To glimpse a snippet
Of the incomprehensible
Just take a look
At the white cliffs
Reaching up from the sea
The result
Of trillions and trillions of tiny deaths
Life
Has been here so long
It has built
Landscapes
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
There are holes
In everyone’s hearts
Some are big
Made by lives fulfilled
And long
Some are small
Short and brief
Somehow
The smaller
Hurt more
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Brass cantilever
Golden cogs and diamond heart
Magic seconds pass
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Strings and drums
Swells and thrums
Filling halls and domes
Even sneaking in our homes
It warms our hearts
Can upset carts
Evoke our tears
Even stoke our fears
Calm the day
And send away
The darkest thoughts
Even move the worst of sorts
No compare
In empty air
So play the notes
Even on our dreams, it floats
In response to my daily prompt Pressure
#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday
The sun setting large
A swollen ball of fire
Birds settle to roost
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Two esteemed academics
In high-definition
In a stately home
Discussing Disraeli
Meanwhile
In another land
Another world
A young girl awakes
In the slum
Steels herself
For another long day of work
Man after man after man
And in between the two?
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Knowing what has gone
Savouring what is to come
Surfing in between
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Black swan gliding
Over serene waters
But still
The reflection looks disturbed
White swan slipping
Over icy lake
Frozen
To the heart
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
The presence of cages does not reassure
Just confirms that there’s danger inside
So the rules on expenses just confirms the fear
That the vultures are circling once more
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
One Cara Pilkington-Smythe
A dancer once young and lithe
Left the stage behind one day
Decided on a new way
Married an Oxford star
Together they went far
He conquered financial seas
She blew in like a breeze
To the corridors of power
A bee drawn to a flower
Sipping the nectar sweet
The world was at her feet
They had all they desired
No contingency required
Beautiful homes in beautiful vales
For them, their parents, easy sale
Perfect schooling for their son
Their family secure, every one.
Parties, holidays, swelling banks
Clever accountants give them thanks
Hide away the tax they’d lose
Living how and where they choose
But then the rain started falling
When the scandal came a calling
The houses paid for with expenses
Squirreled out from the benches
Made up claims and other tricks
The media brings names and sticks
Now their lives are not the same
Now they now live with the shame
With their reputation now bereft
It would seem nothing’s left
Except the houses and the wealth
And fine wine to toast their health
And education to ensure
The offspring’s path will be pure
And the network of protecting hands
And the ever-growing lands
And the secret contemptuous laugh
That may be their epitaph
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
In the deep deep dark
Where pressure builds all around
Scarce light is precious
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Yellow meadow bright
In one corner, rusty red
An old iron shed
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
The wild tiger caged
Is more dangerous than those
Who roam in their realm
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Where my heart does dwell
In misty old woodland dell
Where wolves and stags roam
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Green river long
Green river wide
Green river deep
Rolling on by
Thoughts dropped in
Like pebbles of time
No ripples betray the loss
Of a thought
Carry them far
To the distant sea
Maybe one day
A stranger will see
Them on a distant shore
And set them free
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Made of crystal
So clear
It can hardly be seen
The breadth of seven men
The height of the clouds
The top unseen
Inside
Sparking and crackling
Impossible
Bright and pure
It is filled with
Starfire
For miles around
The land knows no dark
Ever
The question might be asked
Why it was built
Were there anyone around
To ask it
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
A dagger can be subtle
Not just a sharp stabbing tool
Can slowly cut away supports
Until they fray with time
And then it only takes
A single little pluck
And all comes crashing down
The betrayers hand unknown
The trial of damns
Before the salmon’s reward
Bringing death and life
Mighty angel falls
Rules over a new domain
Longer verse explains
Trees
Shifting
High winds howl
Whistling, screaming
The trunks are strong, sturdy and hold the ground
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
In an old tractor tyre
A circle of friends
Dwarfed and reverent
In that magic time
Between day and night
The twilight
With new-born stars twinkling
And potential enchantment
Humming in the deep blue sky
Disappointed by the call
To bedtime
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
The heart is the drummer
The lungs a violin
You bring on a timpani roll
That rumbles to my feet
For you I am an orchestra
Though I often clang and clash
I hope my humble melody
Might catch your heart
In a dance
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Rain falls down
And I like it
All around
In the air
Soaks me down
To the bone
Washes sorrow
Far away
Those who eyes
Despise the weather
Don’t know joy
In the rain
A day’s a day
Weather’s weather
Drink it in
In every way
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Consuming and not creating
Planning and not making
Thinking without doing
This is the path they took
Into the undergrowth of
Tape and law and greed
So now in panic
They are fighting their way out
Cutting, cutting, cutting.
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Lark perched by a lake
Reflected in dark water
A train rushes by
Perfect thighs
Perfect abs
Perfect eyes
For perfect lives
We give our teens
Aspirational dreams
Of fame and fortune
Imaginary screens
And every flick of every light
Every glossy page so bright
Every song of every type
Every ad with teeth so white
Every billboard, every bus
Every website we like or plus
Every search and every text
Every life that we connect
Every meal and every drink
Every label phrased succinct
The many many many times
Perfect views assault our eyes
Programming the soft and greying minds
To covet
The wrong things
So much effort
Is required
For those minds
Are really wired
With the truth
It purrs like a magic cat
Glows like a willo’ the wisp
Warms like toasted buttered bread
Its spell cast out to the silver screen
Bubblepot the cat
Decided it was enough
So stole mankind’s keys
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Everyday
Everyday
The wistful mist
Rolls on its way
Following
The winding trail
Along the twisting
Shallow vale
Rolling down
From dew green hills
Pausing by
Abandoned mills
Sinking slowly
To the sea
Dissipating
Energy
Underlining
Morning green
Making bursting
Life serene
Until it rises
Into the air
Joining with
The clouds somewhere
Becoming one
Losing shape
From narrow trail
It does escape
Now no more
Gone away
Now no more
Gone away
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Take out my brain
Drain my dreams and aspirations
Remove the need for rest
The requirement to switch off my thoughts
Make me a robot
And everyone else
Will be happy
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Watching him dance
Watching him move
Sometimes tired
Sometimes in the groove
But always with the zeal
Of four years of age
May it always grow
May it never fade
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Once I was a seed
Bursting with potential
Waiting to spring out
From darkness into light
Once I was a sapling
Fresh and green and quivering
Stretching up with hope
To the bright blue sky
Once I was a tall stiff tree
Sturdy, proud and strong
Branches reaching all directions
Roots dug deep and true
Now I am an autumn leaf
Tossed upon the wind
My direction is not my whim
When I land…
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Hunting or hunted
Running through trees all my days
To find a still rest
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
The shock of the ShadowMask
Silent in the street
Where did it come from
To whom does it speak
Does is tell of blood
or does it tell of talk
Does it say charge on in
Or careful where we walk
The starlight high above it
Does not stir a spark
In those deep black orbs
Those eyes so wide and dark
So tell us now oh ShadowMask
We send this plea to you
We forsake all other thought
So tell us what to do
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Disappearing into the gloom
Undulating side to side
Alien but of this earth
Slow, cold life
In the deep deep dark
So far from the hearth we know
The strange eel like creature
Eases in the deepest cold
Leaving divers dumb
So it grows
The discontent
Of fiscal winter
Even sceptics grumble
But will it tip
Will we finally
Drop our stiff letters
And stiff upper lips
And revolt?
Or sip a cup of tea
Settle back
And vote for the best singer/dancer/skater
Instead
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Childhood senses
Seep away
The textures of touch
Savoury tastes
And sweet
The exhilaration
Of G-Force
The warmth
Of a bed
The brightness
Of a blue sky
All wilting away
Smoothed plain by time
and tasteless demands
and saccharine
Bound by safety
belts and laws
Hot fevers
of uncomfortable dreams
Under greying skies
How
to get it
back?
I have seen giants
Striding over the land
Power on their shoulders
Stern and strong their hand
Never do they falter
Never seen one stumble or fall
Always do their duty
Always answer the call
Through storm and wind and rain
The carry their burden true
Though other links may burn out
The giants stride on through
So remember this and tremble
Even the giants will pass
Fall into dust and rusty ruin
Scattered in untamed grass
One day their burden will dissipate
Their purpose will disappear
And the duty they discharged so well
A memory dimmed with time
Light that hurts my eyes
Bright yet darkness in disguise
Leaving me dazzled
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
In a growing desert on flowing sands
Sinking down into dried oasis
A market thrives
Rich men and women trade
Food for souls
Hot air for agreement
And everyone dances
While the sands sink
Everyone laughs and sings
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Grey Wolf pounding
Across the hard packed snow
Fierce heart pumping
Hot against the cold
Breeze like blades
Cutting headache pulse
Scent of blood
Fires instinct deep
Frost hangs shimmering
On the shaggy pelt
Grey Wolf coming
Endings will be dealt
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Patience stretched as tight
As a humming steel wire
Wails at just touch
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Rivers break their banks
Fields awash, people panic
I love the wide wash
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Standing on a high hill
Green fields rolling away beneath my feet
Off into the hazy horizon.
Strong breeze blowing through my hair
It exhilarates me – makes me feel
I could step forward and fly
Yet
It is nothing to the way you make me feel
Laying in the sun
In the lush deep grass
Sparkles dancing on the water
Blue skies in great expanse arching high
Warms me – happiness safe in my heart
Yet
Cold compared to the warmth you bring
A word of praise from peers
Or reward for long hard work
A beer after a trying day
Shoring up my worth
Yet
Nothing makes me better – more the man I should be
Than having you by my side forever
My love
My wife
My Rachel
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
The rich man on Thames has a sunken garden
Water so deep the duck house has floated
Away
So now
Money is no object for their relief
And the satirists
Whet their knives
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
With melted heart she went down
Gutted, drowned, futile fighting
But fighting
Carrying out her crafted purposes
What more can we ask
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Heaven’s holy light
Roving bright light a searchlight
Burning upturned eyes
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Bobbing in the dark
Tossed on hell’s furious waves
Seeking safer shores
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Slash of black on white
Ink scar scored in pain
Indicting words inflame
Passions in the hurt
The pen defeats the sword
Words echo strong down time
But numbers drown the words
Blur and blot the ink
The echo fades
Singers sing
TV lulls the wise
There is
No more
Surprise
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Jiggly was a little worm
A cheery sort of fellow
But whenever somebody brushed his skin
He would yowl and howl and bellow
For you see poor old jiggly
Was a ticklish kind of chap
The slightest touch had him laughing so much
That his head was all of a flap
So he asked all his friends to help him
Get over his terrible curse
Before he drove them all mad with laughter
Could they his affliction reverse
The sheep all got together
And knitted a long woollen coat
The wool was too itchy for his tender skin
And the fur got stuck in his throat
The spiders spun him a shirt
Of the finest silken web
But he ended up sliding all over the place
And his spirits lower did ebb
The mice they wrapped him up tightly
In leathery leaves from the ground
But they bound him so tight that he took a fright
And rolled all around and around
The parrots extracted some rubber
From the heart of the rubber tree
Then coated him with a thin smooth layer
Which fitted as well as could be
Now the young worm was happy
He could play with his friends at last
But as he wriggled among them quite happy
Their faces all looked so downcast
For they missed the wonderful laughter
Of the wriggly giggly worm
That filled their glum days in magical ways
Like a good but infectious germ
So he cast of his new rubber skin
Baring his own to the air
And everyone tickled the giggly worm
And jiggled and laughed without care
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
Scott Andrew Bailey - Author 