May 2006
VOL XIV Issue 5, Number 157
Editor: Klaus J. Gerken
Production Editor: Heather Ferguson;
European Editor: Moshe Benarroch;
Contributing Editors: Michael Collings; Jack R. Wesdorp; Oswald Le Winter
Previous Associate Editors: Igal Koshevoy; Pedro Sena
ISSN 1480-6401
INTRODUCTION
About the Author
CONTENTS
Roger N. Taber
THE LONGEST JOURNEY: a selection of poems
MEMO TO MORTALITY
GHOSTS
CARE IN THE COMMUNITY
MOTHER LOVE
THE LONGEST DAY
THE L-WORD
CANDLES IN THE DARK
PARADISE ON HOLD
THE ROSE
PATCHWORK
JOKER
UNIVERSAL SOLDIER
WAR, WAR, WAR
SILENT WITNESS, SUDAN 2004
FOREVER TO REMAIN
LAST ORDERS
VIEW FROM A CHURCH WINDOW
A PENNY FOR THE RAT-CATCHER
LONELY ROAD
BODY POSITIVE
NATIONAL TRUST OUTING
A QUESTION OF TIMING
STAYING ALIVE
YES, WHAT?
FRIENDS REUNITED
KNOW THE VOICE, CAN'T PLACE THE FACE
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
ANNUAL REPORT
THE LONGEST JOURNEY
POST SCRIPTUM
Roger N. Taber
Poetry Collections
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Roger N. Taber was born in Kent (UK) on December 21st 1945 and graduated from
the University of Kent in Canterbury (1973). By profession a librarian, he
has a growing reputation as a poet. In 1996, Aramby Publications published a
selection of his gay-interest poems under the title August And Genet
(WIRE Poetry Booklets #12). Subsequently, he has successfully published four
major poetry collections in the UK under his own imprint, Assembly Books:
Love And Human Remains (c2000) - First Person Plural (c2002) -
The Third Eye (c2004) - A Feeling For The Quickness Of Time
(c2005). Some 400+ of his poems have appeared in poetry publications in the
UK, USA, Canada and Australia; some can be accessed on the Internet. A gay
man, he includes poetry on a gay theme among many other themes relevant to
the 21st century.
Home Page: http://hometown.aol.com/rogertab/myhomepage/poetry.html
THE LONGEST JOURNEY:
a selection of poems
by Roger N. Taber
The poems below have appeared in various UK &/or overseas poetry publications
as well as my own Love And Human Remains quartet.
MEMO TO MORTALITY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I know not how or why
my life is as it is,
only how blue the sky
and pretty the daisies
I know not how or why
each season's rebirth
wherever birds may fly,
beasts of the earth
We know not how or why
our time shall cease,
only, as we must die,
so first find peace
How or why a life's task?
Let's not forget to ask
GHOSTS
~~~~~~
Rougher the sea than last we ran
here, laughing on the cliffs,
a spring breeze in our hair;
Less kind the sky than last we kissed
there, bluebells surrounding
a passion brought to bear;
Sweet memory, the wings of a
friendly gull soaring our dreams,
love's rhythm to fulfil;
Such heat to embrace your body
and bold! In the vaults of eternity
our lives grown cold;
Salty now the hair across my
face, thinned like the heather
at our special place;
Though huddled in a raincoat, I easily
recall the glad heart
that made me thrall;
Gulls squeal! No melody but a sure
grace, whirling against storm clouds
like a pattern of lace
on an altar cloth, would
have smothered us both
CARE IN THE COMMUNITY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Knocked at an old house
in the Square
Is anybody there?
At a grubby letterbox,
bent to peer
Is anybody there?
Caught a whiff, of
mouldy air
Is anybody there?
A squeaking, (maybe sobs
or mice on the stair)
Is anybody there?
No one replying, prying
curtains everywhere
Is anybody there?
Moving on, plenty more
with time to spare
Is anybody there?
Asking questions no one
wants to hear
MOTHER LOVE
~~~~~~~~~~~
I hear an angel crying
for the joy of a child newly born;
a lovely, gentle human being
to live and love, laugh and mourn
through tears of its own;
I hear an angel singing
for the joy of a child newly grown;
a lovely, gentle human being
risen above worldly troubles
down to human foibles;
I see an angel winging
for the joy of someone's passing;
a lovely, gentle human being
taken at last, deserving of rest
among the best;
Lark, risen like an angel
for the joy of a new dawning;
a lovely, gentle motion on
wings of song at our own
Earth Mother's bidding;
Nature, a treasure to behold
though it bring grief as well as joy;
Mother love, a gentle tale told
at bedtime - like a quilt
to keep us warm
Though we be orphans
in a storm
THE LONGEST DAY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Knocking on doors, nobody there.
Called on the phone, no replies.
Tried the local surgery (come back
in three days) and, sorry the Samaritans
are busy; went to church in desperation,
but - closed for restoration; found
a priest for advice (a kindly man) but
if I didn't mind, he had a bible class
at ten. Even stopped people in the street.
Did no-one care? And where was God?
Glanced at the sun as a huge cloud
passed over, saw people run for cover
(what's the use?). Walked on and on,
no pride or purpose; mile after mile.
Darkness couldn't come too soon.
Glanced at the moon - and something
in the Old Man's smile made me feel
less alone, lit a candle in my soul
that led me home
THE L-WORD
~~~~~~~~~~
L-ove is a mystery
above all things,
ecstasy or misery
Poor though we be
or walk among kings,
L-ove is a mystery
Who can say, see
to whom life brings
ecstasy or misery?
Around earth's history
running rings,
L-ove is a mystery
Sharing heaven's glory,
like a bird that sings,
ecstasy or misery
The one eternity
of life's mixed blessings,
L-ove is a mystery,
ecstasy or misery
CANDLES IN THE DARK
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When death, she comes for me,
pray, few regrets or tears;
Let it be poetry
O, but I shall miss sky and sea,
a south wind's sweeter whispers
when Death, she comes for me!
May love stand by steadfastly
our finest memories;
Let it be poetry
O, but I shall miss bird and tree,
such joy Mother Nature inspires
when Death, she comes for me!
May our dreams slip gently
into a bed of flowers;
Let it be poetry
Our way, in peace, lit eternally
by candles in Heaven's towers;
When Death, she comes for me,
let it be poetry
PARADISE ON HOLD
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let spring drift into summer,
Let summer greens turn
red and gold;
Let poets make of seasons
all they find, it's
Nature rules;
(Even poets grow cold
when winter calls
on lonely hills);
Soon, daffodils, in their turn;
Ours, too, if the way
of things be true;
Who knows? For each flower
that grows, its season
comes and goes;
For each seed in the wind,
a sometime threat
to our kind;
Let the world wreak its worst,
the good earth will
do its best;
Let Nature share or even take
away, its time unspoiled
by hours
In life, in death, let there
be flowers
THE ROSE
~~~~~~~~
One by one
its petals fell away,
dead in the sun,
fed to the clay
We helped it grow,
wished for blooms
at side-windows
on our dreams
If winter keeps
no flower in view,
a rose but sleeps
like you
Let seasons pass,
remember us
PATCHWORK
~~~~~~~~~
Dusk, a patchwork quilt spread
over trees and meadows;
Warren, set, foxhole, well hid
from prying eyes;
Late birds on slight, misty wing
heading for the nest;
Walkers, ramblers, hastily
checking compasses;
Children at play looking out
for text messages;
Middle England, on the edge
of things temporal;
Green campaigners counting
hard won laurels;
Curtain closing on one last peep
at a hazy beauty;
Tasting raw smells of earthiness
and buttermilk sky;
Empathy with a nightingale's
plea to be left in peace;.
Random stars brought down,
like clay pigeons...
by bonfires in back gardens
always taking liberties;
Bats, alley cats, all putting a shine
on the Sandman's boot...
whose task to get us ready
for the next clay shoot;
World, coming together briefly
to try and patch us up
JOKER
~~~~~
You dropped the joke into a humming pool,
let ripples spread
from merry chuckle
to sly whisper
I watched the whisper take its course
from eye to eye
until someone
laughed
Like a freak wave, that laughter came
tumbling upon the whisper,
dashing it to pieces,
scattering me
Everywhere
UNIVERSAL SOLDIER
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wrestling in the womb
with thoughts I cannot know,
feelings unable to show,
I start to grow
the way of all humanity
that's gone before, a personality
and identity to call my own
though I take my place
in a world anxious for a face,
to place here, there, within
the confines of a history
classroom taught, and
purpose-built
Wrestling in the womb
with thoughts I cannot know,
feelings unable to show,
I continue to grow
a microcosm of all human
endeavour, facing the complexities
of Fate without a murmur,
one to one with God
without fear of the world's
goading icons, relishing centuries
of silence brought soundly
to bear upon Man's first
cry - war, war, war!
WAR, WAR, WAR
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Great grandpa fought in the First World War
alongside other brave men
who thought it was the war to end all wars
but_it happened again.
Grandpa fought in the Second World War
alongside other brave men
who thought to win a kinder, safer, world
but_it happened again.
My father fought in the Falklands War
alongside other brave men
who weren't so sure what they were fighting for
and_it happened again.
My brother fought in the First Gulf War
alongside other brave men
who little thought they'd be coming back
to fight much the same war again.
War is always in the news,
brave men immortalised in song;
My mother says the doves of peace
are too scared of us to stay long.
SILENT WITNESS, SUDAN 2004
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One by one, see them fall in the sand,
women, children, tears run dry,
skeletons of war in a savaged land
Men and boys killed where they stand,
only God asking why?
One by one, see them fall in the sand
Infants born into the palm of a hand,
no one hears them cry,
skeletons of war in a savaged land
Hunger, want, pain, a despairing band
of pilgrims at the altar of a lie;
One by one, see them fall in the sand
The world looks on, would lend a hand
though many ask, why even try?
Skeletons of war in a savaged land
Heaven unmasked, Death unmanned,
Life, like love, a proud if muted cry;
One by one, see them fall in the sand,
Skeletons of war in a savaged land
TSUNAMI
In the bowels of an ocean, Nature's rage
lashes out at Man's wanton destruction
of its own, crams history's subtler page
with stark images of insurrection
O cruel aftermath of grief, loss, pain!
A divided world unites in horror
without (immediate) thought of self-gain
but only to save, bury, restructure
Prayers, dollars, aid, flood in to assist
severed lives, livelihoods, whose simple joys
of a paradise once by angels kissed,
now thrown by tsunamis into chaos
Though paradise regained, only in part;
as feisty waves breaking, so, too, its heart
FOREVER TO REMAIN
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Among the world's passions piling high,
Love and Hate near breaking even,
twin towers reaching for the sky
Fear and hope - in a cruel storm's eye
ascent into pain, ladder to heaven
among the world's passions piling high
Though dogs of war may not pass us by,
pray Peace and Mercy be shown,
twin towers reaching for the sky
Political ambition, religion's blind eye,
spiralling us into confusion
among the world's passions piling high
Let us plant flowers where loved-ones lie,
seeds of Joy for Remembrance sown,
twin towers reaching for the sky
Though terror its ugly tentacles try
again, again, to drag us down
Among the world's passions piling high,
twin towers reaching for the sky
LAST ORDERS
~~~~~~~~~~~
May the last thing I see
be a lark dropping
from the sky;
May the last thing I hear
be its sweet song
of cheer;
May the last thing I smell
be a fragrance
of flowers;
May the last dream I have
be the life that
was ours;
May the last thing I touch
be the pleasure
of your skin;
May the last thing we share
be a toast to love, in
home-made wine
Before the good earth
calls `Time'
VIEW FROM A CHURCH WINDOW
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There's a thrill of blossom
on the old tree,
a greeny-white chirrup of noise
bouncing gently, like
a ball in child
hands
Every nuance of creation
about the old tree
tuned to perfection; you and me
shaking our heads at confetti
coming down like
acid rain
A hymn to life,
such beauty!
Tiny wafers of noise
tongued lightly
at the kissing gate
over there
Here, a dim view
of immortality
as we pass our seasons by
grown deaf
to each
leaf
A PENNY FOR THE RAT-CATCHER
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Within these walls, grown impatient
for retribution although we know
only too well it's no solution
to lively contractions of the soul,
petty constrictions on the heart,
predictions in the stars once easily
dismissed but now conveniently
allied to human premise
however perverse
Keeping the enemy at bay, without
or within - that's the question?
Haunting dreams that dare defy
the rationale of hurt pride,
disaffected ego, demanding
satisfaction but unwilling to display
its true colours, fearing others
might fly their own, the worse
to win us over
No better self-perpetuating poison
could Mother Nature produce
nor God induce even the likes
of Eve to inflict on humanity
than this cancerous vainglory,
rodent feelings scuttling
through tunnels of a mind
but poorly lit, heading
for self-destruct
Like the rat-catcher in our sewers,
hate perseveres
LONELY ROAD
~~~~~~~~~~~
Cats' eyes
penetrating the darkness;
Darkness
penetrating the soul;
Soul
penetrating layers of time;
Time
penetrating all identity;
Identity
penetrating all pretence;
Pretence
penetrating our dreams;
Dreams
penetrating home truths;
Home truths
Cat's eyes
BODY POSITIVE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Life, death!
Floods me, goads me,
Leads me beside hot beaches
Where I run, a dazzling sea
Cheering me on, and I wonder
Where the lark has gone
That fixed me with its cheer
Before abandoning me here
Like a forgotten toy
Filled with the joy of its
Having played me out
Before going about
Nature's own
Business
Life, death!
Calls me, galls me,
Urges me back, back to you;
But we are gone, the taste of us
Honey on my tongue
Where we romped and played
Like tots in make-believe
Heading barefoot among jellyfish
For the Punch and Judy man
Who'll make us laugh
If anyone can
Before the sun goes down
And our time
Forgotten
Life, death!
Overtaken us now, beckoning;
I'll not rush my pace, for
We already ran our race, won
A place among these stars
Enchanting this lulling swell.
All's well; one lost toy recovered
And taken home, Punch and Judy
In a packing case sleeping it off
At some Bed and Breakfast;
I, filled with such a night
Far exquisite for words
Like those we shared
Before AIDS
NATIONAL TRUST OUTING
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On my way downstairs, I paused
to look at a portrait on the wall
and it winked at me, opened
its mouth and said (laughingly),
"Yes, I too was gay in my day
although the word not invented
nor times quite ready to receive
the unseemly likes of a common
painter and his patron lover - so we
had to lie, indulge in subterfuge.
No one had the faintest idea,
certainly not the family (wife and
children included) or that ogre
Establishment whose inner circle
I was free enough to tread, so long
as I dared not bring it into disrepute
by word or deed. Oh, I loved them
well enough, indeed. But it's not for
love of those I pose - radiating,
I suspect, an inner happiness?
Ah, yes, you understand. It is my
lover's brush, exploring mind
and soul, touching what makes life
real, no trappings and trimmings
comprising Society's queer notion
of propriety, political expediency
or even an image of home fires
burning - but Love, in all its
rampant glory, telling my story
here and now, for whoever might
care to consider, critically, a glow
in the cheek, lift of the eyebrow,
crook of the knee, hands pointedly
showing off slender fingers, touches
invariably missed in critique, put down
to art's mystique, few appreciating
the intimacy between lover and lover,
bouncing off each other, long after
the oils runs dry, spoils of eternity."
In my own time I descended,
feeling befriended
A QUESTION OF TIMING
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Doors flinging and slamming,
windows opening, closing,
streets stretching, bending;
Children born and growing,
parents coming, going,
working at living,
trying to make out they won't
mind dying so long as the
timing's - what, right?
Earth flung, heaped and piling;
Buds opening, closing,
footpaths stretching, bending;
Chicks nesting and growing,
(parents coming, going
working at living),
trying to make out they won't
mind flying so long as the
timing's - what, right?
More flinging and slamming,
mouths opening, closing,
legs stretching, bending;
Love born and growing,
hate coming, going,
working at praying,
trying to make out it doesn't
mind dying so long as the
timing's - what, right?
STAYING ALIVE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Like a snake it slithers inward,
a silent threat, making progress
all the time, its casual, everyday
camouflage blending perfectly
with our surroundings (no need,
surely, for any taking of soundings
for hidden warnings or heeding
secret signs, better focus on other
things, get on with our lives?)
Neither seen or heard, although
our senses start to prick the skin
at the predator's moving in on us,
trying to provoke an awareness,
the presence of danger, a crying
in the soul meant to warn,
but, too often, inciting anger
that - innocent - we should
be targeted for harm
Raise the alarm! Pull out all stops
and starts; a bringing together
of brave hearts, like minds,
confirming young David's aim,
wisdom of Solomon, inspiration
of Bible metaphor reworked in
everyday fable tucked away
in tabloids, radio, TV's appeal
to face facts, get real
Be a cancer in Eden's grass,
heaven endures
YES, WHAT?
~~~~~~~~~
If I'd said this, or that,
said - what?
If I'd done this, or that,
done - what?
Tortured souls crying out
their guilt, left
hanging in some limbo
to - rot?
What good purpose, that?
None.
We cannot (ever) change
what's done,
bring back loved ones
long - gone?
No, but here in the heart
forever,
willing us to live again,
move on;
Nothing, said or done then
would - what?
Have eased whose pain,
whose guilt?
Choices, rarely plain, but
ours alone
will take us here, there,
where?
No one to blame having
chosen - wrong?
Who's to say, play judge
and jury?
Enough, surely, to be
what, exactly?
FRIENDS REUNITED
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I knocked at the door,
again, again, yet again;
No one came
Eventually, I turned away,
drifted lonely as a cloud
then returned
I banged on the door
again, again, yet again;
No one came
Angrily, I turned away,
ran till exhausted
then returned
I called at the door
again, again, yet again;
No one came
Sadly, sat down on a step
left pondering - why
no one listening?
I called at the door
again, again, yet again
till someone came
KNOW THE VOICE, CAN'T PLACE THE FACE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Come, child, where I lead,
don't be afraid;
Listen to the murmurings
of your heart;
Exercise the finer leanings
of your mind;
Start to care, understand
why I, too, am here
for you
See, child, where I walk;
Let's talk, you and I,
exchange home truths
that, otherwise, may well
fester and die in the bowels
of a soul bent on proving
its existence by a token
resistance to temporal
magnificence
Hear, child, such words
as your own; ignore mine
if you suspect they threaten
the ivory tower you build
with such pretension, desire
to be alone hardly the best
protection against a world
its own worst enemy for
a divided humanity
Part godly, part devilry,
call me Destiny
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Will some fallen angel
pick on me and drag
me away
or will a gentler spirit
have mercy, come
Judgement Day?
Shall wolfish death
delight in tearing
us apart
or will it strike swift
and cleanly, at
the heart?
May doves defy infernal
dark, fly eternal
light
or, brought to earth,
stay out of mind,
out of sight?
Not ours to know
the how, where,
or when
but of our kinder selves,
glad to give
and learn
unite in Peace and Love
than passively wait
Death's turn
though our leaders
make an endgame
of commonsense
We can make a difference
ANNUAL REPORT
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Born to lead, fulfil, unite;
Invariably, though, dividing,
losing sight of how many
chosen to fight on one side
rather than chance losing face,
faith in an interpretation of
rights and wrongs pointing
clearly to a strategy - for
victory over mortality
Come to bring peace, hope;
Invariably, though, screws up
at practically every turn for
each well-meant move taken,
every word preached ringing
with sincerity - truth's old
enemy, better placed than
any to take a dove's eye
view of our morality
Pigeon-holed by history,
shaped by the eternal mystery
of Creation, each to our own
interpretation, verification
according to temporal needs
and desires, lighting the fires
of spirituality - a common
humanity or personal gain,
as the case may be
Christianity, Islam, whatever,
can do better, must try harder
THE LONGEST JOURNEY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Love has many faces,
some gay, some not,
journeys many places,
laughs, cries a lot
No finer friend you'll find
to share peace of mind
whenever demons on the brain
come again, again
for the soul
or we fall
Love has many faces,
comforts, make afraid
in least expected places,
reflecting all that's made us
tearful, sublime,
captives of Time;
In a world not of our choice
its sweeter voices
ease the soul
or we fall
Love has many reasons,
asks questions, tells lies;
a face for all seasons
where need flies
In the heat of human sorrows,
through crumbling tomorrows;
Brave hearts on wing
in spite of everything
that drags on the soul
or we fall
My love, it wears a friend's face,
makes no demands;
A single candle placed
at your heart's command
Under threat of darker sorrows,
striving better tomorrows;
A light in the soul's gloaming
to guide an epic roaming
at freedom's call
or we fail
All poems copyright (c) 2006 Roger N. Taber
Poetry Collections by Roger N. Taber:
Love And Human Remains (2000) Assembly Books, London, England
First Person Plural (2002) Assembly Books, London, England
The Third Eye (2003) Assenbly Books, London, England
A Feeling For The Quickness of Time (2005) Assembly Books, London, England
The books can be ordered from:
Assembly Books
C-Hammond House,
45a Gaisford Street,
London,NW5 2EB.
or
Roger Taber can be reached at rogertab@aol.com
All poems copyrighted by their respective authors. Any reproduction of
these poems, without the express written permission of the authors, is
prohibited.
YGDRASIL: A Journal of the Poetic Arts - Copyright (c) 1993 - 2006 by
Klaus J. Gerken.
The official version of this magazine is available on Ygdrasil's
World-Wide Web site http://www.synapse.net/~kgerken. No other
version shall be deemed "authorized" unless downloaded from there.
Distribution is allowed and encouraged as long as the issue is unchanged.
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