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Best Poems Written by Bern Paul

Below are the all-time best Bern Paul poems as chosen by PoetrySoup members

Details | Bern Paul Poem

One Child Policy

A lonely forlorn figure stands, shoulders slumped, life's energy sapped. A Face much older than the years, looks up at the arrival board, delayed not coming, lost walks in a daze, a mind crash too! Called to a meeting they all file in, media in a frenzy.

A zillion cameras flash, she hears the words the flight is missing, thinks of the pain when he was born, and the joy as she first held him to her breast. A room full of love, he grew so quick from infant to toddler, and high school student. She watched over him as only a mother can do. It was only a holiday trip, his dream.

Now the lites of the cameras flash, experts talk of this and that, transponders turned off, plane way off course. She holds the feeling with in, stands with hand in air, every one looks at her silent dignified despair. The Prime Minister says, "Yes, Mam!" The room so silent now, a voice only a child could know filled the room every one taken a back. "Please Sir, do you best, remember me today he is only nineteen and all that I have not a passenger or member of the crew, and for all mothers I speak, not passengers or crew but some one loved, just like your mother loves you!"

With that she turned as a zillion camera lights flashed, as she slowly made her way from the room, no answer expected in her heart she knew, never to see the smile squeal of toddler delight all that makes a mothers life.

Aircraft missing, transponders turned off, media circus now in flight, questions to her from left and right, tight lipped she remained, walks slowly on, thinks five or ten years from now, yesterday's headlines forgotten and gone, but in her mind only nineteen and gone...

Details | Bern Paul Poem

Pain

Did you ever feel pain
makes you think you’re insane it’s like a corkscrew turning slowly at first
a machine gun burst rata ta tat straight up the back
Oh they say it’s a disc or some trapped nerve, 
every diagnostic word, 
but to me the pain gets worse.
It wears you down, 
kills your soul
You crawl within your shell saying ing hell, 
swig on a bottle of booze trying to forget, 
but the pain is like a leach 
it sucks away your will
Oh time for a pill
You shout and curse
Thinking of younger days, 
brain was smart switched on, 
Now the machine gun rage, 
this pain is insane. 
Can one ever be the same? 
I truly don’t know.
Here come is the doctor with his question the same. 
How are you today, Luke ? 
I just mutter in pain

Details | Bern Paul Poem

The Drum Major

I am the drum major
my baton twirls I catch with ease
my whistle so shrill 
the band follows my every move
the beat of the big base drum 
and the magic sound of a dozen trombones
then the pipes begin to wail
and all are in awe at the military tattoo
the lonesome piper as we march
every one in the crowed hushed
we march as if on air like we would not dare

The pipes in my ears glow
takes me back to some mist soaked glen
when armys met and pipers played dragon
And the drum major ignored the shot
his whistle shrill pipers loud 
led the the army through the glen
Sword and musket clashed
still the drum major led his band
shouts and curses filled the land blood
and gore filled that day

There were no winners in a war
but the drum major walked on
and now the pipers play amazing grace 
and the drum major William Wilburforce had the crowd on its feet
Through his band they saw the past 
and every one said out loud 
as the drum major blew his whistle
what we fighting for
And his piper played amazing grace
and love filled this place

Details | Bern Paul Poem

Brain Battle

My eyes flutter to open in the early morning light, 
My mind in a haze, thoughts invade, self recriminations pervade,
Question my self worth, as a tear falls mind is talking voices whisper in my brain, 
my feelings well up as a storm broods 
Lying here stark and cold 

Questioning my values and worth,
oh god it hurts, can one go on?
Could I even jump?
As of now, my thoughts at the edge;
no one knows or can help,
The battle invades; 
Close my eyes not daring to move,
stuck in some lethargic mood
Voices call memories of the past flooding past the storm now with its fury of words pound, feeling my silent screams 

What do these words mean, or is it some dastardly plot the mind picks up, lying here stark and cold my minds eye tells the story, but deep with in the counter cry, 
Look, look, we fight back it's just words to throw you off 

Let’s challenge the words within, 
I am worthwhile 
See my life the spiral we can stop, 
take the tablet correct my Imbalance
Open your eyes, push your mind,
my words of worth now defend to and from attacking

Those battle hardened thoughts, 
the chink it's found words of wellness spring forth , 
What’s the point, what's the point the harsh words call back, and you on the backfoot 
Look for courage to defend 

Then standing by your bed of fear,
two timid voices cry with joy,  
Mummy mummy look, here is breakfast in bed,
and now you know the battle has turned as the sweet faces of your children glow, and you can see yourself a woman of worth, 
loved beyond compare; 
How dare those thoughts invade 

We love you mum, come on I will butter your toast and read you a story 
Now your face with its magic smile, 
you ready to face another day, 
Come on mum, a cuddle, 
Look mum crumbs Dad will be mad xxxxx

Now ain't that just grand, 
Two little kids will help you stand; 
worth while loved husband at your side, 
the voice can never win, you have love on your side , 
Just find the bridge as you have the way, 
Love will get you to the other side

Details | Bern Paul Poem

Old Folk Now

It was that good night hour 
between sleep and wake, 
as you slumber thoughts like a river flow, 
cascade as water falls, your thoughts in sleep 

We dream of the past, 
scenes from when a kid life was so easy then, 
innocence all around life, 
Like looking at calfs and kittens, 
lambs that frolic in the spring

Now we toss and turn,
those days long gone,
teenage years the music, the scene,
study at college that dream 

We then fell into adulthood, traveled, worked 
got the house the car the dream, 
but now we toss and turn the dream 
shows those days long gone 
We have hit the old age scene full of technology 
that makes us scream

Turn off the learning tap,
say we are too old to learn all that. 
We have learnt enough give us a book, 
and as we look back from our younger years 
we see, in the dream we see are grandparents 
which we have become 

I don’t want to learn all the new things, 
what has the world become,

Fact is it’s just the same,
we the ones who ain’t moved on,
We plateau and the young ones like us 
before carry the new technology to the fore, 
I think to dream for another hour more

Details | Bern Paul Poem

Winter

My the words are so slow in my mind, 
it’s the age when winter sets in, 
the body not as vigorous as it used to be 
But my words flow as if a stream
We can see the past and memories of those we left behind
Yet the words well up give hope to those afraid
And laughter to those who are sad
The words like a nightly news reader 
They change but invariably the news is always the same, 
some scandal, road trauma or the like, little changes, it just rolls on
We learn nothing from the past or history’s page
Life rolls on and we search for the reasons why we are here, nothing to fear
We never worried before we were here
And now my words have your ear
Let them be sweet, the searcher he searched
And now.. we are all here, nothing to fear

Details | Bern Paul Poem

Margret

Day light comes and I wake from sleep, stare down, look at my white feet out of the corner of my eye he sleeps so sweet, shared our dreams but now my mind fades, confusion sometimes reigns seem to misplace words and the past. 

Now my clarity so real, my husband sleeps so deep looking at his furrowed brow, recalled the doctor said this and that but can not remember what it means, was young once so long ago my husband told me so, he wakes jumps up says you alright, looks deep into my eyes, my mind confused struggle to find his name.

OMG there are children too, hold his hand so so tight. Will you love me and hold me so tight, even though not scared my mind fades and it's not right. Will you will you confused again. Hold me. Margret

Details | Bern Paul Poem

Mum

Tip toes through the night, and mum.. you just turned out the light. 
My mind went into a spin, the memories of the past, 
you, me and the family 
and the love you gave
And then the years past like in a blink 
from infant to toddler and the teenage years
you always around with the words of advice
You the parent who loved us all tip toes through the years 
The one whom calmed are fears, 
and then with age we became
as you were once
now we are all grown
and age called the tune
we all stand and say you made life grand
Now you are looking down
some will scoff but I feel it some how you are looking down
saying calm down enjoy your trip, husband at your side
it makes me happy to see you smile, no tears for me
think of the times when love and laughter filled our lives
enjoy all of you what you do
Tip toes through the night
I see the bright lights
it’s my time to go but you are loved
remember when you were a kid and think of me the same tip toes through the night 
love you all but must follow the bright light. Good night - Mum

Details | Bern Paul Poem

Mum

Well, it’s that commercial day the community celebration of Mother’s Day

But for me, the thoughts of the presents and all the trappings of show, 
it does nothing

My preference is to thought
Mum, I remember you as a young looking chic and cool
no lines of age, no glasses with which to read
You teaching me as a child,
even pushing me on a swing

The country walks,
me looking at this and that even the ants and bees. 
You taking time to explain, 
even when I was playing games with the cuts and scrapes of childhood games

You would pick me up the smell of your perfume, 
the whispered words to comfort, 
the hug of pure love

Your laughter when you looked at Dad,
and without him you so sad

And as the years pass, 
you no longer by my side
To reassure and say I am loved
without our cards and presents and fan fare

Wish you were here
so we could hear your laughter and voice of the cool advice

As once more
we would hold you so dear and live with the smell of your perfume

Mum, you and dad made my life so grand
and today, me feeling so alone 
And this is all one can say..
Miss you, mum 
Think of you every day

Bern

Details | Bern Paul Poem

A Dream

If I could walk under the sea think of the things we could see
Strange creatures with eyes that stare great canyons, mountains too, forgotten cities, ship wrecks, all sorts of things
Then if I were to surface, find my legs and walk on water 
What a site, coast line of a thousand towns and the air that we breathe
Then I stretch my arms so wide and like a bird to fly so high in the sky, 
into clouds, looking down seeing every thing with out sound, what would it be Then to wake from a beautiful dream and remember all that was seen