The Guide

(A lone voice whispers) What a year to be alive to see poetry still thrives Want some new readers? Well, I asked this once when I was institutionalised Before in The Great In-Between I was baptised to be non institutionalised So here's my advice Try to write immersive experiences For some long-lost legends whisper That every spirit seeks to walk in newer realms on their way to redemption So take your readers by the hand and like a leader Take them on soul tempting journeys into the unknown and mysterious Hold them mesmerised Spellbound through words like ringing church bells To keep them reading slowly like the birth of a caterpillar And when that red key eventually turns in their minds To open a blue portal and enter them into a strange interdimensional place Through the two great ancient white pillars Of Ashtara and Shoka To where smoke and fire Day and night burns A spiritual place I call The Great In-Between A mythical experience for the curious mind Begins A fog filled place where pain sorrow and sin All things seen or unseen Like love and happiness exists A wild place where darkness Shadows selves Corwatturea creatures Spirits Angels and beauty Coexists In absolute tranquility and harmony And you my friend In that subliminal moment, that red key turns A new reader of yours is reborn One who seeks their Drover As their need and curiosity takes over To move them through higher high roads and lower byroads Unexplored old church lanes Of joy and pain To walk them through the fire and snow storms To find a new mother load Via this underground railroad Unspoken poetic stories to take them under like chloroform For their souls After stepping into The GREAT IN-BETWEEN Will have been truly transformed and renamed For now, they'll walk like new aged gods and goddesses Baptised in that smoke Fire and rain To stand up strong like their newfound Drover And walk forward forever Trying to stay pure and unashamed As their need for more Takes over (C) Copyright John Duffy