Tag: Poetry -

Poem – Nettle-Eater

from ‘The Life of Milarepa‘ by Thaye Dorje

In my youth I committed black deeds.
In maturity I practised innocence.
To say more than this would only cause weeping and laughter.
What good would it do to tell you?
I am an old man.
Leave me in peace.

Poem – Last Chance Saloon

There’s time for a drink in the last chance saloon
Oh dear brethren they will come for me soon
Will it be this time the room with the bars
Where I will try to patch up my scars
Or maybe the Asylum beckons again
There I can nurture my agony, this pain

What will it be? Where will it end?
My life is important they say I can mend
I need some peace, some love some grace
In the glass, my eyes, this scarred face
I have a soul it cries me to sleep
The answer is atop a mountain steep

Those I have loved who have gone away
My mind let them go, my heart was screaming stay
You must start seeing the light burning red
The alarm bells are ringing – all support has fled
Why do I say yes when my meaning is no
Christ God Almighty it’s all plain as the white driven snow

So you there you have it, my plight is great
My mind, my emotions is an addled state
Don’t ever judge a book by its cover
A friend, a mate, a foe, a lover.
A place of punishment is where I try to rest
Though God only knows I have done my best

What piece of work do we have in our hands
The mood changes, the anger, like shifting sands
The blood is red, the intent good and true
If you only listen I’ll give you a clue
But no is the answer, the fate it is sealed
Everyone is leaving as the last bell is pealed

by Nick Singleton

Poem – An Ode to Old Friends

I’ve not many left,
My bridges I burned;
I caused too much trouble,
A lesson well learned.

For you who stuck by me,
And I’m amazed that you did;
For the heartache I caused,
I hope you’ll forgive.

Don’t remember the fool I once truly was,
I have no regrets, but that’s only because;
Your advice to me has made me so strong
that I now know the difference
between right and what’s wrong.

by Ian C

Taken from Issue 16

POEM: This is my story

Look I ain’t God so I ain’t the creator

I’m thinking of a time where there were no haters
Where people could walk around with no fear
Where kids could see their mums with no tears

This is my story
so please listen carefully
Let someone want to be
whatever they wish to be
That is their destiny
so it don’t bother me
You see this it will all be a memory
Sooner or later it will all be history
Bare haters out there I’ll place you a bet
Go to the shops buy a pen not a cigarette
I’m climbing the steps to the top of my pyramid

Now this generation look it’s changed
Kids walking around with knives and blades
I remember my past like it was yesterday
Criminal gang life I can relate
I stood up in court so ashamed of myself
My mum looking at me thinking OMG
I want to change now, it’s just for the better
Prison and cells I wouldn’t have a future

Now that I’m back I’m going to show you what I got
I just want to rise from the bottom to the very top
I don’t want to know what ends your rep
Don’t expect me to clear up your bloody mess
Do you know what, I’ll just confess
You see me yeah I’m better than the rest
You got a bit of time, how do you use it?
You get a spliff, get a bottle, why do you drink it?
This is my story
so please listen carefully
Let someone want to be
Whatever they wish to be
That is their destiny
So it don’t bother me
You see this it will all be a memory
Sooner or later it will all be history
Bare haters out there I’ll place you a bet
Go to the shops buy a pen not a cigarette
I’m climbing the steps to the top of my pyramid

What is it coz your mates say it’s hard
Thinking you’re a thug, thinking you’re bad
All you do is walk around your area
Stay out till late, your mum’s in tears
You don’t know what goes through a mum’s head
She thinks of you always in her head
Let me tell you this, you’re mum ain’t your friend
So apologise to her and show her some respect

This is my story
so please listen carefully
Let someone want to be
whatever they wish to be
That is their destiny
so it don’t bother me

You see this it will all be a memory

By Kabz

Taken from Issue 19

Poem: One Month In

The anger, the heartache,
the pain, the despair,
I look in her eyes, I see it all there
The hurt I have caused,
the promises broken,
I see in her tears
without words being spoken.

The sound of her deep
wracking sobs breaks my heart
I know what I’ve done
has torn us apart.

I deserve to be punished
for what I did wrong,
so a cell in a prison
is where I belong,
but, why punish my family?
What harm have they done,
their crime was to love me,
my wife and my sons.

For that they will suffer,
by society cast out,
because of their trust,
their innocence in doubt
The looks as they pass by,
the whispers, the sneers,
while their pleas for assistance
fall on deaf ears
Think you need counselling?
We’ll help if we can
but you’ll wait for months
cause you love “that man”
We can’t pay for two,
and the victim has needs,
so you’ll have to suffer
because of his deeds
If I hadn’t offended
then I would be free,
and life would be normal so,
from this you can see
If you ever considering
committing a crime,
it’s your family not you
that will do the hard time.

by Martin

Poem taken from issue 13 of theRecord.

Poem: For Luther (28th June 2012)

And I have seen such beauty
That does not insist desire
But stead fast moves and darts
In mind and bones
Growing and flexing its new born soul.

For though we all
March wisely towards life’s shade
Our hearts retain some majesty
That replays the scenes of much loved
Innocence
Again, repeat until
No more for it swells too much
And presses the present
Ugly fool from necessary grasps
To maintain our future plans
For he and she who trust
And depend upon our fortitude and not
Our folly.

I once dressed as the King you know
With sceptred hands and glorious entrances
Proud like the dumb show
Posturing in pleasantries and portents
Until only they remained.

Now I strut for the gutter’s edge
Who applaud my hopeful slip and fall
While secretly praying each step
Preserves by proxy their terrible souls.

For no man is wholly bad –
Nor good.
Or no man can truly be,
For in our iniquities and darkness
we hide
The rough edges of our souls
That must, by force of will be rounded or
At lesser force repelled till morning
comes again
And we again
Can breathe.

Let me explain.
I once knew a man who forced melted
powders through his skin
To fill his blood with delicious poisons
The kind that only peril possesses
And curiosity beguiles.
He said to me “What is this fascination with
Length, Time, Age?”
Coughing and sighing he added, “We
live and die is all
The time between is ours to do with as
we will and I…”

The blanket against the window glass
grew darker as the sun
In poor winter receded apologising
And fires burnt strong across the land
As a candle was lit in the here and now
To provide dual purpose, so the
smoke curled, “And I…
Have little now to prove or say more
than has been said
Much finer and purer than ever I
could

“Let’s listen to Zappa and ignore the
banging drums”

For we are the retinue of the future
Purpose now set and not ours
But to prepare the fields of glory
upon which
Our feet shall never tread.

And that matters not,
For I have seen such beauty
That does not require assent
But stead fast moves and darts
In mind and bones
Growing and flexing its new born soul
To claim the lands bequeathed.

by Martin Favager

Poem taken from issue 14 of theRecord.

Poem: Stepping Stones

One step at a time alone
Out of this rage into a calm
Out of the dark into the light
Out of this box into the air
Out of my dream into your heart
Out of the gate into your arms
One step at a time together.

by Alun Rogers

Poem taken from issue 14 of theRecord.

Poem: Touching Hand

When I was little a hand used to
touch me
And I couldn’t run

I grew up afraid of the dark
Scared of being alone
But I was fragile and little
And I couldn’t run

My uncle used to visit us
He hugged me and took me away
from mum
He cut dry banana leaves and asked
me to lie down
And I couldn’t run

I was afraid of my uncle
I didn’t want to sleep with him
And I never spoke to anyone
And I couldn’t run

At school, I was a shy and lonely child
I was afraid of the teachers
And bigger boys in my class
And I couldn’t run

I never saw my uncle again
Then I started to run
I ran free in my dreams
And I learnt to run away from my life

At last I knew how to run
But I couldn’t run away from my past

I am now again afraid, alone and fragile like a child
I am now inside a cell where it is forbidden to run
I am now paying the price for losing
a race
Trying to get away from the touching
hand.

by Carlos Gutierrez

Poem taken from issue 14 of theRecord.

Poem: Bar None

Inside Out
Upside Down
A Mind in torment ‘hind a frown
For my neighbour
Not for me
I’m okay,
My thoughts are free.
I read,
I dream,
Recall the good
I run through fields
Hide in woods
I’m lucky
For I have a friend
Someone to have
The love I send.
That’s all I need
To stay the course
To gird my loins
Repel ill force
And with the love
That I receive
I don’t feel down
I cannot grieve
So bless my friend
For being there
We’ll hug again
Out there, somewhere.

by Bastian Wolf

Poem taken from issue 16 of theRecord.

Poem: An Ode to You (an ode to my friend)

No one single deed,
No moment in time
No simple descriptor
Can clearly define
No scales that could measure
Nor words that could lend could capture the essence
What makes a true friend?

A friend is a person
You know will walk in
And stand by your side
Stay through thick and thin
When there’s no one else left
’cause they’ve all turned and walked out
A friend is that one
On whom you always can count

When life throws you curve balls
That knock you askance
And trial, pain and sorrow
Are leading the dance
And shadows are casting, your world all in grey
A friend is the sunshine
Who brightens your day

A friend is that person
Who’ll always stay true
The soul from your past life
You know you once knew
He’s cried for your sorrows
He’s celebrated your joys
His music is calming gentle soothing deep voice
A god given gift
In whom which to rejoice

Thank you dear friend
For the gift that is you
The love that you giveth
Letting me love you too
You are the one person
I’m proud to call ‘Friend’

by TopCat68

Poem taken from issue 16 of theRecord.