-
on time
what is going on?eight days a week would be fabmore hours in a day helpfulwhy do we only get those sixty minutes, seconds?time moves too fast at timesthen again too slowor is it usletting the grains of sand slip through our fingers?later, soon, before too longin a minute, just a momentdon’t you get it?this is →
-
on Rain
dampen the spiritwash away the angry tearsdilute the spilt blood~n.b. Rain is our immediate concern. It draws our attention to what to wear today, how to travel, a review of plans, whereas it never rains rain in Gaza, and of course, summer is warm, mostly dry in Ukraine. Their rain comes from munitions factories around →
-
on Ukraine
It was a week after the Bataclan battleYoung people from Paris in EvreuxEscaping the shock waves of griefTalking of the end of the worldRealising the conversation was about the end of humanityIdentifying that nature will persistKeeping faith that this Blue Planet will keep spinningUnderstanding that it is us who will passLeaving our stainIn fossilised citiesRailway →
-
on Ukraine
in the alcove of an abandoned shoplaid out in dishevelled dreamson top of improvised beddingdesperate for sleepclutched by each otherdesperate for sleeptattered, battered, torndesperate for sleepas the upright peopleturn out from the last trainfrom theatres, barsthe queues for clubsanother police siren cuts into the drunken chatteringdesperate for sleepa gaggle of othersliving closeto the lip of →
-
on Ukraine
“…too many people.”is there a number that’s acceptable?what are the limits forcollateral damage?not just thembut your people too?have the sirens deafened you to the cries of the mourning mothers?how high must the river of tears risebefore the dam breaksand you are swept away by the flood?~n.b. The USA President is cross that his friend in →
-
on peace (iv)
as the big man blusters along Main StreetBoot Hill is filling with famished bodiespeople get caught in mass casualty eventswhile scavenging for scrapsin the middle of a shoot outpeople herded off the landwhere settlerswith military backupstake claims on turfdescribed in ancient texts as promisedthe law of this landleans to ancient scribblersthrough written judgementoral history, nomadic →
-
on peace (iii)
after laying down the lawthe big guy left the saloonand as soon as he’d gonethe brawl reignitedDon’t make me come back in there!his voice boomed through the swing doorsa final sly digWhat could I do? I was in mid-swing!the little guy protested(yes, that little guythe one bulked up by steroids, protein drinks and armed to →
-
on peace (ii)
staggering away from the scenethe old clown mutterssplutters out his story to sympathetic matesThe Last Chance Saloonreturned to its usual statechaos, criminalityso many heads turning a blind eyethat the regulars miss the warningI’ll be back…but I’m bringing my mates~ CLP 24/06/2025 →
-
on peace (i)
the room falls silentafter the big guy smashes theold clown in the moutha few customersnear the exit exiteveryone else looks to their drinksthe big guy turns roundseeking validationhe says, “I warned him”“Aye, ye did.” says the bar room lawyerA few concur with a nodonethen anotherpick up the loose threadsof their abruptly interrupted conversationssoon all are →
Journey of Words 