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Deni Howlett (Bubo)


Fatherland

He stands in grand swish of splendid silk suits,
curls of ghostly cigar smoke climb idly,  
belching out from below, perhaps an aftermath
of when he dined with the devil on fish and
chips, debating world politics, war, peace,
the raging heat, the damn price of rising petrol,   
to ranting about rebels ruining their heads, playing
Russian roulette with drugs and mounting debts,  
drinking Fosters label instead of flat lemonade, hell -
such a disgrace, as he strokes fine grey’s sprouting
from his ears, singing to his sharpened samurai
blade within, as we cling to edge careful not to cut
tender flesh, careful - for if not that, then tongue
of large proportions would lick and lash,
jerking fine hairs among speckled freckles up
to face flexing cane between fidgeting thumbs,
laughing so loud the carpet cringed,
concealing itself pitifully in silly patterns,
so we could count swirls in colours, pretend
rivers were racing to anywhere else,
but here. Not here. For here is like hell,
nowhere, but everywhere, majestic in its fear,
and so far down, that’s what Daddy said,
so far down, if he chucked us we’d crash land
into the hideous lair of the devils house.

Battling Burma

He wanted to play piano
liven up the room
instead he went to war
and faced the dreaded doom
Burma jungles and mountains
trapped hearts of young adults
sterile in killing as blood poured
thrust into valley nightmares of war

He wanted to play piano
liven up a room
but he had dragged the ghosts
from fields of Burma
clinging to his soul
with their continued murmur
not a tear shed, self infliction inbedded
upon rigid scars of sacrifice

We have no right to question

No solution but bitter sweet glass
poured through arteries of heart

He wanted to play piano
liven up a room
forget the valley of death
crawl into the warmth
skin tightened over bone
he made himself a home
a wife or two to consume
plucked babies from his loins
managing to destroy
the only beauty he had no name for

He wanted to play piano
liven up a room
but years escaped him
Alzheimer's greedily ate him
war planes returned
to bomb his earth
and the screaming echoed in his head
he lost weight, forgot how to eat
and called for lost data
that held no meaning
scrabbling to reason,
was he already dead
calling for his mother
didn't want to be a bother
until one day he simply faded away
his bones remained in his seat
but he could barely speak
a shadow reflected in me
a lost soul wandering fields of Burma
searching for his mother to take him home

He wanted to play piano
But he never had time to learn.

The Business of Death

Measuring wind, sun and rain
Bony knuckles creaking
Fingernails historically stained
A face that counted heartbeats
A mind crammed with memories
Smile he'd forgotten to assemble
In his countless shallow breaths

He knows me

From under his sinister eyes
No shadows pass through
And no sound does he utter

But he knows you

My spine straightens
Feet bones spring
Gathering pace, finding space
Not today
Will your hands find me
Nor my skin will you lay your hands upon
Or fold my layers of clothing
Under your skylight of gone
Not today........
Shall you take your time
Rearranging my limbs
In limbo
No............
I shall be soundless
While I feel you coveting me

For nothing is on offer for your coffer

Unclothed and untouched
I pass you by
Today.
​

Picture


Deni Howlett's profile     

He and I

I shall ride his back
sink into curve of his spine
entwine fingers into lush coat
silken in his touch,
black as the dark night
we will ride
chasing galaxy angels
tip axis of earth
slide with the tide
greet expanding sun
his eyes covering years
and I ….......
I shall be Boadicea
with my brigade
skimming pure waterfalls,
changing the hemisphere
He and I
gathering speed through the atmosphere
Free
sprinkling our internal dust
for all those who weep,
crippled in confused heartache
giving up giving in
for all the children
starving, beaten, cheated
and the homeless man
ill-treated, obsolete, broken
for the graceful old
return their dignity
splash colour through memories
buried in darkness of two worlds
and for the lonely
blankets to cover souls
divine music of hope
layers of laughter to warm homes
never alone, no..........

He and I
shall cover the earth
In one timeless night
we shall set right
as our sky alights
with power to rewrite
every fatal plight
With my knight
and his coat of armour
we will we will
despite clear over sight
by dividing mankind.
​

Homecoming

Raw in born nakedness
gathering of the moss
delicate step of slipping stars
falling of the moon
rising of the sun
ocean belly swollen
inside my very heart
dipping of the beat
flooding of my blood
rapidly diminishes defeated.

Swing me across your back
buried angel wings dig
connecting with eve's rib
wrap my legs around your heart
carry me back to the very start
where binding rush of one love
disregarded cold, hard concrete
and din of chaos
laughter breathing air
crisp in its catalyst of weeping memories.

My feet left the ground
turning of pages carried me
through dormitories echoing
not a whisper, not a sound
except beating of my thoughts
crashing of my dreams
curiosity killing the cat
I would murder ghosts in your bed
pluck out insanity, grind it to dust
bury my head inside your palm
inhale scent of your potent lust

I come from shark infested shores
rising like an orphaned siren
slamming hard into coast
turning wreckage around
shoving it hard with bare hands
as it sweeps back
to cold land of the dark.

Climbing I cling
hair covering flesh of my tongue
seagulls stare while I swallow air
I tear the skin you birthed me in
I am coming, I am coming
In this new dawn of aging night

I am coming 
Freedom in my struggling
To the wonder of my homecoming.



​
Picture

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