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Discombobulation

Discombobulation is the way out of

Stagnation,

If you have imagination and want

Illumination,

Instead of

Frustration,

So bring it on

Now, not later on,

To get to my final

Destination:

Discombobulation!

Clever Dick

Richard was a man

With a nasty trick:

He lived by a nasty plan:

Make people sick.


He also was extremely capable

Of seeing quite far.

Sadly, this was not debatable -

He really was the star.


How he did it, nobody knows,

People got ill in dozens and scores.

Aunties and cousins and folks without toes

Fell to his baleful, distance-ignoring, sickening blows.

While nobody twigged that he was the cause.


So, did this all mean

That people, as such, would end,

No matter if they were enemy or friend?

Would it just take time

Before all would be gone,

That there would be no one left on Earth

For me to befriend?


Well, no! Of course not!

That could never, ever be the decree.

Though we know there’s coming 

A getting-the-wind-up squall that’ll

Envelope us all - the ubiquitous

Virtual re-al-i-T...and Chat GBT.


But, as you can see

I am here, quite well, and indefinitely me.

About Richard? And his sickness attack?

Did he achieve, for long, his horrible murderous spree?


No, he did not, his ailful glare in fact

Encircled the globe

And stabbed him in the back,

Just behind his temporal lobe. 


Too late he’d learned

What’s known by 

Even the lowliest worms -

And certainly by Old Nick -

Never dismiss such archaic terms as

Alas and alack!


And try your very best -

Whether God-fearing or ag-nos-tic -

To pass the gold litmus test -

And never be a Clever Dick.

'Cos I Want To

 

…I want to

Put a cat among the pigeons

A flea in someone's ear,

To engage in a flight of fancy,

To sink some really small beer!

I want to sail across the seas

And plumb the ocean deep;

To do exactly as I please,

And have my beauty sleep!

Yes, I know these are all hackneyed phrases,

You know, the proverbial whatsisname,

But, no matter what you say, come what may,

It's OK by me, thanks all the same!


'Cos I want to

Fight the good fight, all ends up,

And have an axe to grind,

To know just how many beans make five,

To say, 'How terribly kind!'

I want a fair crack of the whip,

Come home on the pig's back;

Go on that fabulous trip -

But, of course, on the right track!

Yes, I know these are all hackneyed phrases,

You know, the proverbial whatsisname,

But, no matter what you say, come what may,

It's OK by me, thanks all the same!


…'Cos I want to

Burn the candle at both ends

And go from bad to worse,

Never 'be there always for my friends' -

Know it all, chapter and verse!

I want to drown the impossible dream

And never have enough,

Ford the deepest bloody stream

And to never give a stuff!

Yes, I know these are all hackneyed phrases,

You know, the proverbial whatsisname,

But, no matter what you say, come what may,

It's OK by me, thanks all the same!


…'Cos I want to!

A Dog for All Seasons

 For when you feel like a bit of Chinese – a Peke

For when you feel nippy – a Blue Heeler

For when you feel on edge – a Border Collie

For when you just want to slobber – an Irish Setter

For when you’re bouncy flouncy – a Pomeranian

For when you’d like a BBQ – a Dachshund

For when you need a stiff drink – a Scotch Terrier

For when you have a sore throat – a Husky

For when you’re in exaggeration mode – a Bull Dog

For when you feel like something expensive – a Deerhound

For when you need to go to the, you know – a Poodle

For when you have to make a lot of noise – a Dingo

For when you’re feeling small – a Chihuahua

For when you do some smooth talking – a Silky

For when you’re feeling flighty – a Papillon

For when you’re lost – a Bloodhound

For when you’re feeling hungry – a Chow

For when you want to go 10 rounds – a Boxer

For when you have a question to ask - a Weimaraner

For when you need some discipline – a Whippet

For when you feel somewhat spotty – a Dalmation

For when you’re in a bad mood – a Shih Tzu

But when you want a dog for all seasons, for sure,

It has to be – a Labrador!

An Airy End

 

‘Twas a dark and stormy night

Thundering above.

Both were spoiling for a fight,

With lots of push and shove.

He came at her, stiff and proud,

Fierce face quite absurd,

He flashed down from a cloud,

Yes, he was a bird!

She stood her ground, looking mean,

Sharpened claws ready,

He failed to break or lean - or

Even steady.

Down, down he came, careless freak,

Heedless of his fate,

He opened wide his beak

And, oh, dear, mate!

Because he was just a sparrow,

Even though all heart,

Through the lion, like an arrow,

Out as a little…!

Be

 

Be right, but not righteous

Be kind, but not condescending

Be humble, but not falsely so

Be happy, but know others are not

Be good, but not zealous

Be firm, but not unbending

Be fun, but not hurtful

Be gracious, but not ‘smart’

Be brave, but not stupid

Be calm, but not careless

Be strong, but not boastful

Be thoughtful, but not tied

Be true, but not blind

Be ‘blue’, but not blue

Be fine, but not fined

Be always your you.

Butterfly

 

Flutter by, butterfly,

Wings of blue

Shimmering rainbows

Ev’ry hue.

Flutter by, butterfly,

Wings of green

Shimmering rainbows

Magic seen

Flutter by, butterfly,

Wings of gold

Shimmering rainbows

Not to hold.

Flutter by, butterfly,

Wings of me

Shimmering rainbows

Flying free.

Chameleon Flower

 

She began as a bit from this and a bit from that.

She grew, one amongst a few, then more,

reaching slowly upwards, and then outwards.

The few became many

as her leaves unhid countless buds,

and the buds turned to countless blooms.

Blooms of many colours,

colours she loved,

and colours others saw and loved.

And these colours changed as she grew,

with time, with change -

some for a second, some for always.

And she became what she was always going to become.

A Chameleon Flower. 

Lament of Barra

 

There is a small island across a black sea

Towards the sunset, westerly,

With long golden beaches, hills heather kissed,

Wide bays, still lochs, and sweet soft mist.

There lived a proud man

In castle of stone,

Loved by his clan, but

All alone.


And on that small island across the black sea,

Towards the sunset, westerly,

The lonely young chieftain wed his sweetheart:

Gold days, still nights, never apart.

There lived a proud man

In castle of stone,

Loved by his clan, yet

Still alone.


The years slowly passed, he began to despair,

When would he get his son and heir?

Then came a night’s ending, goldening dawn –

From out of pain a son was born.

He was strong, he was fair,

Yes, from legends spun,

A father’s prayer was

His one son.


Across their small island his son roamed so free,

His life a golden melody.

Along broad beaches, over the hills,

Jumping, running, swimming in rills.

Building a new man,

Well vers’d in life’s guile,

To lead the clan in

Yet awhile.


Then away from their home, across the black sea,

The sounds of battle, stridently.

Alarums were sounded, loud was the call,

‘Help us!  Save us!  Answer our call!’

He sharpened his sword

And hefted his shield,

Gathered his horde, all

Hearts full steeled.


They carried his body back o’er the black sea,

Along a gold path, westerly.

Back to the island home, to the old chief

Awaiting his son: grief, oh grief.

And there they were buried,

The old and the young,

Together again, and

Their song sung.

What It Takes

 

What does it take, my friend,

To begin a dream?

A thought, a whim,

A hazy scheme

Is all that it takes to

Begin a dream.


What does it take, my friend,

To grow a dream?

Commitment and

A pleasant theme 

Is all that it takes to

Grow a dream.


What does it take, my friend,

To spread a dream?

The right time and

A proper team

Is all that it takes to

Spread a dream.


Well, that’s all very fine and true,

And if that was all we had to do -

The world would be drowning in

Streams of dreams!

So, what else is there, 

Oh, would-be entrepreneur?


Character and courage,

Seeing good in roughage!

Knowing that gain may be

Disguised as  pain;

Walking, crawling each extra mile,

All the time with style;

And finally, my friend who dares

To sip this cup,

Give love, and laughter,

And never give up.


That’s what it takes.

My Love

My love bears my name

But she is herself

She is loving

And loyal

Steadfast and brave

My love is beauty

All that I need or want

And she bears my name.

Song of the Roads

One road leads off to the left, along the ridge.

It climbs slowly, the path lit by the pale moon,

Strewn with stones and an occasional bridge,

Where the palest light is a miracle boon.

Trees along the way become stunted and small,

The path petering out roughly here and there,

But as the way fades the sky grows tall,

And the mountain air grows fair.


The other, broader, road curves gently down hill,

Descending slowly, moonlight useless in trees,

Easy walking, where light and sound stand still:

It all – life, light, sound, shade – seems designed to please.

Descending further, the valley opens wide

With fields and farms, orchards, and life-sending streams,

And houses, with warming fires inside,

Where people begin their dreams.


The first road climbs upward to the highest high,

Reaching past moonwards to Jupiter and Mars.

And as it winds up to beneath the sky

We see stars beyond stars beyond stars.

And there we stand, mind gazing far beyond eyes,

Questing.  What is there, past time and past vast space?

What is there causing life to arise?

Are we alone in this place?


In houses and places where those people live,

They and their children, too, do quest and explore.

Is life a thing for us to take or give?

Is this all there is, or just could there be more?

What’s out there beyond our stars, what’s within our minds?

What happens as a wonderful thought explodes

As all mankind finally finds

Truth in the song of the roads.

The Cavalry

A kangaroo and a kiwi

Sat down to dinner one day.

Said the kiwi to the kangaroo,

‘Before we eat we pray.’


They sat there, the national pair,

The kiwi and the ’roo,

Replied the latter to the former,

‘Well, then, go on, cockle-doodle-do!’


But just then up flew a kooka,

Who landed in a tree,

And promptly said to the prior two,

‘How about a prayer, and some food, for me?!’


Well, one and two looked up at him

Perching near the sky,

And said, together, huffily, ‘If you must,

‘But wouldn’t you rather fly?!’


Before an answer came from the leaves

Other voices joined in:

Echidnas, parrots, wombats and frogs!

Clamouring a dinner din.


Birds and beasts and creeping things

Came from near and far.

Even a flock of barrister birds

Looking for a muesli Bar!


Overhead the sky was dark

With more and more arriving,

Our ’roo and kiwi began to kark - 

There was now no chance of surviving!


Yes, pretty soon we were all over there,

Shrieking our culinary wishes,

Hundreds, thousands, millions of fable,

Seated, raucously, at kiwiroo table -

Thank God for loaves and fishes!!

The Importance of Fish

Then came the Big Bang,

Which rang, for better or worse,

Through the baby

Universe.

Without a sound or any ground

Or anyone far or near to

Hear.


There wasn't a frog or a dog,

Or a pitch. And a wish

Wouldn't appear for years -

Multimillennia, actually.

And as for gods and bogs

And things like tears and fears - 

They all had to wait for the first

Fish.

Unrequited

My letters

To you

Over which I sweat and strain

Are like stones

Dropped into a pond

And never seen again.

Webmaster: Joshua Michaelson * Copyright © 2022 Ian Burns - All Rights Reserved.


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