Shipwreck: A Ghostly Tale of Survival and Vengeance

Thirteen Tales of Ghosts brings together chilling stories of supernatural terror, and “Shipwreck” stands as one of its most harrowing entries. This tale delves deep into the horrors of isolation, fear, and the consequences of man’s greed.

In Shipwreck, a seasoned sailor, battered by the relentless sea, recounts a tale of shipwreck and savagery that stretches the very limits of human endurance. Stranded on unfamiliar shores after a devastating storm, the crew of a mighty ship is forced to confront not only their physical exhaustion but also the deep, hidden fears that plague them. And the story takes a terrifying turn as they encounter a tribe of ruthless islanders—fearsome, resourceful, and uncannily skilled in the ways of survival.

The atmosphere of dread builds as the sailor recounts the gruesome aftermath of the ship’s wreck and the deadly ambush by the island’s indigenous people. Yet, this tale is not simply one of battle and survival; it dives into a deeper, supernatural terror. The sailor’s struggle to comprehend what they face is mirrored in the eerie and inexplicable events that follow, culminating in a horrifying revelation that will haunt both the characters and the reader alike.

What sets “Shipwreck” apart is its exploration of the unknown, both in the physical world and the realms of the supernatural. With vivid descriptions of the brutal storm, the savage attacks, and the thick, suffocating mist, the reader is pulled into a world where even the dead seem to have their part to play. The sailor’s firsthand account reveals how fear and desperation can lead one to the brink of madness, leaving you to question what is real—and what is something far darker.

This ghostly tale, like the others in Thirteen Tales of Ghosts, is a chilling reminder of the fragility of human life when confronted by forces far beyond our understanding. Will the sailor survive to tell the tale? Or will he become just another lost soul in the cursed waters that continue to haunt him?

If you are a fan of stories that blur the line between the living and the dead, where the sea’s mysteries hold dark secrets, Shipwreck is a must-read. It is available as part of the Thirteen Tales of Ghosts collection here!

Shipwreck
Thirteen Tales of Ghosts Cover

The Urban Jungle: A Ghostly Tale of Time, Nature, and the Unseen Past

Thirteen Tales of Ghosts is a collection that explores the eerie, the mysterious, and the unexplained. Among these haunting narratives, The Urban Jungle stands out as a captivating tale that bridges the past and present, revealing the spectral consequences of disregarding history.

In The Urban Jungle, the story begins with John, a weary official tasked with overseeing a development project on an old, forgotten site. The project should have been straightforward: clear the land, prepare for construction and build homes for those in need. But the site, long abandoned, holds secrets that will not stay buried.

John is accompanied by Rowena, an archaeologist, sent to ensure the area holds no historical significance before construction begins. But as the day wears on, a thick, unnatural fog descends on the site, separating the two. As John stumbles through the growing darkness and mire, desperate to find Rowena, she finds herself entangled in a far stranger, far older place.

The fog lifts, revealing an eerie, ghostly forest with towering trees that seem to glow with an otherworldly green light. Rowena’s initial confusion turns to awe and wonder as she explores this forgotten wilderness, but she soon realises that this is not an ordinary forest. It is a spectral remnant of a world long gone, calling out from the past—offering a glimpse of a time before the modern world ever touched this land.

As John eventually stumbles upon the same ghostly forest, he is faced with creatures and illusions that push the boundaries of his understanding. But the truth of the forest is more profound than either of them can imagine. It is not just the past that haunts this place; it is the very spirit of nature itself, desperate to survive in a world that has long abandoned it. The forest, alive in its own way, is calling for respect, remembrance, and perhaps, a chance to return.

The tension between Rowena’s fascination and John’s determination to continue his work presents the core conflict of this chilling tale. The question arises: Should we honour the past, no matter how spectral or intangible it might be, or do we push forward for progress—sacrificing everything in our wake?

The Urban Jungle is not just a ghost story about a haunted site—it’s a reflection on what we lose when we forget our past, when we fail to listen to the whispers of nature, and when we ignore the ghosts of old worlds in our rush to build new ones. With its vivid descriptions of a ghostly, living jungle and its exploration of the human desire to tame nature, this story is sure to linger long after the last page is turned. If you’re a fan of stories that blend the supernatural with real-world dilemmas, The Urban Jungle is a must-read. It’s available as part of the Thirteen Tales of Ghosts collection here!

The Urban Jungle
Thirteen Tales of Ghosts Cover

Uncovering the Mystery: Terminal – A Tale from Thirteen Tales of Ghosts

In Terminal, a chilling story from my collection Thirteen Tales of Ghosts, we delve into the haunting allure of curiosity and the unexpected terror that follows. The story begins with a simple but forbidden door in a hotel, one that has intrigued a chambermaid for months. The green light spilling from the crack beneath the door and the strange tapping sound leads her to break the rules and uncover something far beyond her comprehension.

But what she finds is only the beginning of a deeper mystery that threatens not only her sanity but the safety of others. The story spirals from this eerie hotel room into a world of hacking, security breaches, and unnerving encounters with a force that seems to have no natural origin. As the hackers wreak havoc, the lines between the physical and the spectral blur.

The story moves through suspense and dread, as the characters face an impossible enemy—one that seems to have an unnatural ability to invade their technology and erase everything they hold dear. The green glow, the tapping keyboard, and the eerie sensation of being watched are just a taste of the supernatural force at play. But is it merely a ghostly presence or something far more sinister?

Terminal explores the terrifying concept of lost control in the digital age, where even our most secure systems can be infiltrated by forces unknown. The idea that something beyond our comprehension is tapping into our lives and erasing our histories makes this a particularly unsettling tale.

If you haven’t yet explored Thirteen Tales of Ghosts, Terminal is a perfect introduction to the collection. It brings together technology, mystery, and the supernatural in a way that is both fresh and unnerving. As with the other stories in the collection, Terminal will keep you questioning what is real and what is beyond our understanding.

Dive deeper into Thirteen Tales of Ghosts and explore the world of the unexplained.

Terminal
Thirteen Tales of Ghosts Cover

Embrace the Flames: Fire and Ice – A Tale from Thirteen Tales of Ghosts

Fire and Ice, a gripping story from my Thirteen Tales of Ghosts collection, invites readers into a world where love, loss, and defiance collide. Set against the eerie backdrop of a moonlit night, this tale unfolds on a remote outcrop of rock overlooking a silent valley, with a lone woman standing at the edge, burdened by dark memories of the past.

As the wind howls and the moon fades, the woman is confronted by the fiery apparition of a man she once loved, now dead, yet still burning with the intensity of his unyielding devotion. He is a spectral figure cloaked in flames, his every movement commanding both awe and terror. Though his fiery form is magnificent, it is his message that truly captures the heart of this haunting tale.

The man, now a ghost, pleads with the woman to abandon her dangerous course in life. His love for her persists beyond death, and he urges her to choose a different path, one of survival, rather than sacrifice. But the woman, fiery and resolute, is unwilling to let go of the rebellion that defines her. The man, consumed by grief and regret, tries to sway her, but she refuses to surrender her beliefs, even in the face of death.

At its core, Fire and Ice explores the eternal struggle between love and duty, life and death, hope and despair. It is a tale of defiance, where the living must decide whether to heed the lessons of the past or continue down a path that may lead to their destruction.

This story, like all those in Thirteen Tales of Ghosts, weaves together the supernatural and the deeply human, pulling the reader into a world where the past cannot be escaped, and the future remains uncertain. If you’re looking for a tale that explores the complexity of love, loss, and the consequences of our choices, Fire and Ice is a perfect addition to your collection. Explore the full Thirteen Tales of Ghosts and immerse yourself in a world where the past never truly lets go, and the future is shaped by the decisions we make—both in life and death.

Fire and Ice
Thirteen Tales of Ghosts Cover

Unearthing the Past: “Earl” and the Reclamation of a Haunted Heritage

Welcome to another tale from Thirteen Tales of Ghosts, where history, mystery, and the supernatural collide. In this chilling tale, Earl, we follow a young man determined to reclaim his family estate—an endeavour that soon reveals itself to be much more perilous than he ever anticipated.

The protagonist, once a boy now, determined to claim his rightful place as the Earl, returns to a decaying mansion long abandoned by his family. As the night unfolds, the estate’s secrets begin to stir—secrets tied to his father’s mysterious downfall and the ghostly figures that haunt the grand halls. This is a tale of vengeance, bravery, and the struggle to clear his father’s tarnished name. But when the past reaches out with spectral hands, how much can one man truly control?

The estate itself, once a symbol of the Earl’s power and legacy, is now a place of shadows, cold winds, and ancient grudges. The protagonist, bolstered by arrogance and anger, faces an adversary in the form of his father’s vengeful ghost, a ghost clad in haunting armour, a vision of fury and grief.

What follows is an eerie confrontation in the heart of the mansion, a nightmarish journey through dark memories and ghostly visions. As the protagonist gathers those around him to assist in an exorcism, the house comes alive in the most chilling of ways. The ghosts are not merely phantoms—they are the twisted remnants of old wrongs that refuse to stay buried. Can one man fight the sins of the past and claim what is rightfully his? Or will he too be consumed by the haunting forces at play?

Earl is a gripping exploration of loss, legacy, and the supernatural forces that linger long after the living have moved on. Through its evocative atmosphere, tense pacing, and deeply emotional journey, it will pull readers into a world where the boundary between life and death is dangerously thin.

As part of Thirteen Tales of Ghosts, Earl serves as a reminder that some legacies are not easily reclaimed—and some ghosts are not so easily put to rest.

Read more of Thirteen Tales of Ghosts here and discover the chilling depths of the supernatural. What’s waiting for you on the other side of the grave? Find out in Earl and the rest of the collection.

Earl
Thirteen Tales of Ghosts Cover

Exploring the Haunting Cycles of Ghostly Existence

As part of Thirteen Tales of Ghosts, Scott Bailey‘s Cycles plunges readers into a chilling exploration of life, death, and the endless loops that can trap restless spirits. This gripping short story combines dark humour with a creeping sense of dread, taking readers on an unsettling journey through the eyes of three motorcyclists who find themselves caught in a ghostly cycle.

The narrative opens with an eerie stillness: three figures lying lifeless on a rain-soaked street. It doesn’t take long before the grim reality settles in—Gary, Tony, and Ray are dead. As they navigate their new existence, they discover both the absurdities and horrors of their predicament. From voyeuristic escapades to haunting old stomping grounds, their bravado begins to crumble as they encounter the grim truth of the graveyard: a cycle of torment that has no escape.

What makes Cycles truly memorable is the subtle way it shifts from dark comedy to existential horror. Bailey masterfully balances the camaraderie and banter of the three friends with the growing weight of their eternal fate. The story serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the consequences of recklessness and the haunting permanence of unfinished business.

If you’re drawn to tales that unsettle and linger long after the last page, Cycles is a must-read. It’s a reminder that even in death, we might not escape the consequences of life—or ourselves.

Discover more haunting tales in Thirteen Tales of Ghosts here! Prepare to lose yourself in stories that walk the fine line between the living and the dead.


Cycles
Thirteen Tales of Ghosts Cover

Hiding

By Scott Bailey © 2018

Costume
Armour
Suits
It all hides
What is really inside

 

Image from Pixabay

In response to the daily prompt Costume

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

River

By Scott Bailey © 2018

River slips quickly
Rolling by under the bridge
Until the freeze falls

Image from Pixabay

In response to RonovanWrites #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge #188 Quick&Slip

#Ronovan Writes Haiku Challenge

 

Colours

By Scott Bailey © 2018

The colours of the cross
Or the crescent
The sickle or the sun
Or nothing
They bring us together
To tear us apart
Make us belong
To a place
Where thoughts are handed out
With morals
But deeds are discouraged
Where greed is nurtured
And consummation
Perfected

Image from Pixabay

The Bright Interloper

By Scott Bailey © 2018

Darkness abounds
All around
Never-ending
As far as the mind can see
Interspersed with light
Bright, beautiful, enchanting
Far-reaching and inspiring
But
Mostly there is darkness
All enveloping
Mysterious, powerful
Devouring
Darkness

Light and Dark

 

Rambling through Dreams

A random ramble through riotous thoughts channelled through a strict poetic form with strange and unexpected results.

Follow the expanding maze of words and see where it leads you.

Andervayne's Dream

In these times of quick gratification and short attention spans, I decided to try and buck the trend and present something not only with greater length but also depth.

The poems in this collection were written over a long period and for different purposes. They are varied but they are all long. And they all represent challenges. Each was a challenge to myself, to sustain a quality of writing for a long period and within tight constraints of form while still telling a story. They also represent and challenge to the reader. The challenge to throw off the pressure of everyday life, the pressure to hurry, hurry, hurry to take the time to read something, absorb it over time.

Such effort needs reward, these poems should not be a one-time quick fix. If the reader is going to put that effort in then there should be a payoff, they should be able to continue to get something from it afterwards. Whether that be from contemplation of what they have digested or from revisiting, rereading and seeing things they missed the first time around. So the final challenge to me was to provide this depth of content – not just quantity.

A Kights Tale or A Life?

A fantasy tale of a Knight’s struggles and adventures that is a veiled allegory for modern life. But what does it tell us? What do you take from it?

Andervayne's Dream

In these times of quick gratification and short attention spans, I decided to try and buck the trend and present something not only with greater length but also depth.

The poems in this collection were written over a long period and for different purposes. They are varied but they are all long. And they all represent challenges. Each was a challenge to myself, to sustain a quality of writing for a long period and within tight constraints of form while still telling a story. They also represent and challenge to the reader. The challenge to throw off the pressure of everyday life, the pressure to hurry, hurry, hurry to take the time to read something, absorb it over time.

Such effort needs reward, these poems should not be a one-time quick fix. If the reader is going to put that effort in then there should be a payoff, they should be able to continue to get something from it afterwards. Whether that be from contemplation of what they have digested or from revisiting, rereading and seeing things they missed the first time around. So the final challenge to me was to provide this depth of content – not just quantity.

Fantasy in the Clouds

Fly on clouds with fantastical characters in an escape from the everyday! This poem offers no secrets, no hidden, agenda and presents simply joy and fantasy for the sake of it. This is the child at play spraying words like water splashed from a puddle in ecstasy.

Take time out, enjoy and ease your troubled adult mind – find the child again.

Andervayne's Dream

Humble Dreams of Escape

The dream of a farm boy who is not allowed to dream, this epic poem is an allegory of something much deeper and more soul-searching. It appears fantastical and full of mythos and strangeness, but beneath it all are truths of everyday life and one hard reality.

Written in a strict style as a challenge to the author – grab yourself a copy and spend some quality time digging into the symbolism and hidden meanings to see what secrets and philosophies you might find.

This is the archaeology of life in poetic form.


Andervayne's Dream

The People We Left Behind

The world has changed and that change has been for the better. People who were hidden are now seen. Inclusion is the way forward and we embrace all.

But some have been forgotten. Worse they have been labelled the instigators of the old ways, the bad ways. So they have been left behind – tarred with the brush of a small, powerful group of oppressors.

This collection partly examines this issue. It is not a complaint, not a wish for the old ways to return, but a way to start the conversation about what it means in the modern world to be white, male and middle-aged and how we need to come together with the rest of society again.

On another level, “The Well of Sunken Dreams” is a look at the betrayal of dreams that everyone of all creeds, sexes and colours feels these days. It asks what happened to the dreams we were promised? 

Pick up a copy – join the conversation no one is having.

The Well of Sunken Dreams

This collection of poems is a reflection of my thoughts about this and other darker aspects of modern life. In my other collections I like to balance this side of my ruminations with more optimistic explorations. This did not seem appropriate here. This is my equivalent of a grunge phase.

It also contains largely previously unpublished works that have not appeared anywhere else.

So, stick on those goth tunes and wallow in the well of sunken dreams.

Colourful World! Colourful Mind!

The world is colours! There are sparks in raindrops that outshine any gems. Stars sparkle with greens and blues and reds! Light hums through stained glass. Flowers and butterflies dance in an ebullience of shades. The spectrum sings through our souls.

“The Colour of Dreams” is a collection of poetry that celebrates the colourfulness of life in all its glory. Pick up a copy in your favourite form and join in the revelry. 

The Colour of Dreams

Immerse yourself in a poetic tapestry that weaves together a myriad of emotions and experiences, all connected by the vibrant thread of colour. This collection invites readers to explore the kaleidoscope of thoughts and moments that mirror the endless hues and diversity of our cosmic existence.

Mental Respite Through Poetry

Our minds need respite. They need distraction but not mindless, not trash. They need feeding. We all know this. We all forget it.

There have been many times I have been stuck in the deep, cloying pool of stress or simply stuck on a problem I cannot solve. The resolution has most often been to do something else. Something that engages the mind differently. This frees your subconscious to solve the issues for you. So often after such a period, the solution presents itself.

Many great thinkers and creatives have employed this method. Both Darwin and Einstein for example took walks in the country and let their minds be engorged with its beauty. For others, it has been music.

I present here another option. Poetry. A whole collection in fact – one for each day of the year. 

So when you’re stuck, or just in a fuzz that you need to shake – pick up “A Spring of Dreams”, read one poem – contemplate it. Give your mind the break it deserves.

A Spring of Dreams

Three hundred and sixty-five poems in all shapes and sizes, sprung from dreams and emotion. Published day after day for a year. There are haiku, sonnets, katauta, lanturnes and many other forms – including free form. The moods are as varied as the forms and often reflect my mood on the day. There is sadness and grief, joy and love.

If nothing else – these can provide a small moment in everyone’s stressful lives to stop and contemplate the world in a different way.

Can You Find the Secret?

There is a secret. It waits to be discovered and when it is it frees people, leads them to rebellion, and brings them together in strength. It must be discovered, it cannot be taught only learned. Once learned it needs to be lived.

Mankind Limited” is the story of four individual’s journeys of self-discovery to find and share the secret. Each has their own set of challenges, their own falls and victories. In a world where everything is measured and controlled the weight of society wants to crush them, hide the secret and control them. 

This is the story of that fight. A fight only those who can find and live the secret without compromise will survive.

Mankind Limited

Trapped. In a world where everything is measured and control pervades every area of life, four people begin to break down. Instead, they break through the walls of deceit and propaganda and into a world of revolution.

Each, in their way, vow to overthrow the established order. They embark on a journey against the forces arraigned against them, forces of state and self-doubt.

Ultimately their paths converge on a dangerous road and the discovery of an ancient secret.

One one level this is a story about how different people react the ever growing and relentless pressure of everyday oppression. It explores their journeys as they are broken and rebuilt and investigates their modes and motivations for rebelling.

At another level, it is a critique on the darker side of capitalism and free markets and how that has driven us further and further away from the evolutionary advantage that gave us supremacy in the first place. It questions whether the human race has doomed itself or whether we still have the capacity to wrench ourselves from the track we have so tightly committed our society upon.

Conversation

By Scott Bailey © 2018

The end of the conversation
Is the end of the line
The rising of the fires
Of hostility and ire
So keep talking
Keep talking

Conversation

In response to the daily prompt Conversation

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

The Calling

By Scott Bailey © 2017

Galaxy

Hear the music
Of the spheres
Calling
Feel
The irresistible
Attraction
Of the singularities
Pulling
See the twinkle
The burst of life
Shrouded in the
Nebulous mists
Here the roar
Of the silent yaw
Of space
Here the call
The dare

Will we share
In the song
Or crack
Our own end

In response to the daily prompt Calling

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

The Scarlet Mountain

By Scott Bailey © 2016

The scarlet mountain
Hangs in the sky
The scarlet mountain
Lies
Through the blood
Of the mountain
All of us
Relate
This is the place
Dreams instantiate
Where the scarlet mountain
Dwells in the clouds
That is where
Hope flies

In response to the daily prompt Relate

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

Compass

By Scott Bailey © 2017

Compass

The compass has no compassion
The waves care not
The road goes on forever
Whatever your feet yearn
Rest is not an option
For the currents will always win
Only those that fly
Will win

In response to the daily prompt Compass

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

Giant

By Scott Bailey © 2017

The giant sun burns slow
Swells red and bloated, gassing
It’s life into space

Red Giant
Tablizer at the English language Wikipedia [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons
 

 

In response to RonovanWrites #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge #180 Slow&Burn

#Ronovan Writes Haiku Challenge

 

Elegance

By Scott Bailey © 2017

From the unimaginable
Power
Of supermassive black holes
To the delicate
Dance of quarks
It all contains
Elegance
Beautiful and precise
In the conclusion of horror
And the breaking of joy
The shining of rain
And the sweep of the dune
From the swell of the tide
And the retreat
Elegance
Rules

In response to the daily prompt Elegance

#DailyPrompt #iamwriting, #postaday

Dancing

By Scott Bailey © 2014

Defying downing gravity
To delight in dazzling dance
Shimmering, shining sparkles
Showering tiny tears

Photo by Scott Bailey

In response to the daily prompt Sparkle

#DailyPrompt #iamwriting, #postaday

Days of Steam

By Scott Bailey © 2017

Steam Engine

Brass gleams, drips with steam
Flaring in a beam of light
Driving on the wheel

 

In response to RonovanWrites #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge #179 Flare&Steam

#Ronovan Writes Haiku Challenge

 

Eagle High

By Scott Bailey © 2017

Daring the currents
Of the rare higher airways
Bold the eagle flies

 

Eagle

In response to RonovanWrites #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge #178 Bold&Daring

#Ronovan Writes Haiku Challenge

 

Jenga Man

By Scott Bailey © 2017

A piece of me is demanded
Every waking moment of my life
One day the critical piece
Will be withdrawn
And the inevitable
Tumble will come
The final fall
The end of the game

Jenga Man

In response to the daily prompt Tenterhooks

#DailyPrompt #iamwriting, #postaday

Age

By Scott Bailey © 2017

Age is the revealer
It strips away the lies
And wears us down
With harsh reality
Pares us to the bone

Age

In response to the daily prompt Age

#DailyPrompt #iamwriting, #postaday

Tenterhooks

By Scott Bailey © 2017

Waiting on tenterhooks
For the next Big Idea
The next Winner
The next Wedding
The next Divorce
The next Leader
The next Messiah
For some
Just
The Next Sale
In the meantime
We are bled
And the fruits of our labours
Snuck out of the back door

In response to the daily prompt Tenterhooks

Waiting

#DailyPrompt #iamwriting, #postaday

The Age of Reason

By Scott Bailey © 2017

This is the age of reason
Apparently
What reason then
Behind the starving child
Tortured by hunger pains
What reason
Behind the women
Sold as toys
What reason
The stockpiling and use
Of weapons of blood
One reason
One alone
That pounds every moment
Of our lives

In response to the daily prompt Age

Exploitation

#DailyPrompt #iamwriting, #postaday

Snippet

By Scott Bailey © 2017

Snippet
Clip it
Crimp it
Crumpets
Strumpets
Trumpets

The clear, pure note of a trumpet
Filling expectant silence
With celebration

In response to the daily prompt Snippet

Trumpet

#DailyPrompt #iamwriting

Rambling

By Scott Bailey © 2017

The sparrows scatter the pine cones
Down the valley and down
The salmon are jumping the ladders
The bears are shiny and brown

The river digs through the mountain
Too deep to hold any sin
The current rolls over and over
As ruins come tumbling in

Deep in the widening desert
Rumbles mistakes from the past
Mad birds scatter their debris
The light is shattered and cast

The stars shine high in the nighttime
Burning the rocks bare below
Melting resolve of the greatest
Like newly laid snow

Darkness pushes the light
Further and further apart
Stillness covers the chaos
Silence claims every heart

Rambling

#iamwriting

No Turn

By Scott Bailey © 2017

Time is a one way street
There is no going back
A Saturday now is not a Saturday then
Monday morning comes again

Time drips
Dreams trip
Words will see us through

In response to the daily prompt One Way

One Way

#DailyPrompt #iamwriting

Husks

By Scott Bailey © 2017

The scrabble for the dream
Prevents the dream
As we fill every moment
Chasing here and there
To get things done!
We never stop to ask
Why
The things we are chasing
We will never have time for
As we are too busy
Chasing
Mankind and I
Have become
Empty husks of purpose

Husks

#iamwriting

The Hunt

By Scott Bailey © 2017

The percussive beat
Of a heart pounding with life
Stilled by quick, sharp teeth

In response to the daily prompt Percussive

#DailyPrompt #iamwriting

Underdogs

By Scott Bailey © 2017

The underdogs are many
Trampled underfoot
While they fetch and roll
And play dead
Until the day
They remember
They are
Wolves
And the pack arises

In response to the daily prompt Underdog

Wolves

#DailyPrompt #iamwriting

Bridge

By Scott Bailey © 2017

White swan flies over
Broken, crumbling, old stone bridge
River rolls on by

 

Swan flying over a crumbling bridge

In response to RonovanWrites #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge #176 Broken&Over

#Ronovan Writes Haiku Challenge

 

Madness

By Scott Bailey © 2017

A touch of madness
In the powerful is wrong
But in the writer…

Madness
Photo by Mikhail Nilov on Pexels.com

 

In response to RonovanWrites #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge #172 Wrong&Touch

#Ronovan Writes Haiku Challenge

 

Mirror

By Scott Bailey © 2017

The lake’s smooth surface
Is as calm and still as glass
Perfect winter’s ice

In response to RonovanWrites #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge #171 Lake&Calm

#Ronovan Writes Haiku Challenge

 

Crumbs

By Scott Bailey © 2017

The smallest of crumbs
Of hope keep us all trying
Generating cash

Crumbs

In response to the daily prompt Crumb

#DailyPrompt #iamwriting

The Gate

By Scott Bailey 2017

The gate swings
Welcoming those who have come
Waving to those who have gone
The wear on the paint
Remembrance
Painting it over
Will not erase the memory

In response to the daily prompt Gate

Gate

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting

Outside `The Daffodil and Pen’

By Scott Bailey © 1999

I wandered lonely as a brick
That sinks and dives in stream and lake,
When all at once I was so sick,
And an awful mess I did make.
Beside the lake, beneath the trees.
Splattering my stomach in the breeze.

It must have been the bread I had
Or maybe that old Milky Way.
This puddle of sick smelt so bad
Along the margin of the bay.
Ten pints I had drunk, at a guess.
Tossing my head, I felt a mess.

The waves in my head danced, and they
Dashed my weak legs from under me.
A poet could not be so gay
As the one who stood over me.
He gazed and gazed and then in glee
Threw up and fell down next to me.

Next morn when on my couch I lay
In vacant and in pensive mood.
I swore I’d give up drink that day.
And swore some more, it was quite rude.
But soon, once more, the cider spills.
I’ll sleep again with daffodils.

 

In response to the daily prompt Dash

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting

Outside `The Daffodil and Pen’

Slurred

By Scott Bailey 2017

Words slurred
Danger
Thoughts blurred
Danger
Moral smudged
Danger
Figures fudged
Danger
Modern life

In response to the daily prompt slur

Blurred Life

#DailyPrompt

Rhythym

By Scott Bailey 2017

Let the rhythm of the future
Not be
The rhythm of the past
Let us change it
Though the task be hard
And let it be
Beautiful
Let it be vast
Lest it be elegant
And true

In response to the daily prompt Rhythmic

Rhythym

#DailyPrompt

Glitter

By Scott Bailey 2017

The glitterati glitter
While the paparazzi pack
Lines full of lies and libel
To shore up the moral we lack
The world wide web weaves wonders
Hyperlinks hypnotise
The people they rage and thunder
Swallowing all of the lies
So watch the things that glisten
Watch the lustre and shine
And remember that nobody listens
Any of the time

 

In response to the daily prompt Glitter

Glitter

#DailyPrompt

Lukewarm

By Scott Bailey 2017

A lukewarm life
Mine could be considered
Is that a bad thing?
Or maybe
The heat
Is deep and concealed
Who can tell?

In response to the daily prompt Lukewarm

Lukewarm

#DailyPrompt

Aware

By Scott Bailey 2017

Futility, the child of awareness
Perhaps ignorance is bliss
Not a choice I would make
Action begins in awareness
Except in rivers and clouds

Awareness

In response to the daily prompt Aware

#DailyPrompt

The Message

By Scott Bailey 2017

Look for the message
Lovingly crafted
Full of compassion and care
Look for it in the news
If you find it
Follow the crafter
For they are rare

In response to the daily prompt Lovingly
but also
In response to the daily prompt Craft from the day before.

Lovingly Crafted

#DailyPrompt

Debt

By Scott Bailey © 1998

Do not lightly discard them
with tales of the foolish bold.
They sat for weeks, for months, for years
in trenches freezing cold.
Sometimes feet simply mouldered
in the sucking mud.
And now and then they’d rise and run
and spill their loyal blood.

Do not belittle the suffering
of soldiers now long dead.
With nothing but talk and songs and bombs
bursting in their head.
Bound together with chains of love
shattered by leaden death.
They ended as they had begun
with cries upon their breath.

Do not lightly remember them
with only paper flowers.
they faced the fear, the pain, the cold,
for hours and hours and hours.
They ran together and fell alone
upon those foreign fields.
Protecting those they loved
those frightened human shields.

Do not read these words and think
that these things are passed.
Do not think you will not hear
that deep and dreadful blast.
Do not sit in decadence
and take for granted peace.
You owe a debt to those who died
and that debt will never cease.

Image from Pixabay