state visit

grand palace of united creatures

stage to the supper of presidents and kings,

finest foods the forest could provide

cutlery shone on butlers jacket

and in their finery they arrived

stoat,

weasel,

ferret,

mole, badger and toad,

to eat and speak confidences made

treaties broken amended and signed,

it would be a glorious affair

trumpets and choir,

long oak table shone,

voices hushed as speaker spoke

in long oration,

nodding and quietly assured

they waited to speak there turn

as fine turnip soup was served

laden with cream and pinch of pepper,

toad wanted to be center of attention

without his contributions all others

would fail,

badger muttered under his breath,

too many times when the others had

been awash he had bailed them out,

mole was pleased with his display

all seemed so merry

without fox who stayed away to

the east snapping grumpily at

his pack,

blackberry wine flowed

differences appeared

it declined as dessert appeared

your just a stoat someone shouted

badger roared overturning table

seed cake rolled

as food fight ensued old hatred emerged

mole hovered in the middle

watched as all crumbled about him

anger consumed as reddened faces

spat angry words,

tomorrow there would be war

someone would be overthrown,

and what of mole

confused in his coalition with

the silent absent owl

should he return to the

underground creatures

that adored him,

not knowing how to stave off

economical collapse

or tidal surge of opposition

meekly snuffling

into a hand stitched handkerchief

knew his days would end in

prison

Helen Ward

 

when the vulnerable fall

laughter in the hollow of her throat

as moon breaks the body,

ribbon eyelids flutter under kiss

his fingers touched auburn hair

that fell over sand pillows

spent and tired bones felt broken,

dreams have a bold voice

to those who need the warmth

he knelt beside with longing

for her to be more than a long rapture,

kissing her ankle

against his lips no cold tremor

she was all confession and truth to him,

her heart soft as an apricot

picked from behind a breast

he the only one,

his words of struggle

the urge to thrive and live in this world

or find solace in the next,

beyond borders of another land

she is from within

listening through ears

whispered on each morning,

after a long shower she dressed

under his gaze

sovereignty of eyes made her feel not

alone,

she had honor and resilience

no longer that awkward shy girl

from a minnesota school,

her hand felt his harden on hers

to be there farewell until later,

she felt no shock on leaving the house

no irony or weariness

bag slung over shoulder

walking to the bus,

catching smiles of men who wanted to

possess,

a word she heard that made her smile

infidels

she was now a vessel

returning to the mall

that very mall she worked a beauty salon

for minimum wage,

today would be her immortal day

memory and history would find a place

for her,

her soul had a message to be given to the

world,

and with a single bomb she would carry it

 

 

 

This topic is difficult and in somber mood has to be aired that any country terrorism can come from any angle not just foreigners and immigrants as some areas of the media like to point out, sometimes as seen here in England it is the young and impressionable no job or low income find they have become fed up and to want act , react against what they see is against them be it family or government and others can prey on them influence them not saying this happens in all cases as you have extremists everywhere in religion or politics the thing is the message has to be conveyed that we are community all of us the world has shrunk and we must care more to prevent such horrific acts of mindful violence it sounds simplistic but is there a perfect answer i hope so one day

as we fall

plastic bottles find no rest

in the surf

washed from the river

beach colored by paint

human paint remains of

eager sprees

in fearsome glow of night

youth and the silent in

alleys prowl,

fast food wrappers

catch the wind on

commercial sails

over street and bridge,

greasy window watches

those without reserve

intimate action

body abraded by brick

balloons of extinguished

seminal life cast to water,

outside as most slumber

patrol cars crawl

citations written to those

caught out,

they use with needle point

vacationing from life

and all it’s disturbances,

away now we trail

in part to the beach

all that is us comes here

slowly degrading

absorbed into sand,

trapped for future people

to see

how as a society we

fell far