Poetry

I am an occupier
 Of space. Of volume. 
A being -
a physical object.
 I'matter,
tangible/intangible, 
evolved for seeing.

 I freely choose to make
 my presence known.
Through purpose
by design. 
 Make it felt. 
Make it count. 
And make it shown.

 Refusing to be constrained
 by expectations 
I can't control.
I stand my ground 
- steadfast, immutable.
Not a coward, from distance, 
behind computer screen, 
or grassy knoll. 

 Defying others' perceptions
 packed and coiled like DNA, 
soon to unfold.
 Denatured by those old stories -
rancid and rotting, 
they were told.

About me, they regale themselves 
Vivid tales - from their lips 
Bleed 
their powerful, twisted narratives. 
Their Truth of Lies, 
that was decreed.

The wind, 
throwing deadly missiles.
Words 
like shooting hail in a storm, 
Designed to damage and destroy
My coat of armour - 
Impervious; 
The resistance uniform.

I will not stand down, defer, 
nor condone
these no longer questioned 
known facts 
they have shown 
their true nature, at face value
Believe them, 
their words and their acts.

 I'm coloured by the crayons
Outside the lines,
I remain the occupier 
of my space, 
my being, and my time
Rising against those, 
who want me defined.

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

I put my ears to the winds, 
my eyes to the screens
Unsurprisingly, nothing to be heard
And nothing to be seen.

But a resounding silence; 
A dried up stream
Empty, shallow, bereft -
The growing split of humanity's seam. 

Their kith and their kin
forever hear their silent screams.
Erased from life, extinguished
their stolen dreams.

Photo by Kristina Flour on Unsplash

An army, of untold numbers
barracks at the base.
Moving upward and onward,
deftly marching up the mountain.
Rushing, Rushing. Steady Pace.

Ready to be liberated, unleashed.
Traveling through that infinite space
at the urging of the Head Master
Charging, rushing to the ever after, 
a phenomenal cosmic race.

What's out there, still unknown
But always onward, onward, faster, faster - In first place.
The soldiers, uniforms alabaster, 
reach the top of that mountain, 
their explosive coup de grace.

One by one, they take that perverse Leap of Faith
Arcing through the ether - shooting out from hiding place.
Their favourite distance to traverse 
between dark and light - hope they make it safe.
And keep the battle raging for the human race. 

Photo by Saksham Gangwar on Unsplash

It's the day post 
all the New Year's Eve 
Celebrations.
The champagne haze has 
lifted, 
a fresh Gregorian start 
kindly gifted.

We rise, we plot, 
we plan, and we decide
with all of our brains' 
machinations;
all the places
we will go
all the the things 
we will do.

The New Year
The New Me
The New You.

Just like the last year.
And the year before.
We resolve to change,
to be better, to alter, 
to improve,
some real or perceived 
flaw.
Knowing that the year 
just completed,
was the last straw.

But this year is 
different.
This we say is true.
But this year is 
different.
This year 
we've thought it through.

And two days in, 
we'll still be on track.
Experiences and tasks 
accomplished.
Because we had
the fresh drive, 
the push, 
the internal charge
to force procrastination 
back.

For at least a few days 
it'll be easy,
but we know where 
the true challenge lies.
It's in keeping 
the momentum going,
for days, weeks, months
 - when patience dies.

When the motivations
 start slowing,
when there's new things 
for fun. 
Like when Netflix 
releases more series 
We know, that's it, 
we're done. 

Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

Sun dissolves darkness
Bare full moon remains exposed
Covers have fallen

[For optimal experience, press play on the above song and sing along with the lyrics below]

I feel it in my fingers
I feel it in my toes
The DOMS is all inside me
And so the hurting grows

It’s seen by my wincing
I gotta move so slow
So if you wanna lift with me
Come on and spot me, bro

You know I feel it, I always will
My body’s jacked up by the way that I feel
There’s no relieving it, I feel so spent
‘Cause against this DOMS, I can’t defend

I feel your ache inside me
As I lay on my bed
I cannot even get up
Cause both my legs are dead

You gave your damage to me as I gave my lifts to you
I now need someone to help me, so I can sit to poo

You know I feel it, I always will
My body’s jacked up by the way that I feel
There’s no relieving it, I feel so spent
‘Cause against this DOMS, I can’t defend

It’s seen by my wincing
I gotta move so slow
So if you wanna lift with me
Come on and spot me, bro

Come on and spot me, bro

Come on and spot me, bro

Come on and spot me, bro

Come on and spot me, bro

Come on and spot me, bro

*mad credit and inspiration to the late Reg Presely of the Troggs, without whom my ode to DOMS wouldn’t exist. Same to the weights that birthed my DOMS.