Boogeyman

I don’t know who he is

or where he is

but expect to find him there,

under the bed,

behind the drapes or

maybe snuck in

behind the closet door.    

Waiting for me he is,

scared stiff I am

as I imagine the unimaginable.

He will wait til me in deepest sleep

and then creep out he will,

maybe poke out my eyes, stitch up my lips

or maybe he’ll just smother me.

I promise I am good (I am)

and should he come tonight

I’ll tell him that and maybe

he’ll believe me then

and leave me then

and go and find another child,

a child that’s really bad

and poke out their eyes,

stitch up their lips before

he (maybe) finally smothers them.

I do so hope he will…

Anna :o]

Rommy at Toads has us writing of the dreaded boogeyman and above is my offering.  My words are based on the procedures I had as a child before daring to climb into bed and my thoughts and fears once I had.  I was not that young when I stopped doing this either…

Image:  Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Author:  Ernst Barlach

Loneliness

She misses them, the good old days

when men were men,

and women knew their place

and rolled up their sleeves

and did the dishes. 

The houses then full to the brim

of happy hordes of kith and kin,

houses full of warmth and bonhomie,

of grandma hugs, of daddy smiles

and mother’s sweetest purest kisses.

She misses him,

oh she lost him oh so long ago,

him going to wherever tis dead people go,

heaven hell or maybe

just a space beneath the ground,

she can’t remember doesn’t know, 

she only knows she is alone. 

Her *two-up two-down her little narrow street,

city reached out and sucked them in

and how surrounded she by strangers now,

no warmth or love of kith and kin. 

And them,

the strangers that surround her now,

don’t reach out they don’t know how,

and lost she is and all alone

in that barren house she once called home. 

Anna :o]

Paul at dVerse has us writing on the theme of ‘Community.’

It got me thinking of where I live now and where I have lived and I do wonder whether I can define what community is (or means to me), moreso community spirit.   Does any kind of community bring with it cohesiveness, a sense of belonging, and a common goal?  We may think it does but in reality, do we not all have our own agenda?

My memories of the good old days are just that, they were good, for there was a community spirit and the common good meant we looked after and looked out for each other.  This didn’t mean that life was perfect for of course it wasn’t.  But there was always a willing listening ear to share your burden with and you would offer yours too.   I also realise that for many the good old days didn’t exist and that these days were often/mostly bad. 

Where I live now, is there a community spirit?  I don’t think so for we all dwell in our little castles and know little of each other.  Am I party to this lack of community spirit, yes I probably am for I have long given up in trying to change things.  I know my place.  I value solitude but many others don’t and loneliness is all they have.

*Two-up two down: generally a small terraced house built sometime after the industrial revolution.  These dwellings consisted of two downstairs rooms – kitchen & sitting room and two bedrooms upstairs.   The toilet/loo would be in an outhouse in the back yard and baths would be taken in a tin bath somewhere in the house or the backyard itself.  Backyard here means a small concreted area surrounded by high brick walls.

These houses still exist and are modernised by having an extension to the back to create a bathroom and if two storeys high an additional bedroom.  It is sometimes possible to squeeze a bathroom upstairs.

Also shared with the good folk at Toads Tuesday Platform

Image:  Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Author:  Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer

Shh!

Neville Chamberlain holding the paper containing the resolution to commit to peaceful methods signed by both Hitler and himself on his return from Munich. He is showing the piece of paper to a crowd at Heston Aerodrome on 30 September 1938. He said:

"...the settlement of the Czechoslovakian problem, which has now been achieved is, in my view, only the prelude to a larger settlement in which all Europe may find peace. This morning I had another talk with the German Chancellor, Herr Hitler, and here is the paper which bears his name upon it as well as mine (waves paper to the crowd - receiving loud cheers and "Hear Hears"). Some of you, perhaps, have already heard what it contains but I would just like to read it to you ...".

Later that day he stood outside Number 10 Downing Street and again read from the document and concluded:

'"My good friends, for the second time in our history, a British Prime Minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time."

Shh!  

Be silent now.

Let’s keep child’s quiet finger

firm upon our lips, shush now. 

Let’s not say those worried words

we so long to say.  Hush now!

Quiet!  Stay silent now,

don’t utter worried thoughts

that bounce crazily inside your head,

instead, be silent now and watch the evil grow,

grow around and all about you,

all about you!

Tis safer than opening up that can of worms,

worms that wriggle way out of own accord. 

We can’t afford to intervene

as we watch evil grow; instead

we only offer hollow idle threats

or lay sanctions (that don’t matter) at the door.

Let’s talk around a table; Appease!  Appease!  Appease!  

What more in gods name can we do? 

We can do what we do best,

sit back and watch the evil grow,

show worm our apparent helplessness,

our inaction loading bullets, our very self

shooting guns held towards our very heads.

Shh! 

Be silent now.

Let’s keep child’s quiet finger

firm upon our lips, shush now. 

Let’s not say those worried words

we so long to say.  Hush now!

What else is happening in our world

is not our problem, is it,

until it is.

Anna :o[

As said so often on this blog, I worry, do so worry about this world of ours, worry most about that that is humankind and the havoc we wreak on this beautiful planet.  We are not safe keepers of it and don’t deserve it. 

What do we do in this very tribal world of ours?  We protect our tribe of course!  We protect with the threat of our fine arsenals and that of our military.   Yet we tiptoe around as the world falls apart, we watch evil grow as despots and dictators flourish.  We really don’t want to get involved, it is easier to turn our backs and cover our eyes and ears.

We watch as countries/nation states turn on their own countrymen, those they deem inferior for they are the wrong colour, wrong religion, wrong tribe or wrong caste and so on forever.  And we watch…and do nothing or at the least very little, maybe (preferring to exist in our ?safe little bubbles) raising our voices,        a little…

The peaceful of us suggest negotiations/peace talks, but the sad fact is these ‘talks’ rarely bear fruit.  It seems that eventually battle we must to achieve the safety we crave – war equals peace.  Or does it?  How often have we invaded others for the sake of peace or to rid of despicable ills (or to keep our ‘gains’)  – but never see it through, leave loose ends, so complacent we are, so smug, that we have left our ideals there and all will be well.  (Remember Camp Bucca was probably the birthplace of Isis.) We leave a foreign land with a bleeding wound we have created and the void is filled with another branch of hell.  (And do remember some of us, the evil, those barely human, crave battle.)

What do I think of Trump’s sabre rattling?  It worries the hell out of me – but he has taken a stand (not very well thought out) towards/against North Korea, North Korea with its boy-man dictator ruling his long-indoctrinated people into believing that bombs are beautiful.   Do I fear Trump and his erratic ego-driven behaviour – yes I do.  But I fear Kim Jong-un more - how scary it is both men show similar macho traits.  We allow loose cannons (such as Kim Jong-un) for it is easier than doing something, and watch as evil/pure madness grows… and we turn our backs…cover our eyes…refuse to hear what our mind is telling us…and then… ?BANG!

How do I think we can heal our world?  Sadly, I don’t know…for how can we ever change who or what we are?

(Rant over.)

PS  Read and worry.

Shared with the good folk at dVerse Open Link Night.

Image (and description of) courtesy of: Wikimedia Commons

Author:  Ministry of Information official photographer.

Hate

“Stronger together” you state

as I squirm beneath as you

force your self upon me.

Know this: 

I hide my darkest thoughts (of you)

amongst the biscuits in the cookie jar.

What could be sweeter than you,

you fucking scumbag biscuit-eater

munching on my very thoughts?

I shall poison you with words.

Anna :o]

Isadora hosts at Toads and she writes:

I am ever so happy to present the mid-week prompt for our Poems in April promptkrieg. For this prompt we are going out of standard. I am going to challenge you to find new places in the everyday and sully the page with the unexpected. At this point in the month, your poem muscles are warm, limber and ready for the long haul. 

Signs of the times

The prompt is simple: find an image of a protest sign and use that phrase in a poem that is not political. 

Apologies to the good folk in the image as I feel my words have cheapened their ideals.  Of the image and feminism:  I do not consider myself a feminist (and tis true this term now has a pejorative ?quality about it) as as said in a previous post, I have never experienced gender inequality – or maybe I have and it was so subtle I didn’t notice it.

That said, I really do know that gender inequality exists and in some countries (I am happy I don’t exist in) to an extreme we couldn’t imagine.  I believe that gender inequality is purely a social construct, simplified: male physical strength = dominance, and thus a female’s lack of same physical strength has determined our place in the world.

It will be a long long time before beliefs/attitudes change – if ever - and sadder this world will be for it.  Proof of this, if it were needed, is a programme I watched a few days ago on VICELAND, this being “Discarded Daughters” and please view it your self.  (If VICELAND appears on your TV menu – don’t ignore it, because of its title – as I did for a long time.  There is much worthy of watching there.)  

Image: Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Author:  Elvert Barnes from Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Wind Turbine (and the Effort of Being)

I stand here, inshore, tis true

not cursed by lash of cruel sea,

yet still no peace of mind have I,

ennui the only cruel certainty as

arms spin in a desperate semaphore,

as I plead implore (in infrasound)

mankind to please acknowledge me,

for I exist, I am, I am, I am!

I am sentient! 

I am sentient and bored witless!

Can someone not read me a book or something?

Anna :o]

Lillian at dVerse has us writing of anthropomorphism and above is my offering.  It is true that I often think or wonder what it is like to be another living form, whether flora or fauna.  It is also true that I think the same about inanimate objects.  I do wonder about the wind turbines forever, or almost forever, spinning their arms in the harbour of my town, one so large or maybe so near, it rises above every building in the town centre.  I really think it must get bored silly doing the same thing day in day out day in day out…

Also shared with the good folks at Toads Tuesday Platform

Image:  Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Author:  Photo: Molgreen, Animation:Amada44