Best Silence Reigned Poems
A year has passed since windows draped in gloom
Since heartache's cure impossible to prove
A year since silence reigned within his room
Since hands upon the clock have ceased to move
Two years have passed - when morning bells are rung
Harmonies do not carry to his ear
Two years in muted night, no dawn's begun
Light too far from his eyes, his grief too near
Three years have passed - new leaves now fill the wood
They have brought him flowers from the fields
His raw suffering, still misunderstood
Beneath ice of loss, unbloomed spring yields
Time unmeasured by years and hours spent
Exists as indefinite bereavement.
7/21/18
Dusk fell rapidly. Three women dressed in black
With their young lanky companion hurried back
To their rather small impoverished dark room.
Only an oil lamp that added to their gloom.
Silence reigned except for the youngest maiden
Sobbing, though all were with heavy heart laden.
The elder sat on a bed, shedding no tears
That man buried was in reality hers.
O what a cruel world, how her son suffered!
How many times he was so harshly buffered?
Religious leaders had him sentenced to death.
So crucified was he until his last breath.
Generous of Joseph to give him a tomb.
Brave Nicodemus but with a face of doom,
Provided fresh linen and bought perfumed spice.
There they buried the young man from Paradise.
Still in the darkness the elder woman sat,
No one dared engage her in frivolous chat.
No one knew the pain in her much wounded breast,
It had began with his treacherous arrest.
Still the worst was yet to come when with a lance
Checking his death, the Roman saw in a glance.
That's when she felt the cruel lance pierce her heart,
The young man quickly held her seeing her start.
Now on her hard bed she quietly pondered
My God Father, what will happen, she wondered.
She then knew her mission as God had decreed.
On the third day Her dearest Son would be freed.
Beautiful, frivolous queen bided her time.
The castle stood tall and strong.
Silence reigned. No one dared to speak.
Below the enemy had gathered ready for a fight.
A little soldier thought he was just a pawn
in the hands of the King. Someone sent him a message.
He moved forwards towards the enemy.
The queen frowned and moved sideways
towards the edge of the defence.
Consternation rose up. Was it a wise move?
Everyone looked at her regalia,
her splendid crown, her painted face
with verdant leaves and eyelashes glittering.
Immediately the bishop intervened.
Some soldiers fell, the battle fierce.
Time passed and the black knight took his position,
near his lovely queen he stood,
for he had to protect her from all ails.
Alas that left the King on his own.
Another knight and bishop intervened.
But the opponent king was astute and steadfast.
One move and a high cry was uttered.
Checkmate. And all the little pieces
fell in disarray upon the chequered board.
Silence reigned….for the moment.
Nothing stirred in the garden.
No owl screeched.
No bird flew.
And inky darkness seemed to spread.
Even the moon
hid itself in shame.
A light breeze rose suddenly freezing all.
It rushed through the trees, wailing.
Still the man-God stood tall.
Existential angst wrinkled his face.
He felt anxiety, distress, foreboding.
The sins of humanity were on his shoulders.
Suddenly his weakness took the upper hand,
And he fell down to the ground.
Stressful sweat erupted on his forehead
And on his hands.
As was his habit he prayed.
And prayed. Yet the sweat continued
And turned to blood.
There were no friends to help him.
He was alone
And his last recognition was a kiss
From the lips of a traitor.
Do you betray the son of man with a kiss?
,
By morning, I could feel the first hints of warm air,
Relieved I took my bath and dressed for work.
There was no music in the block of flats,
But in my head rumbled a hundred old time songs
That tantalized me into a stupor of great expectancy.
Down stairs, near the elevator, was an old woman.
I was shocked to see her on a wheelchair, eyes vacant.
The landlord smiled at me and told me not to worry.
Seems Angelique was to be taken to some rest home.
Her mother just wanted to see that the upstairs
Apartment was in perfect state for the living.
Disappointed at the name I left for work later for my groceries.
Back home I concocted some pasta and cooked the sauce,
Opened my favourite bottle of red wine to drown my sorrows.
Silence reigned supreme and I felt rather annoyed.
So I betook myself to sleep hoping at least to dream.
The phone rang and a dulcet voice asked for me.
She had arrived late and had got nothing prepared for her meal.
Could I take something good for her to eat?
So I put on my track suit and with little or no enthusiasm
Went upstairs with some pasta left over and some wine.
That would be enough I thought, but the mother
Was old enough and should have known better.
Mother? The girl that opened the door was young enough.
A nymph that beckoned me in, in the warm atmosphere,
Balsamic perfume that inundated the cosy apartment,
Low magic music swirled and vibrated everywhere.
My name is Angel she tenderly smiled, shall we dance?
I felt the warmth of her; felt her arms and the dance began.
It did not take long to become lost in her euphoric bliss.
And our lips met, again and again as our hearts beat as one……….
You want to know the end?
We lived happily ever after…….
As all fairy tales should…..
Sleep lifted its gossamer veil from my eyes this morn
before dawn's roseate beams of light had been born.
Silence reigned as the world around me still slept.
I watched a cat in the garden as it stealthily crept.
Towards prey it encroached, on a songbird trilling.
To let nature take its course today, I was not willing.
I opened the window to chase the stalking feline away,
and heard the distant chiming of bells holding sway.
Sunlight peered through clouds with a glow of inflection,
and the songbirds I'd saved, sang a melody of perfection.
"Ring, bells of hope." I whispered as night was breached.
"Ring out to empty hearts that faith has never reached."
If only the sonorous sounds of the bells could be heard,
would mankind accept the truth of God's written word?
Would the warring of nations then come to and ending,
and peace among races of men never again need mending?
I listened and prayed for all men to join in a brotherhood.
"Ring aloud so all may feel the need for love as they should."
Blaring horns and loud voices intruded upon my tranquility.
I closed the window from the world's clamorous hostility.
Crepuscular cumbersome clouds above,
Curdled and coal-black, heavy with cold rain.
Silence reigned below like a brooding dove.
Peace lost seem it would not be found again
To the discomfort of old ones in pain,
With all the chill of winter, they complain.
City fraught with fear, although no wind blew,
Incessant rain starts, with no respite found
Birds made their quick escape, away they flew
To safer places where covers abound
In cosy nooks, far from loud booming sound
Of thunder and bright flash that hearts so wound.
Raining without respite for eight long hours,
Felt as if all life, had left normal time.
Wind surging enough to show its powers,
Nature decreed all had made a bad crime,
Men feared their city was not worth a dime.
As cold rain increased mingling all with slime.
Morning came, relief winds blew clouds away,
Men rose to clean the slime without delay.
I wandered round the lonely graveyard.
The few mourners did not bother to look at me.
I ought to know the paths so well
Ah there it was, unembellished as I had left it.
Silence reigned everywhere, except for some bugs
I began to wonder what I was doing there.
Then a small group of mourners appeared.
Four bored men carried a coffin, plain as can be.
The burial took very little time to carry out.
A priest mumbled a few prayers and all left.
Except for a woman all dressed in ebony black.
She shed no tears nor mumbled any prayer.
And then she left without one glace at me.
There on the slab someone left a picture frame.
Curiosity got the better of me and soon I saw
It was a picture of me. The slab opened
And I just entered my place inside and all was calm.
Fiction, just a ghost story
A charm of finches flew in circles
disappearing entirely into surreal mist
that now camouflaged the field.
It seethed around rows of trees
until all was invisible:
Silence reigned,
supernatural eerie feeling
took over my thoughts.
Fog's gradual encroachment
over hills and cliffs:
Swirling unearthly atmosphere.
I felt distressed.
My heart beat erratically,
hours of inexplicable mystery
shadows vanished as mist thickened.
I trembled with an unnamed fear.
The finches flew to safer gardens.
Screeching gulls took their place.
Across bay fog horns sounded,
as confounded boats lost direction.
Echoes resounded throughout paranormal night.
Breaking dawn witnessed sea change.
Soon I awakened from my stupor.
Like curtain rising mist dissipated,
leaving memories of that uneasy time.
Pixabay image by: ArtTower
I found a bag outside the door
My mind, alert like a sly fox,
Advised me not to rush because
It could contain Pandora’s box!
My fingers itched to pull the string
So that the knot I could untie
With expectations quite far-fetched
To find within pie in the sky!
My wife came out, beheld the bag
And curiosity galore
She was unable to resist!
Had not a clue what was in store.
She dragged the bag inside the house
In case the neighbours stopped to stare
And pulled it open in a flash
The sight was one that raised her hair!
A host of spiders jumped in haste
On trembling hands and frenzied face
Her high-pitched screams heard far and wide
Resounded into outer space.
Then, gosh, she stopped and thankfully
She swooned. I caught her just in time.
The cops turned up; I had a job
To prove that there had been no crime.
By then the spiders had escaped
The bag lay limply on the ground.
The neighbours’ doors and windows closed
And silence reigned; how sweet the sound!
My wife came to; said not a word
Not ‘cos of shame or out of choice
The tough ordeal had been too much
In fact (God bless) she lost her voice!
-----------------------------------------
This poem has been published in a PoetrySoup Anthology:
“Reflections on the Important Things” Nov 2023 (print)
A dark and evil creature
Pursued a man today.
He tried to run,
He tried to hide,
But the darkness followed him.
He ran down the street,
And around the corner.
He ran up the stairs
And through the door,
Yet the darkness followed still
He shut his doors,
Turned on his lights,
And tried to find some peace;
But even in his lighted house,
The darkness still was there.
“Oh, foul creature,
What can you be,
And why do you pursue?”
For a moment, silence reigned,
Then the darkness answered him.
“I am your sin,
Your dirty deeds,
The things you try to hide.
Your sin cursed soul, is what I am,
The darkness within you.
There’s a price to be paid
For this lack of light.
Eternal fire, torment, and pain
Is the price that you must pay
For this darkness inside you.”
“Oh woe is me!”
The man then cried.
“Your price is much too high!
Is there no other way to pay?”
But the darkness in silence remained.
A knock at his door
Pierced his despair,
And he trudged to it to answer.
There stood a man with a smiling face
For no darkness followed him.
The stranger at the door said,
“I can see,
That you are in despair.
What troubles you?” and the man replied,
“That darkness over there.
He says, I’m doomed,
To eternal fire,
And doomed to eternal pain.
Do you know a way for me to escape
That darkness over there?”
“A man named Jesus,”
The stranger replied,
“The Son of God once came.
He shed His perfect, precious blood,
That darkness to send away.
The price for sin
Was paid in full when
He died and rose again.
His sinless blood can wash away
That darkness deep within.
This gift of love
Is free for all,
It gives eternal life.
Beautiful Heaven can be your home,
A place that darkness cannot go.”
“What must I do?”
The man then asked,
“So this gift I can receive?”
“Call unto God, acknowledge your sin,
Your darkness then confess,
And accept His gift
Of eternal life,
Eternal death forsake.
His blood will cover all your sins,
And the darkness then will fade”
“Oh, God,” the man prayed,
“I accept your gift,
Please wash away my sins.
Come into my heart and lead me today,
From darkness into light.
Many moons ago the island was born
spewed up in a volcanic eruption
it was perfectly formed out of rock
five nautical miles from the mainland
A barren isle with no life on it
visited sometimes by birds and seals
over time the dung from them all
provided a base for tender shoots
There was but one stream here
which flowed from the towering rocks
cascading joyfully down into a pool
a stunning splash of viberant blue
Around it started to appear flora
the seeds carried in by the birds
were now taking root and tranforming
life now has a grip which in time flourishes
The barren island soon attracted life
first the birds who started nesting
in the newly grown lushious trees,
their songs bringing musical sounds
Then came the many different insects
most importantly the honey bees
fertilising starting new species
covering the land with lush greenery
Gradually the animals swam over
getting busy finding homes
now the island was flourishing
gay sounds breaking the long silence
Here nature has triumphed over all
transforming a bare rocky isle
life has been yet again reaffirmed
from nothing comes a veritable paradise
Man attracted visits collecting eggs
fishing the shores and lakes
Yet none set down roots here
there is a strangeness that unsettles
Instead they use it for worship
and for their native burials
for they had knowledge of nature
this was not for man to spoil
All was well in our island paradise
until white men found this little gem
desecrating the graves and plundering
the island until it was almost bare
Furious witch doctors set a curse
that night screams could be heard
the natives huddled together shaking
by morning, deep silence reigned
Looking out to the island
they saw new razor sharp reefs
completely surrounding the island
Nature had reclaimed her masterpiece
He was reclining cold and motionless
Silence reigned as it signalled a torment
I prostrated and remained quiet, wordless
My mother's elegy evoked lament.
As the days passed, he started deforming
Lifeless body lay hardened but mounted,
To the neighbours gathered, went informing
Of the subtlety of very life, bewitched.
Kinsfolk followed you till crematorium
With prayers of praise in warm condolence
Soul shall find solace with honorarium
Through your religious deeds in governance
As the bodily disappearance calls,
Just flash of fiery ignition that brawls.
©?????Khachab Dorji????
The Ruba’iyat of Créteil Lake – Part Thirty-One
The Tent-Vendor’s son kept whining and wailing on the road
Such that none could even hear their own thoughts mocking aloud:
“Now what doth yon Sirrah untimely break open our contained Faith!”
Exclaimed the High Prelate, white crown-band an overwhelming load
“Sire!” called a yea-sayer, “He crieth like some thwarted fiend!
For – says he – his war service won him neither medal nor friend.”
“And what might that service be?” – thundered the Imam all fired.
“At thirteen ball-bearing catapult blew a légionnaire’s mind!”
“Allah! Forbid! Come to judgment! Free this miscreant’s soul!”
All around the sacred ground ‘Insch’allah!’ echoed the Faithful!
Eyes fixed on sky, the Imam cried: “Can such be true?” Loud silence reigned.
Up stepped the Commandant, “Yes, Your Holiness! Word, deed and all!”
“Our files attest to this forfeiture: he now works for us!
On the list of the Franquist Woman he collects détritus!”
“Our mind boggles: why wouldst thy sworn enemy now be thine?”
“Thwarted enemies make the best enemies of enemies!”
“Sire! Whilst we are on the subject, I beg Thy condescension:
Habeas corpus ad subjiciendum… Ibrahim’s son…”
“STOP! Will’st thou refrain from thine use of Canon and Sceptre!
Here on consecrated soil it’s beyond our comprehension!”
© T. Wignesan – Paris, 2014
He was called to preach at a christian crusade
in a foreign country. On his last day, he thought to share with thousands of people few things about struggles.
he opened another topic about his country,
he said loudly ,
" My friends hear me well.
Hear this truth from my mouth.
Technology of today lies on the mineral resources
of DRCongo but some parts of my country people struggling
due to rebellions and wars."
Then he started to cry on that international stage.
thousands of folks were so bamboozled
while continued hearing his story.
Sadly to see a well - known pastor crying
due to what he bottled for decades.
total silence reigned in that place
as he was not speaking for some minutes.
Then he said loudly,
" millions of congolese died cruelty
and some western influential leaders are parts
of massacres and genocides in my country
reason why they don't concern to these issues.
I mean even the international community
is involving in the problems of Drcongo."
some people felt pains.
sad message. so sadly in their ears.
he called people with different problems to pray
with him before he could leave the podium.
They went to him
and he prayed for them.
When he finished his sermon , the organisers called
people for contributions.
They collected much money to give to their visitor
minister after the crusade.
When they presented him a brown envelope filling money.
He told his friend pastors to give him the list of trusted local charities
so he could distribute that money
to help the needy.
His friends were confused as they thought he could go
with that money. so they did what he told them to do.
When he was about to leave , he told them,"
my friends , I am so happy for your care , may God bless you abundantly.
don't get me wrong.
I did what God told me to do in your country.
your people need that money more.
Congolese need peace in the entire country more....
so that they can enjoy
their natural resources.
Help us to tell the world about the struggles
of our people in East of Drcongo."
His friends thanked him for his kindness
and he went back home.
August 20/2023