London Calling – dVerse

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London skyline, change unceasing
Altitudes aspire, increasing
Reaching scudding clouds suspended
Your city’s tale has not yet ended

London skyline, change unceasing
Skyscrapers empty, workers releasing
Easing on to pavements, thronging
Each mind alone, yet still belonging

London skyline, change unceasing
Parks reducing, space decreasing
Many cultures, smells and tastes
A never-resting, human race

London skyline, your heart’s still beating
London skyline, change unceasing.

———-

This week, on dVerse Meeting the Bar,Tony has asked us to repeat, repeat, repeat – whether it’s a word, a phrase or a whole line. Let’s get the musicality going!

I haven’t aimed for a particular form, although if I hadn’t submitted a villanelle to a competition, I would have shared it right here, because it is, by it’s nature, a musical, repetitive piece. Hey ho. So, ‘London Calling’ is inspired by my place of work and by the wheels going round on my train journey home. I hope you enjoy.

Please pop over to dVerse to read some excellent poems on the travel theme. Join in – we don’t bite!

 

 

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.

Sunrise

Return me to a gentle land
Gather me in, take my hand
Restore my mind to calmer days
Remove the scene that still replays
over and over, jamming my head
Bring me serenity, a constant thread
of restoration, courage anew
Let me forge ahead, source my strength from you
Know that with each breath and every pace
I take you with me, see your face
Hear your laughter, envisage your smile
Yes, we are parted, but just for a while
Life is but a moment, a wrinkle, a sigh
This is only adieu, Dad, not forever goodbye.

******

Because time passes, pain eases, gratitude settles in and new dawns are always possible. Amazingly, I wrote this poem before reading Grace’s introduction at Open Link Night – and yet it just seems to fit. I have so much for which to be grateful.

Please do visit the dVerse Open Link Night for examples of some very fine poetry indeed – and be inspired… Join us!