before the sun
terrific birds
commemorate today
- repeating and repeating
but I can’t sleep
with an ache in my ribs
where my heart used to be
- now - a void.
Challenge vibrates everywhere,
birth, old age, teenagers
obeying only one ancient rule
‘test the rules’
on, on and on
and, look, here comes the sun.
Not too often
in the give and take
(thrust and cut)
hard-hard ride, will I soften
sit down or lay
- on a little sofa -
knowing today, another day,
my ride is almost over
but outside a bike waits,
saddle and handlebars,
rotating spokes and gears
reminding me when I mount and turn my feet
- pedal on into the North -
a new green mountain heaves in view. In hope.
Put down binoculars,
take off your sunglasses,
(vari-focal)
open two eyes
to highlight
a sun’s new shout.
Birds cry out,
bees are about.
with only seconds to live - eat a grape
but with minutes to live – telephone.
If you’ve hours left to live - family
or a few days to live - meet your mates.
With two weeks to live - walk alone
and with months left to live - write a book.
With years to live – ropes go slack.
Go slack.
Book,
alone,
mates,
family,
telephone,
eat grapes.
Dance like an angel
under a cracked roof
smile like a devil
sprinkling seeds of love.
Flop your arm over
every person’s shoulder
going for your hug time,
rounding off a good time.
Like any seraphim
letting go with ‘Ta-ra!’,
wave as a cowboy
abandoning his team.
Angels do their best
and walk off to the West.
In my heart - a water bomb –
like a spirit – bubble –
locked within my heart’s divide
in closets, rooms and cupboards
on the slant and stuck there,
unable to burst out
‘cos every chamber’s boarded up
with dust and drying wattle.
I need to scrub and scrub – berserk -
and clear the crap away
from here - in here - it’s Banksy’s work,
graffiti’s everywhere.
Bristle, scrubbing brush - and soap -
and with a leap - at last, at last -
my bubble levels - bursts – and softly - oh - I weep.
Whilst I was speaking it, it came
- came out, the word I spoke with fear -
and launching easy, voyaged long,
bobbed-on without a care
although I spoke it quietly
rapidly it sped,
roaring through canals and brains
(now I’ve an empty head)
rippled in unconsciousness;
growing, changing, spun
with every breath a further gust
blowing red expansion
and onwards to andromeda
spiraling - a twist – and now – a wisp. Away.
