see the simpleton,
lying on his belly in the dust…

Night’s River

Where do you come from, where do you go,
When the light fades at evening and night’s river comes in?
Will you swim, will you drown, surrender your crown,
Or die from the loss that comes with each win?

What will you do and what will you say,
When the cold light of morning starts having its way?
Will you laugh, will you cry, raise your fists to the sky,
When the memories of home start fading away?

Where do you come from, where do you go,
When you’re caught in the great River’s undertow?
Will you fight, will you kill, surrender your will;
Will you make your new home way down here below?

I’ve come down from the mountain to a world full of fears,
To the sound of wailing and the crying of tears.
And the Lord of this land took me in hand;
Saying, “Take what you want, I’ll stay all arrears!”

I’ve been out on the green, hoeing my row,
Sowing the seeds and helping them grow.
And with each crop I learn to rotate and burn,
And with each season past, I’ve something to show.

I’ve come across oceans, I’ve come across plains,
I’ve ridden the turbulent winds and rains;
From summit to summit, from bourn to bourn…
With you forever I will remain!

Further to Mr P’s sharing above, at around the age of 20, I found myself in the situation of having to hitchhike from the most southern city in Australia, Melbourne to the Far North Coast of New South Wales, a distance of around just under 2000 km. Having made it through the first leg of the journey to Sydney by late evening of the first day, I spent the night (cannot remember where, some 40 odd years ago now,) but bright and early the next morning, having caught a train to the outskirts of the northern Sydney suburbs I found myself standing on the side of the famed Pacific Highway, bright and bushytailed, with my thumb out and ‘hoping for the best’.

A dark coloured station wagon pulls up and a rather sizeable fellow askes where I’m heading. I tell him, he invites me in, saying “I am travelling to Newcastle, and can take you there”, (about 100 kms up the road). I felt some apprehension as I entered his vehicle but engaged in the small talk that casually ensued. As the journey progressed, he told me that he was an Aussie expat who was now a US citizen and by profession, a Wrestler in the US. He explained that his specialty was tag-team wrestling, and that the gimmick he and his partner used was that they presented themselves as Gay. A mean pair of gay muthas you might say. Near the end of the journey he made a veiled pass in my direction (being more of an androgynous than your obvious alpha male, esp. in those days when long hair was the go), which I refused as gracefully as I could being definitely inclined toward the fairer sex, he nevertheless did not like the rebuff and I noticed an uncomfortable silence, thinking to myself, “What have I gotten myself into here?”

Shortly, he told me that his exit was approaching., but what if, “I was to take you on this detour and murder you? How could you stop me?” He continued in a cool but threatening tone, looking over at me for effect. I shot back, without thinking too much, ” I happen to have spiritual protection, and any such overture in that direction would result in disastrous consequences for you, in spite of what may happen to me.” Something in my tone set him back, and I detected a visible reaction, followed by silence. I can no longer remember where the conversation then went, in thrall of the adrenalin within at that point as I was, while repeating a spiritually charged word inwardly over and over. After an uncomforable silence he tried to lighten the mood, and assumed his former faux friendly tone, saying “Well, I had ypou therer for a minute didn’t I?” before letting me out. Ah, the follies of youth.

The Greater Seer

naked and alone,
a newborn babe fending
for itself

a year and a day;
waves of that which used to be
slowly fade away

unknown to but a few;
“the leader of all priests”
gently nudging us on

in every face,
in every thing, in all of life
is he the divine seed

time and the eagle,
the lion and bear, all bow
in deference to thee

recognising and
accepting the presence within;
the greater seer

20 04 2024

little grasshopper,
running before it can hop –
practice makes perfect

what you want and what
you get; you never know until
you take it home

Just Because the Devil Says Boo!

Down is up and up is down,
When the devil is in town.
Good is bad and bad is good,
When the devil’s in the ‘hood.

I lost my friend down Reno way,
Found my heaven late in the day;
She was the girl he left behind,
The devil he laughed, but I paid no mind.

She was sweet and kind, a bit headstrong at first,
I was rambling and blind and dying of thirst.
She took me in and she let me stay –
The devil locked out for many a day!

But wrong is right and right is wrong,
When the devil tags along.
And loss is win and win is loss,
When the devil is your boss.

She thought she knew what was best for us all
Took the devil in hand, said, ‘Now youre small.’
All Hell broke loose but she just didnt care,
As she showed that Devil a bigger pair!

Now the Devil displaying his ruthless guile
Knew better than to risk a woman’s wile.
Said, “Tell you what, let’s call it a truce!”;
Devil’s white flag turned out to be “deuce”…

Now, mouse is man and man is mouse
When the devil is in your house,
‘Cause small is big and big is small
When the devil’s ten feet tall.

But fibs ain’t truth and truth ain’t fibs
Just because the devil calls dibs,
And true ain’t false and false ain’t true
Just because the Devil says “Boo!”

Love is a Smoke Made with the Fume of Sighs

Lovers concur that love is a smoke,
Made with the fume of sighs.
It twists and it curls and hangs in the air
Until it eventually dies.

Lovers attest that love is a plume
Fed by infernal fires,
Destined to fade and to go the way
Of all unnatural desires.

Lovers agree that love is a fog
That smothers and puts down the will.
Where angels and demons fight to prevail
Over the soul fo the kill.

Lovers contend that love is a mist,
A paradise lost and regained;
A malodorous tale of deceit and betrayal
Whose purpose is never explained.

Love, to lovers, is a will-o-the-wisp,
Fair and faint and oft perfumed;
Yet fire, to which we slowly submit
Until we’re finally consumed!

This reads a little better, apologies…

Wake up, my darling, arise and make haste;
Yesterday’s dreams have been laid to waste!
With anguish afoot and despair on its heel,
Come let us partake of one final meal.

Come rise up my love, give thanks for the day,
Gather your things and we’ll be on our way;
Drink this sweet water; the well ‘tis but empty,
Our journey is long with dangers aplenty.

Down by the shore the boatman awaits,
The water is wide; his skills are first rate;
In some other land we’ll seek our true fate,
The way is prepared so let’s not be late.

How the morning star shines in the sky so clear,
How my heart sings whenever you’re near;
Give thanks where it’s due and say your goodbyes,
Adventure awaits your brightening eyes!

Come wake up, my darling, it’s time to depart,
Yesterday’s dreams have fallen apart.
With anguish upon us and despair to arrive…
If we stay here we will not survive!

earth is for the meek,
heaven is for the bold
and courageous

The Cliffhanger

High up above the valley below,
The cliffhanger hangs on fingers and toes.

The sun on his face, the wind in his hair,
His heart held aloft beyond all despair.

He’s come here to heal, away from the crowd,
To scale the sheer stone and cry out aloud.

Love laughs in the day, rejoices in light,
But grows in a bed of pain by night!

High up above, the valley below,
The cliffhanger hangs on fingers and toes;

The wind in his hair, the sun on his face,
His heart held aloft in the gentlest embrace.