‘I wear the chain forged in life.’ – Charles Dickens from A Christmas Carol.
Enduring the daily drudgery ahead –
providing no comfort, only burden.
Resisting the luxury of memories
as regrets only serve a selfish purpose –
clamouring like Marley’s chains.
The dulcet tones of unchained laughter
free of guile and regrets.
I welcome the many fond memories –
comforting medals of honour.
I embrace the promise of the family gathering ahead.
Black clouds writhe, winter dancing Waka Waka
tumultuous River flows where rainbow trout jump
far in distance she waved with our babe
now both are gone with orange Spring daisies
my legs become logs in this turmoil of liquid
Remembrance ~
Remembrance ~
let legs do the walking across the dried up River
where orange Spring daisies bloom nevertheless
women with babes walk slowly along its banks searching for buried Love letters
primitive trout have laid down their backbones
Waka Waka is unnecessary ~ the war is no more
Wars continue across the planet unabated
human spines under bushes or frying eggs
Love still rules the roost at varying depths
babes are both fat and starving
daisies but for one day orange and white
Rivers run torrents of tears at Spring
he watches rugby team doing a Waka Waka
Remembrance ~
woven into nervous networks with dances
____________________________________
What does it mean to live a finite, fragile life in an infinite, indifferent universe? ~ Prof. Brian Cox.
As the Moon rises in the east
barely showing its face above the horizon
the Penumbral Eclipse takes form
heralding the full weight of the time
a new Shadow was about to be cast over me.
Dark has cloaked my deeds up until now.
The Blood Moon enchants with its splendour
and ultimately the reflected light from the Sun
is embraced by illuminated corners of my heart—
subdued, as it reflects tentative forgiveness
rewarding me for changing my ways.
I’m set in my ways.
I yearn for unconditional forgiveness
of the ingrained dark corners of my heart—
reflecting my own perception of me.
A Blood Moon stirs fear in the heart
as my darkly disturbing thoughts reveal secrets.
Old shadows are difficult to cast off—
taunted by the recall of lighthearted times.
When the Penumbral Eclipse faded
remorse latched onto the dark side
of the moon on its arc to set in the west.
my ostrich shell painted with
springbok and entangled daisies
blowing in icy wind
I drink yolk and albuminous
whisperings along rushing waves
we are soft dreams where
a fishing boat stood
buildings now deserted
¥
storehouse freshly painted in ochre
fishing nets drawn alleluia
dreams float with the sardines
drinking coke we celebrate catch
wind skips along Hout Bay shore
daisies clap wild petals yellow
shells smashed we eat boiled yolk
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
contemporary Persian ancient
blending intro-imagery with peach
vulnerability
identity a Khoisan outpouring on fields of Skukuza healings
whilst township dancers make their rites
to bite presence on platform sites
so will Gen Z’s make their
vibrant scratches on our rock walls
for Galactics to visit tall
courage was torn with rosemary bushes like
biltong shreds
¥
he pierced her teenage framework newly
smoothed with rosemary
galaxies watched in horror
scratched her legs with longing paws
Gen Z’s roared their rage across
the continent
she bit her presence into his poverty
townships waited in mourning
her virginity ripped
identity equals Acturian
vulnerability is paintbrush memories
seven shadowy children
are to arrive crystal
not through her uterus
I word the blood that freed our land
breathing opens minds which are
partly insane
popping midnight blue on cue
splattering palms moist
hoisting what is true
onto blank page as unhealed rage
this theatre an expanded oyster
Pearl becoming translucent
¥¥
glows pink silver the waiting Pearl to hurl
theatre seats are empty cold
rage evaporating with poverty
Truth speculatively mature
palms wrinkled warmly
cool blue a crying sky afar surfing
insanity protected his Heart
my blood runs a River of Stories
~~~~~~~~~
farms await bony hands of want
land thirsty for full bodied Love
what strength is needed to grow the maize
whilst shadows roam streets in haze
leaves like notes blow across ferocious Falls
how long can darkness juggle its balls
¥
balls of the clown are tired of work
calm Falls continue their crystal splash cries
shadows between trees rustle like hungry
beggars
maize aromas ripe fill air for inhalation
yellow Earth bursts fiery gore
hands of farmworkers touch Lushness of Lore
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
eyes dazed by magenta blaze
skin torn by piercing thorn
blood drop tickles zinc hole in morn
she knows her season is done
a petaling head will droop under afternoon’s Sun
abundance is a prime piano note
•¥¥•
frugal the piano notes sound
her head erect at midday
her season embraces her
with blood bleeding through as blush
her skin translucent calls
magenta gaze closes lids
Placed First in Standard Contest
Specular Fugue
Sponsor : Suzette Richards
_____________
watching passivity in activity
sad, sombrely sad
memories from womb rise and fall
little miracles of remembrance
holding the hands of Fate we wait
Wheels of Fortune revolves, race stagnates
we do not cry, hankerchiefs dry
timeless we watch, clock ticking
clock glancing, mindful of time
unseen cry, tissues wet lie around
loss centres, race proceeds
there is no Fate, only Self-determination
every forgetting is a miracle
uterine amnesia ~ stumbling and ascending
sombre joy replicates in silence
active we look away, passive and still
Salmon pink horizon beguiles as I towel dry
Upon a muted canvas morphs hues at sunset.
The lake decants of its waders and pontoons.
Mirrored waters tranquil—a soothing elixir.
Tidy up and make camp for the night.
The campsite invited blissful slumber.
Natural waters reflected frond umbrellas.
An artificial lake at once sequestered.
Fuchsia shades spackled across dusky skies.
All had surfaced—I dove into a lost horizon.
Collated papers filed and the bills paid
as the kettle whistled invitingly.
My son’s laughter drifting in through the window—
I have forgotten to close the billowing drapes.
A sempiteral tableau.
An ephemeral scene crowds in:
The loud curtains tucking at my memory;
my son’s voice trapped in distress.
The kettle whimpered as it boiled dry—
old papers flutter in my periphery …
I love you
Like sunshine adoring
Sprinkling whispers
Into heartbeats, breathing
Joy and hope and peace
Awakening dreams, intimacy
Beneath skies, azure
Breathtaking love, tenderness
Kissing away sorrows
Promising love always
~ read backward ~
Always love promising
Sorrows away, kissing
Tenderness, love breathtaking
Azure skies beneath
Intimacy, dreams awakening
Peace and hope and joy
Breathing heartbeats into
Whispers sprinkling
Adoring sunshine like
You love I
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