Frustration is a dark cloud
with a silver lining.
Ask it its purpose and it will tell you
about yourself.
My Name is
Gwared. Gareth.
Gentle on the listening ear.
Caredig. Cariad.
I’ve slowly come to love it.
Affectionate. Friendship.
Gaz – the name that seals it.
Gary. Mate.
Two words that will break it.
Elusive
I seek what I cannot find,
speak what I cannot say, listen
for words with no meaning,
knock on doors to find an answer
not given.
Decay
Blood-stained,
yellow with age,
arms becoming bare
as hands lose their grip
on labour’s reward,
.
falling to the ground,
rosy and ripe,
as planets, out of orbit,
slowly decaying
beneath a solar system
frozen
in a winter of discontent.
Helpless Independence
Buried beneath the Self
is the unclaimed shadow
of helpless independence
that could reveal to us
who we truly are.
Buckle Up
Justified
with a sigh.
Sanctification
better buckle up.
Repentance
is no easy ride.
Autumn Leaves
Leaves lie sullen
on the wet ground
with colours unmuted
for their autumn passing,
creating a perfect patchwork,
ablaze with their demise,
breathing one last breath
before returning to a former life.
Write(r)
I can write
but am I a writer?
If I’m a writer,
can I write?
Each time, the blank page
asks the same question
and each time I’m afraid
of the answer.
Spilt Milk
I cried over spilt milk today.
It was nothing, yet it was everything.
.
The tears came as a flood,
bursting through my heart’s dam,
each drop diluted in the semi-skimmed substance
whose white innocence became my own.
.
This accidental act was my undoing
yet also my making, as the fallen regret commingled
to create a mixture of guilt and release;
an answered prayer; a mistake
containing a moment of grace.
.
I cried over spilt milk today.
It was nothing, yet it was everything.
Local Lockdowns
The imposition of local lockdowns
finds us at a crossroads.
Patience is tested at the red light.
Anger wants to slam on the accelerator
but perseverance persuades him to wait.
Meanwhile, compliance follows the diversion signs
along country lanes full of potholes. Still
at least the scenic route
is a welcome distraction
from the additional miles driven
to avoid a collision
and keep the ambulance static
at the side of the road.
