles from the crowd Toddlers collapse in parental arms, car doors slam, engines ignite and head-lighted caravans, turn for home, spiraling off in every compass degree. “Happy birthday,” America and endless happy returns "from this time forward forever more!”   Robert Charles Howard
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55
Open the door Enter the time that lapsed Draw out the curtains There is light from the past Breathe the air Dance to the tunes slow and fast Ride the carriages Travel to the time of chance
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Feb 17, 2019
Feb 17, 2019 at 8:33 AM UTC
Vienna
I am surprised to see that the ocean is still going on. Now I am going back and I have ripped my hand from your hand as I said I would and I have made it this far as I said I would and I am on the top deck now holding my wallet, my cigarettes and my car keys at 2 o'clock on a Tuesday in August of 1960. Dearest, although everything has happened, nothing has happened. The sea is very old. The sea is the face of Mary, without miracles or rage or unusual hope, grown rough and wrinkled with incurable age. Still, I have eyes. These are my eyes: the orange letters that spell ORIENT on the life preserver that hangs by my knees; its ***** canvas coat; the faded sign that sits on its shelf saying KEEP OFF. Oh, all right, I say, I'll save myself. Over my right shoulder I see four nuns who sit like a bridge club, their faces poked out from under their habits, as good as good babies who have sunk into their carriages. Without discrimination the wind pulls the skirts of. their arms. Almost undressed, I see what remains: that holy wrist, that ankle, that chain. Oh God, although I am very sad, could you please let these four nuns loosen from their leather boots and their wooden chairs to rise out over this greasy deck, out over this iron rail, nodding their pink heads to one side, flying four abreast in the old-fashioned side stroke; each mouth open and round, breathing together as fish do, singing without sound. Dearest, see how my dark girls sally forth, over the passing lighthouse of Plum Gut, its shell as rusty as a camp dish, as fragile as a pagoda on a stone; out over the little lighthouse that warns me of drowning winds that rub over its blind bottom and its blue cover; winds that will take the toes and the ears of the rider or the lover. There go my dark girls, their dresses puff in the leeward air. Oh, they are lighter than flying dogs or the breath of dolphins; each mouth opens gratefully, wider than a milk cup. My dark girls sing for this. They are going up. See them rise on black wings, drinking the sky, without smiles or hands or shoes. They call back to us from the gauzy edge of paradise, good news, good news.
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2k
Letter Written on a Ferry While Crossing Long Island Sound
I am surprised to see that the ocean is still going on. Now I am going back and I have ripped my hand from your hand as I said I would and I have made it this far as I said I would and I am on the top deck now holding my wallet, my cigarettes and my car keys at 2 o'clock on a Tuesday in August of 1960. Dearest, although everything has happened, nothing has happened. The sea is very old. The sea is the face of Mary, without miracles or rage or unusual hope, grown rough and wrinkled with incurable age. Still, I have eyes. These are my eyes: the orange letters that spell ORIENT on the life preserver that hangs by my knees; its ***** canvas coat; the faded sign that sits on its shelf saying KEEP OFF. Oh, all right, I say, I'll save myself. Over my right shoulder I see four nuns who sit like a bridge club, their faces poked out from under their habits, as good as good babies who have sunk into their carriages. Without discrimination the wind pulls the skirts of. their arms. Almost undressed, I see what remains: that holy wrist, that ankle, that chain. Oh God, although I am very sad, could you please let these four nuns loosen from their leather boots and their wooden chairs to rise out over this greasy deck, out over this iron rail, nodding their pink heads to one side, flying four abreast in the old-fashioned side stroke; each mouth open and round, breathing together as fish do, singing without sound. Dearest, see how my dark girls sally forth, over the passing lighthouse of Plum Gut, its shell as rusty as a camp dish, as fragile as a pagoda on a stone; out over the little lighthouse that warns me of drowning winds that rub over its blind bottom and its blue cover; winds that will take the toes and the ears of the rider or the lover. There go my dark girls, their dresses puff in the leeward air. Oh, they are lighter than flying dogs or the breath of dolphins; each mouth opens gratefully, wider than a milk cup. My dark girls sing for this. They are going up. See them rise on black wings, drinking the sky, without smiles or hands or shoes. They call back to us from the gauzy edge of paradise, good news, good news.
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94
Tucking Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment into the bedside cabinet of the cheap Paris hotel having cleaned the greasy sink and bidet you walked out on the street breathing in the Parisian air smelling the perfume of the restaurants on the side walks seeing the sights taking photographs as memoirs drinking the wines and beers and that fish with eyes still there putting you off you tried to get out of the cheap cafe but paid for the meal you couldn’t eat the fish eye gazing up at you dead eye battered fish and the Left Bank and night and you taking in the sights and lights and those ****** sitting in windows like gifts to have wrapped but not take home or the **** films you never went to see in those cinemas you just walked by or the Eiffel Tower day right to the top the view splendid the sight historical or those rides on the Metro riding the wrong carriages looking out for the train inspector pretending to be Aussies giving it the yak and later in your hotel room taking out Dostoyevsky and entering the Russian world of ****** and deceit   and being followed you imagined by the detective looking out onto the Parisian street from the open window of your room gazing at street corners and shadows   or remembering that French girl in the cafe who served you with bright eyes black and white dress and white apron the fine long legs and wiggling behind recalling the old priest who once said too much *** will make you blind.
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May 20, 2013
May 20, 2013 at 1:42 PM UTC
PARIS WITH DOSTOYEVSKY.