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Twitter Poems

JEANIE @ 72
Do you remember the songs
we used to sing
when we were young
and our voices knew no bounds
and every tune was written
in the signature of love?

HALF OF THE MOON
…half a moon
in the sky tonight
half his heart
torn apart in two
half of this
half of that
half of nothing
half of everything
come again full moon

SILENT IS THE MOON
Tonight the moon is distant
It doesn’t touch him at all
It is hanging in the darkness
He can’t hear it when it calls

MARK OF THE HEART
…the mark of her heart
presses heavy into his
he wonders how without it
what he has left to give…

UNSLEEPING
Are you awake my brother
my dearest friend,
are your eyes weeping
small rivers of tears ?
I am too,
your broken-hearted friend
unsleeping
by the light of the moon

BIRDSONG
…there’s a bird song in the tree
don’t know what he’s singing for
I wish sometimes he would fly away
and just let me be…

TOUCH OF JOY
…the sun bids farewell
casts long shadows
across the sweep
of green lawn
an evening painted
on the artists canvas
almost picture perfect
but for the touch of joy
she once brought…

IN THE SHADOWS
…it does not make any sense
this silence,
this unmoving;
he casts his eye
about the room
hoping to catch
a whisper in its fall
or a glimpse of her
in the shadows
on the wall…

A STILL VOICE
…I’m counting the stars tonight
each one a single candle light
flickering in the chill black wind
that whispers her name so quiet…

NAKED
…he was naked in the rain
she was not there to cover him
flashing sheets of cold fire
tore his flesh, ripped his skin
in a red river of pain…

THE SILENCE
…the silence in the house
deafening
the fear of opening that door
crippling
the death of love on the floor
brutal
the broken heart weeping
irreparable…

SOLACE
….tonight I posted for him
across the star-lit heavens
the words of a broken heart,
love and friendship dancing
in the solace of sorrow…

BROKEN CUP
….streetlight
stands in its own shadow tonight
tree of life
stands beside its own thirst
our lips bleed
on the rim of a cup
cracked and chipped
and almost broken…

GOING HOME
…after the new rain
the river danced
and bounced
over boulders
and stones,
a sort of joyful scurry
like she was singing
the song
of going home.

SOME KINDA JOYFUL SONG
…she is at rest
in the side pocket
of my long coat;
take me down
those roads of
America she says,
take me to the places
where they sing
the songs that
danced me
to all the joys
I have known…

IN THE EMPTY ROOM
…in the silence
that hangs low
in the evening,
the sound of
her distant voice
rings like thunder
through
the empty room…

A SLOW DAY
…each of these days
are as long as the next,
time has not trimmed
them of bewilderment,
has not taken from them
the slow minutes that
make up his day…

ALONE
…pull the curtains
no moon beans
dancing on my floor
no stars to watch me
turn the key
lock the front room door…

IF THE STARS SHOULD FALL
…if the stars should fall
and bring to earth
her distant heart,
would you hold her dearly,
would you say, my love
why did we have to part…

APART
…it is quiet here
beneath the low hanging
evening cloud,
it lies like a carpet
smothering my heart
and I don’t know
how to feel
and I don't’ know
why we must
be apart…

ENDLESS
…there is no end
to the day
stretched from
shore to sea
we lie on the beach
asking nothing
of time
that drags the sun
across the sky,
but even so
she will not be here
at the end...

SWEET DREAM
…who broke into the sweet dream
stole the contented slumber
from the hours before the dawn
and brought the ever-after
to a cruel and bitter end….

MAKING SENSE
…some things you can touch
some things you can feel
somethings are cold like stone
and others are beyond reach,
we walk the fine line
between all these things
trying to find some sense of them
where no sense can be found…

WAVE UPON WAVE
…waves roll in
on a bleak and grey
coastline
driven by the wind
from the east,
he is counting each one,
up to seven,
there he catches his breath
and finds a brief moment of relief…

SWEET DREAM
…who broke into the sweet dream
stole the contented slumber
from the hours before the dawn
and brought the ever after
to a cruel and bitter end….

SONG OF JOY
…the song of joy echoes
off the dark sky,
the stars hold the tune
somewhere in the distance;
he gazes upon the heavens
catches a faint note of song,
he knows he will sing it again
when the night is less dark…

LITTLE THINGS
…too soon yet he knows
to comprehend anything
of grief and loss
but still, the little things
hurt like crazy –
eating weekend lunch
on his own,
boiling the jug,
a pot of tea for one…

THE LONG NIGHT
…how long will this night be, he asks himself
as he pulls the covers over half the bed,
places the pillow under his head,
listens for her footsteps on the stairs…

BLURRED HORIZON
…the line on the horizon is blurred
the distance is not clear
but look again and see
is that not a hand hovering there
cupped with cloud and water
for that heart cracked and broken
by drought and despair…

IN EVERY STAR
…in every star that shines tonight
I see her face in the twinkle
of the yellow light;
I reach to touch her cheek
the distance is so wide
somewhere in the heavens
time is dancing with eternity…

SUPERMARKET SHOPPING
…he pushes the supermarket trolley
on his own
takes from the shelves
one of this
one of that
one of those;
he pauses
thinks to himself
what happened to
two of each….

COUNTING TIME
…he counts the minutes first
then the hours,
he wonders
what has become of time;
he tracks the sun
across the sky
follows the moon
with sleepless eye…

THE SONG
…to live by the song
is to dance to the tune
that the band plays
in the light of the moon;
but when the stage goes quiet
it's a sad note that rings
and there comes an end
to the song we sing…

WORKING MAN
…at the end of the day
he finds his way back home,
he knows
there will be no one there
to open the door
but he has a key
somewhere
and can let himself in
and lay his pallet
on the floor…

WALKING THE DOG
…he is walking the dog,
the dog is walking him,
they stride out together
not saying too much,
around the block they go
for this is the way they know…

RAVEN
…the wilderness
is no place
to build a home
but all wayfarers,
passing through,
some shelter
will need,
some place for the raven
to bring
the gathered seed…

WEARY
…in the weariness
that brings day’s end,
he comes looking for her
to rest in the words
of her sure voice
but the sound
of his own silence
is the only voice
he hears…

SLEEP
…sleep my friend
as best you can
beneath the covers
of loss
beneath the dream
that swears
you feel the touch
of her hand…

LAMENT
…tonight the wind wails
a lonesome lament
a song of despair
raging against
the hollow place
that once held
the echo of her heart…

FOOTSTEPS
…in the small hours
on the backroads
of my mind
the sound of her footsteps,
somewhere beyond here,
heading for home…

EBB TIDE
…in the low ebb of the tide
the rocks and reefs
of our hearts
are exposed,
we travel a little wiser then
as we make our way
along the coast…

DOING ALRIGHT
…in the short days following
I ask how are you doing
and you reply
I’m doing alright
but neither of us know
what alright really means …

FATHER’S HOUSE
…in my Father’s house tonight
it seems all the rooms are empty,
for when I call there is no reply
and yet I know
there is someone near...

EMPTY HEART
I shall see you tomorrow dear friend
Nothing will change I know
She will not be there to greet me
Nor to make us a cup of tea;
But we shall learn together
How to wear an empty heart.

LAUGHTER LIKE FLOWERS
Her laugh,
Like a bunch of fresh flowers,
Could change anything,
Move a grey cloud,
Hold back the rain,
Postpone the sunset
Make the garden bloom.

SKY ON FIRE
The sky is on fire
The clouds burnt red
Out on the deck we sit
And cast words like sticks
Into the warm fire
Of our times.

THE FLAME
The sky is on fire
Even our tears cannot
Subdue the flame
Or wipe away the stories
That have carried us
Through these years

LIGHT SWITCH
The corridor is dark,
there is no light switch
on the wall,
where are you Lord my God?
Do you hear me when I call?

THIS HOUR OF DARKNESS
In this hour of darkness
When no travelling can be done
Prophets words appear as lamps
Guiding those on stumbling stone
Who wrestle in the dust alone.

BRAVE HEART
Take the blue sky,
cover it with grey clouds,
let them hang low and heavy
over my heart,
let me cry out loud.

GLASS HEART
The broken shards
of a glass heart
tear soft flesh
to pieces;
they draw blood,
an anguished cry,
forsaken
in the moment.

RIVER SONG 2
The song of the river was loud,
urgent, after the new rain fell,
I sat on the rocks at the water’s edge
and added my tune as best I could
but my voice was drowned
by the deep river sound
and the song that the river sang.

RIVER SONG 2
The song of the river was loud,
urgent after the new rain fell,
I sat on the rocks at the water’s edge
and added my tune as best I could
but my voiced was drowned
by the deep river sound
and the song that the river sang.

RIVER SONG
After the new rain
The river danced and bounced
Over the boulders and stones
A sort of joyful scurry
Like the song of going home

NEW RAIN
I sat down by the river
I watched the river flow
It was after the new rain
I pondered how deep
it would go

UNUSED WORDS
A mouthful of unused words
cannot be easily consumed,
we will surely choke on them
if they are not spoken in time’
if the silence is not broken.

A FRIENDSHIP
Darkness follows the sun down
on new year’s day
friendship slips over the horizon
it is here to stay;
somethings you can do without
while others are the essence
of what darkness and light
and these days are all about.

SAILOR
He is sailing back
to the shore
across the seven seas
he has roamed
he sets his feet
on the dry land
for now he says
he will call it home.

THE LONE SINGER
She sings a song
I can never sing
for I did not learn how;
some say it is not too late
but the circle
has been broken
and the song is hers alone.

PLAYING WITH FIRE
He is chasing the wind on the water
He is calling up the breeze
If the storm should knock him over
He will crawl on his hands and knees

MEASURING TIME
On the mountain
the law becomes flesh,
the years a road map
by which time unfolds,
and you my son
carve an ascending path
by fear and wonder,
through light and dark,
to heart and home.

WHAT IS DUE
Looking back on the way he has come,
he asks for forgiveness
where he needs to be forgiven
and asks for praise too
where praise should be given.

CHOICE
We carry the weight of the years
the solid stone is sometimes
split in two and the choice
is between what has been
and what is to come.

WOOD SHED
The wet and rotten wood
is cleared from the old shed
to make way for the
new season’s fire stack;
but first
the leaky roof
is repaired.

TAROT
She burns incense,
says the cards speak
louder than the word;
me, I’m not so sure
for I have never heard
a card speak louder
than my heart.

MIHI
She took the microphone
and turned it into a song,
she danced and she sang
until she had nothing left,
until our eyes wept.

OF LOVE
Of love
what is known
except that
it travels a long road,
carries a full load
and rests easy
beneath the sweep
of golden stars.

IN THE END
We have all fallen short,
the pros and the cons
those for, those against,
the reds and the blues
the blacks and the whites;
the curtain drops
on us all.

LOOKING BACK
I am lost
in those distant days
weaving through
the way of dreams
dreamt with lovers
and with friends
bathed in the songs
only angels sing.

STAIRS
Sometimes
you walk
up the stairs
sometimes
you walk down;
myself,
I walk back
to the future,
take your hand
and show you around.

WISDOM
The old man, in his wisdom,
mumbled to the young child
‘To live as best you can
by the light of your own path
is reward enough, is the gift of gold
offered by kings to kings.’

THE ROAD
I look back
on the way
I have come;
forgive me
where I need
to be forgiven,
praise me
where I am
worthy of praise.

SHEPHERD
He won the congregation over
led them like a true shepherd
out from the fold
to the wide, open field
of vast horizons
and undreamt
possibilities
and breathed again.

LOST
...they didn’t know
if where they were
where they should
have been
or if they should
look elsewhere
just to know
what they had seen...

SUMMER
Everyone in their camper vans,
everyone driving to the promised land
where life and love
dance hand in hand.

SETTING OUT
She cross the threshold,
tentatively at first
feeling her way
towards another country
drawing water from another well
to satisfy her thirst

DO NA
…she adjusts the load she has carried,
smiles at the distance she has come,
setS her face to the road ahead,
goes looking for the warm rays of the sun…

TRAVELLING SURE
Anchored in the harbour
of family,
sailing in the sloop
of friendship,
the horizon was always
within reach.

DREAM
The moon stands guard
over the early summer evening,
in the distance
the diesel locomotive
rumbles across my sleepless heart
like the thunder of a dream
holding back
from the pale light of dawn.

TRAPPED
A stone wall surrounds him,
a prison without doors
or bars of iron
and if we could
we would break him out
but he cannot run
for little he knows
of what this is all about.

WELL DEEP
As clear as crystal water
his eyes deep as a well
some secrets
cannot be spoken
for silence
cannot be broken.

MIND GAMES
There was little
he could remember,
his mind
had travelled on,
he was somewhere
down the highway
humming
a forgotten song.

FOG
His mind was misted over
by the long miles to the top
here was everything
he once understood
but now, everything
has stopped.

LIKE A GLOVE
Sometimes
it wasn’t a natural fit
the old guys hand
and mine
but we worked on it
together,
knitted father and son
like a glove.

THE CIRCLE
Hope hangs
on the horizon,
fire burns
on that eternal shore
where the stones
are stacked in a circle
and not one of them
is cracked or broken.

WHAT WILL BE
Nothing we can
do or say
will ever wake up
the evening
or kiss the morning
good night,
what will be, will be
in darkness
or in light.

THE NEXT DAY
Waiting for time
to clear the way
for all the dreams
that shine
like stars of hope,
the guiding lights
of another day.

ELECTRICITY
He crossed the river
together with the old guy,
they were looking for
some electricity
to shed some light
on truth and mystery.

THE LONG POEM
They gathered around the word,
the line and the whole poem
these thirty years past
printed on every line
of their faces
and on the pages
of their hearts.

A QUIET WEEK
She was planning a quiet week
resting in the arms of the one
who quelled the storm,
listening for the words
that ushered in the calm,
breaking bread and wine
in the evening.

REST
Did she make it home,
find the rest
she was looking for;
were the roses
in full bloom,
their scent wafting
from room to room.

THE MOUNTAIN
The mountain calls for
a slow climb,
a deep breath
and a whispered prayer
that brushes
the face of God.

COMFORT
In the restless slumber
of a dark night,
an unspoken prayer,
a calm faith,
a covering
of warmth and
protection.

SURVEILLANCE
Freedom erased
from the printed page,
the iron chains
of slavery
they forge still
in the fires
of the blacksmiths rage.

DREAM
The moon stands guard
over the summer evening,
the diesel locomotive
echoes across the restless heart,
rumbles like thunder
above the pale light
of the dawn.

BIRTHRIGHT
In the course of our slumber
Under cover of our silence
They steal at our birthright
Replace it with compliance

PINE FOREST
The trees are falling
and the sky seems
much closer than it was.
The trees have fallen
and the earth is dancing
in colours gay.

LOSS
I am down at the edge of the low tide
Gathering what is left of the shore
The sweep of the bay is empty
And I can swim there no more

LOST IN THE ANGER
Lost behind the microphone,
couldn’t hide the fear in his eyes
couldn’t disguise the anger
couldn’t find the words
to speak out who he was.

KNOWLEDGE
I can’t tell you which way to go
or everything you need to know,
darkness is broken by the light
and spring comes after the snow.

THOSE OLD STREETS
These are the streets of home,
faded road maps of forlorn hearts
where once I used to roam,
long ago forgotten dreams
oh, I do not want to doubt
but how I would like to walk there
on those streets with verges green.

FATHER
The years have not always been kind
beneath his hard and unsteady hand,
we get close then watch from a distance
as he takes his last harvest from the land.

PUPPET MASTERS
Behind the child’s eyes
the serpent hisses,
the nurse has a bayonet
strapped to her back,
the wailing can be heard
all the way to hell and back.

HOLINESS
Water cleans the down pipe
washes away the dirt and stain,
got to break open the dark heart
and speak in the pouring rain,
don’t wait for the sun to shine
it’ll come at the sound of your name.

GOODBYE
I see it in your eye,
the last goodbye,
the distant road
that calls your name,
somehow you know
I won’t be back again.

CONTROL
Push the button,
flick the switch,
turn the knob
throw the lever,
click the button,
take control
one way or the other

SING-A-LONG
The song of hearts
plays on a Monday,
the keyboard
learns to dance
with the voice
across the wooden floor.

THE SONG BEGINS
I am lost but for the song
the dancing violin,
I follow the path along
I weep for the state I’m in,
redemption rights the wrong
waits the song to begin.

THE DAMAGE DONE
It is the best I can do now,
the sapling prone on the ground,
no more I know how
spring dances without a sound

TO YIELD
of love
that one great love
that holds us
through wilderness
and field
there we rest
secure, there
we yield.

HEART’S TUNE
Of love
we often speak
and sing and write,
the poet, musician
philosopher too,
the man and the woman
composing
their hearts’ tune.

MOTHER
The lilies bloom
this anniversary
below the window
outside the room
where each day
was pinned
to the wall;
this was the love
that sustained us,
that held us
against the fall.

A BOY BABY

comes the sun
in the early morning
comes the song of joy

comes the road
no beginning or end
comes the roaming boy

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