Category: Poetry Corner

Chatty Chatty

I know this girl 
she can chat yuh see
You say A
She say B
You say D
She say Doe
Man!
She can Chat!
But I mus' confess
mi wish
Yes mi wish 
mi could chat oh
Man a would be rich
you see!
I wish I could stand up
and say:
'nuh fresh wid mi
yuh know me.'
I wish I could
tell you really
how I feel
tell you my dreams
reveal my misdeed
stand tall ten toes in
and speak
my truth
without a sense of defeat - 
but man that gal
can chat -
How yuh mean! 
Talk up the tings my girl!

Grave Clothes

Bitter strips of agony
they ripple and ride
stealthily
ravenous
untamed
mapping all your pain
buried deep within the stench of shame
wrecks the sense
making you feel insane
bound tight
too tight
as you seek the light again.
minutus steps are all promised
leaps defeated
eternity unfolds
slowly 
ever slowly
to get out of deathly
grave clothes.

The devil is a Liar

The devil told a lie yesterday
and I quickly had to check him.
In the middle of my despair 
he made his way
whispered quite cunningly
he said,
"you are not a child of God" 
wait, what now!
he really said that!
it didn't hurt
I had the breastplate 
of righteousness
I had to pause look back
make sure I was girded with truth
then rebuke him
I came down hard 
with the shield of faith
I'm God's creation!
A chosen generation!
not an abomination
like you
crafty serpent.
Feet firmly on the Gospel
I reached for the light
flipped him with the sword
of the Spirit
to beat him back then
and he withdrew
when he saw the helmet
of salvation,
defeated in his attempt.
but I know
some day soon - 
maybe tomorrow,
he'd try again.

The Most Important Thing in the World

...a random thought
leaves grooves,
a river bed
flooded with despair -
"what is the most important thing in the world?"
is it money?
that ungrateful bastard
flees as soon as you hold it.
Is it honour,
accolades?
Not even.
one mistake
into the dumpster.
Could it be - 
not that -
could it be being remebered?
for a while perhaps
then the sandstorm comes and covers 
the memories of you.
Then what?
Out of darkness a voice 
thunders:
"It is love so real
it asks nothing in return,
no you will not burn.
It is love so honest
it keeps every promise,
It is love so precious  
each drop must be savoured, 
Yes believe,
Pure life giving love...

Hell

Grey
cold -
deathly cold,
hell,
ghostly figures
strung across time
no smiling face
to tempt the warmth
only dead eyes
silent
gone.
In forbidden dreams I
battling
crisp crystal clear
delight
uncorrupted green
true
life abound.
But
only this 
nothingness
of despair
cold comfort against the rain
against the pain of lost
youthful exuberance.

The Purity of Prayer

"My soul cries with a great groaning
remain with me
least my spirit fails me."

And he wept
for all he should endure
the pain was sure
the tears carried purity
the act carried pain
but still he laid on his face
and gather bravery to himself
and he prayed:

"Not my will!
your will be done!"

In his distress tears dried up
gave way to blood
and he bled a river
so we could be washed cleaned.
His Beloved Son.
But some were weak
and he found them asleep:

"Pray!" 
"Do not stop
be strong in the face of temptation - 
Father your will be done!
Wake up and see,
the hour is at hand."