COUNTING THE COST

Last night I wept
while watching the news
that told of
arson
child abuse
corruption
global warming
murder
robbery
rape.

Last night I wept
for humanity lost.


(All rights reserved.)

CATALYST

gazing
upon
her face
innocent
in slumber.

recalling
that face
soft with love;
aglow with joy;
livid with anger;
aged with sorrow;
aflame with passion;
contorted with hatred.

realizing
that he
was the catalyst
for all those emotions

a tear
slipped,
unheeded,
from his eye.


(All rights reserved.)

AFRICAN DINNER

bloody-bearded, sleek tawny cat
pads gracefully across the veld;
languidly menacing,
magnificent head with heavy mane
swaying guardedly to and fro;
topaz eyes
aglow with fire and ice as,
lazy and sated,
it collapses beneath the shady doringboom
while mate and cubs move in,
noisily ravenous,
to gnaw and tear the mangled flesh
of the glaze-eyed prey


(All rights reserved.)

CATWALK

Strut
your stuff
flamboyant
preening show bird.
Myriad eyes watch,
unblinking, while you flaunt
beauty with prideful passion.
Iridescent cloak flying high
as you proclaim: “Look! I am peacock!”

Strut your stuff flamboyant preening show bird.


(All rights reserved.)

QUITTER

Inhale.
Exhale. Inhale.
It’s not in my nature
to quit, but I have given up
smoking!


(All rights reserved.)

DADDY’S GIRL

(written for C, aged 14, who was allegedly being sexually abused by her adoptive father in the USA)

Daughter,
stripped stark naked.
First used, then self-abused.
Incest is killing my loving
Daddy.


(All rights reserved.)

COMRADES

Run
comrades.
In spirit
of friendship, run.
Heavy feet; rasping
breaths; do-doef, do-doef, do-
doef of your courageous hearts.
Your only ambition this day:
To finish the ultradistance race.

Run comrades. In spirit of friendship, run.


(All rights reserved.)