Ghazel of the Undead

Written as part of NaPoWriMo 2013

I bet you didn’t see this coming, did you?
Never thought I might come back, did you?

Lured me; caught me, unprepared.
When I trusted and I cared. Did you?

Red pearls round my neck will never do.
Guess you didn’t think this through, did you?

Tucked me neatly in the ground,
Didn’t think I’d come around, did you?

Never imagined we’d be meeting
When my heart’s no longer beating, did you?

Never felt my hand this cold
Since you swore I shan’t grow old, did you?

Bet you never thought that this would work, did you?
Bet you didn’t see forever coming, did you?

Her Sweet Elegy

Written as part of NaPoWriMo 2013

A univocalic poem using only the vowel ‘e’. It was a lot of hard work! Hope you like it.

When she went, the sky wept.
The breeze blew by the speckled red,
Drenched by sweet effervescence.
Elsewhere the restless creek bled.
Clergymen blessed her where she slept;
Fresh greens sheltered her velvet bed.

Yet he knew she deserved better.
Swept by her spell, her mystery,
He’d sketch her tender presence,
Preserve her perfect symmetry,
Keep every vehement letter
She’d penned, brewed by her energy.

Regret rendered by the empty
Pledge they’ll never keep.
Never free, he lets verses
Remember her. The rhymes weep
Dewy jewels when they
Endlessly wed whenever they sleep.

Reincarnation

Written as part of NaPoWriMo Challenge 2013

Because I believe we’ve met before. And we’ll meet again.

The body is a vessel for the soul.
Embrace the sleep; wake as a child
And watch the world as centuries roll.
The body is a vessel for the soul
So fear no more of growing old;
We’ll meet again – now rest a while.
The body is a vessel for the soul.
Embrace the sleep; wake as a child

The Man Who Saw

WRITTEN AS PART OF NAPOWRIMO CHALLENGE 2013

This man, I swore,
Was everywhere
But Mama told me
No one was there.

I first saw him
When I was three.
He took a man
Then waved at me.

Appeared again
When I was four.
He took a girl
And left once more.

He never spoke
Though I could tell
The man in dark suit
Knew me well.

At five when Papa
left for war
I swore he showed up
More and more.

Still Mama told me
No one was there
Although I saw him
Everywhere.

He did not smile
When doing rounds
He took the lot
On hospital grounds.

At times I thought
The man seemed sad.
Suppose he thought his
Trade too bad?

At six an officer
Came by –
Spoke sombre words.
Made Mama cry.

And I knew what
The man had done,
He’d taken them all
One by one.

And one by one
The man will take.
He made them sleep
And never wake.

So everyday
All through my life,
I knew all moments
Were rare and rife.

And though I saw him
Everywhere
I told my Mama
No one was there.

One day he stole her –
Won’t let me follow.
Left me alone
To soothe my sorrow.

The man would always
Have his way.
My love gave life;
He took away.

I couldn’t blame him.
(Perhaps I should)
I knew he wouldn’t
If he could.

He never touched
My other three.
At least I had
A family.

He visits grew shorter
And no longer grim.
I knew I would wait
Long for him.

He came when I was
Old and wan.
Said ‘Hi’ and we
Left hand in hand.

The Three Spirits

A sonnet

Three tombstones stood upon the brambled ground.
Three names were deeply etched upon the stone.
Three spirits who sought slumber ‘neath each mound
Began to question why they were alone.
Said one, ‘I was a nurse; at night I see
To sleep the little boys who caught the plague.’
Said one, ‘In youth I drew a masterpiece
That only in my death my fortune made.’
Upon his head the last one wore a crown.
‘Although my blood is fresh and dreams still raw.
I hope I did not let my people down.’
But none were there as none were there before.
For when the body rots and terrors fade,
We die another death when we are dead.