On a turquoise cloud

How nice to be floating
up there, somewhere --
unsullied by the stain of petty desires,
or the mud and grime of earthly constructs --
Bobbing along to the soundtrack of lyres,
Dido-esque muzak, or perhaps something inbetween.
Unburdened by existentialist ideas,
or the philosophies of Socrates, Plato, Confucius,
Ghandhi, Teresa, Lennon, Plath, Keats --
Just a bunch of dead people,
and those not dead are tiny moving black specks below.

How nice to be breathing
thin, but clean, air --
no noxious fumes to char the lungs
and choke your bronchioles --
Bobbing along to the melody, sweetly sung,
of tranquil skies, and lazy ships upon sun-drenched seas --
Up there, somewhere...
on a turquoise cloud.

---- circa 5th August 2005

By the side of the road

A pair of lovers by the side of the road –
Contorted faces shooting accusatory looks,
Distorted voices – hoarse and cracked –
And the ground beneath, seemingly shook.

The Hondas, the Mercs, and the cabs that zoomed past
Provided the floodlights for their little show.
The Inquisitive eyes of strangers behind plexiglass windows,
Were the fleeting audience – spectators on the go.

A careless word dropped along the way,
An inflammatory remark thrown into the winds,
A pointing finger casting a spell of hate,
Like starting a wild bushfire with a burning splint.

I turned to flee from the flames and crossed
And heard next – the screaming of tires –
A loud bang – and then a blankness – a stillness –
And I was staring up, at the black skies –

At the spinning streetlights, and glaring headlights.
I wondered, "Will they see it before it's all too late? –
This pair of lovers by the side of the road –
That anger only begets anger begets rage begets hate?"


---- 22 July 2005

In waves this engulfing darkness hits

In waves this engulfing darkness hits
the fragile consciousness
and the heart starts
flailing madly against the rushing tide.
Nothing telling breaks
the impassive façade
except the glistening eyes
and a blinking back
of that single tear of anguish (or fear?).

The rain had forewarned this
deluge, but the Sun had turned his face away –
For who wants to be the herald
of such dire circumstance?
And now the looming gloom that threatens
to settle across the horizons,
encroaches upon sight and foresight –
Like awaking from a lush dream and plunging straight
into the blackest of seas.

---- circa 20th October 2005

The more I stumble after Time

The more I stumble after Time,
The faster it scampers away from me --
Like an elusive imp that teases,
And drains all my mortal energy.

Sliding this way and that way,
Slipping into corners and out --
Streaking between my lumbering fingers
During protracted moments of doubt.

It sneaks up from behind
With much stealth, cunning, and sly --
And then with a bang and a jolt,
A phase of a life has passed you by...

--- circa 18th Oct 2005