Poetry from the ladyshed: July 2011

Brean Down Beach, Somerset. Diana Leighton

Did anybody here hear

the missed beat?

see

the minute hand stop

or the second drop

see

the sun not shine

or all the clouds hide?

Did anyone notice

no birds took flight

or stopping singing?

Did the television

switch off

or the radios die?

Did musicians fall silent?

Did anyone

see

all the cars halt,

the sea draw back,

and were there no waves

or tide,

because the moon

cried?

Did all the flowers droop

their heads

and the animals

look up from their beds?

Did people fall silent

or wars stop

and the rain fall dry

or planes not fly?

Did the church bells

stop chiming

or poets stop rhyming

Did life stop?

They did in my head

now you my love are dead.

My life, my heart, the world ,stopped

for you.

picture courtesy of

http://www.feebleminds-gifs.com/fantasy-pictures-8.html

This poem has just won a competition(May 2014) and was chosen to be in a Forward Poetry Anthology of poetry. 

The Last Night of Innocence or Death of the Maiden.

The moon shines bright on glacial eyes

A clown mask hiding hidden lies.

The eyes are blank, insane, all knowing,

the bedroom dark with grim foreboding;

A red mouth turns it's corners down

The clown  desires the virgin's crown.

Pale light casts shadows where he stands,

viewing the maiden, he  rubs his hands.

Clown is now a drooling whore, when

         her
                                                                           maidenhead
                                                                                                                   gently falls
                                                                                                                                                       to the floor.

The gash now masked to an evil smile,

the clown laughs loud at his cunning guile,

he shuffles and hums, the nightmare proceeds;

the Dance Macabre  is played at speed.

Now sated clown stamps his feet

dancing hard, not missing a beat.

The dance now faster

the clown the master as;

Spinning tops twirl

teddy bears whirl

dolls fight,

slashing faces,

cats hang mice

with liquorice laces.

toys are flung

all over the place

but...

                 the clown
                    has
                                               tears
                                                               running
                                                                                                  down his face.

The nightmare he started finally slows.

A new day dawns, and soft light shows

the room has changed from old to new.

The toys have gone replaced by a few;

white lilies, perfumes and delicate lace,

the maiden a maid assumes her place.

The toy clown , abandoned, soiled, bereft.

The child that loved him grown up and left.

Did Life Stop?

The Last Night of Innocence