Poetryman: 2011

Sunday, 11 December 2011

Three Days

three days, three days, it’s only three days

I keep telling myself, over and over

in so many ways, I keep telling myself

~ it’s only three days

I try to distract my wandering mind

to make myself see, I must still live life

not pause for three days and shut myself away

I must go on, not hide to feel safe

harder and harder, that’s how it feels

I watch time tick by, clicking my heels

paranoia grows deeper, gnawing at me

my mind goes mad, it’s her that I need

tell me it’s over and now it’s no days

tell me it’s over, that she comes home today

Poetryman

Sunday, 4 December 2011

The Poets Tree

Sometimes I sit beneath The Poets Tree,

where legends linger, not yet me.

Their passage earned with words so pure,

their names etched in, their place assured.

Byron, Tennyson, Burns and Poe,

I feel their words course through my soul.

They bring me comfort when I am alone,

lost in my mind ~ where poems grow.

Breathing deep their scent floods in,

my senses ache from deep within,

of powerful imagery, rhythm and rhyme,

lost in their words from another time.

If I dare to look up perhaps I will see,

a new green shoot, that may one day be me.

Poetryman

Of Musings, Love and Life ~ Now on Amazon!

Welcome all to the next instalment of the release of my new book ~ Of Musings, Love and Life! In my previous post it had just been released via a local book shop, who very kindly agreed to stock it on my behalf, and I'm pleased to say that I've had to replenish their stock twice already in the past couple of weeks, which is really encouraging!

I'm sure that I'm not the first, and certainly won't be the last, aspiring author to have released a book and wonder just exactly how it will be received. You consume yourself for months and months, hour after hour to make sure that the poems you've written are as meaningful as they can be, and whilst you are completely wrapped in it and are convinced, from your own perspective, that it is a really great piece of work, ultimately that is you appraising your own work, so quite naturally you're going to be slightly biased!

So in reality all that you can do is to rely on the people that visit your blog, read your poems, and ultimately feel that the snippets of work they have seen give enough justification to buy your book. And that is what I'm now asking you all to do. It would be great to see feedback on the poems on here, on Twitter and also by the book sales that I get.

Should you feel that you want to buy the paperback, it's available now on Amazon via the following link:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0957023804/ref=sc_pgp__m_A1HEBM1XAZG5YE_1?ie=UTF8&m=A1HEBM1XAZG5YE&n=&s=&v=glance

Amazon's own listing shows as not yet released, for some strange reason, and out of stock. As the author I have listed it myself, which is the link above, and is in stock and released now! If you have any issues trying to place the order, or have made an order and would like the copy signing, then drop me an email at poetryman@hotmail.co.uk and I will make sure that your order is dealt with.

In the near future I will get around to converting it into and ebook, although my limited technical skills may need a little updating first!

May I just say thanks very much to all who drop by and read the poems on my blog, and of course to all who buy the book.

Wednesday, 30 November 2011

The Beach

fading over the eternal horizon

to dance in far off playgrounds

auburn flames streak outward

fighting the days near end

rolling from the white horses manes

the touch of Poseidon’s breath

paints lips with drifting, salty air

lost in the ebb of moon pulled tides

no words break the crashing silence

our hands mingle

Poetryman

Sunday, 20 November 2011

Unconditional Love

It is as deep as it can be

when I look into their eyes

I see them with a smile

I see myself inside

What is this magic

that brought them to me

so perfect in every way

how can it be

How they were made

I wonder in awe

it was me and her

but there must be more

Such perfection I see

so there has to be

so much more than just us

so much more than just me

When they look at me

it is all they can see

I see it in their eyes

their love for me

I smell them, I watch them

growing so tall

I pick them back up

and never let them fall

It is simple and honest

straightforward no more

the love of your child

is the World, it is all

For they are my future

my hope and my life

I will love and protect them

to the day that I die

Poetryman

Thursday, 10 November 2011

Anthology of Poetry ~ Of Musings, Love and Life

This is the first time that I have written on my blog without loading a poem, which for some may be disappointing, however it is with great excitement that my first book has been published, an anthology of poetry titled "Of Musings, Love and Life". I know the old saying that everybody has at least one book in them, but I can finally say that mine is no longer in me, it is now in black and white, bound into a book that is now on sale. It is a slightly surreal feeling, but one that brings me great pride when, as I seem to do almost hourly, I flick through the pages with a broad grin across my face!

It has been 8 months since I decided to write the book, and it has been a fantastic journey, not just writing the actual poems, but also learning all of the elements required to get the idea into print and create a finished product. I know I am slightly biased, but it really is beautifully produced.

In the book you will find some very old favorites; The Lonely Tree, The Passing of Ages, Unconditional Love, Smoke Filled Rooms, Lay Down Your Guns, The Little Things and many more. I do hope that you will take the time to buy a copy and enjoy reading the poems as much as I have enjoyed writing them.

Initially the book is available via The Grove Bookshop http://www.grovebookshop.com/ telephone +44(0)1943 609335 or email to: info@grovebookshop.com. In due course it will be listed on Amazon and also made available in ebook format.

For now please enjoy the book and my thanks to all who stop by and read the poems on my blog, and hopefully to all those who will buy the book.

Preview

Monday, 24 October 2011

By the fire

The flames glinted wildly, their reflection in my eyes,

all the laughter and the tears, so much joy in my life.

From the love and the loss, to the beauty of my child,

sometimes mellow, sometimes sad, and yet often it was wild.

When the flames began to settle, my future found its way,

in the beauty of her love, we had forever and a day.

Another was still waiting, we lived it to the full,

never parted for a moment, always laughter, never dull.

The flames flickered gently, it was dusk no longer dawn,

in my peace I could reflect, my face was tired and so worn,

as I came to see my past, with a smile behind my eyes,

all the joy my life had brought, sometimes tears fell from my eyes.

Then the flames no longer flickered, they had faded into ash,

yet forever in my memory, I had lived once in the past.

Saturday, 24 September 2011

If I Were ~ Part 2

If I were a bird

soaring high up in the sky

I would watch the world beneath

see the people and their lies

If I were a whale

wandering seas and oceans deep

I would hide beneath the waves

for my safety I must keep

If I were a lion

roaming through my vast kingdom

I would cower at their guns

until the hunters were all gone

If I were a man

with the world beneath my feet

I would rape it for myself

it is mine for me to keep

Poetryman

Thursday, 22 September 2011

My Window

Shadows pass never looking in

through murky glass the lights are dim

watching the world pass silently by

sometimes they laugh, sometimes they cry

To glimpse the others from deep within

some tall, some fat, some round, some thin

I wonder where their haste takes them

as I peer from deep within my den

Afraid to venture to the other side

where reality exists, you have to live life

such fear strikes through my fragile soul

behind my window growing ever old

A cocooned world of safety and light

hidden from life, hidden from sight

Poetryman

Monday, 12 September 2011

The Connection

Beep, beep. Beep beep

goes my text coming in

when I’m just pressing send

yes we did it again

it’s our pattern you see

being one

~ her and me

Way back in time

when my thoughts were just mine

I really couldn’t see

what she would truly mean

that this love could be

so real

~ for me

It may take it’s time

that love most don’t find

but one day it will rhyme

as you merge into one

with each others thoughts

playing just a single tone

This connection we found

after years milling around

until fate intervened

and made us

it seems,

finally be

Poetryman

Wednesday, 27 July 2011

Lay Down Your Guns

wars and crusades all fought in His name

they think they are sane

to kill in His name

but it won’t bring change, it’s completely in vain

just bystanders slain

and the lucky ones maimed

Muslims and Christians, Gentiles and Jews

to whom you call God, is your right

to choose

be it Buddha or Allah, Elohim or God

whatever you call him, killing

is not

what God was meant

to mean, no bombs on the streets

for innocence lost

is not about God

to temples and mosques and churches

you flee

to worship and pray, with such love

and glee

for He you kneel

and you pray and you heed

taking His words

as you want them to be, ignoring what they

should really mean

lay down your guns and your arms

and your bombs

for your bigoted hatred, will win over none

just leave you alone

at the foot of His throne

for the way that we live, for us and for me

should be in peace

alive, safe and free

so lay down your guns, please let it be

lay down your guns

and let us

live in peace

Poetryman

Wednesday, 13 July 2011

Hope Anew

Existing in the darkness of eternity

dreams lay amongst the waste

like splintered shards of light

shattered by pain now dulled

To live a life of day

in the confusing haze of chaos

wandering through shrouded mist

as a nomad in the storm

Searching for horizons

faint moonbeams in the dusk

glimpsing futures once thought lost

through hazy opaque eyes

The journey can begin

with steps that sometimes stumble

fates compass guides the way

as hope is born anew

Poetryman

Wednesday, 29 June 2011

The Start of Forever

How did it happen

the start of forever

I closed my eyes

thinking of never

One at a time

my days passed me by

the past still with me

living the lie

It felt like a dream

I did not know why

I must be asleep

my eyes closed tight

I woke from my slumber

you lay by my side

a vision appeared

my eyes opened wide

As time passed by

I finally could see

that forever was real

it had started for me

Poetryman

Tuesday, 31 May 2011

Drifting

Drifting, as a feather on the wind

at the mercy of elements

captured by freedoms grasp

~ to roam far

Lost souls smile through eyes of delight

whose direction is claimed

by flights of fancy

~ living on a whim

Loneliness strikes with a blade deep

to awaken the core

back to life’s reality

~ eyes open to truth

Poetryman

Saturday, 16 April 2011

Tomorrow

If it were tomorrow, what came before

My life skipped a beat, that day is no more

Where did I go, what did I see

Was it a good day, a good one for me

If I were to wish, for each day to pass

Looking ahead, please go fast

Tomorrow is the new, today is the old

I may pawn it away, my memories sold

If it were tomorrow, today left behind

Was it in vain, was I cruel or kind

Would I be poorer, with yesterday gone

Or simply oblivious, to all I had done

If I were to wish, what would it be

The loss of today, with no memory

Imagine it now, such a beautiful day

Each must be cherished, never sent away

Poetryman

It is Better to Hide

Darkness not penetrated, your mask secure

Veiled from truth and fragility

With confidence high, standing tall

Feeling so strong, as you hide

The mask comes off, in solitude

Your castle is safe, none can get through

Don’t look in the mirror, all revealed

Even inside, you must hide

Glance for a moment, what will be seen?

Too terrible, real, who is there?

So weak I see, not recognised

Go now, run, please hide

Why are you here, in my mind?

I do not know you, go

Is that me? Don’t let it be

I will slip back behind, it is better to hide

Poetryman

Friday, 15 April 2011

Life in Colour

Dark not light, grey not bright

Is life like that, all of the time

Some see it black, some see it white

Some with the grey, bringing the night

There are doers and thinkers, nearly men

Always the same, throughout all of your friends

I would have and could have, are what they say

Life slipped them by, in every way

But some see the colours, wonderful and bright

They are vibrant and glowing, with life and light

A depth so deep, that you cannot see

But they can dream, in wonder and believe

Their eyes are open, so wide and true

For they are the ones who bring life, not you

I dare you to join them, set yourself free

Are your eyes open, be alive like me

Poetryman

A Glimpse

There is life all around him, gleaming, teaming

His eyes open in wonder, a bird, a snail, a butterfly

Innocence shines in his smile, in his eyes

He looks on, just watching, not daring to move

Is he a part of this, nature at work?

He stands and wonders, in his awe and naivety

They told him of God, is this his doing?

It cannot be he thinks, there must be much more

It is living, connected, moving as one

Vibrant and flowing, vast and great

Is this the first time he has opened his eyes?

He feels suddenly so small, not tall

Mother is calling him, breaking the spell

Slowly, slowly, he retreats from this place

He has glimpsed for a moment, looking within

Time for tea now, turn the TV on

Poetryman