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Advent Calendar Poem #1: Firebird II

Bare branches lay still 
frozen in the murk of the mist
a gloom of grey blankets the world
that even the luminescence of street lamps 
offer only obscurity 
and it seems that the day is destined 
to be lived in a monochromatic mire
        - until - 
a flicker on the horizon
soft-focused flame of white
fluttering on a breeze of its own making
white warms to the copper 
copper burns to crimson
the firebird has returned 
melting wintry melancholy
with its presence.

Welcome to day 1 of my Advent Calendar of poetry for 2022. I hope you enjoy the poems I’ll be sharing over the next 24 days.

Please let me know any thoughts or comments you may have below…

I hope you have a wonderful December.

Thanks for reading,

Paul

Natural Causes

From my window,
I can see a sycamore is dying, 
limp branches bereft of leaf and bud,
can’t hide the pallor of the trunk - 
                    a doomed fading grey, 
with sickly green blotches, 
as the lichen’s fate intertwines
with the withering tree.
Soon, wailing saws will end the pain, 
settling buried roots - 
	           to their final sleep.

Thanks for reading Natural Causes. Did the words resonate with you?

I have a few poems lined up to be released over the next few weeks, so keep your eyes peeled for those.

Take it Easy

Paul

Treasure

The strawberry patch
  in full         bloom 
scarlet gems
ripe with summer’s flavour
under the dewy     heat 
of the sun
they are   temptation
a picture of beauty 
yet hide an    ugly truth
for the red jewels 
have hidden         chips and cracks
botched heists 
by starlings, swifts and finches
my treasure    lost 
for another 
         year.

Thanks for taking the time to read Treasure; I appreciate it. If you want to read more of my work, have a little wander around my site. Whatever you do, have a great day.

Take It Easy

Paul

Chokehold

Throat 
raw with grief
or is it the whiskey
each fuelling the other 
like oceans 
feed storms
and storms 
feed oceans. 

blue volcanoes
push magma down my face
but instead of sulphur
it's the sodium that burns 

they say applying pressure on coal
gives you a diamond 
the weight of your loss
cuts with clarity
time is precious
life is finite.

Thanks for taking the time to read this poem. Sometimes grief can’t let you say things, so you have to write them down.
Enough of the moroseness; I hope you’re doing well, and if you want to read something lighthearted after this, I’d recommend this poem.

Take it easy,

Paul

Incendiary

Golden sands were painted coal-dust black
          the day I found the flint
it called to me 
          like a flame draws a moth
I knew then my purpose 
          but setting the world ablaze
doesn’t come easy 
          often fires splutter out sparks 
and embers fade
           before they become effective
so I became patient 
           striking the firestone 
when it really mattered
           like the day            I found her 
and saw the kindling catch 
            behind her hazel eyes
the inferno still 
            roars.

Thanks for taking the time to read Incendiary. If you’d like to keep up to date with my newest poems as they come out, follow my site, and you’ll be updated with every new post.

In the meantime, take it easy,

Paul

Carry On

Weather-beaten hands struggle 
against the pulling weight of age 
and future fiefdoms
he tries gallantly
to slow the beat of time 
measuring success 
in only the moments
a smile touches his lips
staring into her eyes.

Thanks for taking the time to read my poem; I genuinely appreciate it.

Please feel free to leave comments or constructive critiques; I’m always grateful for learning opportunities.

Take It Easy

Paul

Chaotic Romance

I’m lost in the chaos
and romance 
of the jazz playing 
through my headphones
mainlining wordless wisdom 
straight to my brain

the addiction took over me 
in a past existence
Coltrane, Davis and The Dave Brubeck Quartet
imprinted my bloodstream

let my feet and fingers tap 
and head sway
whether frenzied or not
I don't want to be found just yet 
the sound of the sax and trumpets
is the sound of my soul
is the sound of romantic chaos.

Thanks for taking the time to read my poem. I hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to leave any comments you may have below.

Take it Easy

Paul

Captains

Streets glowing amber 
in the lamplit haze
our feet firm on the cobbled quay
adrenaline anchoring the buzz 
delivered in the bottle of wine 
sunk in the taxi 
as we cruised into town
all captains of our destiny
awe-wide eyes moving like beacons
with crested grins plastered on faces 
taking in the scene 
anticipating tonight’s chicanery
and tomorrow's dark storm of a hangover
we let the wind push us forward 
       -  surrendering to the city.

Thanks for taking the time to read Captains, inspired by the awe of my first night out in a city.

Feel free to leave any comments or critique you may have.

Take It Easy

Paul

Abyss of Irrelevance

Their laurels are flattened and dull
from being rested on
for far too long 
but they can’t bring themselves 
to try something new
so they lose their sheen quickly
with those who listened to them for hours on end
who now become bored with their blether
and the laurels dull further.

Thanks for taking the time to read my poem. I welcome any comments or constructive critiques.

Take It Easy,

Paul