Best Insular Poems
In the far away island on desolate seashore
You build your desire castle of dream sands
You protect the fragile niche
From the breaking waves rolling to reach you
They can’t churn the sandy abode
Made by insular lonely people.
Your windows are closed to the sunny sky
Shrouded by the dense darkness
You turn into a slice of moonless night
In your periphery I pass you by
I can’t see through you
The true colors of opaque people.
You fly in the frozen sky
On the forlorn wings of winter
In your heart of Arctic sea
Sentiments freeze, don’t swim
I can’t hold your limp hands
For support for you’re cold people.
In your life that you make a desert
The oasis disappears under the dunes
Blazed by your flaming mind
Emotions burn, don’t flow
I can’t find a stream in your heart
To float my feelings for you’re dry people.
I’m wandering in the museum of our times
Where you’ve all turned into wooden people.
June 5, 2018
My life is very insular, I move from page to page
never straying far from words which prance upon the written stage.
like a sputtering engine my tongue tangles on a phrase
I rub my eyes, red and raw, I can't remove my aged gaze.
My fingers curl and knuckles gnarl as velum dances right
I read, I write, I think and pause, I can't turn out the light.
Compose, I will, adjust I must, each simile an anchor
to a life much analyzed, but lived with little rancor.
like the scribes of ancient Rome my fingertips are worn
yet I persist with joyous bliss for I know I must go on.
My form has bent, bowed and curled to meet the need of the word
God forbid, I went through this lifetime never being heard.
The days go by
as I walk around the man made lake,
churning the tides of time backwards
making butter from the gold and brown broth
a solitary wanderers on the same gravel path.
Always a person for whom the flow meant danger
from spring to summer, I walk the scene
with cheery “mornin’s”
popping the insular bubbles
of self imposed
Silence.
The days go by
as spring returned to my aged step.
The flow lures the weary mind tired of treading water.
Glassine eyes cataract dimmed clear and lift to blue skies.
Familiar faces grin back hooked
on a cheery “mornin’”
Marshaled resources clockwise turn.
Forward thinking, right sided, occasion walks
from summer to fall
popping the insular bubbles
of self imposed
Silence.
Cat lights on the table, bling!
Can opener growl to open a tin
Tuna glide pounce for a troubadour sing
Cat stretches full length
A paw to each shoulder
A nuzzle to my neck now bolder
Soft blending purrs, caressing
Soft, slow lane nestling
Solicitous whimsical beauty
Self advertising cutie
Insular world of feline grace
Meal ticket playful embrace,
a no default risk
Like a heart-felt smooch, brisk
Best hope for survival
in scents of sweet revival
when a tin can squeal
is a laurel of love to steal
for a status high creature
curled, contented
in fishy food cuisine.
Poem revised January 31, 2022
"The Resurrection of Writing a New Book"
Insular, a new world begins
from the inside it serves its Saviour
reconnaissance is the betrayor
incesscent it speaks non-stop
in cloudy roadmaps it stomps
unstoppable
the regiments read on
instructions they march
unhindered reviewers across
what is seen on a tethered cross
translation cuts
it throws its shining arsenal almighty
from the crowned heart
where the sharp thorns bloom
it writes its illuminescent stories
across sorry lips that try to speak outwardly
the synopisis is parched
the mind with arms outstretched
looks upwards for heavenly relief
upon the rolling hard edges
of burning Wormwood
where forgiveness is peaced
the measure of compassion
is largely pierced
confessions are heard and lost
on the brevity of a dead end
and that is how the Light gets in
dreams like this
are the resurrection
for writing a new book
the new exit strategy
before it is too late
dreams like this
are the resurrection
for writing a new book
before it is too late
dear Poet of The Day
Candide Diderot. ‘25
"Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding"
Khalil Gibran
Angrily, rain enfolds the insular rise of lawn undulating.
Anglers dream, envious fishermen, inside looking out urging
apostles, who elope within imaginary onslaughts, hooked unburdening's.
Aloft, thunder encounters lightening's insistent taunt, oracles fearsome uttering's.
And still, each fisherman's innermost summoning orchestrates this untoward
atmospheric downfall, each drop induced, prayerful, outpouring is underscored.
Admittedly many envious housebound inmates seek oceans, lakes, unexplored
although, the earthly torrent interferes pitiless, onerous, rainfall unleashed.
Absent the energizing rays introduced by ordinary sun, undone
are these enigmatic men in rooms, oar less, ship-less, landlubbers unconsoled.
Another day encases them indoors mooning over fish uncontrolled.
A trophy earned, stuffed, indisputably shows offerings untold.
Ah, fishtails energetically rise incensed by objections never unabridged
absent their earnest wives, imagination rolls on winds un-curtailed.
Beauty-words languish in my soul, mute,
a million misty drops suspended,
trembling, in the atmosphere
not yet spoken into rain.
They lie captive within the barred cage,
innocent prisoners condemned
to voiceless wonder,
only an inaudible cry strikes the barred breast,
a silent beating against the cell.
We would speak;
We are pierced with beauty's burning sword!
We see the stars sweep trailing skirts in explosive splendor;
we warm ourselves beside the opal's captive fire;
we are the pearl forming within the darkened shell,
the silken crepe tightly wound around the worm,
the captive butterfly bound in insular cocoon.
Copyright, September 2, 2015
You create them
You give birth to them
You nurture them
You raise them
All the while seeking to rearrange them
For you insist on always owning them
Kids are forever
Children are our saviour
Dynasties become prolonged
It is never best to have just one
Mirrors of one’s ambition
Apple of our critical eye
A mini me who is never contrary
A vessel to fill with my life plan
Someone to control till I die
Pride is king
The family name is nirvana
The façade of respectability must never crumble
All and sundry must toe the line
For the world must believe all in this household is fine
Be better
Be all we wish you to be
Attain heights we never grasped
Never let our ambition lapse
Caged and thus unable to be free
Longing for a faraway glimpse of liberty
Dying to show some level of individuality
A life on a road to eventual calamity
Secrets and hopes
Are encased deeply
In a psyche that aches gloomily
Insular and depressed
They contemplate university
They exist from day to day
Awaiting a long list of all they need to say
The dress sense must be perfect
Their manner never abrupt
Everything is done to give the family
A social step up
Grades must be exemplary
A career path must show economic sensibility
Friends must be vetted minutely
Who cares about your sanity
Do it all for our vanity
You can never grow up
We own you for life
Fly the nest and we follow
We are your bothersome shadow
Letting go is hard for us to do
When we made you
It was not only because we wanted you
Our future plans have always revolved around you
Smile and never let the world know
How dismally we have wrecked you
Those that must forever be
The centre of another’s world
Have a big responsibility
They are clones
And will always be second best
Death has come
Falling softly like snowflakes
On flowerbeds
The winds blows the dead sheet of leaves
Every time I see greatness rising from the earth
Like a new pea growing
The locust comes like a flash of lightning
Will nothing endure our birth
These are days so trivial
Nothing is sustained beyond the flesh of pleasure
And all we contewmplate
Are so superficial, so personal
Too insular
For the escape we seek
Where the highest peak is bleak
Will poets see deep things again
Will they make far things near
And palpable on the tongue
O I long to suck the delicacy of a song
That drip with the light of melting stars
And put my lips on the passion of the sun
Who writes like that again
We have neither an Eliot, nor a McKay
Neither a Blake nor a Keats
This is a civilization in decay
Great truths now our superficiality deletes
We cannot see them
And all the noise is silence still
I see choice like a shadow
Just a rag of suspended will
I want to hear a poet groan giving birth
O push, push, push, please push
Away this dead effect of words
And let us make our lives universal
Having a Wordsworthian argument again.
O let us,
That I may read Donne
Without epilepsy,
And seduce a new pain.
Harmonious co-existence vexes as
Ugliness of spirit overrides all sense:
Man, woman, young, old - locked in constant conflict.
Antagonistic leanings destructive, but
Nations are split by doctrine more than terrain;
Isolated, insular and self-serving.
Tempestuous relationships reign supreme;
Yawning chasm between status quo and potence.
Halcyon adventures wait amongst the stars:
Unite, Peoples of Earth... and ascend as one.
Majesty of universe lies before us,
Architects, wholly, of our own destiny.
Negative acts consigned to history books;
Inherent self-destructive urges shunned by
Transcending schisms and grasping conjoined purpose.
Years uncounted may pass, but faith shall be pursed*.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
* pursed = rewarded
11 syllables on every line - checked with howmanysllables.com
14 November 2017 - my first Acrostic poem.
For the "Humanity - Acrostic" contest, sponsored by John Hamilton.
(2nd Place)
A laughing boy
he was our own
our one and only own child
so beloved
so serious a child so easily traumatized
so insular and difficult
so beloved
his mother
different and difficult herself
brought him forward
into crazy
and left him.
Comes many a different way
Raised heartbeat so they say
Insular in thought and deed
Support from others they do need
Intelligent listening and a free shoulder
Soldier talk better to a soldier
Stay with then until they are safe
Unifying brotherhood defying the strafe
Providing comfort and lending an ear
Prepared to even shed a tear
Order a coffee and have a chat
Remain positive be a diplomat
Try to stay focused on saving your buddy
Energy zapped thoughts going through your body
Remain calm positive and you will succeed
Stress is an injury that can't be seen
There is us and them, but we must learn
Who is us and who is them ... whose blood is on the floor?
Whose illusions like shambled mansions burn?
No lack of compassion here makes the suffering of the poor,
Nor closed the factory doors. None can sell
The houses closed; it's living hell in the shrivelling mines
Forget the popular explaining, or go to hell;
Mark them who mark you with the beast's cold designs.
With their newspapers, and slick bias reports
They feed delusions, hate and lies. Deprived workers made
Into self-centered seekers. O divided cohorts,
We fall a silent wall. For devalued homes, full value is paid
Or leave them for shelters so banks can twice
More their income make: first the bailout, and then resale.
All our tax money for repayment would suffice
If the bailout was vouchered to us, no business would fail.
The people would pay bills, business prosper,
Employment continues, and markets grow stronger. It's all
The truth there is to spending. Tell me mother,
With children and no tomorrow; tell me father sucking gall;
Who hoard the dollars, who hoard the gold,
Where is all the money gone? Where is credit, where is loan?
Where is the pension toiled for in the cold?
Who still makes profit, who control the banks we use to own?
Where is your spring? Why do summer trees
Die? Where there is spring the ruinates are fruiting in bloom,
Change is really more than scent of the breeze;
Where is our spring, for so long, so long the shadow of doom.
Did we not save from our sweat and sacrifice?
Could they not keep trust in that alone? we paid for the keep
Of earnings gone. They with theoretical device
Took it all, took it all. Yet it is for the broken lives that I weep.
Do we for justice march or insular issues blown
Big on every newspaper page? Do call this charade diversion?
Then why are we duped if the trick is known?
Our congress is ourselves in the streets, bring there our vision
Let us march against them, let us now defeat
The prison makers, the medical hostage takers, the pretenders
And deceit. If it's time to die, die on your feet!
Not like cowards harassed, fearful, weak, we are mass warriors!
No penance need be paid by the insular artisan
admonished for seeking an oral platinum quota.
Under furlough! Tuck their perfume in a bureau,
then intermittently release the poise to up-start
inferiority complexes who'll quote of the literati,
and then in the very same breath
naysay a quiver of emotion from word devotion…
Integral quandary - quaint ale or styled daiquiri?
Can phenomenal language fade in the simplistic?
Eloquence is gauche! So pilings of a quay erode…
(2/10/2021: DMS)
Island of fantasy
No swim wear on Bikini Island after all those testing years
waiting for the hidden radiance to…stop this is reality
I need to escape from where into what or do I when
one flash and blip in the history of time and my projections…
So here it is the nude beach stripped from another reality
granting a moment here or then stranded in magic another truth
in the loops and coconuts circuiting in the mind grapes hanging low
sweet and sour Me Robin’s son Friday or not…forever and another splendour
Essence food and shelter in abundance too much too plenty so
I’d rather bring a friend my lover soul-mate curvaceous sparkling
inspiration expiration joined in motion rhythm rhyme sequential
horizontal upright teasing poet tree in motion exploding fusing solitude
Cinnamon bark and musky flavour salt of the ocean chilli peppers
soul on soul skin on skin soul on skin intermingling penetration
of ideas creation words artistic dependent independent work in progress
giving taking heading truthful tongues lips balsam for the sun and tanning life
Books and poetry are also intimate wise companions mentors faithful fellow friendly
fire water earth and aerial dreams conjectures built up climax rest regeneration
and I suppose we like to write our own of rainbows thunder lightning comets
starlight moonshine distant proximity close by far away lands in kindness loving
Lotus flowers in perfusion fragrant storms meditating torrents stillness for
the mediation stories lived experience speaking hearing narrative exploration
where they rest on beauty interwoven follicles frolicking whims of nature nurtures
exude petals inner peace and outer seminal gentle epitome of sensual wisdom reason
But wait...why search on other ocean’s tide lines why run away from what there is
the island carol coral reefs and rainy forest dew in sunshine sweet perfume of life...
the envelope of brightness togetherness carnal mingling intellectual fulfilment
is here right here when we beam out from fantasy and run from insular fight or flight
06th June 2016