Poems, limmericks and oddments

Some stuff I’ve written over time

Tandem Felix

I heard the calling of the roaring winds,
I saw the lure of the sea,
My mind danced among the celestial orbs,
Deaf was I to the brook and the tree…

I cared for a shimmering light,
Distant yet steady forever,
I wearied over a curious wind,
It whispered many things clever…

I have wandered the wooded way,
Have gone through the unmarked vale,
Seen a strange star in a strange sky,
Pursued the lonely trail…

It searched for me as I for it,
Send many messages as it could,
My rather long walk wearied not,
The world unfolded as it would…

Have waited long have worried much
The roaring wind took me where it will
Yet the time has come to end my march
The dusk approaches for good or ill..

My walk ended,
It rests besides me,
We have found ourselves,
Happiness and me…

Perfection

Standing in the field of dawn..
Perfect stances, weapons drawn..
Dodging with the grace of a snake..
Katana ready, existence at stake..
Dancing with immeasurable skill..
Hightened senses, adamant will..
Everything accounted for and measured..
Every breath counted and treasured..
Strange getsalt of logic and fury..
Begetting calmness and dispassion dreary..
Clashing of steel with a mockery of quiet..
No words, just blows exchanged with might..
Gentle rain subtely clears..
Crimson blood and hidden tears..
Flying punches, singing sword..
Time is frozen, a manifest load..
Sighing winds in ceaseless breath..
Recite the sombre litany of death..
and yet..
amid clashing steel and brazen mettle..
amid falling sakura petals..
of measured parrys and precise blows..
of lightning stabs of material woes..
In cherry blossoms and a duel cry..
In the measured tread of the samurai..
I have seen perfection..

Song of the Samurai

The night had gone, the morn has come;
The dance of death is long since done;
The emperor returned and the shoguns gone;
You see their revolution had been won;
Times had changed novel was the age;
The sword was buried, guns were the rage;
Liberty, freedom and other words great;
Then why on my heart is there such a weight?

Is it because now all can be bought?
Honor is cheap, as is all for which once we fought;
We were once ruled by war, now we are like a guild;
They scream “A strong nation we must build”;
Strenght without honor used to be a sin;
Now of course the only duty is to win;

So I left the army, I can’t take this new age;
I can only kill with a sword, with these guns I’m no sage;
It took 20 yrs of practice to learn the art;
But now fey children press triggers, isn’t it a ‘wonderful’ start;
What have we come to, is this civilization?
Ruled by sinful people, destroying other nations;

***

I was a samurai once, I’m a policeman now;
I catch petty thugs, no longer ‘nobility’ and how;
I stumbled upon them one night;
It wasn’t a riot, oh no not even a fight;
My own officer, and some dignitaries;
Were busy greasing each other, and no worry;
“Ah, here is Hajime, a stout man is he
Let him in on our secret, and with gold be free”;

I was disgusted, my pride rose to my head,;
These vermins rule us, speak in our stead!!;
What use is law, if it shields the strong;
A never screens the weak from wrong?
A man, a policeman, a samurai was I;
Honor means to me more than my life;
They saw my eyes, they knew what they meant;
Quick as snakes for their pistols they went;

The first two I sliced with a single stroke;
The guard I stabbed, and a neck a choked;
My officer knew to resist was without reason;
My skill or wrath had not wilted with season;
“Mercy!” he begged, on his knees;
He spoke of gold, it would have been better with pleas..

Omniscient Seer

I have seen them poor, weeping
I have seen them corrupt, gnawing,
I have seen them in greed, counting,
I have seen their sloth, sleeping,
I have seen ignorance, gaping,
I have seen indifference, falling,

I have seen pride, standing,
I have seen them noble, giving,
I have seen courage, fighting,
I have seen friendship, helping,
I have seen wisdom, learning,
I have seen honour, resisting..

Fey old man

What were you thinking, roaring in the tempest?
jumping down valleys towards the sea..
Can’t you hear the calling of the sighing willows?
the pastures is where your heart yearns to be..
fey old man, brandishing a sabre,
defiant till the end, no foe was greater than thee…

Avenger..

You saw them weak, bending and learned to despise
But then when they lost their use came pitieous cries
You saw falsehood of your fellows, and killed your faith
Stood alone while the world was unmade
You told them you didn’t care, had done your bit, payed your share
Liar why then your eyes sharpened into a deathly stare
You were never wrong, never immoral
Yet accused of heresy, pride and quarrel
God had forsaken you, your kin made you a stranger
Science will arm you, turn you into its fell avenger..

Dedicated to
Nemo (formerly Prince Dakkar of India)
20,000 leagues under the sea

Chaos Theory

Are you the butterfly that conjures the storm?
Releases the tempest of breaking norms?
Have you come with the change of season?
Are you here to challenge my reason?

Know this; I’m immune to beauty,
My heart is subservient to duty.
I am not to be won by charm,
Logic protects my soul from harm.

All was well when you weren’t here,
For this sorrow you have a share,
But lithe stream, you may strike and scatter,
This rock of reason you will not shatter.

You have fought well, but time to submit,
My brain overshadows your fickle wit,
I’m safe till my mind is whole,
I remain the captain of my soul.

You have had your chance to prove your mettle,
My composure you can’t unsettle,
Of your antics my patience is weary,
Dame, it has proven useless, your chaos theory.

Equilibrium

On this tightrope, my balancing act is about to end,
I’ve juggled life enough..my troubles no longer mend,
This wire is so fine grasping it will cut my hand,
I’ve run long enough, fast slip the grains of sand..
Only a pair of friends remain, my shadow and my mind,
I fight a battle a day, no respite do I find,
Chaos conquered order way back, now time itself is a foe,
The strugles are a purpose in themselves, a strange comfort in woe,
I’ve run out of excuses, I forsee plain disaster,
Longing for my pain to end, towards it I run faster,
My faithful logic falters, my reason only weeps,
Is this a cosmic plan, has justice gone to sleep..
This cloud has no lining, I looked long enough..
To weather the storm is impossible, to bow just as tough..
Fate demands a duel, a duel then will it be..
the man may die the wolf remains, its wrath will be free..

Stabbing Westwards

It was a matter of truth, a decision made…
That the crimson river we wade…
There was honour of another kind…
The sense of it though was hard to find…
The Bakumatsu occurred due to a reason…
To settle our destiny was the demand of the season…
We knew our way was in peril and fought…
In pain was life woven, in wrath wrought…

It’s been long since I’ve dreamt of spring…
Of sakura petals and koto string…
My love was given to winter dear…
To pristine snow and scarlet clear…
With quieted blood and numbed heart…
Our quest for perfection did start…
No fickle words or wavering will…
The grasp on my katana hard and still…

Was it grand or was it ill…
Child slashing child with greatest skill…
Kyoto’s street were baptised with fire…
Of our shinsengumi’s samurai ire…
The royalist peasants dare to snigger…
With powder, ball and musket trigger…
Shogun and Emperor wove that shroud…
It would have made Nobunaga proud…

Inconsequent… as are we
It didn’t really matter…
Flying, stabbing westwards…

Wisteria

Dreaming of wind and rain…
Nostalgia and a little pain…
Thoughts unruly and fey…
Sky looks withered and grey…

I remember wisteria…

Scorching heat and restless air…
Unquiet mind vacant stare…
Thoughts of past times abound…
Forgoten phantoms come around…

I remember wisteria…

Empty hands reminicsing…
Forgotten names come reminding…
Sailing clouds look familiar…
Stars begin to shine clear…

I’ll come looking for my wisteria…