Is that

Is                 that                     just
the             silver                   birch
picked                                   clean
no                                           berries
in                the                      turning
of                                            autumn
is                that  a                 turning
to               the                      winter

that          every person     holds
and           knows                 so dear

where the wind cares not
for the meaning of your name

Worship me backwards

 

You should
worship me
backwards
while I wear feathers
made easy
and mist has no feet
submission caws
as the black beak
breaks the bark

worship me backwards
where nebula’s call no name
but curse gravity for
are they not held
in circular perplexion
submission caws
as particles perspire
in the crush

I Will Breed Flies (survive parody)

At first, I was afraid, I was petrified
Kept thinking, I could never get the bees on my side
But then I spent so many nights thinking, humming that bee song
And I grew strong, but all the buzzing’s gone

And so you’re back from outer space
I just walked in to find you here with antenna holding pace
I should have talked to the wasps
I should changed to a minor key
If I’d known for just one second I’d have no honey for my tea

Go on now, go, fly out the hive, fay  your way now
‘Cause you’re not producing anymore
Weren’t you the one, who tried to hurt me with a sting?
Did you think I’d crumble? Did you think I’d find another thing?

Oh, no, not I, I will breed flies
Oh, as long as I know how to hum, I know I’ll stay alive
I’ve got all my life to live, I’ve got all my songs to give
And I’ll breed flies, I will breed flies , hey, hey

It took all the strength I had not to fall apart
Kept trying hard to get the queen to start
And I spent, oh, so many nights just dressing in nets
I used to cry but now I lost all those bets

And you see me, somebody new
I’m not that chained up little person still in love with you
And so you felt like dropping in and just expect me to be free
But now I’m saving all my loving for someone working for me

Go on now, go, fly out the hive, fay  your way now
‘Cause you’re not producing anymore
Weren’t you the one, who tried to hurt me with a sting?
Did you think I’d crumble? Did you think I’d find another thing?

Oh, no, not I, I will breed flies
Oh, as long as I know how to hum, I know I’ll stay alive
I’ve got all my life to live, I’ve got all my songs to give
And I’ll breed flies, I will breed flies , hey, hey

Go on now, go, fly out the hive, fay  your way now
‘Cause you’re not producing anymore
Weren’t you the one, who tried to hurt me with a sting?
Did you think I’d crumble? Did you think I’d find another thing?

Oh, no, not I, I will breed flies
Oh, as long as I know how to hum, I know I’ll stay alive
I’ve got all my life to live, I’ve got all my songs to give
And I’ll breed flies, I will breed flies , hey, hey

Sometimes, the rain is sorrow

Sometimes in the garden
liquid sorrow falls to my face
a remembrance of the only
happiness of Somerset

Light rain and faintest wind
caress memories of a smile
that carried no shell around
and never whistled in the garden

Like tiny robins calling alarm
held aloft on silver birch
having eaten all the berries
where liquid sorrow has no place

that is all I care to remember
of Somerset, were I to have

any choice

Face of clay

It was a whisper
from the face of clay
of itself unfinished
whispering universal
half truths, in the Chinese
saying from bellows
of clay lips

itself unfinished
not set, a layer of
sheen from water
of the dream

that too, unfinished
and reclaimed
unglazed

never kilned
the face of clay
still drips

I don’t remember

          I don’t remember
when my family broke
             we all shattered
         like sheep herded
             over a cliff edge

no one backed down
and no one explained

        we brokered gravity
                  like maths that
 could no longer explain
            the laws of nature
       finally the equations
                    only compute

      I don’t remember

Jelly baby Family

I line up the jelly baby
family on my desk
a father a mother
and two sons
all in different colours and tastes

Then I take up the father
bite off his head and leave
the body bleeding jelly

one mother two sons
left with sadden blows
wondering whose the next to go

I take a son
and devour him whole
leave a mother grieving
and a son to woe

Then I take the mother
and a son left alone
counting seconds
till his times comes

then finally I take the son
this orphan
in one gulp and no chewing

But please don’t shed a tear
because their jelly
and don’t mean a thing to me
I was just hungry for sugar

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bruce Ruston 2011

Fresh

New morning light lands
my eyes flit and do open
now I only do

Inspired by the theme at

Petals for pleasure

She cuts flowers from the garden
and keeps them in the front room
till the petals drop

Wearing old age like her husband
wore his medals, but he died
young at 48 and she refuses
to replace him

She names the Butterflies
and the Bees, tips the boy
at the counter for Christmas

But refuses to learn his name
preferring only to know things
that she won’t be attached to

They call her Mad Mold
on the account of her lifestyle
but as I watch her pass by
the window

I look to the crack to the left
pane, I understand she has broken
gracefully but still lets light

For some it is the best way to brake
but still hold to the frame

No houses

 
  Three doors
              down
there are the
         garages
no     houses
live      there
 
and   two   baubles
in      the       sky
rarely   appear
in     unison