Monday, January 21, 2013

In Wait

They speak of me as if I were attuned
To the ways of this strange world around me.
Yet wisdom inside has not yet bloomed,
Has not yet become understanding. See
Where they hate one another in the square?
Where they bicker and fight in shallow streets.
Each of them uses the common stale air,
Still they quarrel, and the drum of war beats.
Inside it is no better than without,
Inside the man rages the sea and wind.
And nothing can put such a rage in rout
So long as a man has willed to have sinned.
But hope is not dead, nor is faith long gone.
I speak not in the dark, I wait for dawn.

               In Wait, (c) Luke Bennette, January 2013

Saturday, January 5, 2013

The Offense

To tell you the truth I have no thoughts on
The matter of which you speak  because no
One thought to think of me before the pawn
Was placed on the front lines; where he was O
So quickly killed by his relations that
No one would have thought they were of kin!
Yet you have the nerve to ask of me, fat
Young-ling, of what my thoughts consist of? Dim
In the head are you to have suggested
I vent my thoughts through the kettle of my
Teeth by the vent of mine own throat with dread
Power made strong in the vastness of dry
And angry lungs, so dim witted is your
Mind! But come now, do you think I, I
Who do not know the meaning of a feud,
Who do not know a political sigh
From a knife in the dark that draws red blood,
Can honestly give you my mind without
Spilling your own fair cherry blood? A hue
The color of white wine, as yours, would rue
A soup, would drain a blush, would cause a true
Love to become indifferent! I tell you,
Since you have asked me kindly by the lips,
Though your heart is maliciously seeking 
To bury in'my heart poisoned arrow tips,
That the mistakes of your family, king
Of this corrupt town or no, shall cause it's
Honor and blessings to soon crumble down
Into the vat of despair that it treads
Upon! The sewers shall be home for clown
Jerry and Tremblton! All because heads
Did not role for the offense against pawn
Juan Josephat; whom I will have you know
Is...was, my dearest friend in all the world.
Ask me another question, but do show
That you mean it to be the sweet herald
That announces your retreat! Make your bow
Now, and go; before I treat with you as
Party to that party of thieves that pass
Unmarred through the gates of justice at court!
Now being gone he shall perhaps make sport
Of my threat, and my angry spate as jest
He will consider it. Yet all the worse
For he, and for they who sent him to me;
For I shall see this town of them set free.

                    The Offense, (c) Luke Bennette, January 2012

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Cleft in Two

A whistle in the soul, the steam flies out;
A heart full, yet not whole, wills the rout
Of the blackened and charred mind,
Love has beckoned the unbarred.
Confusion has made hard to find
The illusion that bade scared, mared,
Impaled and scourged heart and soul,
Inhaled ideas purged have made foul
The plans of God's and of his man;
For bans that plod around inside
Are products that are found, that fan
About the ducts of man's town. Pride
Becomes a veil behind which comes
Conundrums. Hail the ditch that looms
Underfoot to snatch you away;
Such soot will catch, your lungs at bay.
A Whistle warns you, you've gone far,
And steam harms; rue what you are!
A liar, a fiend, of deceit!
Brier that gleamed before defeat!
Such a brier is beautiful and pure,
One of desire that doth allure.
Heed me, turn around, now go back!
Avoid this rout, this wretched attack.
But to you be the choice, the plan.
What you see lends it's voice O man.
Be careful what you listen to;
Lest all full tomorrow you rue.

           Cleft in Two (c) Luke Bennette, January 2013

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Happy 2012

Part I

One more day. One more year.
This I treasure, yet also fear.
One more minute, one more hour.
I feel minute, without much power!
Ever older I grow, every day I stretch.
I increase in what I know, like a dog I fetch
Through the streets of time blessed experience;
My heart still beats, but it seeks recompense
For what choice must do, what it must choose
(Such is life, a stretching yew that cannot loose
If it is but directed by man's own heart,
If it is respected enough that it may impart
Upon a new generation what it has learned;
For such renumeration my heart has burned).
Still stepping forward though my heart breaks.
Still crashing onward through many mistakes.
Seeking a pearl of great price in the streets
I admit no regret, love knows no defeats!
Thus one more day and one more year
Is but a small ray, is but a drop, a tear
In the bucket of time's stretching hand.
A day is a rhyme I seek to understand.
A year is a song which is fitted to a tune.
A minute  a strong wave, gone by to soon.
And an hour is enough to make the day
Worth all the while, rough as it may
Be to take upon yourself the weight
Of the world far gone in hatreds spate
It's worth it all if we keep on going!
We cannot fall, though the wind may be blowing.
One more day until tomorrow,
One more ray of light in sorrow.
One more year to memorize the song
To drive back fear, to right the wrong.
One more minute to seek the truth,
To search, to situate, my mind forsooth.
One more hour to persevere,
Surrender power, and conquer fear!
This I treasure, yet inside I quake,
I pray for surety that I make no mistake.
You pray with me that love may be our guide,
And make no mistake, see that with love allied
We shall move forward without regrets,
Our sorrows no sword shall be, no frets
Shall cross our mind, and by the cross we bear
We shall surely find the way to overcome the snare
Of pride, arrogance, and vanity of vanities;
One more day of penance, then we shall seize
With glorious intent the crown of life,
We poor peasants shall overcome strife.
One more day, one more year.
With you, my ray, my hope, my dear...

Part II

My love! I'll hold you in my arms today,
To strengthen, make bold, your heart of May!
That tonight when I leave you will be strong;
Strong enough to weave through the throng
Of years and days, of minutes and hours,
Of Kings and Peers, false love and powers!
Hold onto me, I will make you well;
By love you see shall the heart that is fell
Be healed, wounded with love's sharp lance.
Come my dear. Hounded you must learn to dance.
One more day with me, one more year to go.
One more minute with me, one more hour shall show
That I love you, and never shall hate;
Let not the loose sand of everlasting fate
Misunderstood by your heart of stone
Mislead you! I would have you atone
For what you do to yourself, and to me;
For rejecting my love, the wealth of the sea.
Hold onto me, find forgiveness, be not afraid!
You shall be free, your mind will be made
Whole and sound, full of merriment;
One more day is found, to you is sent
So that you may accept my hand, outstretched
That you may be kept in love, in me.
I am here for you, please, do not reject my fee
Of love for love and heart for heart.
I am here above, your only part
Is to say yes, to accept, to ask for my love!
And the minutes you will not rue, the hours of
Each and every day and year
Shall be for you a treasure, a ray; and fear
Shall depart, you shall be at peace.
Love others, and my love in you shall increase.

               Happy 2013 (c) Luke Bennette, January 2013