Tuesday, January 18, 2011

New Year's Day 2


Where should all the days go
If they slip by
as fast as this one?

The sun never shone so lazily
in its bed of blue
watching over

Dunes and sand --
the sun-bleached bones of mountains
accumulated in the hectic tide 

And should all my days
end in a tidal surge
on the briny surf

With seaweed at the ankles
and castles on the beach -
Let those castles be built high

Let them stand before
the endless tide
under the patient sun

Let there be
fantastical turrets
before all is washed away...

And the sun rushes off
to its liaison 
with the other side of the world.

A..J. Ponder 

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Tuesday Poem. Can't see it


When the world is black
and the colours you can see
are behind your eyelids

Bright as
Neurons
Flashing in the night -
signalling
a Bright and
dark beginning.



Reach out your arms
and feel the solid world
beneath your fingertips -

Rough and
real 
Harsh in the soft
darkness -
Warm in the cold
night. 

A..J. Ponder 

I keep on promising that I'll have cheerful poems.  And maybe one day I will :)  Like last week's "to the sea" I'm missing one of the poets that stood out at the Tuesday hub, Harvey McQueen .  Anyway the Tuesday Poem hub is dedicated to him this week.  "Reading Janet Frame" at the Tuesday Poem hub.  And his blog  stoatspring, is well worth reading as a "live memoir" of his poetry and his struggle with illness.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

To the Sea

 



To the Sea

Green Tears fall beneath the willow tree,
I lie beyond that veil of tears,
If you should look for me

The softest rain falls from above,
The river runs below,
Wherever it is running I will surely go

So look not to the cold hard earth,
The oceans they will hide me,
I will hold my true love's hand and she will walk beside me.

A..J. Ponder
With the death over the Christmas break of noteable Tuesday poet Harvey McQueen,  whose anthology "These I Have Loved," only came out this year.  I felt there needed to be something appropriate so I have posted the poem I wrote at the funeral of my Grandfather.  It seemed apposite.  Harvey's bravery in the face of serious illness, and ability to work through reminded me rather of my grandfather, and the watery theme also seemed appropriate.  


Best wishes for the new year everyone, and especially for all those who have lost loved ones over Christmas. 

A..J. Ponder - author page