Last Edited Poems (1,141)

A long time ago - when I was twenty-three
When I did something stupid for a bet -
Stupid - or courageous - and I now agree
It wasn't something I would soon forget.
Bet one hundred dollars on the beach at Coogee*
(A challenge I survived and don't regret)
That I couldn't swim to Wedding Cake Island**
And then swim back to stand upon dry land.

Challenge was accepted - I left the hot sand
And waded out into the bright blue brine
The first wave broke above me - like a reprimand -
With water mild this high summertime.
I waded out till I could no more stand
I had to do this (I did myself remind)
Now committed - I had to my honor save -
Either this - or find a watery grave.

The first of the breakers were now behind -
To fold upon themselves in bursting boom
And boil in whitest bubbles - the shore to find -
Hissing in a frothy lace of spume.
Swimming now in breaststroke (to be kind)
To stamina reserves, I would need soon
(Though I only had a mild to moderate swell -
And no rips or currents in the sea as well).

Out too far now - too far to turn back
Lifted up and over each new wave; -
The water now beneath me turning black -
I kept swimming - I swam myself to save -
My will was strong - my reserve would not crack -
(For it was true I had a point to prove)
Waves no longer breaking - just blue rills -
Swimming up and over watery hills.

I now saw Wedding Cake was getting close
And no more than an atoll in the sea
Still not tiring I was there - almost -
The flat rock was there waiting just for me.
So far I was now - so far from the coast -
How strange is life? And how strange destiny?
One hundred yards close - I looked around and then -
Saw matchbox cars and houses - and ants for men.

Waves broke round the rock and back from shore
Now lifting me upon a coral reef
Pyramids of water eight feet high or more
Dumping me upon this rocky shelf.
Looking at my hands - I was cut and sore
(This is where I almost come to grief)
And having now escaped certain death
Stood upon the Island - and caught my breath.

Now reef - black reef - black water underneath me
Fifty meters back toward the shore
And sixty feet of water now beneath me
The grazing on my palms - my hands cut raw
Into the salty brine, I now bled freely
Bled into the water - and bled some more -
Fighting fright within me - to swim this final arc -
Swimming back in mortal terror of a shark.

T'was forty-five minutes to swim out there
And fifteen only now - to get back in -
And for what? A crazy stupid dare -
(I lived to take that hundred bucks from him)
This feat (good reader) I make you now aware -
(It is certainly a devil of a swim).
Stupidity? Courage? Or just male pride?
Good reader - I leave it for you now to decide.




© lovecanbereal
All rights reserved

I think of the Aborigine's last plight
To tell of the Rainbow Serpent* in its might
Wherein the ancient dream time lies your soul
And the strength of ancient myth becomes your all.

For my young country Australia -
I tell of my dismay and love for her
I sing my all and in my praise for you
Hear the ancient haunting rhythm of didgeridoo.

Generations old and lost in time
Rock paintings in the Kimberley sublime
Dot paintings are the desert's oldest art
The living Dreamtime spirit at its heart.

One day they'll be when black and white unite
To recognize the black man in his fight
To seek the white man's peace in destiny
We must first make peace with the Aborigine.

To put the Constitution right now in its laws
To love the black man instead of to abhor
And to the Stolen Generation, a treaty give
Will make our country stronger - live and let live.

To lift the black man up with helping hand
Like Gough Whitlam ** unto you did pour his sand***
From white to black we still have far to go
From black to white forgiveness we must know.




© lovecanbereal
All rights reserved

A gem's a stone that's rare, but cold inside; -
A true gem's in the heart the other hides.

When we find that rare one who understands,
Then we are privy to those exotic lands.

No one can define this thing called "love"
That strangest feeling, sent from up above.

A diamond's cold with all its many facets;-
More beauteous a woman in her assets.

No one knows the time we have on Earth -
Be kind to the other one - they also hurt.

Look beyond the ring;- find that precious sparkle -
Find true wealth; - before we meet death's darkness.

Then fear not "Father Time"; - he can't take it all away; -
For we are in each other's arms for an eternity.




© lovecanbereal
All rights reserved

When we were young and reckless
Our hearts tripped
Across broken midnight
And stolen gold.

Walking in the city
Late one night
I saw traffic light reflections
On wet cobblestones.

The neon and hot amber
Of the summer's night
Rain-slicked red/green
Hues reflected
Cast me back in time-
We were in love then.

It all seems long ago
I walked through streets
Of the city night
When I loved you.

When things were
At their blackest
Adolescent meaning
You rescued me.

When all seemed hopeless
Or too hard
You appeared
In this first innocence, our love was.

And we are older now
We've lived an infinity
Of different lives
Still, I remember.

When two hearts
In their first
Flush of youth
Find their trust.

Be glad that we could love
Even once now
I think that I might know
What they mean by angels.



© lovecanbereal
All rights reserved

I longed for your touch - and "burnt my fingers*
On a page of a book" kept next your heart;
So that in a kind of prison memory lingers
Fading slowly as we drift apart;
As your elusive beauty now surrenders
To this poetic page, stanzas impart
That to which I tell of our loves essence
Subtle as the twilight's evanescence.

Do you think of me still? - for 'oft I think of you -
Are you satisfied and happy with your life?
Our love was platonic - although no less true -
And you may be contented as a wife.
Sometimes I do fancy (on days when I feel blue)
What could have been (perhaps) - had not fate's knife -
Cut our love in twain - and separated -
That for which we fought - and strove - and hated.

We shared a love of horses - and of things equestrian
Although we shared too little of our time.
This life (so short it seems) is too pedestrian
(Those moments wasted really were a crime).
I think of destiny and things celestial -
And to this poem now add another line,
Perhaps - after all - you were too good for me:
I just wish we could talk now - by telepathy?

Danielle for you - I now write courtly verses -
And for posterity record my love
Forgive my feelings now in these discourses
Emotions that were once a treasure trove
I take this muse in hand as one does horses
(Just to think that we were made in stars above!)
For my Pegasus now prances in the sand -
Where once I saw you riding there so grand.


© lovecanbereal
All rights reserved

Are you online girl? I've waited for so long
(And I couldn't sleep in the small hours).
I want you girl - and I know right from wrong -
To write these words and trust now in their powers.
In cyberspace, I hope you read this song
And that you received my virtual flowers.
To feel the yearning for my poetry's -
Caress upon your neck - a summer breeze.

For now dear girl - I write this just for you
And send my love out on a virtual tide
Could something that we both want now come true?
(I hope and wait only for your reply).
Girls like you aren't many - indeed are few
For seldom can we find true destiny:-
I live in hope - and hope to realize
That little spark of life now in your eyes.

I send a whitest dove unto to your heart
My little message, winged, thither goes
For this, to work, we both must play our part
(Or find our love quick covered in Winter snows).
Now writing as a poet, I must depart -
I hope this finds you well - (only she knows) -
Perhaps this verse of love returns your grace: -
I await your reply in cyberspace.




© lovecanbereal
All rights reserved

The time ticks past so slowly in your flat,
And sometimes I just long for some sleep waiting;
For you to come home, and tell me where your day
Has taken you - and where your at

Each moment seems compressed though time is flying
In your world there's so much rest and so much healing
Of loneliness, where longings no more leaving
It's words of guilt, that leave us searching, pleading

Times when woman cry - softly keening
She hopes her man gets back before this evening
And it seems that while I write this time is fleeting
And I hear a sighing ocean in the distance

Not far away a lonely cove lies waiting
Rills of waves the mornings sunshine kisses
With flecks of gold, this not yet ruined world,
Before it sinks in black before this evening

A great sleep that must still come is nearing
So much of this life is merely dreaming
I wrote this to you late - just last evening
When the end of day falls black and bitter seething

Unlike that bliss where two hearts share true feeling
This affection - memories of our love don't lie
We kissed to close the gap - a secret meeting -
And still I wait for you in this cold flat
That's not so cold, for I know in the morning
Love's valediction rose brings its true meaning


© lovecanbereal
All rights reserved

From this reality, my spirit flees
To the disembodied entities
Cast net wide for all my days;-
World unwilling to give in praise.

From my spirit's broken halo
Thoughts or fancies off they go
Walking on the water's edge
The dreadful deep of cyberspace.

Hoping for a forlorn grace
Or something good to take its place
Never have I felt so old
With my spirit growing cold.

Feel affection drying up
Like a beggar without a cup
Homeless heartless without a place
See the ruin in my face.

Cast off another virtual thought
Poet's feelings can't be taught
See a list of hollow conquests
Yet I don't have any regrets.

The artificial world is coming
Rats in mazes - we are running
No more romance of yesteryear
The uncertain futures here.

Population exponential
Don't say that I haven't warned you -
Like the sheep in a paddock
Don't know that a drought is coming.

Still, we care, still, we love
Take a pill and cut feelings off
Maybe I have loved too many
Now it seems I can't have any.



© lovecanbereal
All rights reserved

Caught in a rip - the beach was unprotected
And no lifesavers there on Christmas Day
Where father now my life he resurrected
As I sunk in the white spume - my mortal clay
Was close to drowning - had he not detected
My Mums alarm - and witnessed her dismay-
As I sunk so very close to drowning
He leap't into the surf - his own life risking.

There I was - half drowned and hearing bells
Stuck in the vortex of a boiling surf
So very close - indeed- to where death dwells
And only nine years on from my birth
Drowning vitality in stormy swells
(And being too young to know just who to curse)
Though - almost - I did not live to tell of this:
Fighting - panic - drowning - in the sea's blue abyss.

The surf's wild spume of salty spray engulfed me
Dragging me into the current's vortex
And now the puppet of an angry sea
Where life can end so fast - like a shipwreck
I started to relax - my strength left me
I tried in vain to signal my two parents -
'Twas strange that the only thing I thought then
Is that I did not want to die a virgin.

I raged and struggled against Neptune's chains
Dragged beneath the boiling sapphire surf
Heroic George a hero now remains
And in this way still proves a hero's worth.
I - growing weak - almost - felt my last refrain
When father rescued me from a watery death
Both heaving against the roiling turquoise waves
At Narrabeen* my life my father saves.

In this rip, he found a lucky sand bar
We stood on this while the swift current raged
And would have dragged us both into deep water
(The current had just for a moment flagged)
On an incoming wave, we now toward, were
Carried thus to the shore (more swept and dragged)
And lying both exhausted on the sand
Now thanked "the Skies"^ that we had found dry land.





© lovecanbereal
All rights reserved

Time will crumble ancient sandstone ramparts -
In rocky ruin to the valley floor below;
Oldest forest spirit - the ghost departs-
Silver serpent in mountain stream will flow;-
Words could scarce do justice -nor any arts-
Grey gums, ghost gums - seldom winter snow;
Land so old - that time itself stood still -
I've always loved her - and I guess I always will.

Behold wild cliff faces - tumble down through time;-
Burnished orange in the Sun's reflected glow,
Her face turned to the light - in each season's clime;-
Tufts of mist 'cross each craggy rocky brow;-
Vapours dissolve in the morning sunshine -
Quick look at those clouds of cotton wool!
Before the day's full burning heat does banish-
All mists into the air do quickly vanish.

Gum trees wild and sprawling to the cliff's edge-
In a rough green carpet to the valley floor,
The windblown scrub and toughest mountain sedge -
A straight drop of six hundred feet or more;-
Step close to danger - on a sheer rocky ledge -
(An ancient sea - in a time long gone before)
Great mountain range now soft with a blue haze;
Eucalyptus dancing on the summer breeze.


© lovecanbereal
All rights reserved