Month: October 2020

Immolation

On By Swarn GillIn Prose and Poetry10 Comments

the heat and the fire
boiled water in the trees
bark cracked
singed
exploded
brought the forest to its knees

the heat and the fire
bellowed ash up to the skies
dimming light
obscuring
clouding
shrouding blue in disguise

the heat and the fire
flee animals! to rock and field!
the nest
the burrow
the leaves
head hangs, hopeless, fate sealed

the heat and the fire
people left all that they earned
praying
hoping
the charring
so many memories are burned

the heat and the fire
brave fighters do all they can do
not enough
all gone
razed
none living today
will see it
anew

The Foolhardy Captain

On By Swarn GillIn Prose and Poetry4 Comments

Desperation
or elation
what drives me to
my destination?

Captain of fools
on turbulent seas
Melville’s Ahab’s got
nothing on me

I see your defenses
typhoon pushing swells
testing tenuous mettle
Where courage dwells

I hearken back
to days that I swore
my wreckage would never
return to your shores

But here I am alone
on the ocean again
though shaky sea legs
remember the pain

So I sail weather wary
my strength is amiss
my mind on the maelstrom
and the briny abyss

Through the heart of chaos
I’ll make for the eye
take my dreams to the depths
for surely I’ll die

Feature photo: Painting, Ship on Stormy Seas by Ivan Ayvanosky

in my shoes

On By Swarn GillIn Parenting, Prose and Poetry6 Comments

You claim my shoes

It wasn’t so long ago
excitement and shock
the look on your face
when you learned to talk

You will stumble
fall in those boats
while your ambition
carelessly floats

Before you go far
You must know laces
Crisses and crosses
Loops and the chases

You’re going to wander
so learn about soles
they gotta be comfy
always do a test stroll

then you need to know
when to walk when to run
when to take them out dancing
shoes are meant to be fun

You claim my shoes
and all I have
will be yours
in time
but
I dream
I rue
happy
and
trying
not
to
think
about
the day
you fill
my shoes

The Long Leaving

On By Swarn GillIn Prose and Poetry5 Comments

my guardian
my heart
where do I start
Are you yourself?
Can you show me
do you know me?

for years I kept
you near
and I missed
you the most

you never wanted
to be a burden
It was
We were both hurting
But just as you
did it all for me
at my beginning
so shall I be with you
at the end
I shall attend

when you crossed
I was both lost
and free
I want to remember me
have these last few years
moved from the fore
and just reflect
on days of yore

seeing what I might become
Is troublesome
I must live
and not give in
to future fears
while I’m still here

I put shadows of you
in my pocket
and take a step
into the clear air

Written Word

On By Swarn GillIn Prose and Poetry12 Comments

I sat down to write away my pain
But it just came back to me again

So I sat down to write some more
But still the pain, I could not ignore

Then I proceeded to write a book
But page after page, the pain sunk in its hook

To write my pain I did not weary
I turned my book into a series

But that pain, I still did carry
So I even filled a library

Finally
Ink drained from my pen
Words faded from my ken

I prayed
This would be The End

Of Myths and Monsters

On By Swarn GillIn Prose and PoetryLeave a comment

The Minotaur seems very nice
A little rough
Around polished edges
Intelligent
This comes from being two people
Animals?
Detached because he’s misunderstood
Misunderstood because he’s detached
But you can set the man free from bull
He’s a gentle beast after all
Right?
Tear down those four walls
Ring placed hopeful on hairy hands
And suddenly you’ll be a-mazed
It’s not four walls
And you’re inside

In fabled tales of old
The story’s often told
How Theseus searched for Minotaur to slay
But you’re no hero
He’ll bring your will to zero
And in that maze you’ll stay

It’s all in your mind
But I think you’ll find
Your hope is never-ending
Which way to go
You’ll think you know
With your wind and all your wending

Illusion of choice
Suppression of voice
He’s there to block your way
If you do the math
And find another path
He’s sure to make you pay

Well wrong IS wrong
Also right is wrong
Lost and listless
Crawling on hands and knees
Questioning
Every decision you’ve made
Never pleasing his taurine form

You must be a bad person
You must not know how to love
You must be unlovable
You will never escape

And why do you deserve freedom?
It’s his labyrinthine home
Or you’ll always be alone

Sacrifice and appease
Then get on your knees
Or the Minotaur will rage
If you cause displeasure
He’ll use violent measures
Deadening ends within his cage

No straight lines
You’ll look for a sign
And cry out to the skies above
But if there is a God
Who observes you plod
He’s not one made from love

In truth your only sin
Was to open the door and let him in
And offer him your heart
But he’s had you pegged
In his morass you’re dragged
He’s been bending you from the start

What cosmic justice cares about us?
Kindness may be a virtue
The king of all
But why should souls
Who are manifest
Of love and compassion
Be prey to the most monstrous of humans?

If this be divine law or decree
Said Consciousness can keep it
Leave us alone
The heartbreak is too much for us mortals
Do You not hear women weeping?
Does not the sound of pleas
From the kindest among us
Trapped forever in mindless mazes
Shake the very foundation of heaven?

Let Kingdoms fall into the sea
Set love and kindness free