A poem Day 13, since you moved back inand we agreed we’d give itus“one last shot” working from homeI’m sat in this swivel chair twitching like a downed deerperhaps it would better to put the last shot in my temple you’re across from melaptop set on your kneesheadsets drowning out the silence between usyour motherContinue reading “Day 13”
Category Archives: Poetry & Prose
Vans gotta do
A quadrille poem Life goes off trackveering, careeningsent round the bendlosing its meaning outta shapea beaten up bangerwatching boots gather dust on the hanger Remember;when you’re feeling bluethere’s always somewhere new …a vans gotta dowhat a vans gotta do. © Darius the Mate Written for dVerse. What is life without community? I would love toContinue reading “Vans gotta do”
Murder, and other hobbies
A Halloween themed poem The night is darkas the lady is quaintspruced up in paintbarely hiding her beautythe night is young as her temperament, restfulher glidings zestfultune tapped on the cobbles a Halloweeny teeny bopping on naive plimsolls into an All Hallows’ Eve’ing, haunting the streetsfrolicking in sickly perfume sprightly skin drenchesmy attention – O’Continue reading “Murder, and other hobbies”
Paper water pistol. Pt II
A poem A paper water pistol filled with emotion…fluid feelings found flooding the pockets of his parchment shellsuper soaking the contours of the cavities where his headaches thudding from the night beforethe retrofitted facade of a manbarely holding backthe impassioned puddles forming on his brainthe episodic attack insecurely tricklesin droplets of consternating rainseeping out ofContinue reading “Paper water pistol. Pt II”
Paper water pistol
A poem Mundane Monday morningcrack of dawnbehind the yawningand the night dreams are laid stillbornin the artificial light stirring from a broken sleepto an effervescently frothy top adorning the bitter coffee stirring the spoon in the cafetière purring like a waking kittenhe fills his mug half full“…another mundane Monday morning”thinks the foolwho feels his mugsContinue reading “Paper water pistol”
Construction in Progress
A poem The old grammar schoolin the centre of townher bricks came tumbling downas felled treesconcrete rising rapidly from the rubblequick growing silver birches which burst the suburban bubblethey nest new neighboursoutside the windowtheir worry perches squeaking at dawnin some unknown avian song“they don’t belong”said Mr Quo, to Mrs Quo, reciprocated “first, this, then that.Continue reading “Construction in Progress”
The heavy spoon
A Quadrille poem Her spoon fell with a clang bowl rocked in positionchewing the cudchurning suspicionwas she a mad cow? as he did persistflaying his throat wrenching her wristthe frigid soup a stone in her bellythe familiar tasteCream of Machiavelli. © Darius the Mate Written for dVerse Poets Pub. What is life without community? I wouldContinue reading “The heavy spoon”
A lad in…
A poem 1993under Californian sunfor a single weekthis song charted at number 1Aladdin’s theme was a massive hitawoken from the longest dreamwith a faithful fitI rode a magic carpetacross a dark and mysterious skystronger grew the heartbeatin the 9 months that passed on bytill cradled on my mother’s bellya vital cry and limbs uncurled forContinue reading “A lad in…”
I am
A poem in free verse, with a reading from the author I am the dreamless nightwithout slumberwithout silence shadows lumbera deafening humfill the wallstill it becomes numbingI, to it allbut never numbenough to find stillnessa lively minda blessingand an illness tuned into the world beyondbeyond the window pane -creatures of the night buzz and swarmtowardContinue reading “I am”
The Dentists Chair
An oral poem We cut our teeth on each other’s lipsyour love grippedand rotted awayas tooth decayin the corner of my mouthreclining back in the dentists chairhere, in this placeI’m acutely aware of the colour of my ceiling the buzzing of the toolsdrilling deep into the depths of my being the dentist, all seeing I,Continue reading “The Dentists Chair”
Pathways
A Quadrille Poem It’s standard practiceto treat disordered emotional states by severing connections;I, the emotional statedrifting through this continuum snatching evanescent fragmentstime lobotomising that which meant so muchtribal connections;surviving memories gatheredtogetherfor warmthlineal pathwaysscattered- fireflies of the hippocampus. © Darius the Mate A poem in 44 words, written for dVerse. What is life without community? I wouldContinue reading “Pathways”
Eleusinian Mysteries
A poem Since, long beforeAlexanders horsesquenched their thirst at the banks of the IndusWe, devotees of Olympuspraised youthe Corn-Mother- spurn the heathen Before even,Pericles had the Parthenon’sfirst stones laid at Athens grand Acropolislest it befit a necropolis I must thank you Demeterfor this grain, and breadwhich with fervour fedall who gathers here, at Eleusinionby yourContinue reading “Eleusinian Mysteries”
Steel & Paper
A poem All transgressionswill landat the wrong time never the right time- no worse time – to bring downwith a heavy swingthe battle axe cracks bones loves cold steelcleaves parts strewn and inert~Sincere expressions will standthe test of time always the right time- no better time -to open upa light thing the battle mapnavigates unknownslovesContinue reading “Steel & Paper”
Hex
A monotetra poem Kisses that fall as summer rain,hot, heavy, sudden, lips; arcane,and just like that, downpours wane,to seep and drain, to seep and drain,The soil watered with your grace,darting buds bend toward your face,blooming into all open space,to rush and race, to rush and race,Tendrils slither around each night,in times of shadow, crows theContinue reading “Hex”
State of (Word)Play
Poetic political commentary – freedom of expression, in free verse We learn the difference between right and wrongin childhoodSo, if a child couldjudge uswould they sit us on the naughty step?We know the difference between right and wrongSo, in Hong Kongprotestors are now terrorists?Is this right, oris this what terror is?I support their resistanceThey mustContinue reading “State of (Word)Play”
Gingerbread
A poem, searching for my muse Resting softly on my sideon the sideof my non-bruised ribsI ponder where is my muse?the irony is not lost on mesearching the atmosphere at my fingertips the taste of the roomon my tonguethe smell of summerfrom the gardena forever gardenblossomed that circles the circumference of my imagination unendingthe ironyContinue reading “Gingerbread”
Cecelia Seizes the Seas
Flash Fiction “Daddy, I’ve outgrown my dolls house. I need a bigger one.” Cecelia Beatrix Parker-Bardot, sat up tall in her chair, with eyes which tethered to her fathers affections. The maid moved on kitten heels, as she served supper, momentarily cutting off Cecelia’s line of sight to her father, and with it, her powers.Continue reading “Cecelia Seizes the Seas”
Thoroughbred Thoughts
A poem From the mouth of the deltainformation sedimentsdeposits of propagandagovernmental impediments media for the masses a sensory invasioneroding our free willby cognitive abrasioncontaminatedparasitic organismsgrow and spreaddeep in the cerebrumwhere they mutateand imbedwhich silences the brainas the hostsobligingly guzzlebleating in acceptancemirrored murmursfrom the muzzlewhilst the sheep slurp the riverswhich control how they thinkthe horse isContinue reading “Thoroughbred Thoughts”
In the beat, the beat
A chant poem Pulsing, the beat, pressing, confessing, to my eardrums, it’s darkest desires, drumming out the serotonin, honing my senses, defences dropping, beat dropping, Those memories, seventeen, eighteen, mean nothing, without my memory, alive in me, these memories, living, I remember the days, those were the days, the days I can barely remember, TheContinue reading “In the beat, the beat”
Titanomachy
An Earth poem for our modern times, inspired by Greek Mythology We the Titans reign,In Gaia’s Garden,Blood of Earthen vein,Through our bodies, flow,Mother, sowed our seeds,Fathered by the Sky,Uranus breeds,Greed in privilege,Fertile soil womb,Who bore and birthed,Held and weaned till bloom,Nurtures our nature,Mother, who gave life, Must bear the burden,Forever the strife,Of her kin atContinue reading “Titanomachy”
Jukebox
A quadrille poem Thinking thoughtlessly,ideas,often forgotten,if not jotted – Slotted,as gold coins,Let bygones be bygones,But,bygone minds,live on,in written word,Sung,and heard,from the jukebox,of ink and paper,Exhumed,when consumed, Risen,From the soil,voices,Oil,the cogs. Written for dVerse Poets Pub. © Darius the Mate What is life without community? I would love to connect with other nicecissists out there. Reach out, let me knowContinue reading “Jukebox”
Theatrics
A poem in free verse A week flies by,Few words falling from fingers,Instead, They dance in the brain,Pirouette and sustain,Position,On the tips of their toes,They strike a pose,Preforming for a crowd of one,In a dusty theatre,That sees no sun,But, bright and living,Feeling,Giving,Whether booked in a playhouse,Of purposeful prose,Or, aimless artistry,Just creating,To create,We create, Because weContinue reading “Theatrics”
Smiling
A narrative poem in free verse Smiling through gritted teeth,he nodded,before his boss,who plodded,on his fat little hooves,to his swizzle chair,“swizzle on this”thought Chris,who held out an imaginary middle finger,Only barely dared even in his mind,Herman Parker General manger,on the door, cut in lettering,that chained him,fettering,beneath,no matter his belief,of worth,warranted,that his mother spent years toContinue reading “Smiling”
Data
Trimeric poem In the dome, thoughts constellate in spaces dark and void of air,Neurons lighting up, as pixels in an infinite code,Programming which downloads a language unknown, and prone to glitches,An arcade of concepts consternate in phrases which won’t translate,Neurons lighting up, as pixels in an infinite code,8bit figments, which fragment and implode into blackContinue reading “Data”
Minimal Effort, Minimal Results
Poem to minimalist photography Another shoddy report card,Dragging heavily in his top pocket,His shoes were shinier,Than his future,His excuses were brittle,Muddled alone in the browning leaves,With barely a hint of verdant,They had expired,Mother was going to flip out,Verbal acrobatics across the kitchen,No rolling out of this one,His knees knocked,One foot in front of the next,SheenContinue reading “Minimal Effort, Minimal Results”
Above and Below
Quadrille poem Small hours,Lipgloss smudged,She staggered on pointsOnlookers judged -But, couldn’t be her,For a day,Or, even see her,In any other way,Broken tongue,Eyeliner smeared,Cleopatraesque,The corners teared,Desperate silence,Cries without sound,Below the watery oculus- She drowned. © Darius the Mate Written for dVerse. What is life without community? I would love to connect with other nicecissists out there. Reach out, let meContinue reading “Above and Below”
Yogic Yarn
Micro poem with video Family ties and yogic knots,Brotherly love and headstands,One with the wildflowers, Offering support without hands. Freshly home in the UK, catching up on some yoga and yarns with my (not so) little brother. © Darius the Mate What is life without community? I would love to connect with other nicecissists out there. Reach out, letContinue reading “Yogic Yarn”
Home
Tanka Bittersweet goodbyes…Pages turn with the seasonsWinter kisses SummerTechnicolour brushed dreamscape- We fly into the sunset. Not far from home now. You can read a bit more about my thoughts and feelings on going home, here. I’ve arrived in Changi, Singapore, from Hobart, Tasmania, via Sydney, Australia, ready and braced to catch my final flightContinue reading “Home”
United Thinking
Flash Fiction She lay awake. Flickers of bright ideas in the dark hours; hot enough to melt the rest of her thoughts, as candle wax, out the ears. She was restlessly focused – vocally restless, she sat bolt upright with an uninvited gasp. “Crucial to finding the way is this – there is no beginningContinue reading “United Thinking”
Beast of Burden
A poem with Symploce, using Anaphora and Epiphora Beast of burden, am I, who carries this imp on my chest, purring, like an acid trip gone wrong, in sobriety, shivers of anxiety, sending vibrations through my being, I feel your breath, as a hum, in my body, an itch, as fleas, to beggars, corrupting, withContinue reading “Beast of Burden”
When Life Gives You Lemons
A poem in couplets They say; when life gives you lemons, make lemonade,I like their optimism; let’s put that in retrograde! When life gives you vanilla, add lemons,When everything is beige, go bronze! Get some sun, top up your vitamin D,Or, a squeeze of lemon, for your vitamin C! When you’re feeling flat, and notContinue reading “When Life Gives You Lemons”
Witchcraft
A poem in free verse Dropping from her lexicon,As weighted hands,Dusted in earth,That spank the hide,Ringing in drummers ears,The rhythm of her voice,tames beasts of the desert,To her side She woke the creatures, Nipping bloody,At her heels,Tearing flesh,In trance,Deep into the darkness’,Insentient recess,Till the moon,Enriched her juices -Refreshed,She danced to the beating,of stretched skin,Soothing theContinue reading “Witchcraft”
Opulent Ornamentals & Ponderous Peculiarities
A Quadrille Poem Lent, swaying, pitched on his chair, twirling stache, the devils red hair, Purveying contents, edge of his rocker; curio cabinet/luridness locker, – Prismatic jarred oddities, of wonder and fright, fingers of sunbeam, lambent light, Refractions, grotesque and exquisite – patiently planning, his heads own exhibit. Poem by © Darius the Mate WrittenContinue reading “Opulent Ornamentals & Ponderous Peculiarities”
Winters Breath
A Shakespearean Sonnet from the Southern Hemisphere As autumn crumbles into brittle parts,And lifted on a whisper of winters breath,Another season of the year departs,The clouds brief tears bear mourning of its death, Cold snatches the pearls of heavenly birth,To sprinkle twee crystal parcels in lieu,Bewitching giggling streams in sheets of mirth,Primed for pebbles toContinue reading “Winters Breath”
First Kiss
A poem in free verse The air was lively and brisk,The earth was homely and accommodating,The water trickled nearby with a zestful chirrup,The sky was feeling wild and experimental, The boy was nervous,The girl was calm, She lent forward, on the invitation of a flutter beneath his shirt,He met her with darting eyes which searchedContinue reading “First Kiss”
Trading Cards
Double Tanka Pokémon Poem Bitter is the boy,Who traded Pokémon cards,For the next mans dream,Worthless paper promises,Which bring him no warmth inside, ~Years increase value,Some seek that which gave them joy,Whilst collectors laugh,Becoming Pocket Monsters -Life is a trading card game. Poem by © Darius the Mate What is life without community? I would love to connectContinue reading “Trading Cards”
Sand Castles
A poem in free verse We build our castle in the sand,standing proud, upright and pristine, buckets of expectation, become the mould, shaped according to its vessel, its straight edges can’t defy the breeze, the winds of changeGrains lifted, airborne, one here, one there, but it holds its form, threatened with nothing of substance, lightContinue reading “Sand Castles”
Lost Kitten
Tanka Sometimes, we get lost -Kitten on a busy road,Arched back and frightened,Uncertainty all around,- Which way to not get flattened? Poem by © Darius the Mate What is life without community? I would love to connect with other nicecissists out there. Reach out, let me know what you think in the comments, and of course, give me a follow forContinue reading “Lost Kitten”
False Prophet
A poem in free verse Overloaded with the vision, I spill parables, seen through the incision, of the all seeing eye, They dribble the chin, dragged up on the sins, they douse, Through the orifices, Of my inner self, On revelations, I gift their wealth, in my wisdom, Spewed at length, words falling, from stylisingContinue reading “False Prophet”
Out for Blood
Haibun; prose and haiku I sit, my women by my side, with legs dangling – as the moon in the sky – out the back doors of the van, facing out across the Bass Strait, to the mainland of Australia, from my coastal cradle in Tasmania, rocked by a chilling wind which tightens the air.Continue reading “Out for Blood”
Grumps
A poem in free verse A knock in three,I rise for thee,but, barely see, through the cigarettes,which went down for breakfast, two more worries at the door;I’ve been dreading this day,the Grandchildren come to play, One more second of peace before… Shrieking! uninvited joy,through the musty corridors,and into the high walled garden,the plants suffer,where attentionsContinue reading “Grumps”
The Lion Queen
A poem She is my Lion Queen,Rolling beneath white linen, As sun rises over the scene,“Everything the light touches is our kingdom”,Bodies dressed in gold,As eyes patter out curled lashes,Diaphragms breathe bold,My mane nuzzles in her neck,I am her Lion King,Protecting the pride,But, she – she is my everything,Deep inside – she is the roarContinue reading “The Lion Queen”
Judgement
A poem in free verse Duality; life and death,A new journey beckons me from the Duat,The strength to inhale each breath becomes onerous,The Kingdom of Osiris awaits, Judgement awaits.Who dictates my life,But for my own heart, Balanced against the feather of Ma’at,Judge away,For I am free of sin,Ready to address my assessors,A simple man,Who splitContinue reading “Judgement”
Triumphal Arches
Sicilian octave (strambotto) My pearl, who’s skin shimmers as nacre in light, Firm as carved marble, enduring as Greek bust, Breasts swollen from rolling meadows fertile night, The hollows of triumphal arch’s, toast lust, A song of three heartbeats, will the bard recite, My love, sharp as the sword which can never rust, Honed bladeContinue reading “Triumphal Arches”
Where Fireflies Dance
A poem in free verse The dark centres of her eyes call to me as sirens,across savage oceans of bubbling seafoam –green and brown heterochromatic whirlpools –that suck men under.I would be foolish,a foolish man,to think there was any salvation to be found inside,yet this voyage has thrashed any resilience I might have had.I leanContinue reading “Where Fireflies Dance”
As Ants
Naani Carrying ideas aloft, Greater than their bearer, We march in droves, as ants, Through the garden of time. Original poem by © Darius the Mate What is life without community? I would love to connect with other nicecissists out there. Reach out, let me know what you think in the comments, and of course, give me a follow for moreContinue reading “As Ants”
The Pearl
Tanka A gift and a curse ~I crave the out of reach pearl,Breath trails in bubbles,Diving deep into limits,~ All for glory… or ruin. Original poem by © Darius the Mate What is life without community? I would love to connect with other nicecissists out there. Reach out, let me know what you think inContinue reading “The Pearl”
The Fall
A poem in free verse I cannot stretch my mind to find the cure,In as far,As I cannot stretch enough my muscles,I can’t even carry my own weight,Lest attempt the burden and trouble,That I drag on my heels,These sinews are strained,Uncooperative, stubborn, fickle,Beaten up and corrupted from years of abuse,For excess, or success,Battling hurdles inContinue reading “The Fall”
The Gorge
Haiku Scorched in hellfire – The sly emerald serpent, Gorged on crocodiles. Original poem by © Darius the Mate What is life without community? I would love to connect with other nicecissists out there. Reach out, let me know what you think in the comments, and of course, give me a follow for more – nice! https://nicecissist.blog Playing with Words
Waltz of the Ages
A Waltz poem All for a piece of land,A city old as script,There was blood in the sand, Long before prophets gripped,Canaanites built the bones,Laid stones that formed great walls,Ancient foes cast no stones,In heat of West Bank brawls,Where rockets dance at night,Fear twinkles behind eyes,Right to left, left to right,Both claim principle ties,Twelve TribesContinue reading “Waltz of the Ages”
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