Desert sands

Invisible, amidst grains of sand;
blinding heat beads sweat that rivers run
from furrowed brow to hollow hands
that wipe along the sting that lands
on skin stretched beneath blazing sun.

Each and every way the warm wind blows
shards of glass swirl into heaving mounds
that shift and change the way to go.
A moving sea that dips and throws
unsteady feet on to drifting ground.

How is direction to be embraced,
when all that can be seen is endless,
desert marked by displacing face.
Where travelled footprints leave no trace
and all around barren emptiness.

poem by Diana Rosser
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Around the corner

I wont tell you the stories he has told me,
or the reason why for weeks and months
he couldn't sleep.
About the walk around the corner,
he kept walking round that corner,
walking round that corner
for days and months and weeks.
That isn't my story to tell you, only his;
but I can tell you that he walks around
that corner through his days
and through his weeks.
I can tell you that he marched them home
leading from the front,
right down through the Guildhall
to the sound of thudding drum.
I can tell you that he marched all those
young boys home.
All of them, but one.

poem by Diana Rosser
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I am here

Supposing I became the cool breeze that slipped
through your early morning window brushing your day and cheek awake,
would you know me then wrapped around you holding you safe?
Supposing I became the gentle sun that broke your first steps
into the working week, would you know me there
on the pavement warm beneath your feet?
Or perhaps the starling in the sky above
or the heron by the low running creek
or the purple thistle by the rugged path
which holds you standing
watching the fluttering wings of a butterfly landing.
Would you know me then?
For I am here in all nature's bounteous gifts.

poem by Diana Rosser
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For You

You are my love, my Garden of Eden,
my safe harbour in life's hostile tempest.
The place I fold into when all things else
have left me raging and almost beaten.
When desolate clouds have choked all reason
and dark grim despair beguiled comforts rest,
when even natures hand remains unblessed.
There you abide through every season
an anomalous beam in sightless mist.
Though ripeness has stolen youth's bright lustre
you smell as sweet as those first teenage days.
Summer meadows still lie within your kiss
and bound within the curve of you laughter
still exists amidst dreams and loves warm gaze.

poem by Diana Rosser
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Hope

When there is only mournful dark despair
shut your weary eyes and visualise
the flicker of peppered stars, now there
blazing the milky way in desert skies.

See easy light breath life in shadow shapes
as the black horizon gives way to sun.
Watch the flush of morning draw back night's drapes,
lie still, whilst final sparks in blue are done.

Linger upon the slowly rising orb,
feel warmth embolden lifeless weakened limbs,
let all the glorious heat be absorbed,
'til the dawn chorus in your heart does sing.

Then in that moment in that tranquil space
let expanding hope, dark despair replace.

poem by Diana Rosser
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Today I'm missing you

Blue morning, bare foot on the garden grass,
wet dew between my toes as I make my
way amid misty plays that softly pass
through familiar words of days long gone by.

If I could save time goes through me rippling,
a breaking wave on lost dreams broken shore
dragging yesteryears sharp splinter, catching
me missing you as countless times before.

If in your imperforate life I placed
myself, would the mirrors sharp fractured shard
that returns to haunt, melt and be erased
and blessed sunshine's beam complete my heart.

Or has time distorted dreams old and new
I know not, but today I'm missing you.

poem by Diana Rosser
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Into the Shadow

Come; let us walk towards the water's edge
through soft green grass, adorned with wild flowers.
Sheltered on a blanket spread, we will stretch
beneath the shadow of the Alder's boughs.

I shall lean sure against your beating heart
as setting sun dips towards ev'ning sky.
While long fingers creep silently across
the day, in knowledge of you, I shall lie.

When darkness moves into the dim of night
and we must fold the blanket of our dreams
into the ending of our grateful lives
closing our way along the bright white beam

may dominion keep our two hands entwined
and keep them thus until the end of time.

poem by Diana Rosser
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He raised his voice

Ken Saro-Wiwa spoke out
against
the environmental degradation
of the land
and waters of the Ogoni.

Ken Saro-Wiwa raised his voice
but not his fist

His home land in the Niger delta
ravaged, polluted
by decades of crude oil dumping.

Ken Saro-Wiwa raised his voice
but not his fist

He chastised
the Nigerian government
for refusing
to enforce regulations

[...] Read more

poem by Diana Rosser
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Give Hope A Chance

Death, you have spent too long in the desert,
move away. Let kindly soothing winds wrap
gentle discourse around past pain and hurt
and mend the rift that tears the growing gap.

Dawn struggles over the harsh horizon.
Let it through, so it can gradu'lly fill
with warmth those souls whose thoughts and hearts harden
at any compromise or change of will.

Bear your banner towards the river Styx.
Gather two coins to pay the ferry man.
Weigh down your cutting scythe with heavy bricks.
Float upon the changing tide, leave this land.

Let Hope born by temperate wings arise
and fill with light, broken desert skies.

poem by Diana Rosser
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Dream catcher

Enchanted web woven by silken touch,
a crowd of tangled dreams to filter through;
Visions of raw enmeshed sight too much,
torment by night before morning anew.

O come bright dance, flutter around sleep's head.
Feathers on soft tendrils by warm spell sown,
hang down throughout long night above tucked bed
up coil tortured spectres, make them your own.

Send forth from wooded hills the eagle hawk.
Gather in talons sharp discarded fright,
leave dreams full of nature's bounteous walk
across eyes that sleep still through gentle night.

Let knowing wind ancient lullabies sing
and protect love's dreams under catcher's wing

poem by Diana Rosser
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