feeling the silence

walking the undercliff

feeling the silence

even tho’ even there

there is no complete quiet

rustling of leaves

bird calls

the ever present

buzz in the ears

this silence exists

of no neighbours

cars passing thru’

planes passing overhead

drone of radio’s tv’s

voices nothing to say

just the noise of me

boots in mud catching stones

breathing heavy

& nothing

but this silence

holding on

feeling its way

into me

neil benbow

all on me

there were hints

tiny murmurs

for me to be adventurous

try new things

which being a sporting man

I was happy to do

then came recriminations

I wasn’t getting IT right

whatever IT was

never explained

explored

made whole

& I understood

it was all on me

to give permissions

take responsibility

so for her

IT became

the things

he made me do

& fool that I am

did not know

that was a trap

neil benbow

See The Fairies At Dawn

I wake up early to see the fairies at dawn

Catch a sniff of the grass dew on my lawn

Two faces reflecting from a cool stream

Just as I’d seen them earlier in my dream

They say fairies appear in purple and blue

Accompanied by charming butterflies too

If you observe closely you’ll see Tinker Bell

I see them all, I hope you see them as well

©Johnny J P Lee

20 April 2021

Photos Credit, Xesusrl

THE FIRST DAY OF MY LIFE

I wake up from a deep sleep and realize

I have travelled back in time, by an old, long and winding road - back tracking the path I have taken in my entire life. I return home, as if from a strange dream, with the awareness that there are three classes of people:

1/ Those who use their heads a lot, by what they have learned or have been taught. They read a lot, they check, research and check again to confirm their findings. Many in this class learn, at first, to be clever and to be functional. They plan, they work hard, and they perform very well. They live inside their heads.

2/ Some are gutsy people. They just follow their guts instinct. They don’t reason, they don’t think, they don’t weigh the pros and cons, but they are very sensitive to danger. Thus, they learn to conquer their fears. They will fight for truth and justice. Their mission in life is to help the underdogs at all costs. They put their heads on the chopping block for others, and in this way, they have created their own enemies.

3/ Some are focused on caring; they are passionate people, and are concerned for others. They sacrifice their own time for the benefit and the well being of others. They are selfless people. They operate from the heart, without having to be taught. They are very open and are comfortable with people. They give so much of their time for others they often neglect themselves.

These three classes of people are not good or bad in themselves. It is just how they operate from what they were taught and how they had lived and experienced life. It is what they are, it is how they are.

For myself, I need to discover and know myself first, so that I can accept others - understanding now that all of us are as we are, although we may operate differently. I just need to be whole by reorganizing my life. I need to find all the lost or broken parts of me and put them together ... because that is the real me - who I am, all that I am, and the way that I am, precisely as in the three classes of people.

Understanding this, what I become depends then on the choices I now make in life. For what I am, what I have learnt are God’s gifts to me to assist me to be a better person in life.

What I become is thus my gift to God.

And remember ... today is:

The First Day of the rest of my life.

©Johnny J P Lee

20 April 2021

Photo Credit J. P. Lee

Now, if you consciously seek me in prayer, fold your hands and knees, kneel with sympathy and stillness, for there is movement in faith, there is a banquet in the hearts that calls for wisdom, and in the eyes of God, I can see the great space, a pebble resembling courage and hope, I can see the doves, I can see the mountains, I can see the shining surface of love that is instilled in you, and this love is a deep prolongation, and today, I confess, I am moved, I am happy, I am happy that I found you.

— Chuck Akot, seek me in prayer

Writing Dreams.

I am going to write a story;

A weird and awesome tale,

Then I'll put it on the Internet,

And put it up for sale.

It will probably make a million;

If I'm lucky maybe two,

Then I'll buy myself an island,

And build a home for you.

In the morning we'll have sunshine,

When we nap;` a little rain,

In the night time it will snow,

Then the sun will shine again.

We'll have oranges, limes and lemons,

And we'll make sweet lemonade,

Then I'll write another book,

And we'll really have it made.

We'll have really happy children;

Maybe three or maybe four,

I will buy them all bright kites,

And we'll watch them as they soar.

We'll llamas and some donkeys,

We'll have dogs and cats and geese,

We'll have gorilla's and some monkeys,

And our fun will never cease.

But first I best get started,

Because I've not wrote anything down,

And the plot? it still eludes me,

And my brain is upside down.

So I'll wait until tomorrow;

Think about it overnight,

Then the story will come flowing,

And all will be alright.

I guess I jumped the gun;

Put the cart before the horse,

Because I'm really not that smart,

And my eyesight's getting worse.

So I won't tell you about,

And put false promises in your eyes,

And when my book is finished,

It will be a great surprise.

Ambrose Harte

Scattered Thoughts

Whats it mean to be without possessions?

Conscious of everything you do?

No need to worry about fitting in

Why be like them when you can be like you?

How many miles away do you have to be?

To realize you’ve already got everything you need

It’s all in your head you see

The outlines of the roads marked out in your heart

You just have to follow them

Trace the red little veins to start

Surrounded by bodies of water, mountains, and trees

Remember when they said you’d be better off dead

And with one look you smile back at them you are free

Are you awake now or are you sleeping in bed?

NaPoWriMo 19. “Cumulo-Missed-Us”

You who treads alone at night Among the humming electric lights

Seek the center of this storm Stifled sights and sounds; where is your warm?

Cup your ears to hear your thoughts Warming hands close curtains taut

Crackling static of the sea Radio waves broadcast words free

Within the vacant absent dark Love letters coast leaving their mark

Flickering from eye to eye Don’t look too long for a reply

TEA FOR THREE

I’ll make you a cup of tea

It’s been twelve years

How did you find me?

You left, just disappeared

Without a word or good bye

And now you are here

The time slips by

Is it really you, my dear?

Reply: Yes, it’s me. Are you still sore?

What do you expect?

The scar is in my heart

Honor and respect

They don’t depart

I’m still waiting for you

Can’t live without you

But no! I am not sore

You are far too dear

I’m confused to the core

Why are you here?

Reply: I was married.

What? You could have told me

I wanted to but I was confused too

Thought I could get a divorce

Then come back to you

But restrains were enforced

And ... and ... I

Oh please don’t cry

I can’t bear that you’re in pain

Sit down. Here, wipe your tears dry

When you’re ready, speak again

I was having your child

I told him so

He went really mad, wild

Refused to let me go

Oh, sweet love! My child?

Claimed her as his own

He said the score is even

A jewel for his crown

Your daughter is now eleven

My daughter! Where is she?

We’re locked up and restrained

Finally, the police came

He’s now wearing the chain

For his sadistic game

She’s outside your door

Waiting for you and me

As we’ve never been before

Do you still love me?

Yes! Of course I love you

You know I always do

And I love her too

We are finally free

Now, we are three

Let’s sit and have tea

©Johnny J P Lee

20 April 2021

Photos Credit J. P. Lee

———

C. A. Singh • Stealing from the Breakroom Fridge

4-19-21

We ate fistfuls of dandelions hoping it would give us enough courage and heart to roar.

Write to my insecurities.

Write to my shame.

Write to my love gone wrong.

Write for the obsession of my soul.

Write for the wide eyed girl lost in my brown eyes.

Write for the amour etched in every single letter I typed to you even despite your multifaceted smile.

I write to you in the gleam of the moonlight and the glimmer of a thousand stars aligning in the sky to watch my declaration of love overflowing in stardust.

I quickly erase the cries of my soul right before me.

The trio of dots suddenly disappear as I type a simple hello.

I write to you in vain.

— L.O.V.E by @theluciddragonfly

Her Story

The Asian girl with the occasional smile

was never late for class, never raised her hand,

and always read the book, but never

turned in a paper

I asked her about it, and she told me that

she didn’t like her writing, it was her second

language, and it made her look stupid

so she would never turn in the papers but

would ace everything else hoping she could

just scrape by and pass the class and disappoint

her parents but at least she wouldn’t look stupid

so I said, why don’t you write about that?

the truth always makes for a great paper,

I’ll help you edit your draft, and you can

resubmit, and only then I’ll give you a grade

so the next day she handed me an origami swan

with wings that moved when you pulled the tail,

and it was a paper, so I accepted it, unfolded it,

and she had written by hand:

‘sometimes

I wish I was bird

so I could fly

far far away.’

Never nevermore

Never, never did I say “never”

though that door was never open.

The window was never closed.

Never saw it coming.

Never knew raven

could say never

more never

never

more.

 © Scott Thompson

Awakened For A Cloudy Morning View

Awakened for a cloudy morning view

Overlooking the quiet sleeping lake

Surrounded by the fragrant scent of dew

Peace, with every breath that I take

I feel safe in my sanctuary well embraced

by mountains and flaming flowers too

Grassy greens wave, wind on my face

Romancing with nature, sounds of coo

©Johnny J P Lee

20 April 2021

Photo Credit, Throughwinterfields

My body full of creaking bones

Wraiths writhe within their marrow

Whisper haunting tales that echo through

These hollow heart chambers.

A dust leaden tounge

And rotting floorboard flesh.

Guilting termites eating away at each memory I do not have left to loose.

Bleeding out stale promises that crumble when held.

My existence a ghost.

~

I forget how to pronounce poetry's name

And she does not cast me sinner for this transgression

Instead, she caresses my tounge

Brushes a metaphor across my aching finger tips

Says

close your eyes, oh you who once believed

And let me remind you of what heaven tastes like on the lips

Let me teach you again of how to summon my mercy

~

im just going to have to keep writing bad poems until there are none left but good ones ;) writers ♡strategy♡

Future past and present

You’re not my future

Yet you tell me how you love me always

You’re not my past

Yet you haunt my footsteps with your memories

You’re not my present

Yet I cannot disentangle my heart

My life is weaved around yours

However far I am from you

I’m with you yet never there

Our fantasies fuel our blood with fire

I cannot take a breathe without feeling you

Erasing you is impossible

Living without you hell

What is this life if not with you

Every night my spirit roams freely

Finding you in my dreams

Passion ours in the twilight of delusion

My body mind and spirit yours

My future past and present only mine

Fallen Tree

anna magee (April 15th, 2021)

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/artsymagee/fallen-tree