It Comes

But we were crying
before -
bitter and behind
Now it's cry-of-joy
Alas, cries

But they drove past us
before -
wailing sirens, hailing citizens
Now the convoys head
to jails
Alas, wails

Our weight
gone...
with the wait

Never Called

No dictator goes willingly
In the end, they bluster
then gamble

No dictator wins narrowly
In the end, they cluster
then trample

No dictator ends merrily
In the end, they muster
then crumble

If dictators end miserably
and dictators come furiously
why, blood is oyster
blood is ouster

Hmm... Dictators!

The Dope Scatter

Don't Push
don't Wrap
It's the gay
not the way
and
the pay
not the day

Don't Push
don't Wrap
It's the rote
not the note
and
the rot
not the sport

Don't Push
don't Wrap
It's the jail
not the hail
and
the Hell
not the Helluva

Together

For a season so treacherous
we need a bond of faith
For a nation so anxious
we need the bond of truth
For a people so broken
we need the plaster of love
For a land so weary
we need the basket of care
For a generation so hungry
we need the opposite of anger
For a time so slippery
we need the grit of elders
For a proverb so forlorn
we need the reason of here
For a season of anomie
we need the beauty of peace

In this reason do we live
for this season must we rise
To make our season the reason
and our reason the prism
we need to stay as one
work as one
share as one

Lands Afar

As we regard distant lands:
Tales of the great Atlantis
legends of huge empires
feats that chill our spines
thoughts beyond bare souls
- tickles and buckles -
- masters, disasters -
measured in treasures
we marvel and are baffled

But as we see today, if we see
nothing achieved in times past
be past man’s hidden talent
It is of time, care and effort
Driven by purpose, given direction
Laden for service, hidden in codes
The sage lays the ground beams:
 commitment, honour and sanctity
And history be on its way!

All lands, however far
- in space, time and dimension -
are lands as here as yonder
If we work them as they did
Atlantis will rise again
When we stay core as they did
legends will reign again
And the marvel and baffle
 will happen, as they do--
in our very “before”!

Chances At Dawn

Can we blame time
for giving us dawns
Can we query time
for granting us nights
Who? Who amongst us is clever
Let him come
Who? Who, amongst us is restless
Let him run
For when time has chosen
even before our eyes
it confounds the bright
and out-smarts the agile
Who? Who amongst us can gather
 the sky and squeeze the ocean
Let him speak

Those who rise and shine
must honour time
Never again will man and time
battle for the wings of flight
No, no, never again
For time brings, time takes
Time makes, time dissolves
Time of chances, chances of time
After our nights and dawns
over our fights and yawns
 we will remain with time
Oh, take your chances!

Adventure

Someone must answer the call
no mater how long it takes
Something must matter today
no matter how bad we hurt
Somewhere be home again
no mater how far we stray
For some fun remains ahead
no matter how gory the past

Adventure!
Search the world, and roam
Search your heart, then your head
Go, go in search of gold
and work your world
If you fly, fly
if you sink, stay not down
When you conquer, be humbled
when you’re floored, be humoured-
they both bring honour
in coming days
They each house glory
in special ways

Measure!
As you give, you receive
When you take, do give
Search thee equally
For, this day is all day
to those who are free
to those who know the world…
And work for all

Tones of Tonight

Levels and pitches
make some high
and many low, tonight
Sign on and Weigh in
no matter how broken
you are, tonight
Sign in and sing along-
the waters are warm
and the tide alluring
Hey, hey, honey
hide them your swim-suit, tonight

Take me to levels
and pitches, my friend -
why bother the world
Bring me to currents
bring me to tears...
And still bother, tonight

Sing, as the moon mimes-
it is da music to heed
Rap, as the stars twinkle-
there is music to read
Take me to levels
bring me to pitches...
We see the better, tonight

When together, why the bother
When asunder, all the ponder
This be our music, tonight

That Little Girl

Someone is eating alone in the park of many
and no-one is stretching a hand
Is she selfish
are we snobbish
Not only time but space will tell

Something is missing in the cupboard of fame
yet no-one is counting tonight
Is this horror
are we honoured
Not only scores but pain will tell

The little girl seeks company
but friendship is short
She opens up to reach out
and every hand is engaged
Yet she cuddles the wide horizon
which mummy planted in her

A little girl, an iron of yore -
she won't forget the boisterous lore
A fringe pastime, a deeply fright -
she can’t contain the rash sight
which daddy painted for her

This little girl, that tiny hand
will bring the battle-ship to shore
But if you want the anchor space
or like to stretch in case it failed
a mum, a dad may never do.

Alone To Atone

The soul who stole
paid
The soul who gave
got
So upon your rule
so within your reign
Time is speaking
again

The Court holds
with heads and hordes
with crown and clowns
Time is heavy
in pain

Soon, dear leader
you be alone
The waves cometh
the rays riseth
The soul that serves self
be alone to atone!

And We Hold On!

Denials and defiance
are the hallmarks of our rule
Demons and dethronement
have coloured our times
We create them
celebrate them
and crush them to boot
Then life goes on, again

Look back, and around
They come, they stab, they stash
No matter how we feel
No matter how they go
The world sets up a monument
We spell their names
and write their story
Making space for devils
Creating place for saints
To give both the chance
of their roll in legend

We hold on to darkness
to mirror our light
We cast the shadow
to enrich the substance
So, when the boy screams
we hush him with sweets
And when the girl flirts
we stuff her the pill
No back-steps
No new paths
Every stunt we pull
is from the new old bag

The TASK

Since divine forces freed the majors
from the fatality of politics and lucre
The fields are free again
Our patience has shamed the pain
and the guilty is running around
Sine the generals found the stomach
of patriotic honour and pride
the barrels are full  again
and the banks are heading for black
No matter the trickles and drops

Since the honourables stormed our House
the fire is flaming anew
creating a new pain again
We ask which task they choose
they answer with more flame, new looting
Each day we pray, each House a turmoil
Yet we have a task, a mission

Who is the matter in our matter
what is the call in our call
Rumbling stomachs are holding on
roving  eyes are raking ahead
but our silent fingers are hoping for hoes
not guns, not grenades
Those who have the throne have the task
we who gave the vote own the throne
So, let the message so come
and the heading so right
that the task, this task
be truly done.

Draft Dodgers

When times change

we balk and sulk

The signs were always there

When people change

we call the ancient tune

as though time was no use

Yet we love a changing world

and cherish the makers of change

You must hold high your head

the ageing hunter told his son

Those who don’t fall prey to snakes

he who does makes mince of lions

And when the village gong goes

he shall commune with bent sages

Let it not read in vain

this sacred code of life

for it gives strength

as it purges wealth

Drink it not in vain

for this is the secret of monsters

yet the goal of heroes

When the village crier calls

you may run, but can’t hide

You may deceive, but won’t decide

for duty is no honour in force

anger gives all fury in hate

You may dodge the kettle, not the pot

You may marry the princess, not the Kingdom

for if your day arrives and you demur

a million steps ahead

won’t bring you the gold.

JOS: The COST of BLOOD

Now in the season of joy

comesthe treason of pain

Pain of deep wounds seen

and deeper wounds beyond

Rain of stiff words heard

and stiffer words beyond

How may we counter with balm

how do we utter with calm

Jos, and the cost of blood

 

The goons of gain

can be boon to schemes

Bare hooks, hair nooks

What a gain

Blank looks, dark looks

Where again

The hearts in pain

can be homes of themes

Faith laws, hate lores

What a pain

True thaws, truce flaws

When again

How may we matter as dove

how shall we render with love

Jos, and the cost of blood

 

The hidden is ridden

and its golden forbidden

Your hold is your fare

their hold ought be fair

What a gain

The ridden is hidden

and its mirror forbidden

Be not beholden

they ought be golden

Where again

How may we banter as old

how shall we barter and hold

Jos, and the cost of blood

 

Peace is leased and seized

taken to highs broken to lows

given in lips fallen by hands

Yuletides as sad tides

in lands made and marred

What a tease

Yuletides as sweet tides

in hearts sacred and scarred

Why the tease

We will rescue peace

it will not cease

We will render love

as pure as dove

Now the order of culture, of nature

will nurture Jos from the cuts and blood

Endgame Blues

You may suppress the news
not the views
People are people
You may suppress the rumours
not the tumours
Ripples are ripples
Many disguise for power
eat power as flour
drink power as soda
garnish every guile and guise
By their trip, pray power
tears and laughter be endgame
Soon the lost and lusting
goes consuming
gets presumptive
stays deceptive
Marauders are marauders
From the cliff of bile and brigand
it is ramble, gamble, bramble
Oh power, behold the tumble
behold the endgame!


You may distort the news
not the views
Facts are facts
You may distort the budgets
not the targets
Fiction is fiction
Many disguise in power
trade myth as mystery
travesty as majesty
brandish every guile and guise
How your mirrors hide your tumours
and horrors pride as honours
be our note to sages - pray, unknot
How your carrots pay for pirates
and sticks slay our patriots
be the note of ages - pray, unknot
Fate-tempters in grimey game
losing rafter in sure endgame
Hate-prompters of hellish pride
oozing chapters we so deride
Pray power, call in sages
not marabouts - 
truths are bold roundabouts
upheld from ages
They will bind your guile
break each guise and disguise
Oh power, behold the honey
behold the bees...
enjoy the roses, endure the thorns
Serve and be served...
deserve and preserve
As you proceed, pray power
behold the game, the fame
behold the endgame!

Rains of Glory

The rains are pouring today
Will it be gory terrain
or glory again
Dream on, people
but work your dream
The rains are pouring again
Will it be? Will it be?
Ask no question! Ask no question
without action!
Bards have sung before
The rains are pouring again
Oh benefits
Ye deficits
The rains, the rains
the pains, the pains
The rains are pouring again
Hurrays
and horrors
The rains, the rains
the gains, the gains
The rains are pouring again
Rains of glory are for poor and rich
Pouring again in pains and gains
The wise are poring over plans, over facts
and actions
Fools are boring everyone with begging
commotion, haunting concoctions
So there’ll be pains in the rains
gains in the rains
with chains of stories for rich and poor
The rains are pouring again
Will it be? Will it be?
Ask no question! Ask no question
without action!
The sage has spoken before
Rains of glory, rains of glory:
You pour for all, fall for all
Who will rise will rise
You come for all, cease for all
Who will seize will seize
Rains of glory, rains of glory
I rise for benefits to work the pains -
work, work and work
I seize the moment as my raiment -
work, work and work
I’ll work the rains to earn the glory
 - work, work and work
Hear ye the bards, heed thou the sage
Alas, the rains are pouring again!

We Know Not

If we knew!

The mysteries of life
are the higher levels of knowledge
which outclass human permutations
benumbs human connotations
giving us shivers and sun
making living challenge and fun!

If we knew!

Must we know
Why should we be aware
Even in our non-knowing
we act, perform and play as gods:
Playing God!

If we knew…

If man were to know
if he knows his hollowness
and the mighty void he can’t fill
if he knows the holiness
that carries life on creation’s path
his faith will drive his fate
his say will be his way
Yes, he would save his world
 as he saves himself
he would bless our world
as he keeps his word
The huge emptiness of boasts
as if he owns tomorrow
as if he made life
as if he be more than man
will fizzle fast

If we knew…
we be mere MORTAL!

Why Bother?

Too many rivers to cross
Too many bridges unseen

Too many moaners around
Too many needy to give
When we look around
not seeing
we smell luxury
in our food

Too many chores to grind
Too many mortars unfound
Too many instruments to play
Too much energy unsecured
As light goes, sweat comes
or noise comes, noisy time
which takes our senses apart

Hmm…
If you listen they speak
When you speak, if you speak
only you listen to self
Yes, too many bridges unseen!

The REWARD

Don’t tell me to listen
even as I gear my ears
or I will switch off
Don’t ask me to follow
though I like to tow
or I will turn off
My joy is not for toy
nor my reward by wads
I ride a conscience train

Why ask me to train
and give me the drain
or am I the pawn
Why ask them the route
then give me the drill
am I the chess
Listen to the droppings again:
where will the dawn lead
Come to the village again:
who is your arrow-head
The cash? Or the pipe
The hunch? Or the hunt

As you go, dear driller
the reward be clear, and revered
Tell it, trail it
As you wine, dear driller
chew on it, dream of it
For those who went before
have marked the narrow path

It's The System, Stupid

Built system
broken units
and it suits
Broken system
built units
and it sues
The system fails all
upon its turns:
we, at the manholes
you, gouging on loopholes
In time man mans the holes
we're safe at home
In the end loop bares the loot
you're safely hung
Yes, the system