They came in the quiet of the wee hours
before the light was born
Unaware I slept like the dead
While my youth from me was torn
First I lost a sparkle or two
And faded ever so slight
Time bandits about me
Lining my face without fight
Thank God I never was about my looks
An investment I knew sure to fail
The loss of vital energy
Is the thing of which I rail
I never will grow old again
I might as well embrace it
Enjoy what I can ignore what I can't
Untill such time as I quit
When all the words a king may say
Lay lifeless on the ground
And windstorms blow them far away
With not a single sound.
Then no one any worry pays
As acquiescence he seeks
But ears awake and eyebrows raise
When e'er the cannon speaks.
She speaks to warriors from the east
And armies from the south.
And words of wisdom should, at least,
Fall tumbling from her mouth.
And when she sings, she hums her song,
Her voice in dulcet choir,
She whispers from her dragon's tongue
Her words like dragon's fire.
So, in the night when all is still
She rests her weary head
And looks out over yonder hill
Where angels fear to tread.
As daylight shows once more, she'll preach
And boldly yip and yell
To sermonise another speech
And send them all to hell.
Shall we acquiesce to mornings first glow in flight
To the flags of yellow golden daffodils lined in a row
Flowing over mothers’ soft hills on new born grass
Like tiny soldiers at attention on the milky dawn
Elsewhere over the marbled planet surface blue
Where baby dolphins jump from the womb
From their home of salted liquid depths
Only to land in a splash to ocean’s laughter
Harmonized with giggles from children on a day trip
Watching with wide eyes from somewhere ever after
If not on the iron boat deck wide awake
Surely students would be beneath the waters deep
Out at sea is no place for little children, trip or not
Should a storm arise upon the morning
Ships are known to sink without a warning
No matter what the acquiescence inclinations are
No matter how delightful nature seems to be
Or how high the dolphins leap to leave the sea
Safety should always be our first consideration
Regarding such destinations and flights in levity
*Note: (If only dolphins and children could fly away to distant destinations. If only flowers could retain their yellow. What a different world this would be.
Acquiescence
For want of acquiescence of passion
the anxious soul writhes and meanders aghast ...
Written Sept 15th, 2016
For "One quote- poetry contest" by Rick Parise
ACQUIESCENCE
Late March
It’s depressing
Dirty snow and windy
A scrap of paper tatters by
And wrinkles itself around a tree trunk
The sky is overcast but still
All hangs in time stagnate
One gazes out
Resigned
This form must have a name, but I don't know what it is -
2,4,6,8,10,8,6,4,2 syllables
Am I not man to stand the pain?
Open up the gates of torture!
Endless flames may burn my flesh,
may in my soul be a real scorcher!
I will endure the hurting ache!
So tear away the scurf of scars
- unhealed deep wounds in my own heart
engraved like deadly memoirs.
Oh like a fool I longed to see
what couldn’t last, as wise man says.
I remember all the afflict
on which long years oblivion lays.
I stand and open my arms wide
to feel the power of nightmare.
Come thunderbolt of madness, come!
Embrace me horror, hug me scare!