My sneaking tears

How heavy fell the rain that day
From burdened clouds of mournful grey.
The torrent forced them stay their height –
Composure swayed by onerous might.

My skin wrung wet with icy chill
As mud embraced that sodden hill; 
But mind of mine had elsewhere gone –
‘Twas clouds abandoned I was on.

The driving drops advanced their gears
To camouflage my sneaking tears –
Whence now did swell such floods of pain
To see me melt into this rain…

On equal bearing now were we: 
This rain, myself, in harmony.

Copyright Mark R Slaughter 2009

Stage Fright

Into unlit recesses stalks doubt

Befriending demons that contort

Shadows and inhabit the empty space

Of elevated madness

Peer through a flat darkness which engulfs

The soul

Silent shrieking sudden echo

Strangling thought and speech

Amid an angled nightmare

Tunnelled

Sensing the rush of reversed air

Painted in hues of panicked sweat

One small creak of board

Housed in stillness

Flickering: one scarlet subdued gaslight

A cough

And rustle of curtain.

By Stephen Holloway

 

Bookworm

At home I’m filling shelves and shelves

With interesting books I find

In OXFAM and the like.

So many, you’d need several shelves

To cram their contents in your mind.

And who will want them when I die?

No one I know I would entrust

With all those volumes gathering dust.

Why do I buy them then, yes, why?

It’s not as though I’m out to vie

With libraries where folk may browse.

Nor would it please me to arouse

The envy of a bibliophile.

Such folly wouldn’t be worthwhile.

Nor is there anyone they might impress.

In fact, the more the space, the less

Would visitors ask why

There are so many of them here.

I don’t know why myself, that’s clear—

Unless, surrounded by the things,

I hope that they might make me clever.

But could that happen? No, not ever.

Ron Gardner

2/8/11

Sorry

Please believe me

You’re all that I need,

You have to forgive me

I’m begging you please,

If I lost you now

My world would end,

You’re my lover, my soul mate

My best friend

I know I slipped

I know I was wrong,

But I couldn’t see

It was you all along,

I need you here

Please don’t go,

We will be ok

We can take it slow,

I know I hurt you

And told you lies,

But do we really

Have to say goodbye?

I’m yours forever

I promise I’ll stay true,

Don’t leave me know

All I want is you,

I’m truly sorry

From the bottom of my heart,

Just promise me now

We wont be apart.

 Abbe Cutforth