A “For Sale” sign
stands out front
where once a parish
notice board stood
for a hundred years.
Inside, the pews are gone.
A stark, stripped back space
echoes an absence
occupied now by only wisps
of dust drifting through a shaft
of sunlight, a buzzing blowfly
and a spiders web spun
across a window
as if strung to snare
the frayed wings
of the last
escaping prayer.
Hi everyone
I'm so excited to announce my new album called INVISIBLE
it took years to write and compile these great songs,
there are 10 in total.
Do me a favor please, go to:
johnderekhamilton.bandcamp.com
and give it a listen and please leave a comment
this is very important to me.
Thanks for all of your support.
John Derek Hamilton
September 12,2025
My country, it is not the sweet Portugal
AND yet I love Fado, the wine of the Douro,
My country is not beautiful Italy, nor Rome,
And yet I love Naples, Palermo, and Florence,
It’s not Haiti or Salvador de Bahia,
It’s the Dolce Vita and Eight and a half, in black and white,
I like all the films by Fellini or Antonioni,
My country, it is not the illustrious talkative France
AND yet I like Jurançon and Monbazillac,
I like beef bourguignon and duck with orange,
My country, it’s not California, or Utah,
AND yet I like Monument Valley, Hollywood Boulevard,
I love the Grand Canyon and Los Angeles at night,
My country, it is not so political Turkey,
But I love Istanbul and sleepy Cappadocia,
It’s the Dolce Vita and Eight and a half, in black and white,
My country is the cinema, it’s the privileged place
Where will the train stop from your indolent and black eyes,
It is beyond, the bridge of lascivious embraces, the bridge of the Iroise
It’s the country I like when you play for me alone, O my action.
NB La Dolce Vita and eight and a half, are two masterpieces by Fellini.
There is a man that I am aware of, who delights
In our 'old blood and guts' he says he'll fly that
Flag forever.!!! Now some may well think him nuts.'
Yet he quotes about lines of lin-iage and of an
Australian commonwealth law, of treaty called
For and ratified in Versallies 'is this all for sure?' He
Speaks of God king and country, of indissolluble
Rights.? And that we have a freedom to bear arms (indeed to fight) in our countrys protection, for our own lives..And those of familiy and friends ( now are we all kings in our country? If this is right lets get on the mend)
Is this what he is 'speaking today?' Is he right and
Sincere.? Should we lend him our ears.? Are there
Gems in the claims he portrays? Should we all raise (the duster) that is also called the 'blood and guts' that has seen us often to victory.' Is that
All it takes as such.? What if a tbousand law savvy? 'i am talking now credible folk' gave him some room, and consultation? To try his claims now.' To see.' will this all hold up? for there may well be truth in the bloke.?
Be not drawn in other directions be not' for such' or other cause
Or any external wars.' Make fixing your country the ultimate
Chore..Call out corruption.' And examine your laws return
To God give Him trust, He will guard the shires and
Your soverign shores.'
When did our country die
I really can' not say
The people tried to stop it
But it happened anyway
The government ignored us
The law we had to fight
We could not fly our country's flag
To us this was not right.
Pensioners were punished just for
Being old
The government did not care that
Thay were dieing with the cold.
Police were arresting Christians who
Stood in silent prayer
Our veteran sleep in doorways and
Our politicians don't even Care
But our citizens will keep fighting
As courage we do not lack
We will fight against all comers
Until we get our country back
To the till, oh you people!
That your barns may be filled with staple
To keep our ever-dynamic world growing
We must roll up our sleeves and set our hands to sowing
"Ask not what your country can do for you, But what you can do for your country,"
This charge from the great Kennedy
We must our consciousness renew
Heed the call for duty and creative breakthrough
And at the end of each work day
With gratitude to God our Creator we pray
Thanking Him for the progress and lessons made
That on the morrow, at the till, we’ll be wiser and on course to be paid!
It’s a brand new big idea
The banned country of such size
So I want to make it clear
Either way it looks unwise
Wasn’t Germany at war
In Bach’s time, and wasn’t France
Fighting England till the score
Levelled up by circumstance
But they never used to ban
Scholars travelled, merchants traded
Painters painted, music men
Wrote their stuff while the crusaders
Fought their sacred wars whatever
The high goal was pursued then
But it didn’t seem too clever
In the past, to put a ban
There’s no other meaning to it
But revenge, to make the foe
More outrageous, and they knew it
Now it's what the wars are for.
A Ferris wheel, a magic show
And lots of games of skill,
Food trucks filled with fried or frozen
Fare were on the bill.
Exhibit halls with quilts and varied
Goods, all made by hand
And huge zucchinis shown
With other veggies from the land.
The rides and games and food, to me,
Held little in appeal,
But animals from local farms
Made it a worthwhile deal.
The cows and goats and pigs and sheep,
With every barnyard sound,
Were stretched out in their pens, relaxed
Or nibbling around.
They all looked clean and healthy
And quite fat (except the goats),
With ribbons on display they earned
By gaining judges’ votes.
As a New York City gal
I wasn’t dazzled by the fair,
But the chance to see those critters
Made me glad that I was there.
One woman's glass ceiling is another man's wood floor
but there's no such thing for a second-class citizen
of a third world country
as
there's no moving up gender is against her
sexual orientation too considered 'half a witness'
in testimony
with
neither voice nor choice can't vote
or
leave home alone
unless
with consent
can't emigrate (passport permission required)
and
as for caste if she were a Dalit
(lowest of the low)
there's nowhere to go
so
between me and you, flee, be a refugee,
what's a poor girl to do?
Borderless
Sunlight
doesn't care
about fences.
A child laughs
somewhere
beyond the wall,
could be anywhere,
could be anyone’s.
At the market,
hands count money
in different languages
but tomatoes
taste the same.
Birds build nests
in barbed wire,
using what they find.
Planes cross
overhead
carrying people home
to places
that look different
but feel familiar.
We are all
walking
under the
same sky.
A stream, searching its limits, laps the bank.
Water falls gently over a small dam.
Fish nip at flotsam in usual prank,
And find protein at weight less than a gram.
All's well and calm in this country setting
A whiff of wind shuffles a nearby tree,
Yet the shallow banks soon will be letting
Gallons of overflow to be set free.
Soft water's whispers now shriek in a scream.
A precipice grips the liquid off-guard.
It spills its mass in a powerful stream
Down to twirling whirlpool's cold disregard.
the sky is a prettier blue here
maybe due to today’s silence
the bird chatter seems wittier
possibly because of this relaxed setting
dainty renegade flowers jiggle in the wind
reminding me why I love the country
Today’s thought
Tomorrow’s venture
Bags packed
Wheels ready to spin
A Greyhound bus open road ready to begin
The journey through state to state
Stopping at towns being no mistake
Four days travel
Freeway wind
Various interstate routes
Distance far
Bus comfort than a car
Recline and relax
America’s acquaintance
Passerby wave
High Mountains up look
Heart of hope
The sense of cope
A friendly hand
Goodness in the land
Major cities after major cities observe
Into the morning, Night and next days
Soon to arrive
Refreshing sights that only the Greyhound Bus can provide
America’s beauty seen through the eyes
The skies being wise
Wonders never seen
Up close and personal
Travel to remember
Heart and Soul amber.
canopy of trees
arched over the winding lane
a peaceful presence
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