Alchemy

Anger flows; eyes flare at those
Whose words are swords in trembling hands
In morbid might spite grips and grows
From poorly composed blind demands.

My best intentions ash to dust
Dis-ease consolidates to Lead
A warm thump of power lust
On drum skins stretched across my head

A single droplet from a leaf
It’s presence ripples pure
Sweet clarity is my relief
Compassion is my cure

The frailty of others shown
Is Gold that sets me free
That's Magick from the Wise Oak grown
My Friend – that’s Alchemy.

Sam Edge

The Secret

Today at the Pond - Herotomost is asking us to tell the universal truth of life - as seen through eyes of a child. He explains it much better here. 

*******

When Nana died 

She didn't cry.

She just blinked

And asked why... 

... Daddy Why?

Then together

In a thinking state of mind

We decided Nana lived

The kind of life you only find

At the end of roads travelled 

In a way we both surmised

That even God would have approved of.

Nana always used to tell us 

we all get a certain sum of ticks and beats

and using them the best we can

is what makes a life complete.

So I told her Nana lived life well

and her time had just ran out.

Then I waited with breath bated

Fretting over if she got it.

This all was a puzzle to her

So she sat a beat to see 

If she could sort it out. 

I watched her work

across the possibilities with

a curiously furrowed brow.

Then in just the right amount of ticks 

And with a teary big-eyed look 

She turned to me and said:

"If Nana died when time ran out,

Dad, let's just take our time."

I knew just then she’d found The Secret

and I hoped that she would keep it

until such a time as she would need it 

 for a life lived to completion.

********

This is based on a real conversation with my Daughter, Emma, when my Nana died (her Great Nana). I've written about it before but today seemed appropriate to revisit her innocent wisdom.

Best Sam

Notes from the Edge

Back to School

Wide eyes true 

are back to school.

Played right up

to Labour Day.

Try to be cool 

with butterflies.

Hide your Sponge Bob 

lunch box virus.

Miley Cyrus - so '08

Wonder who the 

cool kids are?

Under just know 

you are okay.

*******

 Out of the lake and into the Pond :)

Baby Proof

It's been a while. I've been resting. I'll ease back into it with inspiration from Mama Zen and Words Count from the Garden - "Write about being safe in 53 words or less"

It try to spend at least an hour 

each day playing with my baby. 

She reminds me just how baby

proof and happy life can be.

She reminds me simple things are safe and easy.

Giggling and peek-a-booing 

tickling the best of what's left

from the baby that I used to be.

(52 Words)

The Ballad of Sam and Nona

He came from the dust of bullets and muck

and she with the grace of lilacs and such

Between the two was one fierce soul

two halves that made a whole

Together they could not be beat

he made her tough she made him sweet

they made their way and paid the toll

and slowly grew into two sacred souls.

*****

The Toads are writing Ballads today. I've been away from my poetry for a while busy working of some other projects. This was a good one to get back on tract. I think there's more here but for today that all I got.

Registered Mail

Shay is kicking it old school in the Garden with some old fashioned snail mail. I took a bit of a dark turn turn on this one. The last letter I got was registered mail for the Custody Agreement mediated between me and my Ex - by far my darkest hours. 

I worked in my favourite song of all time Behind Blue Eyes. I posted both versions of the Song - the original by the Who and and remix by Limp Bizkit. I like the Who better. The new version is well sung but they left out the one verse that is my favourite lyric of all time in song or poetry: 

When my fist clenches, crack it open 

Before I use it and lose my cool 

When I smile, tell me some bad news 

Before I laugh and act like a fool 

And If I swallow anything evil 

Put your finger down my throat 

And If I shiver, please give me a blanket 

Keep me warm, let me wear your coat 

[That's why Fred Durst is the Worst.]

Behind Blue Eyes (The Who Original)

I refuse to sign today

for self-inflicted tragedy

the evil that I didn't swallow

my hamster had a speed wobble

then Speedy had a heart attack

I had to stop and take a tick

but if I choke

who'll stick their finger down my throat?

I hate those pricks 

those courthouse bricks of family sicknesses

held by mortar made of horrified 

and mortified little kids

who had to choose

and always loose 

no matter what they did.

Should I sign for misery?

register my apathy?

In the case of him and her 

Overseen by hatchet face

Gunna put me in my place

I'll take the head 

You take the rest 

If I confess would you take less?

Would you feel these feelings like I do? 

and I blame YOU

"Wah Wah Wah Wah Wah"

What the fuck was that?

Charlie Brown's teacher talking 

reading mediated papers

in the the case of me and you

no adultery but we're sick 

of getting screwed

Roger Daultry ringing in my ear

nobody knows what it's like

to be jaded and so faded

and to carry all these lies

Discover whether weekends 

and a birthday here and there

are enough to Limp along 

and show how much I care 

but maybe there's loophole here

maybe I won't fail?

if I never sign 

Maybe I can buy more time

if I never sign 

Registered Mail.

Behind Blue Eyes (The Who Original)

My Wild Woman

Inspire Howl Wing - Ella's Edge

*******

She exploded onto the scene 

with a roar

exaggerated by silence

and patiently waiting

for my Wild Man to mature

She taught me strength 

by embracing weakness

with tender nipples 

and mid month bloating

she showed majesty 

in the face of travesty

She showed me I was too strong

to be powerful

bleeding is beautiful

true beauty moves 

it bends mountains and men

Once her presence was known

she folded into gentle steel

growled quietly

at dangerous strangers

and watched with amusement.

*****

Toads are revisiting old prompts - I chose to get in touch with my wild woman.

It's Okay Day

Just for today we can be
Just be

Just for today it's Okay Day
It's Okay to be fat and white
It's Okay to be black and right
God doesn't take sides today

No stranger danger for today
No bills to pay
No one suffocates today
No one hates today

Even the sick can take a break
Break the chains of yesterday
No one starves or runs from carbs
We even let the bad guys pray

Just for today it's Okay Day
It's Okay baby girl
It's Okay to be afraid
It's just Okay

Just for today we can be
Just be

********

Today the Toads are celebrating our own special holiday in our imaginations - Happy Okay Day :)

Frozen

Post by Wenona Gordon.

*****

Seems like a lifetime
since I've felt sunshine
that north wind keeps blowing

I'm frozen. So frozen.

Wind blown snow angels
hard crusty drifting
across a dark carcass
the lonely forgotten
smashed jack-o-lantern
and Christmas tree ashes
spread solemnly calmly
in deafening stillness
surrounded by breath clouds

So frozen. I'm frozen.

The crack of the ice
a warm breeze at night
icicles trickle and drip
is Mother tricking me?
Roll over and dream of
the sweet smell of spring
out there somewhere
a flickering candle
Lord knows I can't handle
much more of this winter.

I'm frozen. So frozen.

*******

A Poem from a Frozen Toad 

Apple Happy

Inside every apple seed

is a perfect apple tree.

Pure potentiality

engineered delicately.

Inspired by the great divine?

Intelligently designed?

Happy apple accidents,

random happenings of time?

Each seed has the will to be

to manifest its destiny

to grow and bare precious seeds

achieve immortality.

Apple trees never ask why.

Can't bare pears and never try

or lay awake wondering why

branches point towards the sky.

They're just plain old apple happy

******

Today the Toads are inspired by the metrical verse of Robert Frost. One of my favourite American Poets.