LEADERS - not followers

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

OPEN LINK NIGHT #107

For d'verse Poets


THE PURSUIT OF TRIVIA


A misdirected comment 
at an inopportune time 
creates a broken window 
of missed opportunity… 
which is kind of logical, 
in a messed-up kind of way…

An open invitation 
in a tight-sealed envelope, 
initiates a response 
that will go without comment
without ever being said.

An understated compliment 
offers an understanding 
of overstated indulgence 
in unreasonable affairs… 

The product of a misspent youth…? 
Or of a well spent future…?

No-one knows, or cares, these days… 
They’re all too preoccupied 
with things of no importance… 
things of no significance… 
with things that don’t make much sense. 

All have other fish to fry, 
other considerations 
they must take into account… 
other accounts they must take 
into consideration
while you ponder aimlessly
sitting there, thinking about 
nothing in particular… 
listening to the latest
hot chart hits and breaking news; 
global information from 
your local radio station, 
now turning its attention 
to random acts of boredom.

Infotainment Show phone-in… 
Monday morning, possibly
maybe even afternoon
but definitely Monday… 

You make a simple request
as cynical as ever; 
a dedication to those 
who dedicate their lives to 
The Pursuit of Trivia… 
those with too much time on their hands, 
too much cash in their pockets, 
too much disposable income. 
No sign of an overdraft
not even the slightest hint; 
those who definitely have 
visible means of support
without any strings attached…

You’re not jealous or anything
although it must be stated
you can’t afford the luxury 
of managing your own time; 
prioritising interests.

You couldn’t even compile 
a short list of things to do; 
setting out intentions in 
chronological order… 
a graphical presentation, 
or put it another way, 
a Bucket List of wishes 
you’d never wish anyway… 
You wouldn’t even wish them 
on your greatest enemy… 
And we all know who that is… 

It happens to be yourself…



Sunday, July 28, 2013

WORDLE #119

For Sunday Whirl: Crows, Eroded, Strength, Rooted, Cells, Wove, Vegetation, Scarce, Rain, Revisited, Last, One.

CYCLE


Crows eroded strength
Rooted cells wove vegetation
Scarce rain revisited last one

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

OPEN LINK NIGHT #106

For d'verse Poets

GOING DOWN


As you already well know
it only takes a second 
of idle conversation…

A lapse of concentration 
transforms a situation 
from random speculation 
to scenes of devastation
as ideas develop.

At last obsession takes hold 
concepts become distorted… 
and it’s all downhill from there…

Disturbed imagination
interrupted train of thought…

Normal service is resumed
but due to circumstances 
beyond anyone’s control… 
out of reach of influence 
of impartial, outside help 
independent observers
or unbiased referees… 
the mechanics of the mind... 
dangerous daydreams… take hold.

Unable to sleep at night
logic and reason are lost...

A world of whims without walls
events without witnesses
instruments of self-neglect 
and erratic behavior 
are all at your disposal 
with unlimited access…

No constraints, restrictions.
Decisions go unchallenged; 
all departures are delayed 
as new arrivals check in.

All appointments are cancelled 
all ambitions unfulfilled 
and of course, all bets are off...

Left to your own devices
seeds of apathy are sown
and uncertainty takes root…

And now you find you’re living 
on a piss-poor diet of 
pessimistic projections
and worst-case scenarios
with cynical points of view
until prophecies bear fruit
and new attitudes are born…

which aren't necessarily 
what anyone would describe 
as healthy, wholesome values.

No good deed goes unpunished
which is just as well because 
at this very moment, you’re 
only scratching the surface…

Locked in your troubled conscience
hidden in your sub-conscious
issues rise to the surface
which of course are followed by 
appeals for absolution.

However, predictably
your petitions go unheard…

No-one knows, and no-one cares…

Someone must pay the penance; 
you know that person is you.
But your painful, plaintive pleas 
are not acts of contrition…

No need to apologise 
for the deeds of yesterday
for which you have no regrets…

Actions you can’t justify
but actions nevertheless… 
if anyone ever asked.

Behind your sinister smile
you've never tried to disguise 
your answer to the question
ever since all the fat cats 
went away… permanently, 
leaving now fat mice to play… 
inventing Dangerous Games 
to play… when the time is right.

And so the games continue…



This piece is an extract from my ebook In Decline

Saturday, July 20, 2013

WORDLE #118

For Sunday Whirl: Think, Tear, No, Room, Time, Repair, Slate, Driven, Longing, Become, Night, Key, Mesh.


WEB


Think before you shed a tear
There is no room for regret

Time to repair the damage
Your chance to wipe the slate clean

Be driven by your longing
To correct what you've become

Take the fragments of that night
Key those pieces into place

Let your thoughts mesh together...

Sunday, July 14, 2013

WORDLE 117

For Sunday Whirl



SCAN



Friends leave lab together
Rest a while, translate sick note
Detect a slight mistake
Conscience calls for second opinion

Sunday, July 7, 2013

WORDLE #116

For Sunday Whirl


LISTEN



Listen...
Voices scare where smoke happens.
Pressure might climb...
Risk impossible orders...?