Friday, 12 May 2023

Catch

In the wind where you hid yourself
Were you ever scared for those
Who could not bear naked truth?

I turn;
By crescent's end it melts
The flutter of a light dress.

Elsewhere:
Justice and wisdom play
In the sand.

While you left,
Thumps of elephant legs
And lips of lead carried my gaze

But it was not met. Through doors
Of consciousness you fled.
I reached out but couldn't reach you.

Your net fell deep in air
Into bubbles of despair,
Tugging at me.

My greatest mistake,
Was to mistake you
For someone I had made.

For in the image of man
I longed for,
And sought to destroy:

You. Where there was life,
I saw towering doom
Built of dour, soggy stone.

While you hung inside,
I could not see past
All that was lost in me for good.

Meanwhile, under cover of fog,
Past promises became fulfilled
Like the proverbial mustard seed.

And so I grow.
(And so do they, under
March of time.)

Only time will tell
What into, only:
Let me not forget your face forever

Wednesday, 19 April 2023

Synchronicity

The clock moves forward
Strikes of code
Cyphers tales of
Old foretold

The carpets young their
Fringes meet
Who can tell which
Binds will keep

The scarab at the
Window taps
Chance of many
Ordained acts

Maybe it's too neat
Self conceit
To seek patterns
In noise-sea

The roaring lion
Is different
At his time I
Wait for him

Monday, 21 November 2022

Betray and Rescue

By his friends you will know him

Buy his friends you will own him

Bye his friends you disown him


While his friends in the right town

Why his friends? He writes down

Vile his friends? In wild tones,

Why he's friends he right frowns


By his true friends you will know him

Who don't get going

When the going gets tough

And the tough get going

When the tough almost get the job done

And almost get Job done


Friday, 28 October 2022

A Tale of Two Writers

My grandfather wrote about the world
I write grants with "EU goals" in mind
I could travel 'round the world
He could travel in his mind

Thursday, 25 August 2022

Mysteries

 By Attila József. Original. Song. Words in parentheses should be said/sung quickly, and in the case of "Of" a fraction of a beat before the beginning (sort of; or at least it seems to me that way).

Mysteries when they sing, make me
Stand to guard like tales of old
Dressed me love, in clothes heavy 
(Of) faithful chains, from neck to toe.

Calls the wind and calls the stream
Blushing when you understand
Calls the eye and calls the heart
Reaching out for your dear hand.

So I write my song with care:
If I should love (you) eternally
Please unburden what I bear
This difficult loyalty.

Wednesday, 20 July 2022

Prayer After War

 I haven't done translations in a while, so special moment.

Also, I'm quite satisfied with the end result.

Original. Recited. Put to Song.


Lord, I'm coming home from war
Everything's over, over
Appease me to you and to myself
For you are Peace, my maker

Look: my heart's a fiery cancer
With nothing to give me rest
Place a kiss on my pulsing heart
To comfort my aching chest

I close my large and weary eyes
Nothing for them to see
I seal them off from world's doings
To see only Your glory

My two sprinting legs some time ago
Were up to my knees in blood
Now look at me Lord, my legs are gone
And my knees are all I've got

Lord, please give me one long look
My arms are but two sticks
My lips are dry they keep from wine
I neither fight nor kiss

Lord, do see me as I am,
Everything's over, over
Appease me to you and to myself
For you are Peace, my maker

Friday, 2 July 2021

Haiku of Life

On my pilgrimage

Not all that's hot need lose hue

Come, light of the world!