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. |
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. 
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