Poems Again

Limbo

Purgatory is where I live
Otherwise known as Nauru
For I sought asylum
To be doomed there instead
In bondage
Although I have done no wrong
There is no queue I am accused of jumping
To travel by boat is not a crime
Refuge sought is not a dangerous thing
But an end of suffering for damaged souls
In this place
Morning is a herald of sadness
Each day is a punishment for living
We the unwanted ones
Are mere shadows of existence
The sun and the moon and the endless stars
Do not belong to us
They are part of a future we do not have
A property of others
The wild creatures in the bush around us
Are the lucky ones
They are free
Born in the right place
Not subject to inhumane ordinances
Defined as border protection
O how the years pass
Relentlessly long for me
Time is a curse
That changes me into an android of impotence
Longing longing longing
To find my humanity
So here I stay
Pretending to be alive
Knowing that my destiny
Is merely to survive
Maybe

Deadly Diversity

Under the Southern Cross no more
Do we make cars as we did before
Goodbye to Holden, Ford and Toyota
They are now part of the import quota
But wonder of wonders all is not lost
Armoured cars are now made at half the cost
Weapons of war are the new solution
As hostile relations promote convolution
A military industrial complex now thrives
And that is the way our budget survives
Yes war is a business the pundit declares
So call it defence and brandish your wares
Next will come submarines, rockets and guns
Plus dignified killing for our daughters and sons
So polish each barrel
Don hostile apparel
Find a foe, spin a yarn of fictitious woe
Then watch the money flow
Yes warfare is a golden ruse held dear by the rich and wily
Who’ll start a conflict cunningly and make their profit slyly
So once more into the battle boys with your warlike friends
Battlegrounds are where profit lies, a market that never ends
And if history tends to criticise, you needn’t walk the plank
Just stand aside if others deride and enjoy your stroll to the bank

Truth

A funny thing happened to me yesterday
A stranger told me the truth
I knew he wasn’t misleading
Because the evidence was very strong
Provided you looked for it
With an open mind
He seemed to have no ulterior motive
As some people do
Especially those with a political agenda
His demeanour was in no way furtive
He looked straight into my eyes
Voice calm and gentle yet poignant
We seemed to enjoy our meeting
Mutually
Ongoing with lasting respect
Our discourse was gentle and pleasant
Courteous
Kindly responding to each other’s curiosity
Tinctured with a smile or two
Exchanging ideas in a way
That could begin a beautiful friendship
We exchanged details of our lives
With unusual veracity for a first meeting
We brushed minds willingly and honestly
Yes, company enjoyed
Then came the words
That rang rings around my brain
A truth I dared not deny
He said
At my age
All that I am
Will soon exist only in the memories of others
Yes that was right
So now I struggle incessantly for worthy recollections
Every day
And sometimes every night

That Is The Way Of Things Now

I don’t walk very well these days
It’s because I am so old
Every step is painful
My balance is rather shaky as well
Travelling from point a to point b
Is an adventure, a challenge
I keep thinking of the best way should I fall
Planning carefully
And deciding I will be a balloon
Suddenly deflating
Yes that’s it, relaxation is the salvation if I crash
I will melt into the ground
The way I used to die on the stage as an actor
I’ve just hung some washing on the line
The journey from the laundry was infinite
Never ending
I made it, eventually without falling
Although I came very close to that
Pegging out the clothes is far from easy
As your atrophied neck
Resists upward movement of the head
But somehow I managed
Then it was back to the house
Another odyssey
This time disaster struck: down I went
My survival plan worked
I relaxed and survived
But wonder of wonders a beautiful butterfly didn’t
It flew under my falling body
That lovely creature would no longer dance on the air
I looked at what I had done to that crushed poor thing
Suddenly I became wise
What was left of me was still alive
Yes life remained mine despite my decrepitude
And there was so much more left to do
That is the way of things now

royciebaby