Questions for the English (language)


Would you bid
someone ‘ta-ra’
(tabhair aire) if it wasn’t
for Irish Navvies?

 

Would you
tell a ‘bloke’
to shut his ‘gob’
if it wasn’t for Irish Pavees?

 

Would you drink
a cup of ‘char’
if it wasn’t
for Indian farmers?

 

Would you sleep
well at night
if it wasn’t for Persian
‘pyjamas’?

 

Would you drink
‘alcohol’
if it wasn’t for
Arab cosmetics?

 

Would you know
a wound made rotten
if the Greeks
didn’t call it ‘septic’?

 

Would you enjoy
‘Karaoke’ Night
if it wasn’t
for the Japanese?

 

Would you have
‘ketchup’ on your fish and chips
if it wasn’t for the Malay
and Chinese?

 

If Rome hadn’t conquered
long before you
would you eat
‘al dente pastas’?

 

Would your pale faced
children say ‘wah gwan’
if it wasn’t for
Jamaicans or Rastas?

 

© poormansdreams



The Wishing Well, Waits


waiting wishing waiting wishing
wishing waiting wishing waiting
      waiting wishing waiting
      wishing waiting wishing
              waiting wishing
              wishing waiting
                        for the
                        down-
                        fall of
                        my de-
                        tested
                        enemy
                        was….
                        well….
                        the best
                        invest-
                        ment of
                         time
                        spent I
                        will ev-
                        er know.
        

© poormansdreams


in another’s shoes


to put yourself
in another’s shoes
imagining
their choice, their health
even their views
to move their way
each stride and tread
patterning
the words they say
or where they’ve fled
to reach checkpoints
in their footprints
travelling
within connected joints
being shedded skins
to chew with their teeth
feel the broken bones
shattering
sense what lies beneath
see through cover, blown
to focus on their scars
both visible and not
inhabiting
their sweaty palms
a body, mind, uncalm
to watch their sorry eyes
reflect, a mirror smashed
fragmenting
to understand their lies
and shards of broken pasts
to sniff a chancing nose
of losses, draws and wins
gambling
scent their highs and lows
as fetid wheels spin
to try to understand
what has always been
happening
like a tailor’s hand
immersed in their seam
to kiss with their lips
discern their taste of love
fastening
to be a doting fit
like, fingers in a glove
to stroke their coiled hair
wrap around their spiel
flattering
to be their lung-filled air
for you to really feel
to sail riverly hearts
navigate their brains
staggering…

…just, faded footprints, apart…

…from walking together…

…our memoried lanes.

© poormansdreams



Three Little Words from a Father to Son


Those, three little words, from, a father, to son.
Take flight, like, the birds, in, the broad, midday sun.
Sprint, like, limbs, so absurd, after, starter pistol’s gun.
Like, Achillean heels, undeterred, tragedy kills them, for fun.

Those, three little words, from, a father, to son.
Crushed, by, hooves darkly furred, the words, cower when shun.
Fade into obscurity, unheard, like, unjocular puns.
Are lost, and, never return, like, miscarried orphans, or, runts.

Those, three little words, from, a father, to son.
Become, unspoken, reserved, weighing down, like, a ton.
The weight, weighs heavy, and, hurts, the shoulders, of, spiritual ones.
Creates, heads, bent, and, curved, as horizoned eyes, look, over yon.
For, blue sky, but, grey has emerged, now, the grey skies, are fading, to none.

An echoing remainder, leaves heart-shaped,
“I love you”s, beset, in wrinkles, on a face.

And, those, three little words, are, like,
the stubborn, fatherly stone, that’s unbled.

They whisper, “There’s, no peace, future, or, solace, in, loving words, to a son, left, unsaid.”

© poormansdreams



Time, In Sum


Sometimes, I go, wander.
In worlds, of yesterday’s, yonder.
I fly, in the skies, under water.
I swim, in the clouds.
Above, lofty men, proud.
They look down, while we’re given, no quarter.

Sometimes, I retreat.
From the rain, snow, and, sleet.
In the hopes, I’ll be, no longer sodden.
I keep, a kerchief, close by.
For mankind’s, wept eye.
To wipe, the lonely tears, of the downtrodden.

Sometimes, I am, lost.
My compass, in frost.
The coldness in me, makes, a blizzard.
When, charting my course.
Winds rage, to storm force.
Casting fore, like, an Antarctic wizard.

Sometimes, I am, found.
Dulcet. Feeling, so sound.
My mind, dances. On, crotchets, and, quavers.
Underneath, my mind’s feet.
An audible seat.
To sit, and, sample, bold, rhythmical flavours.

Sometimes, I am, weary.
Sullen, sad-eyed, and, teary.
At, the thought, of mankind’s, destruction.
Wondering, where, it went wrong.
A lamentable song.
Plays on, through Compassion’s, abduction.

Sometimes, I am, jolly.
Happy, joyful, in folly.
When, my life, greets, mellifluous smiles.
Time, hearkens, unquickened.
Alive, ever-listened.
As, the worth, is resound, for that, while.

Sometimes, I’m aghast.
At, overcoming, what’s passed.
The stories, make, for bone-chilling, reading.
The graves, left, unmarked.
Make, my gravely, bones, stark.
And, a broken expression, all-revealing.

Sometimes, I do, wish.
For, a time, to flourish.
Where, we yearn, for one another, to grow.
So, the purposes, sown.
And, the wings, that have, flown.
All, can rise, to long-gloried, plateaus.

© poormansdreams



Lost-Connec-tions


To have, your etheral, heavenly, final-shot;
miss.
At, an, otherworldly, eternal-beckoning,
bliss.
Only, to; foolishly, unforgettably, flounder,
in, the all-pervading,
mist.
Is, an, outstretched, grasping,
hand, with, a broken;
wrist.

To hold, someone, you love, for, the final;
time.
As, they, slowly, succumb, to, a flattened-
line.
Hardens, a heart, in, outpoured,
ugly, concreting-grief’s;
bind.
And, makes, what, was, a good-heart,
egregious; emboldened, italicised, and; underlined.

To yearn, for, richer-knowledge, of, the spirit;
realm.
By, riding, bullet-trains, with, the devil, at, the
helm.
Creates, caustic, combusting, bonfires,
and, kindling, of, your inner
Elm.
As, the sorried, buffeting, scattered-ashes,
become, ubiquitously, able, to;
overwhelm.

To trap, for poorer, thirsting-souls, by, wanton;
ignorance.
Builds, bars, cages, prisons, upon, a land, of,
deliverance.
And, causes, a drought, in, paradise‘s,
bountiful, and, oasis-like,
wilderness.
While, lonesome-tears, provide, the lubricant.
For, apathy, begetting;
indifference.

In sickness, mortality, becomes, wizened;
pictures.
Screwed-up, and, crumpled, like, the pages, from,
scriptures.
An inability, to find, the balance, between,
apothecary, and, apocalyptic,
mixtures.
Pluming-smoke, in, rapturous-potions,
obliterates, all, longstanding;
fixtures.

And, in health, the prism’s, guiding-lights, are;
overlooked.
Like, the wise-words, of, holiness, spoken, by, a;
crook.
When, the crook, of, a neck, is, swinging, like,
a pendulum, from, a fisherman’s,
hook.
Welfare, cast, didn’t-fare-well, and, the farewell note,
quivers, on delivery, as, it’s read, and;
shook.

© poormansdreams



A Telling Fortune


A fortune,
told, or, spent…

…has, many colours,
from; fuschia pink,
to, undulating,
mammoth-mountained,
hills of green,
to, shimmering,
chasms of gold,
and, all hues,
in-between.

A fortune,
wisely owned? Or, lent…

…to dullards,
won’t stop, to think,
while masquerading,
that, it hasn’t counted,
every bean,
and, hidden in,
those eyes, of old,
the coins, on lids, imbued,
unfareness seen.

A fortune,
buried, long ago…

…made by; currency,
inheritance,
or, everything,
you’d want to know,
are, all kept,
under, lock, and, key,
but, none, are found,
under, haloes,
or, in secrets, left untold.

A fortune,
scuppers, flooded souls…

…wrecked, by money,
the ring-ed fence,
bullion bars, that glow,
are, woefully inept,
to swim, in; cosmic seas,
they begin, to drown,
under, they go,
as, fortunes told,
ken, sinking, slow.

And, in; sparkly, shiny, final breaths.
They realise, the ugly truth…

…What proved; invaluable, until death.
Has; no value, in; universal sooth.

© poormansdreams



The Poor Man’s Dream, Pt. 2


The poor man’s dream,
had, wealthy fields, at night,
but, nightmares, unserene,
flashed, their toothy bite.
The wealthy field of green,
silkwormed notions white,
and golden rays that gleam,
are trapped, in horseshoes, tight,
glued, under, farrier’s seam,
they yearn, for a rasp, of light.

The luscious grass, turned, hay,
is chewed, and, swallowed down,
by equine guts; decayed,
that, delect in poor men’s frowns.
The neigh-saying, nagging, bray,
is heard, for miles around,
the dark sky, cried, “Mayday!”
Rains lashed, the colour brown,
and, with nothing left to say,
dreams, in fawn puddles, drowned.

The nightmares, let loose,
come from, a deviled stable,
and, the farriers, in use,
sit at, the highest table,
looking down, at all, produced,
they smith, each, and, every, fable,
to fit, losing, and, winning shoes,
to hooves, that trample, and, disable.
Until, they finally, wrap the noose,
to necks, that succumb, to cable.

With no wealth, of which to speak,
to dream, or ponder, now, in death,
his body lay barren, like, the field of dreams,
his soul has no need, for worldly wealth,
farriers, and, nightmares, trot, and, creep,
to find, the poor man’s, hidden self,
he ascends, to paradise’s foggy breach,
climbs lion’s, cloudy manes, there, met,
with a roar, to farrier, and, nightmare, each,
now, free, he howls,

“Your devilish search beset,
for unbridled wealth,

will; end you,

in unaccounted debt!!!”

© poormansdreams



Whitewashing


The uncredited, uncared for,
unsung, heroes;
noble, kind, and, unselfish acts.
Fade from sight, and, sound,
into obscurity,
like; a bum-note on Karaoke Night.

Antagonistic fake, plastic, white knight’s,
plume breasts, at round tables,
bedecked, in, platinum-plated,
silver-screened armour,
whilst, counting up, all of the zeroes,
on, starstudded, Hollywood cheques.

A milky, American audience,
cries, for seconds, and, encores.
They, all, scream, and, shout,
collectively, for, ‘More, more, more!!’

False narratives, are made;
tokenistic, faux-ethnic, clichéd,
along with, cult-enamoured attempts,
to; woo culture, by way,
of, condescending amour.

And, reality, is…

Cut.

The irony, has, killed, the protagonist.

Now, pale, sickly, snowy, whitewashed, avalanching; imitations,
slowly die, rebirth, and, infect,
the coffee-coloured plotlines.

And, the precious, Black, woollen yarns,
are, sheared, subjugated, spun, and, then sold. Enslaved, by, a contractual story, untold. From, the embittered, twisted hands, and, lips, of, the corrupt, directing,
Californian farmers.

© poormansdreams



The Phoenix, called; Consumption


How big, has, the Phoenix, called; Consumption, grown?

Big enough, to fill, eight-billion caskets.
Plump enough, to fill, every pot.
Wise enough, to answer,
any question, should you, ask it.
Deadly enough, to kill, any myth,
dream, wordsmith, or, naïve romancer.
It smothers, all the people, of the world, with less,
and, their; untold stories, in a vicious, ugly bind,
betwixt; it’s fiery wings, and pluming breast,
and, with a beak of fury, pecks, their eyes out, blind.
Whilst, pecking, gravely, holes in every, single plot.

How far, has, the Phoenix, called; Consumption, flown?

Around, the planet, a multitude of times.
Sprinkling, holidayed tears, in tsunamis, of, €$£¥-shaped, misery,
like, wrathful; albino equines,
or, shipwrecking; Easter, Yule -tides,
from, blinkered eyes, that, roll back, and, forth,
with, undercurrents of currency,
that, lap, and, land upon egg-shaped shores.
And, as, misfortunate souls, are lost,
to, seas of disfavour, what remains tries to remain brave,
as, Consumption, caws, upon a giant, green wave, of, destruction,
and, revels, in, the tsunami’s death-toll, and, it’s, unreported costs.

How high, does, the Phoenix, called; Consumption, fly?

Always, in, upper-echelons,
and, at, eye level, with, ivory towers.
Looking-down, upon, wistful, wretched ones,
whilst, perched on the shoulders, of, those in power,
creating, a landing strip, of, the depressioned ones,
mixing, their, black, and, dogged woe, to make, tarmacadam,
and, alongside the runway, which runs, only one way,
the verges, serve as, a eulogising memorandum,
as, there, planted, are lonesome, bereft Lily flowers.

Why, oh, why, won’t, the Phoenix, called; Consumption, die?

It only, lives as long as, you, let it.
If you, feed it, it, will always, come back.
It only, lives as long as, you, let it.
If you, need it, your spirit, will rot; green
and decay, until, finally; turning to black.
We must, pluck, and, be rid, of, the feathers; golden, and, unabashed,
from, this; bird of prey-ing on the meek,
once, we’ve killed, the Phoenix, called; Consumption,
we, can raise, a dyeing tincture, called; Future’s Freedom, out of, it’s, ash.