Collapse
Another
drugged anaesthetic year
Collapses in a heap
This ship is in the doldrums
Not a breath
of air
The cabin-boys are wilting
The palms are tall and thin
You cannot
bring the ship in
The only comfort -- sleep.
Harvest
Do not worry
-- harvest's here
Do not fret -- the globe
Still spins in its trajectory
You too
can stop a moment
Before it whirls away
You need to pin its inner
Feeling
to a board --
Like the butterfly you caught today.
Left Nature Behind
My nature
I have put away --
I left it on a springtime hill-top
To join this travelling show
Moving walls
now hold me in
I am in their daily sway
The purple flowers of Spring
Now spring
for other eyes --
I long for snow.
The Wind Outside
An anguish
barely perceptible
Comes knocking with the wind --
A friend is trying to come in
The caravan
is moaning too
Open the door -- no-one there
Just aching delicate air
A whiff
of hysteria is riding on
The wind -- enough to pull you in.
The Familiar
I am running
on the spot
The exercise is good for me
I am running without breathing now
The pace
is stepping up
The landscape is as familiar
As the colours in my mind
How cheery
is the ordinary
To one who's going blind.
Your Long Hair
I am jealous
of your youth
And would steal it away
If I could
I am jealous
of your hair
And would wrap it
Around me if I could
I am jealous
of your heart
And would hold it if I could.
You Lie
You lie
in your cocoon
Of long black hair -- safely out of view
You are Juliet in the crypt
And I a
Montague
Come to wipe the cobwebs from your face
And kiss your lips to life
You are
mine yet not mine
There is barely time enough to woo.
Mystery
Angelic
in your garden
Angelic mystery
Enclosed in thought
Angelic
guardian
Who raised me with
The pale and sickly lamb
You have
a shield of words
That is a mile thick.
Loss of Sight
I could
not see for gladness
Filled my pale blue eyes
With its own supernatural light
But my inner
eye saw fairy-tale figures
Wildly gesturing in the night
With an archangel standing by the door
Who stroked
the glad scene --
While lightning set the house alight.
Vision
Once more
I watch the ship sail on
Its decks and passageways
Are full of smiling passengers
Its gear
and cargo complete --
Out into open seas
To be beset upon by pirates
Who rob
and seize the fairest
And turn them inside out.
The Asp
Too young
for Cleopatra --
Your arms are still covered
With asp-bites
Your loveliness
is fatal too
Imprisoned in Mark Antony's armour
Your breathing is unsteady
Goddess
of the Nile
Bite my lips blue.
The Fire-Eater Drunk
Swallow
a fire because
It tastes so good
It is heaven's feast
For you,
toothless and drunk
Lucifer's apprentice -- hair aflame
Lover of the fire with bloodshot eyes
For your
missing teeth
You endlessly apologise.
The Ringmaster
I have avoided
you for so long
That much is certain
With your whip -- your top hat
How do I
address you?
Do I call you master lord or slave?
Your face is always out of view
You run
the show I know
You are part of me too.
The Strong Man Dying
Who thought
the Strong Man
Could ever die?
His body is embroidered with
A hundred
tattoos
His friends and lovers are holding
On to him -- they will not let him go
They are
shouting at him --
It takes no strength to die.
Stumbling
As you pass
overhead
You see many buildings on fire
The ground has split in two
It is pitch
dark
In the middle of the day --
What an evil smelling world
You stumbled
into
When you lost your way.
Into a New City
Tonight
we play an industrial city
Our horses are pulling the wagons
Our spirits are low
We come
to the top of the hill
And see the city spread out below
Speechless breathless -- we see
Vultures
and storks fly through the
Satanic smoke of a million factories.
The Conspirators
Rogues vagabonds
and thieves
Scoundrels liars and crooks
All conspire to lock
You in your
innocence
And never let you breathe --
Break out and see the dawn
Crimson,
scarlet, impassioned
It rises with a heave.
Meekness
Meekness
is a ravished Queen
And Sanctity is Grace
The holy hills of Jerusalem
Are covered
with his ancient race
The frightened huddle by the well
Water brings you peace
Meekness
Anger both unite
To ignite this troubled place.
The Orphan
You grew
up dark and moody
A lover of storms and woe
You would not walk the tightrope
Nor learn
to eat fire --
You could only juggle hearts
One storm I found you soaked
And delirious
with joy's hope
Your sky a sudden rainbow.
Nobility
All the
noble people drop out of sight --
Some drop dead in the ring
Others leave of fright
The beautiful
and fair are taken
Forcibly -- too fair to look after
Themselves -- too pale to notice
It's only
your life -- what's more
Perhaps there is an encore?
Silently
You are
silent now --
You have brought all your secrets back
And hug them to your breasts
You hide
them again
In gold and silk and turquoise
So no-one may know
Silence
is your lover
Your consort your gentleman.
Wake Up!
Wake up
-- the circus is coming
It is the middle of the night I realize --
But there are elephants and dromedaries
Peacocks
leopards and monkeys
Wake up -- this is your last chance
Get out of bed and greet them
Put on your
slippers take a candle
Leave all -- and join their dance.