What strange creatures we are
attracted to such noises
The constant hum and buzz of them
would drive other species mad
And yet we are drawn in by it
the chaos of this competition
Who can shout the loudest
in a room full of shouting people
Who can scream the loudest
and does anybody hear?
It’s very strange to feel your armour
eroded by the storms of late
polished steel and impenetrable
built up over many seasons
now tarnished and diminished
worn down in spots and rusted
by the frequent acid rains
Yes you are from here but
this place has changed so much
would you recognise it?
Maybe the bones
The clock tower is still here
which my grandfather knew
that he rode to in the mornings
And the lions in the park
But the streets are so busy
and the faces aren’t the same
all the voices now are different
It’s like the league of nations
Maybe the bypass is a blessing
no longer have to wander through
the streets of your Father’s city
Yes, he’s still here
There’s a hip new pub now
in the church where you married
I’m glad you haven’t seen it
Spared that indignity
Beautiful summer bloom
illuminated in the sunlight
did I pick you too soon?
from your comfortable vine
you seemed to call out
with your show of petals
and thick lush foliage
and now you shrink
beneath my every touch
is it fear or delight?
that moves you to shiver
and now I tremble too
was it so selfish of me?
Am I so blind to true intentions?
Filter words to suit myself
Weave a story out of nothing
And see suggestions where they’re not…
Do I believe those inner voices?
Telling me to stop and think
Or let my mind hallucinate
Better to be Ignorant…
By the content of my character! he howled
Judge me by this I beg of you, brothers
Invoking that late pastor from Georgia
A counterfeit laced with expletive
Appropriation of premise without grace
Scrutinise him then by his own measure
A sheep wandering with a rabid flock
Whipped in to a frenzy by fallacy
Choosing only the slogans in favour
Ignorant of truth, bombastic oblivion!
And he is found wanting
And they are found blind
Shame be upon you
cruel ignorant people
you who’s selfish abandon
tills the earth of your loins
bears the fruit of a child
and then leaves him to spoil
and neglects him to ruin
and imprints him with terror
from your own self made demons
from your own earthly sins
It would have been better
you greedy narcissus
to have left his pure essence
as one with the ether
peace beyond the veil
and to float with the spirits
and to kiss inexistence
free from bruises and hunger
free from death of the soul
Let us take it tonight by surprise
and bind it, shackles and iron
after twilight and the sun’s retreat
let us bury it down and deep
this annus horribilis
Do not let it stay longer than it should
let us ensure its timely demise
tear stained cheeks it has left us
pits and craters in our hearts
this year of dogs
your trap spring has gone and caught me
even though I knew the score
should have kept back when I saw them
footprints on the dusty floor
I am a hope-less fool romantic
laid it all down at your door
should not have trodden any further
someone else had gone before
Two weeks before Leonard Cohen died
I sat down in my chair and tried
to write a poem to his Hallelujah
Instead I wrote a vignette of
an American family torn apart
by greed and religion
and abandoned by love
LVX CREARE 