Many paths lead away from home, but only one leads back.
As the years sit salted upon the rack.
You find the path home has narrowed.
Turned from gates of dependence to mirrors opaque and black.
You arrive with exhaustion on your boots.
A feast of favorites on a favorite plate.
Go upstairs to your yellow crib.
To ignite those unreachable dreams again.
Things have become slightly slanted.
The faces so unfriendly.
Some are missing altogether.
Replaced by fresh ones, but you don't know their names.
Home is a place where you go back to lick your wounds.
Stay in tune with yesterday.
Until the nest completely blows away.
Nobody knows your name; you're a graying orphan.
A gasoline-splashed stray.
A stranger lives in your nest now.
The whole world plays the jester.
Holding a piece of your ancient flint.
I know you so well now
that I can instantly
capture your moods.
Watching
as the tide ebbs -
you regretfully reveal
hidden treasures.
Children with small nets
probe into
your very soul,
and seabirds
plunder your bounties.
If I listen carefully
I can hear you cry.
Oh but the tide incoming
is a different matter.
Water gently
chuckles through
parched crevices,
small creatures return
where they belong.
Behold, seaweeds dance
in joy, and
once again
rejuvenated
you count your losses,
lick your wounds.
Written: circa 1994
———
Gull Point is in the East Coast Bays of
Auckland, New Zealand. An old haunt.
I am the salt of the dearth
tease your taste buds and
drape sweat for discomfort
You need not know how
I came to be in the ocean
not have to walk on water
but why wait for the Ark
instead start walking today
be a mariner in the desert
zest and spice lie in the path
Shed one more weeping tear
express anger fear and thirst
inhale perspire gather yourself
lick your wounds and salve them
for Aloe grows well in the desert
The passage of time and effort
corrects soil and bears flowers
once you accept dehydration
shape exhaustion into crystals
build memories and momentum
reach the source of your spring
float when rock bottom ceases
The river bed expects no less
than your impermanent stride
the shore line patiently points
to an anchor life buoy and chart
scratched into your inner compass
If life gives you plentiful salt
do not sugar coat your palate
savour the tasty flavour instead
take what is on offer just now
and fend off the gloomy despair
22nd February
You are alone in the bar, I am adrift.
You are isolated by sadness
(fair game).
I need to tell you I am not him.
I could be a better him,
but only for a while.
I want to put myself
between you and him,
as a dog will.
Vulnerability has made you desirable.
This predation is a mutual dance.
We both know you will do anything
if I listen to your story,
lick your wounds with my words
wag my tail,
just for you.
Running from yourself
Fast furiously and completely
Running farther than you ever did before
Resolving to change yourself into a better person
Deciding to show love to your fellow man
All seven days of the week not only your Sabbath
Running back quickly to lick your wounds
When people did not give you anything but doubt
Word of advice. You are with the wrong people.
Fathers Day 2006
By: Tom Wright
6/19/2006
Why would I want to see you play?
You broke what!
We don’t have money to spend on Doctors,
You hear me boy!
School is to learn,
Not to play football
Do your homework and get to bed,
Tomorrow is another day
You hear me boy!
Another game is over
So Lick your wounds and go home.
Don’t go where teens congregate
It would cost something,
And money doesn’t grow on trees.
You hear me boy!
God made me a success
Not because of, but In spite of, your example,
I’ve only a mixed up head to show.
Love and recognition was all I ever needed
Even now your memory haunts me.
You hear me dad!
once was twenty of age and not a dime in my pocket
exile in a silence of foreign i was called an alien
want to see UFO I show you my basket
naive you call it but make no mistake
the ride a roller coaster if your'e lucky
hands in pocket you strut a brain
on your own that is freedom of a pussy
feather flying you lick your wounds
under the radar you make a go to see
your towers collapse front of your eyes
a deck of card the child scream no more school
now I do not owe a dime all paid in full
fool me once not astute i open my arms
for an embrace of dog not schedule
on the tarmac the planes depart
tomorrow another day
Like frostbitten limbs lay bare to the ice cold breeze of a winter’s day
- Cold and without feeling are your words.
As the burnt orange autumn leaves that lay half decayed upon the ground
- So too your words fall flat.
With neither substance nor imagery; these words that my naked eye follow across
the page.
.....Now lick your wounds and learn from this.
I have been told by some that this poem is very angry and a slap in the face. Please understand that is the point. It is meant to be from another persons point of view. Words that are indeed harsh but still saying, life throws harshness at us, but you must carry on. Keep that in mind when reading this poem, thank you all for reading my work.
------------------
Like frostbitten limbs lay bare to the ice cold breeze of a winter’s day
- Cold and without feeling are your words.
As the burnt orange autumn leaves that lay half decayed upon the ground
- So too your words fall flat.
Without neither substance nor imagery; these words that my naked eye follow across
the page.
.....Now lick your wounds and learn from this.
Let me lick your wounds
To convey my gratitude
Your generous act,
An inimitable gift
To rescue me and my pups
grateful for rescuing me
your love for my family
thank you for your bravery
let me lick your wounds
If my tears can fill a bucket...
Then my smile shall fill the sky...
If my hurt never came...
Then my love would never hide...
Without a fall or a trip, my heart
would have no aim...
If my scars healed to fast, then
there's nothing left to gain...
Walk with shoes that feel the ground...
And true love will call and always be found...
Lick your wounds and heal away...
And your heart will tick to a better day...
You figure you know the purpose of your existence,
why, I tell you, what you think is only in your mind
and what you see as parts of that whole square
are nothing but edges and corners of illusions.
Edges and corners, where truth is unreal,
edges and corners, everything is a lie.
Ha ha! it just seems so funny, silly and ridiculous
to think you could lick your wounds just with faith,
not knowing that belief would really lead nowhere
but to the edges and corners of this senseless life!
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