I stood at the back of the funeral room.
Very still.
Black dress. Black coat.
It’s cold.
The Great Death – poem
Strange Words – A Book of Poetry
I am happy to let you know that I have now published a small book of poetry. It will expand over the next few years.
No lazy mind
comes to poetry.
For poetry goes
where we are
reluctant to travel.
Travel we must.
One Day the World Stopped – poem
One day the world stopped
because of the thing.
We knew it was there
and knew it was dangerous
because, you know,
it left bodies in the dirt.
We all stayed in –
couldn’t touch,
shouldn’t meet,
mustn’t dance.
God forbid
we kiss.
Eventually, the thing got tired.
Besides, it knew it wasn’t welcome,
even though, the grass grew better,
and the birds worried less,
and the air breathed deeper
as the humans breathed less.
We all stayed in –
couldn’t touch,
shouldn’t meet,
mustn’t dance.
God forbid
we kiss.
I hope we remember
what we once did;
blocking airways,
blocking enemies,
blocking friends.
Let things mend.
One day, the world stopped.
Another day, it started again
and acted like it had never stopped.
It does things like that.
I do hope we remember
that life is not long
and love is not free,
unless it is.
Fall in Love with a Flower – poem
Of all that is written, poetry requires the most from its reader. No lazy mind is drawn to poetry.
Fall in love,
fall in love.
How easy it is
to fall in love with a flower.
Take it,
take it.
Fragile thing.
Absolute power.
I think God made a mistake
in making flowers
so easy to take.
So very, very easy to take.
Not With Wings – Hafiz
Poem by Hafiz.
Read by Donna Goddard.
At Warrandyte River, Warrandyte, Victoria, Australia.
Translation by Daniel Ladinsky.
