Collected Poems Page 2

  Secret plans and clever tricks

  To unearth the must have coin

   

  Top priority news gained

  The fairs in the field for five days

  Saturday morning the friends meet

  Skipping and running down there

  Music and multicoloured lights

  Mexican hat and ghost train

  Chairs are flying in the air

  Upside down and heads high up

  Exhilaration and excitement 

  Like never been felt before

   

  A crowd in the electronic arcade

  Money tumbling from pockets

  Bright flashes and beeping

  Look at Space Invaders graphics

  In 1984, it was all we knew

   

  Melting fudge and appleade

  Cone of chips with candy floss

  Us children laughed in fun

  Time had ticked along well

  It was the best of days

  Requiem

   

  Serious and stillness

  So the mourners shuffle

  Pain repressed and expressed

  Tearful eyes and ashen of face

  The church a spiritual place

   

  Sunlight shining through

  The cross enlightened

  Pipe organ music plays

  Sending up into notes

  The words, too sad to say

   

  A kindly life the mortal lived

  Genuine family and friends

  Respectful and solemn

  The just and right servant

  Now made perfect and glorious

   

  From the ruins of the loss

  Raised up victorious anew

  Let your sadness and grief

  Begin to fade and heal

  Truth gently washing it away

   

  The followers of God

  Defeating death each time

  Like a chrysalis to a butterfly

  Freed from the chains of flesh

  Finally home, in peace forever

  World War 2 Pilot

   

  Roughly shaken from sleep

  Bleary yet leaping to alert

  Jump in and buckle up

  Pistons thunder into life

  Roaring runway flying start

   

  Pilot commanding the steel

  Navigator over the deadly payload

  Nerves both men refuse to feel

  Despite their survival chances

  The same as ration tobacco

   

  40 miles from Hitler’s Berlin

  Focke-Wulf bombers are in sight

  Spitfire steeply drops and turns

  Belting out machine gun rounds

  Enemy bullet holed and bitten

   

  Other planes fighting in fury

  Blinding smoke and sky on fire

  Arriving and obliterating the targets

  Buildings crushed and smashed

  Pilot grim-faced at wars triumph

  Resident Patient

   

  One doctor declared she’s mad

  Others shook learned heads

  And said, no she’s just bad

  The kindly and sympathetic wept

  And said, take pity, she’s so sad

   

  Horrors terrible the patient had once seen

  Her sense of right and wrong

  Had been melted, tripped and gone

  A confidently warped world view

  Her mind had constructed to protect

   

  Not perpetrator but perjury

  Was how she spun her trial

  But it was a hopeless ploy

  The jury grasping she took joy

  And delight, in those cut and destroyed

   

  Years had turned since the awful crimes

  She convinced the hospital board, I’m fine

  Released to circulate, lowered security

  A sharp she stabbed into serving cook

  Look, the patient laughed, lucky me

   

   

   

   

  Part Four

  The Garden

   

  I sit in the garden

  Cos there's fresh air and sun

  Hoping for some peace

   

  Now and then people walk by

  A lady, drunk and pale

  I do want to help

  But it’s not so easy

   

  A resident's on the run

  Police arrive four times a day

  I look at them through shades

  Are those guns? No they're Tasers

   

  Women pull up in ageing cars

  Shouting at their children

  I pull my hat over my ears

  And put on more sun block

   

  A criminal walks past

  I perform a polite greeting

  Keeping my tone held back

  So as not to suggest he's junk

   

  The postman barges through

  'Got no work to do' he says crossly

  I don't let his assumptions hurt me

  'It's my day off, I have a job' I say.

   

  My phones playing classical music

  An attempt to silence the lot

  I think, hoping my thoughts

  Will take me far away.

   

  I sit in the garden

  Trying to cheat all this

  To get a little peace

  Winter Walk

   

  Step out into crystal winter

  Wrapped, muffled and warm

  Faces cold and glowing red

  Icy paths, gently you tread

  In wonder at the snow

   

  The couple, giving names

  To lots of birds and trees

  Two more, leaping from leads

  Golden and large bounding past

  Little Russell blisteringly fast

   

  Branches freed of leaves

  Bracing airs swirling breeze

  Greeting silvery haired pairs

  Meeting a frail and lined lady

  Who speaks of a hearts struggle

   

  Crackle and crunch you hear

  Whilst walking on frosty grass

  Reminisce into the hazy past

  Stories told and jokes shared

  Best of times, memories that last

   

  Sledges launch as riders laugh

  Look at the glorious moors

  Drips and drops, slightest of thaws

  The trip out, nothing like a chore

  Kind of sad, to go back in the door

  Decisions

   

  Try to enjoy life, journeying on and up

  Or get stuck in gloom, advocating doom

  Think smart and plan for a long future

  Or pleasures for today, pain for tomorrow

   

  Dance along to life’s great beat

  Or look at the floor and stay off your feet

  Tell tall stories and think you revel in glory

  Or aim to stay away from blame

   

  Be honest and do your best at work

  Or take it easy and leave kind of early

  Cook up the books and hope nobody looks

  Or record what’s real, it’s wrong to steal

   

  Construct weird inner, emotional walls

  Or seek out the cause and save the falls

  Crumple and give into the seven deadly sins

  Or endeavour, and be one of those who wins

   

  Taking the right decisions may be tough

  But the rewards won’t ever grow old

  Forget
earth’s foolish measure of success

  Frame your life with an eternal plan instead

   

  Inner Conflict

   

  Sometimes the days, seem carefree

  In any means they pass quickly

  Settled routines and fixed up values

  No drive or care to question

   

  Yet there’s this endless doubt

  You tell yourself there’s more

  You know that bit buried

  Inside that won’t stop trying

   

  Every day nature screams

  Out this undeniable proof

  Clever ruses and ideas

  Explain it away, and the fall

   

  Brings about trouble too

  Courage, effort and honesty

  Will break down these doors

  And eternal life, it’s yours

  Earth

   

  Hurtling and flying along in space

  It lives on the outer edge of the Milky Way

  A colourful and radiant jewel

  Coupled with a dutiful moon

   

  Massive seas with living creatures

  Flowers and plants and forests

  Every type of tasty fruit abounds

  Vegetables great in the ground

   

  Giant volcanoes, imposing mountains

  Thunderous waterfalls and peaceful places

  Wonderful and natural sights

  Worth travelling far and wide to see

   

  Have you seen the multitude of animals?

  So many, new ones still being found

  At its best earth is warm and kind

  At its worst earth is cold and cruel

   

  Earth is like a coin with two different sides

  You can make a holy allegiance with the fair side

  Or an unholy bargain with the foul side

  I urge you, put your money on the pure side

   

  Heaven

   

  The promised land, the perfect home

  God is there walking with his people

  No night or darkness in his heaven

  For the Lord is the wondrous light

   

  A new heaven and a new earth

  The skies sing out his goodness

  The holy city built with eternal love

  All roads leading toward the throne

   

  Drink at the eternal fountain

  Living water that heals all wounds

  Merry angels and men give thanks

  Women singing the song of the saved

   

  Infinite peace, paradise endless

  God with us, his name Immanuel

  Pain and sickness don’t exist there

  His people living in rich reward

   

  Everlasting beings, made by a King

  His people rejoicing in the delights

  Music and dancing and happiness

  Faithful and true is Jesus Christ

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  This book is dedicated to my son, Finlay.

   

          

                               

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Copyright © 2012, 2013, James Bickle. All rights reserved.