Chain Gang

‘It wasn’t meant to be like this’ she thought
Raging at the injustice sent her way
‘I worked hard, worked long, worked all the damned hours
These office workers have no clue, walk past,
I deserve all I get, that’s what they think’

It only takes a moment to connect
Minuscule moments, a sliver of time
To open your heart, reach souls of others
Be the human in humanity, now
Don’t waste the opportunity – give joy.

 

Chain Gang

———–

This week on dVerse Meeting the Bar, our bar-keep Tony is taking us back to basics, with blank verse. Don’t worry about rhyming, don’t worry about anything except going with the flow! 

Today’s offering from me is based on the lady that sells the Big Issue on my way to work – she always has a ready smile, a cheery face and never looks miserable. She’s studying at college, trying to make her way in life – but I wonder if she sometimes wishes she could change places with the people who stride past her, most of whom probably don’t even notice her, or look down on her. I admire her commitment.

I hope you enjoy my offering – and do take the time to read the other blank verses on dVerse.

Dead-Line

With my word-weaver
clasped tightly,
fingers sweat with effort to complete
the task laid before me.
I lasso the thoughts
pouring from imagination-central
knowing all the while that
the hands of the space-marker
sweep too fast –
there is no leeway,
I cannot knee-bend for
grace and favour.
‘Tsk! Tsk!’
bony digits admonish,
epithet-hurlers curl
ready to strike.
‘Axe-wield afore clock-strike!’
Is all they will say.

Dead-Line

*****

This week, Bjorn, our host at dVerse Meeting the Bar has introduced us to the concept of kennings. To quote Bjorn, ‘a kenning is a very brief metaphoric phrase or compound word and it means “to know”‘. It comes originally from Icelandic, but also exists in other languages such as Swedish and German. I can also tell you that ‘I ken’ is also used in Scots dialect in the same way! So, in brief, it is a way of using a compound phrase in place of the normal word in use.

I really enjoyed this – although it was quite tough to get my brain into the right gear! I hope my offering has worked – do let me know what you think.

Juicy

In my turquoise mind I am
splashing rainbows of colour
where my heart bleeds
its emotions on hungry canvas

In my sun-yellow heart I am
creator of rampant new worlds
monster flowers raining
petals on miniature microcosms

In my body scarlet energy flows
vibrating and aching
with endless possibilities
for fresh new beginnings

On my purple horizon
nothing is planned
everything is radiant
life is succulent

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Juicy

*****

This week, Grace, our host at dVerse Poetics is throwing colour our way, to chime perfectly with the arrival of spring – hallelujah! She introduces us to the fabulous art of Sunita Khedekar and is inviting us to write a poem inspired by one of her works.

I hope you enjoy my offering – and please do join us! The hosts all work extremely hard to make the community a success.