steve1223 Poetry (718)

Day bows out, night comes in
And the music slowly fades
Falling mist, sight grows dim
The windows close their shades

All’s been said
No more to cry
One question remains
God why?

A long, long time ago, it was in the days of old
When women were dainty and knights were bold
Lived a fire breathing demon, or so the legend is told

Round this demon roamed and villages burned to the ground
In desperation the call went forth and riders sent all around
Be it knight or noble, to peasant and all, a hero must be found

Rewards would be great for the one, he that would demon slay
Rich was the King and plenty land, half his kingdom to give away
And best of all, they all agreed, his daughter’s hand on the very day

So many suitors had come to woo and win the Princess’ hand
This creature so beautiful and fair, on her hand to place a band
One after another she’d turned them down, why no-one could understand

One by one, in their shiny armour, came up the knights so bold
Head held high into forest they rode, in their eyes the promise of gold
Fearful screams of battles fierce, not one returned to grow gracefully old

The last to remain, a peasant boy, dressed in rags with hood on head
In he strode with staff in hand, no battle sounds but silence instead
Out strolled the peasant whistling a song and demon flying overhead

In the middle of meadow he calmly stopped with demon by his side
Who was this boy that could tame a demon, but no-one could decide
He had done the deed, tamed the demon, now he claimed his bride

The Princess cursed for she hated men, but now her fate was sealed
Promised she was to this man, her husband to be stood in the field
No change of mind the King allowed no matter how much she appealed

A gasp went up as his face was revealed for in reality the he was a she
The King cursed, the Princess swooned, how could this possibly be
However if you looked closely, delight on the Princess’ face you’d see

The Princess and the girl married and lived in a state of bliss
They were meant for each other, knew with the first kiss
And they were known forever as the Princess and the Miss

Today I see
What tomorrow brings
The same as yesterday

If black is white
And wrong is right
The weak inherit nothing

The bear awakens
While the lion sleeps
And pigeons are ripe for plucking

So the dance goes on
And we all play a part
And nothing ever changes

Come with me to days gone past
Before the world was formed
I will tell you how it came about
The land and all the creatures

The sky was dark, no sun or stars
And nothing there below it
From out of nowhere came the snake
Twas Gundahwandi, Life Giver

From her mouth the stars spewed forth
Lighting up the heavens
From her belly she laid the eggs
It was the sun and the planets

Back and forth, round she slithered
All around she wove her magic
Plants and animals all came into being
And man her greatest creation

The deed was done, round she looked
All she saw pleased her
Was time for rest, her job was done
The rest was left for mankind

From moment of birth the rot sets in
We know our days are numbered
For some the days in thousands count
While others with shortness lumbered

Life is but a dance with death
Let's dance onward
While up above the gods they jest
And send their laughter sunward

So be it long, or be it short
We'll live this life
And spit in their eyes
No time to count the strife

Rising high into the sky
For centuries stood the tree
Bound by roots that run so deep
Never to roam the land free

So many things hath passed that tree
Their life had come and gone
And yet it still stood quite firm
Cursed forever to look on

How it wanted to pull up its roots
And across the land to wander
The birds came and told it tales
Of the hills and what lay yonder

But there it stood neer to wander
Unless God finally heard its plea
But God was by far much too busy
To listen to a lonely tree

So engrossed in my book I was
I never heard him coming
Past my eyes a knife did flash
So sudden that it shook me

I must admit I jumped and screamed
Like a girlie I must have sounded
Landed back in my chair so hard
That on the floor I ended

A face so black looked down on me
And a grin with white teeth flashing
“You okay. You no worry,” he said
As a headless snake he showed me

My heart near stopped, he’d saved my life
This snake’s venom most deadly
Over and over I thanked him again
As he just kept on laughing

From shadow to shadow they creep along
With only one thing in mind
Dripping fangs or rotting flesh
And bandages wrapped around

Some together in a group
In unity is their strength
Others hunt all alone
Or some two by two

Beware if they should espy you
No mercy will be given
They will hunt and corner you
Until they have satisfaction

You've been warned, beware my friend
No safety behind closed doors
Even there they'll hunt you down
And gleefully shout, "trick or treat."

With trembling hands he opened up
The package before him lay
Would there be what he longed for most
He could but only pray

Blue ribbon gently placed aside
To be saved for another day
The wrapping paper bold and bright
For next time placed away

And finally to look inside
Caution no longer holding sway
Tears of joy running down his cheeks
This indeed was the best birthday

What is this pain that wakes you
Why does this nightmare shake you
These demons coming to break you
And yet in silence suffering
Counting days slowly passing
Hiding screams that no one knows
Who is there to blame
For the pressure and pain
To look within for blame or fault
For their faces tell the story
They seek for truths that lay hidden
And truths they never find

Today I saw the face of death
It looked me in the eyes
Sunken eyes and hollow cheeks
Lips drawn deathly thin

The sight I saw, it scared me so
It chilled me to my soul
And when it smiled, it was much worse
It’s bleeding gums it showed

Pockmarked skin, complexion sallow
Framed by limpid tufts of hair
There was no doubt, this is death
This face that stares at me

With sinking heart, for time was near
From the mirror my face I turned
The days left on one hand count
And no-one that’ll mourn my passing

What is love? someone asked
I think that I might pass on it
Pain in heart, knot in stomach
Waiting for the phone to ring
Sitting here not knowing when
Next we'll get together
What is love? what is this madness
Yet colours bright they are
And music seems much sweeter
Heart beats fast when voice you hear
Of one that love brings nearer
What is love you ask my friend
The reason for us living