2010-10-31 halloween gogyohka

***

angry
faced
pumpkin
fire raging within
mouth salivating

***

***

she watched
each of the faces
melting into another
finally, the face left in the mirror
was her own

***

as
she walked down
the church aisle
a shadow raced in front of her
up into the ceiling

***

the eyes
were cold
and dark
a chill
prevailed

***

the
ghost
talked
the face morphed
into its human form

***

ghosts
in
trees
shape-
shifting

***

***

the human face
sunken
moving
its ghost form
spoke

***

strangely grey
as though
not alive
the face talked
as if it were made of muslin

***

the face
was not
substantial
it sucked in
and blew out

***

his face
belied
its appearance
he told
colour lies

***

as his face spoke
the people his face
morphed into
tried frantically
to make their voices heard

***

his face
morphed into
all those
who were denied
their voice

***

she opened
the attic door
to racks of clothes and shoes
without bodies
or feet

***

***

all night
the masked guests
danced to candlelight
the first rays of dawn
leaves blowing on ballroom floor

***

eerie glow
illuminated
masks
the eyes
dark

***

the face
in
the painting
pleaded
with her..

***

***

something
not
quite right
she wasn't sure
what it was

***

her entrance
into the painting
soundless
no one
heard her go...

***

the way open
between
past and future
linking
both worlds

***

old abandoned house
devoured
by fire
the ghosts
homeless

***

dark and sinister
staring eyes
behind the mask
with
strange fixed smile

***

***

reflecting
in the mirror
a window
the masked face
residing there

***

the mysterious dark eyes
looked into
her soul
they
gave nothing away

***

hid in dark doorways
under
the shadow of fear
never
emerging


***

raven
dark
night
black
wings

***

the unseen eyes
behind the mask
watched
all
year

***

the motionless
puppet
masked face
curiously
alive

***

***

at midnight
the masks on the wall
leaned forwards
their eyes
gleaming...

***

the
room
empty
waiting
for you

***

in the dark recess
of
the shadowy corner
it watched
biding its time

***

the dark hood
shadowed
her face
protected her
no-one could tell who she was

***

the cries of anguish
no one
heard
then slowly
faded within

***

in the gloomy room
she saw
a painting of her dream
she
was in it

***

***

when
she awoke
from her dream
she found she was looking
from the wrong side of painting

***

the
wind crept
eerily
she picks up the broken doll
cradling it gently

***

the old house
full of creaks
and soft voices
suddenly
fell silent...

***

the
wicked old witch
slithered
her way
across the sky

***

she’d bought the framed photo
hung it on her wall
but
each time she looked
his expression had changed

***

old man
and his cat
stand by his grave
and watch
the people walking past

***

***

the shapes out of  the  corner of your eye
just out of vision
shadows of your mind
or
reality

***

the secrets
tangled in forest undergrowth
waiting
so long
to be found

***

***

black cat runs across
disappears
into nothing
then sits
in front of you.

***

drawn to the painting
she stepped
closer
then she realised
there was an invisible bond

***

in the mirror
the faintest shadow
flickered
waiting
for life

***

alone in your bed
a hand
touches your shoulder
you look.
no one there.

***

***

dark shadow figures
of the night
stand by your bed
silently
waiting…


***

crinkled piece of white
scuttling
to your side
slimy things
feel around your neck

***

you’re breathing deeper
becoming
more laboured
you
are losing control

***

it moves suddenly
slithers
and sits besides you
fear
you dare not move

***

there’s nothing there
you cautiously
open your eyes
but
it moves again

***

sweat pours off your face
out of the corner of your eye
it moves
like
quicksilver

***

you know it is there
the night is long
very long
tears
run down your cheeks

***

awoken
startled
dark faceless hooded figures
stand at foot of your bed
they don’t leave

***

***

there’s nothing there
so why
does everything shiver?
is
the floor moving?


***

the floor’s crawling
walls and ceiling crawling
thousands
of tiny
spiders

***

there is no sanity
nightmare
and reality are one
a
frightening reality

***

***

the birds silent now
no wind
rustling in the leaves
the
front gate is swinging

***

woven at the loom
the magic
in the warp and weft
the future
decided…

***

ethereal dancing
bare branches
gently waving
the spirits
along

***

***

inky midnight skies
over
crumbling churchyard
covering the moon
flies…

***

***

keeping memory safe
the willow
marked the tiny unknown grave
weeping
her woeful tears


night fell
the room dimmed
the child lay still in bed
and watched
the night come alive

***

***

walking alongside
unbeknown
to her
another
shadow

***

wind
whispered
all
her
innermost secrets

***

glimmering landscape fading
leaving the world
to darkness
everywhere
so still

***

she woke suddenly
from
her strange dreams
there were
footprints in the carpet

***

bony fingers reaching
along the walls
across ceiling
night's
shadow theatre

***

white mask on stick
held constantly
to the face
only dark voids
for eyes

***

the masked ball
everyone
dancing
their feet not quite
touching the floor

***

many ghosts
of thoughts
wandering
through
the long night

***

***

church
and
churchyard tombs
residence
of shadows

***

the
old
mask
hid
its secrets so well

***

***

moon rose up
slowly
not quite belonging
a
shadowy dream

***

the shadow
walking
beside her
held out
his hand…

***

ghostly
lilting
song
the  wind whistled
a coyote howled

***

once fragmented
the phantom
reassembled herself
she wandered the earth
searching…

***

in
between
worlds
the raven flew
in darkness

***

her face
hidden
by many masks
she wore
each day

***

***

the mirror
dark
and black
suddenly a forked crack appeared
a tiny wisp of mist slipped out…

***

the child remembered
the fork
in the path with a wooden stile
with the gibbet
and rope still hanging

***

child opened her eyes
white stars
circled her bedroom
she watched
in amazement

***

no matter how many times
she primed the walls white
the writing still came through
slowly
re-emerging

***

from the misty woods
dark shadows
loomed
ivy
tendrilled shapes

***

candlelight
reflecting
flickering
shadowy
figures

***

her eyes
pleading
from behind the mask
in
the painting

***

the face receded
into
the gloomy painting
then
darkness

***

a long silent room
no
movement
only shadows
lengthening

***

for just a moment
it
was there
the face at the window
reflected in glass

***

empty
stone
moorland house
soft voices
calling through the paneless windows

***

leaning
on
the old gate
the wind
creaked it to and fro

***

the marble statue
sighed
got down from her plinth
did her duty at halloween
then was still once more…

***

2010-10-22 haiku

 

***

on midsummer's day
child looked within water butt
gazed in dark water

***

was so long ago
the child played in the forest
her dog at her side

***

***

a long time ago
child brandished her skipping rope
lassoed her brother...

***

child had a whole crisp
bit it, then cried because now
it was in pieces

***

silently
waiting there
listening

***

poetry
the sincerity of
truthfulness

***

here and there
everywhere
and nowhere

***

enchantment
disembodied music
heard within

***

***

spirit within
an echo waiting
to be released 

***

the numenal world
return is not simplistic
he is waiting there

***

the wheel
symbolic of peace
the wheel

***

creates lasting bond
meeting in the middle of
bridge of emotion

***

***

a hesitant word
unexpected suggestion
manifestation

***

the plaster
flaking from
the ceiling

***

she looked in the void
spread her arms, her cloak flying
encompassed it all

***

it did not fit her
doubting her identity
changed her name again

***

***

fallen night
silently lies
wistfully

***

sleeping sound
spirit rising
travelling

***

footsteps
singing
midnight

***

the fine interlinked
net of stars cast into night
contains all knowing

***

***

beautiful white horse
delicate as gossamer
shimmers through the night

***

beyond the blue sky
she could see the interlinked
mesh of spider's webs

***

from beyond shadows
the deep dark mirror
was a darker place

***

pure white glowing orb
oil-slicked colour emanating
into ghostly mists

***

golden butterfly
sprinkles dreams with fairy dust
while u gently sleep

***

dark shadows
come alive
cat leaping

***

moon hiding
her face behind
cloudy lace

***

absurdly she looked
pulled out of her dream, but found
dream reality

***

steely bright white stars
nailed the curtain of the night
high up in the sky

***

whispered her goodbyes
then pushed the boat out to sea
"fare thee well my prince "

***

thundering waves crashed
all round the rocks where she stood
sea spray stung her face

***

***

a perfect round stone
embedded in hard wet sand
a moat around it


***

she watched the island
as dawn rose a red blurred mist
hid it from her sight

***

from the blurred red mist
his familiar gait came
walking towards her

***

floating in water
that never was, foremost thought
all an illusion

***

stood here long ago
watching ebb and flow of tide
changes time has wrought

***

old ocean
leaving frowns
on the sand

***

jewels on the beach
the waves recycling
coloured broken glass

***

swimming in the sea
reflecting from the water
a rainbow's stray beam

***

busy waves
re-embroidering the beach
twice daily

***

the sea wind
swooping gull
folds his wings

***

***

fairies
playing music
on shells

***

dancing round the room
dog follows me on hind legs
we make a right pair

***

opened the road map
traced the routes they had taken
then folded it up

***

she looked in the void
spread her arms, her cloak flying
encompassed it all

***

cat sleeps on some books
they slide to floor one by one
under sleeping cat..

***

pink calico cats
dancing and leaping, chasing
each others' tails

***

the cat relishes
my freshly dried line washing
in laundry basket

***

an old gentleman
with hard sharp calloused hands
his face full of warmth

***

***

rescue bird from cat
hold bird gently, eyes open
robin flies away

***

broken bleeding heart
falling asleep forever
scars of past now healed

***

pining away
she remembered
then closed her eyes

***

she pined for mem'ries
changed irrevocably
by passage of time

***

her soul was crushed
to the point of no return
one day she left

***

many years ago
her soul was crushed: years later
the petals opened

***

happened long ago
should have been a blur, but was
clear as yesterday

***

the hand
finds another
clasps it

***

***

finished the painting
took off her shoes and stepped in
to somewhere beyond

***

the cats foremost thoughts
affection, food, affection
now sit on my lap

***

spider alert
guarding her eggs
first and foremost

***

***

mirror images
they are only virtual
not reality


***

they thought that she was
a craven weakling, but she
outlasted them all


***

she had a weakness
for chocolate, with dark orange
and ginger pieces

***

they took advantage
of her weakness, but didn't
realise was her strength

***

the gold bracelet fell
in deep dark pool, enchanted
water nymph caught it

***

always saw you
never for this world
watched you grow up

***

***

a row of chairs
sunlight dancing on each one
musical chairs

***

was livid crimson
in defiance of danger
she flew anyway

***

somehow emerging
on the fleeting stage of life
something manifests

***

she looked in the void
spread her arms, her cloak flying
encompassed it all

***

out of his mouth
came sharp shapes
and dull colours

***

his dreaming soul
colour changing
chameleon

***

in clear blue sky
the dove of peace
white silhouette

***

dark twisted shadows
rose's thorny ghostly play
backdrop, the red bricks

***

out of the grey mists
rising like a deathless ghost
the abandoned church

***

lightning
tangled in the skeins
of rain

***

raindrops dance
innumerable
feet tinkling

***

drops of rain
hooded clouds
counting beads

***

rain and sun
arched across uncertain sky
a rainbow

***

raindrops 'cross the sun
ancient promise long ago
magic of rainbow

***

ghost lovers
sitting in willow bower
full moon smiles

***

hill wearing a shroud
of silver grey cloud
rain drips from the leaves

***

the cries of the birds
the beginning never ends
they call out your name

***

midsummer rosebuds
hanging round her still stone head
wait for next solstice

***

birds rushing 'cross sky
a driving gale beating them
about the bushes

***

an eerie stillness
dark grey storm clouds gathering
everywhere waiting

***

***

a single tight bud
of golden yellow flower
waiting to open

***

raindrops
evanescence
rainbows

***

a soft peach glow
spreading across sleeping sky
dawn awakens

***

coming out of fog
raven flew over forest
carrying runestone

***

a young mistle thrush
came to my bedroom window
looked into my eyes

***

patient steadfast oak
observer for centuries
a silent witness

***

wind's gentle kisses
rose petals floating to earth
a soft pink blanket

***

little cloud scuttles
vainly looks for mummy cloud
finds relief crying

***

pine's cathedral reach
beneath is nature's archway
wind singing softly

***

sun streams through dark pines
ethereal forest floor
green fluorescent light

***

***

a walk long ago
she remembered so clearly
the fresh smell of pine

***

sat in zen garden
so still amidst dark pine trees
and a frog croaking

***

windows blurred with rain
painting garden as
a watercolour

***

her eyes blurred with tears
a gentle wind came along
blew them all away

***

poppy field blurred red
a single yellow poppy
stood out from the rest

***

she did not lie there
within dark grave in the ground
but somewhere beyond

***

skull and crossbones
foremost symbolic of death
in times of plague

***

foremost in window
the yellow inviting light
of old dark stable

***

the old oak cut down
first and foremost the dryad
remained for some time

***

fairies and elves
wandering in and out of garden mirrors
at sunset and dawn

***

searching for lost child
the wind inconsolable
she searched everywhere

***

cloud aeroplanes
crossing clear blue sky
unimpeded

***

the unseeing eyes
peacock's tail feathers
secretly  watching

***

***

their dance ended
shadows on the wall faded
the sun went in

***

autumn’s mellow sun
dancing with the careworn leaves
fluttering in the wind

***

the evening's red glow
on  a terraced street
old lady walking

***

in the fog
ghosts overhead
ravens fly

***

falling leaf
autumn
timelessness

***

***

love the earth
and it will remain
beyond time

***

a grove of trees
swaying together
in unity

***

***

imaginative
sunset illuminates clouds
a fantasy world

***

thrown out photographs
scattered, the wind catches one
takes it for herself

***

two ravens
shadows on the road
playing tag


***

bright eyed
daisies
open

***

livid crimson skies
moon rises in defiance
before sun has set

***

livid sunset danced
crimson red on water's edge
her last defiance

***

sun livid crimson
in defiance of rainstorm
made a new rainbow

***

skeletal branches
transcending winter, transform
to wonder of spring

***

a frog sitting
immobile as stone
a tongue darts out
 

***

***

the frog watched
the purple skies
and waited

***

autumn morning
dead leaves of forest
fairer than gold

***

pine's cathedral reach
beneath is nature's archway
wind singing softly

***

where five paths converged
at midnight highwayman came
but he left alone...

***

2010-10-09 gogyohka

***

the gale
threw wood, rope, and plastic
from sea on to the sandy beach
and a black and white
Friesian cow

***

seagulls
wheeling
and diving
a goshawk feeds
steadily on a vole

***

the
footprints
in the sand
pointing
the way

***

***

afloat
on
the ocean
underwater
starlight

***

a perfect round stone
with a perfect round hole
in the centre
she found
on the beach

***

his wife
displeases him
so
he beats her senseless
“Punch and Judy”

***

***

wild white horses
galloping round your island
coming all the way to the shore
white frothy foam
kisses my bare toes

***

coloured
glass pieces
abraded by waves
glistening
wet jewels

***

the child
was told
the moon was made of cream cheese
she thought
the adults were stupid

***

hands
in her skirt pockets
the child with eyes looking down
walked along the sand
kicking shells

***

the child
watched the monkey in the red fez
on the showman's shoulders
she felt sadness
the monkey looked deep in her eyes

***

the child
knew
the road of life
and saw the doorway
that led to the stars of death

***

the child
never said
goodbye
she held all of her past
in her head

***

she said
she'd be the child's
best friend forever
the child learnt
'forever' meant 'til the end of the week

***

hiding
in
a sketchbook
three children
laughing and joking

***

***

when the child
opened a book
she stepped eagerly inside
and reluctantly left
when she got to the last page

***

the child cried
when his whole crisp
broke into pieces on to the floor
after
he bit into it

***

the child
watches the sun
falling out of the sky
and wonders
where it goes to

***

when the cinema exit door opened
the child rushed in
after the other children
crawled along the floor
then found a seat...

***

mother got out her silverware
for
Sunday's polishing
child
took to her heels and ran

***

the bird in the cage
who sings
to be free
the child looks out
of the classroom window

***

***

the child
touched the old oak tree
she slid inside the split
sitting so still in its mossy chamber
the child was the tree

***

if
she
had not been born
then no one
would have needed to lie

***

the
world
darkened
with pride
by man

***

the full moon
a clasp
for
the cloak
of the heavens

***

***

in evening's shadow
moon rises
watches o'er us
tells nightly stories
to those listening

***

the moon full
high in the sky
her silvery light
flooding
both sea and land

***

stars glittering
in
sky's dark meadow
the moon
a perfect pool of white

***

the
moon
stands still
all
alone

***

dead souls of people
cardboard
city
dead souls
wandering the night

***

she took
her dream
out of her head
put it in a cardboard box
and neatly taped it up

***

silent as the night
the moonlit face
wandered the cemetery
a
folded sculpture

***

***

the
hour
before dawn
night's
deathly embrace

***

cherry tree
tenderly cradled
the small moon all night
a halogen light
reflection in the window

***

the liquid night
slunk
into the room
formlessly
altering reality

***

the
words
of god
written
in the stars

***

for-get-me-nots
of
the sky
blossoming
of the stars


***
she woke up
her mind
extraordinarily clear
but
she was unable to move

***

last night
my unicorn
pranced round my garden
sun rose
he was stone once more, except a single white hair in his mane

***

under
the full moon
she sucked
a perfect round
mint imperial

***

the
sharpness
of that scent
catches
my nose

***

my
soul
in that shadow
that
fled through the door

***

***

her brains
ran
away
a pool
of water

***

if
she
spoke the words
they would take on
a different meaning

***

see
not
just with the eyes
but with
the whole body

***

she wondered
if
he'd given up waiting,
had he arrived and left
or was he still there

***

the worm
ate through
her heart
then
it burrowed out

***

poets
grow
by
their
suffering

***

all
are
poets
at
heart

***

***

in
a former existence
I was a painter
I'm a poet now
but do you know me?

***

making
your
myths
to fit a present
to fit the past


***

wafting
across
her sight
a white feather
from an angel

***

she watched
as objects floated
in the air
weightlessly
round her

***

the phone rang
she climbed
into the receiver
to see
who was speaking to her

***

***

photographs
lie
quite often
I'm looking
through the lies

***

pieces
of the puzzle
missing
death with her long red fingernails
stole those pieces

***

the kiss
in death
to make up
for all
he'd never said

***

the stepmother
had two faces
one, the smiling obsequious face
when the guests were around
but when they left..

***

***

space
invaded
relentlessly,
no "I" left in consciousness
to defend

***

the photograph
cut out
and altered
unknowingly
to the truth

***

seek
and you shall find
whatever your wishes
they can come true
so be careful what you wish for

***

my arms outstretched
knees slightly bent
I'm doing tai chi
I am a tree
a dog cocks its leg against mine

***

her
identity stolen
mangled
then left
with all its creases

***

the house
oppressive
in his presence
but after he died
it breathed a sigh of release

***

I open my packet
of Polo Mints
(mints with a hole in the middle )
every single one is broken
my heart sinks, I'm sad

***

a
strange
book
each time I open it
I find another uncut page

***

the truths
of
the poets
they tell
how it is

***

she
turned
to look
but
there was nobody there

***

***

a story
against
all odds
a
talismanic story

***

death
a
handsome trickster
knew
the right words to say

***

you won't remember me
a man said
but I replied, I remember your lips
(I'm deaf, I lip-read u see)
his wife looked at me strangely...

***

a contented cat
lazily sprawled 'cross my lap
reverberating loudly
my eyes are drooping
I fall asleep

***

she waited and waited
being polite
waiting for another
they let her down
and so she was late

***

they
were
hidden
she never
allowed them out to play

***

she
wanted
to be invisible
she became the chair
she was sitting on

***

***

lost her way
google maps
gave wrong location
so she 'borrowed' a stranger and his sat nav
then returned him to his car

***

she felt
calm and distant
as though
it had been weeks
not half an hour

***

in the dusty attic
she saw a chessboard
in the corner
but
all the pieces were knights…

***

a glistening blue dragonfly
hovered
investigated my potting shed and me
then
flew away

***

the
green shadowy mists
of time
waiting
to form

***

receding
into
the tree trunk
the
face

***

supple
and boneless
she slithered
her vampire's mouth
open

***

the other where
co-existing
with here
different
gauze backdrops

***

***

realisation
the
third
space
scary

***

there
is
no space
time
or place

***

neural
pathways
wiring
rewiring
misfiring

***

occupying
a
strange space
in
time continuum

***

our
lives
without roots
feathers
in the wind

***

a
fogged mind
knit it
then escape
through the dropped stitches

***

***

elucidation,
the
searchlight
came
on

***

sharpen
your
perceptions
enjoy
the taste

***

whispering
the
sky
a
song

***

***

a story
without end
reshaping
reordering
transmutation

***

everything
so quiet
and still
the wind
holding her breath

***

swansdown
floating
down the river
a flotilla
of boats

***

a
strange place
occupying space
between
thought and doing

***

butterfly mind
dancing
in the breeze
but taking
everything in

***

***

there were
no
boundaries
because
nothing was normal

***

strange
how
blood
looks like
freshly spilled paint

***

the wind
sang
softly
as she rocked
her child to sleep

***

cherry
blossom
fragrance
fallen
petals

***

the flames
licked
greedily
all
the way around

***

the
purple ash
falling like snow
deathly
pink

***

burning
wolves
mirroring
shattered
desire

***

a
bouncing
ball
bouncing
through life

***

trapped
nightingale
in a cage
blue twisted flashes of light
the alchemist waits

***

***

the spider web
face
spoke
a ghastly
fate

***

emotions
damaged
denied
never
understood

***

a graveyard
of spiders
all shapes, poses and sizes
my head thinking
could I not glue them on to a canvas and say "this is a painting"?

***

cold
sweat
pouring
clammy
aching

***

mind
flooded
with images
fragmented
then reassembled

***

the words
melted
into rivers
of
tears

***

a misunderstanding
between
thought
and
doing

***

the orange kitten
sat
in the heavens
gently patting the clouds along
with her paws

***

anxiety
spun
its thick sticky web
of
immobility

***

***

dead spiders
hanging from the ceiling,
dehydrated husks .
Would they re-hydrate
if I sprayed them with water?

***

myths
are words
and thoughts
about
the world

***

paper thin
skin
crumpled
flaked
away

***

the wind
two butterflies
dancing
wing-tip
to wing-tip

***

a prayer
on
the wing
peacock butterfly
sunning itself

***

reaching
into
a space
that
wasn't there

***

***

the words
floated
in the air
then inscribed themselves
on the tree trunk

***

there
was  a sudden chill
in the room
and
it wasn't a door opening

***

empty
space
of mind
everything on the periphery
out of reach

***

walking
the
earth
all the spirits
past, present and future

***

just one
positive
dream
can transcend
negative realities

***

huge
cavernous
void
the pictures
hiding on the periphery

***

maybe
the
time
was
right

***

emotions
locked
in the most
inaccessible
rooms

***

little grubs
burrowing
eating
their
way

***

he
sits
silently
listening
to your thought

***

whosesoever
you
go
you always
take yourself with you

***