Only in a word

Drugs-
denounce death
tax and
corrupting
politicians-
causing grief with
their fake words and
insincere forms of
political correctness
patronising behind
their Colgate smiles
while camera’s flash
in their faces
and on tonight’s news
we’ll throw our hands up at
the television
swearing profanities
while in their homes
they’ll laugh
at having once
again foiled us with
embellished truths
to suit-
their lies
to cover-
and we’ll sit with
children who’ll ask
why
and the answers will be there
yet we won’t know what
to say-
teaching them that
lies are evil
sins
punishable
yet it’s okay
to let the world hear
theirs...

A list of love

Heart brims over
when he smiles
eyes light up
and warms me from the inside out
radiating-
envelope me
keep me close
in a cocoon
growing
giddy
glad-
moments like these,
holding you close
arms to hold
to protect
to keep-
lips on mine, sweet tasting
breath of life
of love
cannot describe anymore
happiness in abundance
only when I’m with you

Lasting regrets

Sometimes lady-
loves to feel
the air upon her skin
light breeze that makes her hair ruffle
pretending she is young
sometimes

sometimes girl-
skips through the park
when no one else is looking
she smiles
feels carefree
and forgets about home
sometimes

sometimes man-
loosens his tie
sits on the bench down the street
wonders how long he can pretend
while watching people
as they walk by
sometimes

sometimes boy-
hides in his room
sits behind the door and cries
when the voices get too loud
something crashes to the floor
and then he hears her cry
sometimes

sometimes family-
packs the car
with the same half smiles
the journey long
they all retreat
wishing they were elsewhere
sometimes

sometimes pain-
wreaks the body and soul
leaves it feeling weak
clouds the mind
closes eyes
wishes for the end
sometimes

The right words

Unravelled like a ball of string
a verbal barrage of angry words
cascading waterfalls of letters
falling free
pooling in a dead sea
gathering form and meaning
upon the shore
with net and rod
gathering them up
one by one
piecing them together
winding words to form some meaning
in a ball kept in a basket
in a basket where they are read-
reaching in
one by one
finding words that fit
in colours that complement
in ways in which they're meant

Passing

I hear crying as I lay in bed
wailing
deep anguish
a gutteral sound
cannot be consoled
I dig myself further under my covers
I try and block the sound
tears seep from my eyes,
I don’t understand why
I see her so sad
I feel her pain
I want to take make it better,
she doesn’t notice.

She wears black to show her sorrow
she wears black to show her grief
she wants to be noticed
her pain is on display
people pass her by and whisper
she is so young
it is so unfair
this thing called life
fickle and short
and so damn hard.
she wears black.

Dear old man

It came addressed-
to the old man
who lived in the house by the park
the house with the shingle roof-
chipped paint, overgrown hedge
broken front fence
from that time, long ago

It was in a blue envelope-
postmarked from a land
across the sea
far away
he did not know the place
had never heard of it
never knew it existed

yet it did-
and here he was
with the proof in his hand
the tears welled in his eyes
he wiped them with his coat
held fast to the letter
lest it blow away in the wind

Old man it read on the first line
I hope this finds you well-
life is good
I am well
it's been a while-
so long in fact
I hope you can forgive me

he put it down-
held his breath
before he could continue
how much it hurt
when he remembered
but, it was time-
to end it

and so he read-
dear old man,
I know I badly hurt you
yet I could see, what you could not
I was never what you wanted
I caused you pain
I know that now-

I wish I could
take it back
but you and I know that cannot be
I hope one day
when time has healed
your wounds
and mine together

I will return
across the sea
to be back home beside you
I hope that you
will understand how much it hurt to leave you
and in your open arms I'll run
and stay forever with you

You know this song

I see you when I close my eyes
at night
I see you when I am down
smile from the inside out
moments apart
moments forever-
neverending
I count the minutes
count the hours
cannot count the days
for they are too long-
hurt too much
leave me longing
and so-
I close my eyes
and dream of you
I close my eyes
and smile
my heart beats faster
sweaty palms
I write your name on the shower pane
invisible until the steam
reveals what I have written-
so I close my eyes
and I see you
I close my eyes
and I feel you
and when I lay in bed at night
I reach across
and know you