Of course, it’s all unbearable.
Life was always meant to be only bearable in parts,
fragmentally joyful, disjointedly awful.
A hot and cold cup of blood for the human soul.
Life! What do we know of it,
how on earth do we cope?
We simply must trust
the beauty of the unbearable.
If you hate a Mahler symphony, or rap music,
then learn to be infinitely patient, be stoic.
If you like happy music, tune it out, get sad
listening to all things sad,
in time,
it will not feel so bad.
Life is short, so drag it out.
The unbearable length
of those long periods
between heaven and hell will serve you well.
Of course,
no one gets through it unscathed,
but if you know
how to bear the unbearable,
forebear and embrace,
then you may just avoid
becoming a cynical poet.
VITALITY
encapsulates
celebrates
innovation
hurtling
pell-mell
straight towards
an encounter
with
the viewer
veering
en route
in
movement
one to another
between
wrong turns
a restlessness
some haste
is
detected
& is
understandable
part
of this
zest
underwhelming
feels peculiarly
unfamiliar
in
an encounter
so brief
an
excursion
disjointedly
underplayed
Lightning strikes colossal oak, bronze armor split like firewood by God’s electric axe, soft pithy interior exposed in winter air.
Walking through the meadow, knee high grass quivering under the wind’s judgmental eye; grouse fly disjointedly into the coral sunset as I wade through the verdant ocean.
A warm clap on the back as you walk through the door into the familiar living room, dust dancing in the golden sunlight pouring through a bay window.
The gait of a man recently in love, thinking of soft hands suddenly adored, folding fresh linen as static electricity crackles in the dry, lavender air.
Her slow walk down velvet stairs, patiently descended with lithe, slow steps draped in mystery and blood-red silk.
It’s the feeling of walking into an underground gambling den, uninvited and alone.
Tidal Waves
Brackish debris filled surf retreats
depositing into hard sand graves
pictures stolen from post cards
Shards of a city strewn disjointedly
still ticking clocks idled in the moment
streets awash in decorative disarray
liquid mud roiling through the streets
ravenous pain stalking its victims
cold shock of sunshine’s failure
hands clutching grabbing
carried on the crust of fear
waving in silent farewell
luxury and comfort crushed
wild furor of seismic waves
expending tectonic energy
John G. Lawless
5/12/2015
submitted to - Show but Don’t Tell – Poetry Contest
sponsor – Thomas Martin
a solider and a sailor
sing a lonesome song just for your entertainment
but in it you are betrayed by visions of heaven
shine with the late night ribald drinkers
after all after a few bottles even mortality seems lively
disjointedly you pick your way
through all these salvation's
never quite believing that you could exceed
your worth and standing
after all you can buy a new life for dirt cheap
long as your willing to give up your lifestyle
long as your willing to be disarmed
of all those quick witted answers you think fit so well
and give up all her peek-a-boo paradise's
the solider and sailor buy a round
and toasting the queen they bury the hatchet
no expectations can lead you on to the
brink of such strange bedfellows but you'll try
you can only hope not to be a victim of such defeatism
when all the ribald drinkers have left the saloon
walking in the thin light of dawn
you will remember all these beautiful things
and dream better dreams
build better sunrises from the gloom of days ending
Had those eyes never locked…
A fragmentary man I…
A love of my life lost…
Soul Mate…
Inimitable…
Without that stanch passion…
Apathetic existence…
Lives drifting disjointedly away
Corridors leading into the present
Our waters perpetually abound
Farther reaches than the shoreline
Love ardently remitted is my peace
Carrying to me sweet scented melodies
Of shadowed moments icily fading
Had I never melted of your gaze
So secluded within only our time
An incomplete soul drifting forlorn
Accursed on the winds impulses
A love of my life lost…
Soul Mate…
Irreplaceable…
Never forgotten…
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