Consider the man in the street if you will
what's he doing there standing stock-still
maybe like the chicken he's crossing the road
and half-way over with nothing better to do
only slowed to admire the view
perhaps he's pushing his luck
for remaining stationary no doubt about it
he'll be hit by a van car lorry or truck
let's hope it's not so as hearing them coming
the man in the street beats a hasty retreat
making hay he hits the ground running
and his narrow escape's a clean getaway
to dawdle or dilly-dally down all his days
One,
Two,
Three,
Four...
Shadows crawl in hope of escape.
Five,
Six—
Interrupting thoughts and fear demand attention.
“Hello, I'm here.”
The mind cowardly answers the call.
Life unhinges — unlocking the greed of depression.
The door opens, welcoming the darkness into the house with no lights.
Allowing the destruction to flood centre stage.
No spotlight needed.
He's strong, surrounded by the blackness.
He's seen. He's heard. He's felt—
He's home.
His cravings satisfied as he feeds on the vulnerability,
The instability that’s nested in these walls for so long.
Laughing at the echoes of loneliness,
He unleashes the pain that was suffocating behind a smile-shaped mask.
The pain that was locked away for a reason.
The pain he knew would not say no.
His easy target.
His prey.
Hugging one another, depression smirks and leads the way,
Knowing he’s conquered the land of the house with no lights.
He settles in. It’s his house now.
There is no more counting.
There are no more shadows.
It’s quiet,
Dark,
Finally home.
having recognised light of Self
renewing itself in itself
truth of being takes centre stage
flame without smoke in heart does rage
breath by breath embodied in form
as we remain poised in the storm
Sung to the tune of "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem"
Our infant school nativity,
Directed by Mrs. Page,
Was my first opportunity
To act upon the stage.
I always was an extrovert;
So that appealed to me.
My hopes and dreams of all the years,
An actor I would be.
I wanted to play Joseph,
‘Cos Mary was played by Joyce.
And, of all the little girls in the class,
She was my first choice.
And if I couldn’t be Joseph
And ride along with her.
I’d be a king with golden crown
And frankincense or myrrh
I practised every morning,
And every evening.
Imagining the audience applause
For Joseph or a king.
But when it came to casting,
It didn’t come to pass.
The part that Mrs Page gave to me
Was the back half of the ass.
But one day I’ll be famous,
And then I’ll marry Joyce.
The latest toast of theatreland
And all will know my voice.
I’ll invite all my friends to attend,
As I take centre stage.
They’ll be there in the front row.
But I won’t ask Mrs Page.
body-mind purified
earth vessel magnetised
ego identity recedes
that the will of God
be enacted by spirit
the mirror is shattered
dispelling delusion
whence light of Self
occupies centre stage
entwined with the universe
I am trying to grow old gracefully
Doing my best
Knowing both the pros and cons
Cons, that certainly put me to the test
I try to focus on the positives
Appreciate the gift and beauty of age
Though the ‘con’ l struggle with the most
The aches and pains that take centre stage!
With photography
figurative art did flee
defeated by ego 'selfie'
Impressions took centre stage
'til 20th century abstract
became the rage
This expressive genre
still ruled the roost
until digital facility was introduced
& by AI was traduced
navel chakra appears centre stage
perhaps it has something to say
it is best we let it have its way
lest fire god takes umbrage
meanwhile on our forehead
a quiet potent bliss mist rises
mother divine is full of surprises
we surrender content at being led
spine a harp of thirty three strings
corresponding to the vertebrae
hymns are played as we pray
oh what joy rapture brings
Alright, someone erred
Stole a moment of glory
Occupied centre stage
Through means unethical
To which most took umbrage
This is a time for reflection
Do we hesitate to forgive
Instead condemning the soul
Who momentarily went astray
Is not love and light our goal
Let us mindfully gentle touch
In each and every situation
As we leap forward to embrace
Assisting those who faltered
Leaving of past wounds no trace
Nothing has changed though really
What once was now centre stage
People keep talking about democracy
Seems no one is willing to engage
Still we have a so called burocracy
That is throwing us all into a rage
Why so much hate and animosity
Though issues the elate did wage
Though advances in some technology
Were just seen as numbers on a page
And now in the twenty first centaury
What still calls it self the new age
nodes that awake
celebrate centre stage
others join the chorus
today it’s the tip of the nose
dancing in the moonlight
cheered by an audience of one
If your heart beats faster when the love of your life and you are apart
You know you were meant to be together right from the start
When the river of love flows freely between you every single day
Your partner is the light that brightens up your world and shows you the way
Life is like a puzzle to be worked on for a long and happy life
Romance should always be centre stage, those magic moments so precise
Words should always be chosen carefully and never said in haste
Caring and acts of kindness should never be laid to waste
Love needs to be embraced and never be allowed to fade away
Tell the person how much they mean to you and how your devotion to them is here to stay
When you have decided to spend the rest of your life with that special someone
Facing the world together can certainly be challenging, but be sure to make it a whole lot of fun
My heart is shaped like a love heart
With different compartments inside
The largest compartment being LOVE
Centre stage and always my guide
KINDNESS is another compartment
For of acts of kindness bestowed
Valued and forever remembered
Accrued along my life’s road
HUMOUR has a compartment
I consider it my hearts fuel
Laughter, fun and good times
For entry is the golden rule
MEMORIES sweet and precious
Has a compartment of its own
Abundant with optimal happiness
Mine and mine alone
SADNESS unfortunately is a compartment
Containing disappointment, loss and bereft
Yet in there is also appreciation
For having had the gift of the ones who have left
Down the bottom of my love shaped heart
Is MINDFUL the smallest compartment in there
Containing hurt and wrong doings
An ongoing reminder to be aware
“When the heart desires what it can't possess
There lie's a hunger that’s never fed.”Quote - Poet's own
I hungered for love a long, long time
Love that bestows life beauty and rhyme
To relish feelings of happiness
Rather than horrendous ghastliness.
For joyous is what life’s meant to be
Contentment peace and tranquility
Home is where the heart lives, it is said
Where one can sleep soundly in their bed.
Not so when one’s world is retarded
Making sure every word is guarded
Unable to explore what’s in store
In the world that’s outside one’s front door.
A sad childhood stunts the inner growth
Emotionally, mentally, both
Alike a bird that’s trapped in a cage
Never allowed to have centre stage.
That is how it is and was for me
Till I grew up eventually
Then I met my love and we got wed
So now I don’t have a hunger unfed.
The wedding photograph took centre stage
Eight great years
Two years gone now
She had sort of moved on
Slowly
She gazed at the photograph
So strange, it looked different
It was as if he had taken two steps back from her
She began to study the photograph again
Maybe it was just that photograph
She looked out some others
It didn’t make sense
He was behind or in the distance
Moving out of her life
She began to shake
It didn’t make sense
You can’t change photographs
You just can't
The family photo
He was at the back
Was she going crazy
She grasped at the wedding photograph
Watching as he slowly began to fade from view
Was he punishing her
Trying to tell her to move on
She woke with a jolt
Studying the room
God, that was awful
So awful
She needed coffee, and quick
The caffeine kicked in
She spoke out loud
Okay Tom, I finally take the hint
Glancing at the photograph
So strange she thought
She wasn't in it.
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