red sky at night racy promises seduce, offer up pizzazz come dawn’s early light
no overindulged brightest star withdrawal symptoms this cloudless summers day
he ambles about her rustic garden, buttercups and daises yawn, stretch their petals
the old palisade fenced perimeter a stained-dew spider web gothic cathedral basilica
skyward, on the tired chimney stack a prancing whitest dove chances his ‘worth a try’ luck
the floozy ‘seen it all before’ Jezebel pigeon nods her ‘OK, if you must’ affirmative nod
he, her ‘never forever’ prince charming; her, his ‘one-morning stand’ tasty bit of alright
“Good luck to the both you, you’ve got it about right. Cockcrow sex, maybe a little sustenance and thinking time is all we need in this world”
back indoors, kettle on, slice in toaster, click of radios ‘on’ button
bad, sad news from his beloved La Belle France
he contemplates the mind-set of the no kiss goodbye misled
embracing suicides supposed glory; those who take ignoble death as fated
“Don’t they know that beyond this conscious realm there is naught to entice but a now and forever longest sleep blackness?” his question tossed into the ghostly paradise
no movable feast, nothing unblemished, no heaven or hell awaits the counterfeit martyr
he sheds more than a single tear
bites back his runaway bottom lip
wipes away the snot, burns his toast
- MIKE STEEDEN - 
tears are here right now in our very mad world. your words ring a bell to what happens in our world , Just hoping it will get better and a rightful solution in the future.
For France the land of modern time philosophy, art and culture to suffers thus is heart breaking on a galaxy of levels.
Ah, what kind of life is it when even the pigeons are floozies. Nice juxtaposition between what is in front of our eyes vs. what we read in the news.
The dove/pigeon thing is oddly true…spotted them this very morn before hearing the tragic news from France…weird, sad day again.
I’m afraid so.
the grief just keep coming in waves – as my anger rises
For all intents and purposes the world is at war I think. Just that, save for the Middle East, the enemy chooses to hide away until ready to strike. I find myself shaking this old head in search of answers even as I write.
Oh, what is happening to our world?!
Ditto to all the above. I had not saw this photo previously – and I instantly got a tightening in my chest and hard to get my breath when I realized what it was. Oh the children…
News reports and impotence…the curse of a hidden enemy at play. Awful times we live in.
The sadness and grief meter continues to rise.
True words Sir. When evil keeps itself hidden, appearing as and when it chooses one wonders what can be done…just hope the good souls, the millions of them out there don’t suffer right wing backlash…we may as well all give up if that happens.
Hopefully we can tip the scales back on the side of good, evil seems to be running wild these days.
We need Western politicians of compassionate character I fear…looking around there really aren’t that many.
Not many Sir.. It’s like being at the country fair and seeing which pig will get the blue ribbon.
Nice way of putting it.
Thank you Sir
The world is going deeply dark very fast. This is breathtakingly horrible.
Mike, such a sadly breathtaking poem x
Micro me, and macro horror. What a world we live in. By the way the dove/pigeon thing I spotted this day is true. Even checked it out on Google after the ‘event’. Should an egg come from the union it will likely never hatch, or if it does the ensuing offspring would, in the words of Del be, ‘Jaffered’; plus, normally the female pigeon seeks to kill the dove (what with her being bigger and stronger than him). That this gal was up for it rather made my day pre-news from the radio. Such is life.
LIfe? Yep. That photo you have was the first one I saw of this tragic event. Ach well, we can but hope for a peace that may never come x
They all need radicalizing so that they (and ‘us’ for that matter) believe hamsters are gods and goddesses.
Yeah!!!
Hi Mike You have the words to hit home this shocking event! Thank you for liking my poem “Unexpected!” Peace and Best Wishes. The Foureyed Poet.
Cheers Sir
What a fantastic write, especially the last block, and the burning of toast
Heartbreaking. What has happened to this world? France is a home to so many races and nations. Killing at their own home, what kind of people they are.
I’m sadly on a tablet thing presently and have not a blind clue what I’m doing…have a theory though, shall report back in the AM. By the way your puffin post I read earlier was sublime.
Thank you! Looking at a puffin brings hope.
I remember well the puffin’s of Lundy Island from my years in Devon…they seem to be everything the penguin forgot. The world at large, yes, that was it. Eye for an eye theory exposed for what it is. ‘They’ see ‘us’ killing innocents in bombing raids etc. (Iraq a good example) so ‘they’ think it’s in order to repeat the evil. Simplistic way of putting it I know). For the literal believer the decision is an easy one…to those of good faith, or decent atheists it is all so abhorrent. None of us has the answer sadly.
Do you remember Iraq in the 1970s? I was a student at that time and knew a good few Iraqis and Kurds. I lost track on the history of Iraq since that time, but I remember all the discussions about politics. That was a good time for the country, but people sensed trouble in the air. Those who are seeking power use Islam as a tool, and it is a very effective tool.
If all people loved puffins their hearts would change 🙂
Bees also…my dear wife has transformed the garden in this place we moved into last year into a bee friendly spot. As to me I could watch them for hours. As to Iraq, aside from an unpleasant despot Messrs Bush & Blair have much to answer for the mess they left behind.
My Son-in-law kept bees in the backyard for a couple of years, but then they suddenly had a change of heart and left. Bees love peppermint plants as I noticed.
I think the Queen moves on sometimes to stop/prevent any interbreeding. Did you know folklore has it that you must tell the bees of births, deaths and marriages…otherwise another reason why they move on.
I didn’t know… They had two kids since… None of them was reported to the bees for sure…
Well there’s your reason then!
You live, you learn.
I mentioned this thread to my half Cornish/half Devonian wife last evening and she, over a couple of cold beers in the garden, gave me chapter and verse, citing many examples of the benefits of talking to bees…about 90 minutes worth all told!
I’d rather believe in talking to bees than to most of humans. My Granddad was a beekeeper, I learned to read with his books 🙂 And I love honey.
Reblogged this on Kate McClelland.
I’m with Shey on this one. There’s so much….so much to wrap one’s head,if one can. The fact this narrator cannot…that is where we all are. Caught up in the shock, disbelief, and sorrow.
Lovely and sad, Good Sir.
A day in the life…getting stressed every time I pick up a newspaper or turn the radio on these days.
Made me think of ‘The Windmills Of Your Mind’. Wheels within wheels that blow the mind. Trying to make sense of everything amid disappearing scraps of normalcy. Burnt toast, snot and terror says it all. I feel your pain, Mike, and theirs.
A Michel Legrand beauty, translated inevitable; shade of Jacques Brel. Wonderful song.