He’s back, back that gentleman Jack,
Springing into action once more
Lithe and bowing low
Blue flames he does blow
Fiery eyes burning to your core
He’s back, back the gentleman Jack
Be wary of his charm
As he links your arm
Binding you in his spell
Till he can return you to new Hell
He’s back, back that trickster Jack
Have you seen him?
Would you even know?
Be careful now he’s back
Whisper his name Spring Heeled Jack
Ailsa
©AilsaCawleyPoetry2017
She’s a rock so she’s been told
The granite you would lean on sharp unapproachable?
Or the marble which promises warmth if only you touch
To radiate heat through it so sure that beneath
It’s surface runs some sort of ichor that you alone
Will find, set free
Needs a good man to pierce her outer layer
With an arrow to set free the fire within to make her warm
Oh no she chooses to be impenetrable
Since the hurricane which destroyed her almost
When she decided to mask herself unless she pierces
Her own skin by choice to show the flesh inside
Ailsa
©AilsaCawleyPoetry2016
You pushed, pulled trying to mould me into shape
Clay on the turntable forgetting, ignoring? Not caring
The flesh bruised, bone splintered, blood spilt
Eyes that didn’t cry
Not that you saw, not that you felt
As sobs were swallowed deep and churned
Tears silently rolling down into the vortex
Moving faster, bubbling, burning
Sometimes aching from wishing on stars, pebbles, anything
That just might work
Till the time when the storm brewed enough to explode
Sending me forth to a new world on tides unseen
Roads not travelled and water never crossed before
Propelled away from your mean smile
That once appeared shy and urged entanglement
All you wanted was nothing real
A picture fractured into mirror shards
To break me with
Scarred, damaged by things tainted
Broken?
You imagine too strongly your power
Bloodied wings I thought clipped teaching me to fly
All over again
And I soar
Ailsa
©AilsaCawleyPoetry2017
Waiting until dusk has fallen she slips away
Into the expectant forest
It seems to heave a collective sigh
No human foot treading this woodland floor
She is careful to glide slowly around
Slipping behind a fallen log or standing object
If she ever feels them drawing near
The humans who know her as children are told
Forget the foolish nonsense when they grow
And for the most part they do
They believe she was illusion, imagined
Call it what you will
Except the otherly children who still see
Going about their daily business
Until the compulsion forces them back ….SNAP
In time, in belief who knows?
Into the forest to the hugest tree they come
Head bowed to bark in rain and shine,
Coming back to feel the earths heart beat
Steadily taking strength and knowledge
From the tree they feed from
Some silent, or singing, talking or dancing
Always a touch on the wind they feel
They keep secret their visits as how do you explain ?
I went to the healing tree and all is well
Many offerings are here a ribbon, a message scrawled, a carved figure
So much, so many to quietly help
Have you been to the forest yet?
Ah you found it too and they told you to forget
I see.
Tuck away your knowing words and keep them for yourself
Ssshhhh you have been chosen
Ailsa
©AilsaCawleyPoetry2017
Come O fearful one
Closer to the edge of new beginnings
Shuffle forward if your feet
Refuse to boldly stride ahead
Worry not that you progress slowly
Promise yourself only motion speed comes later
Steps will sometimes be sideways
Acknowledge backward as only a direction
You wish not to travel
Look back only to discover your next step
And assure you you are still going forward
Don’t tell yourself it’s not fast enough for them
If it satisfies you
Push the edges of your world to expand
To radiate
Burst forth with your passion your fire
Heart not afraid at steps over the edge
As you take the leap you have to
You are now free to dazzle and shine
Like the stardust creature you are
JUMP!!
Ailsa
©AilsaCawleyPoetry2017
Those lights he said are the souls of the dead
Flying the skies like birds in formation
Migrating from this world to that without anything but
A whispered wing beat to guide them
Through mists and time, dawn to dusk they go through the veil
Of twisted time and bravery stopped them repeating
So they shine their coloured expanse above in
Fantastical colours speaking silently of magical powers
We cower hiding our eyes so the gods are not angered
Except for the one who cannot tear their eyes away
I watch through fingers and pretend to have fear
Though I feel only majestic colours dancing in front of me
Around me and I wish I could tell what I saw
But the lights are on show if you open to see
Look through fingers if you dare maybe tell nobody
You will marvel silently at what they show you
The elders of before
As they light up the shadows
Ailsa
©AilsaCawleyPoetry2017
Andrina sits on the hillside watching
Events unfold at her feet
Seeing lives living and dying
She never misses a beat
Her curios and stories scattered everywhere
As toys on a playroom floor
All laid bare for none but her
She will change the ending once more
The wind whistles round at her fingertips
And she whispers words of yore
Screaming wildly that unhinged anger slips
Calling up a night of storms and thunder
Determined to have her will she dips
Dropped to ground she doesn’t care to touch
Watching as her little paradise shows
It’s never gonna be the green haven she craves
Till she tills at the earth mixing
The shadows are beautifully existing
Her voice howls and squeals as she goes
Ailsa
©AilsaCawleyPoetry2017
Hunting in the shallows she waited hoping
To catch the fish this time or even a glimmer
It swam deeper sensing a needful presence
She needed to know it could be caught
Caressed a moment less than a heartbeat
Set free again to do it’s thing
She wanted only to look and wonder at it
Up close to know if the scales were brilliant
Like captured rainbows glowing in unison
Or if it’s coat was murky grey and eyes dead
Lifeless like the voice she sometimes thought she heard
Or rich and melodic and full of the deep waters
Gurgling and laughing
She will return tomorrow to stand in the icy waters
Feet planted apart on rocks and blue with cold
Soles cut from the jagged edges which she ignores
Too determined to notice
Tomorrow then she will return and the next day until
She sees if the origin of a rainbow and a pot of gold
Really start and finish together
Here in the cool mountain river.
Ailsa
©AilsaCawleyPoetry 2016
Her body undulates in pleasure as her lips taste
The succulent greenery she holds
Marvelling at the smooth exterior tough to bite
That hides a secret core of lifeblood
This she thinks is a secret she must share
Watching the asp carefully draw near
Her love watches her languishing at the tree base
Feeling not the rough torn bark
As it scratches his frame
But a smile plays across the cherry red lips as she
Unwittingly closes her eyes as the fruit touches her mouth
Sighing in pleasure of a newness discovered
Not yet shared
And he wonders how to make that smile return
Even for a fleeting moment
To burn onto his memory when she’s gone as she will
Maybe she’ll return but he is never sure
And that is the addiction
Hissing knowledge the asp quickens silent and stealthy
It also is hungry and needing
Her arm drops the fruit remaining as it strikes
Her movements startled it to bite
And the smile he saw gone forever
Or so he now dreams it….
Ailsa
AilsaCawleyPoetry2016
Shuffle closer little one I have a tale to tell
Of golden hordes and dragons offers to save the lives of men
But just as surely will you hear the souls that they do sell
Laugh as you wish at monsters lurking in a den
Be not too certain that I jest so heed me very well
Shuffle closer little one this is a fairy tale
But have you heard the fae folk passed on as pretty stories?
Or can you hear warning bells as their ships set a sail
Feel they’ll conquer all return puffed up and glorious
Be not so certain that I lie or serve the people best
Shuffle closer little one your eyes are e’er so wide
You look at me with painful wounded eyes
Sure the dragon was evilly wicked inside
The folks you thought wee faeries gleeful as the great beast dies
Be careful what you see my child is always to be believed
The dragon fought for common good
These fae folk their own goals
Neither wrong in their own minds eye
Look closely at the glistening coals
As their union it now dies
Shuffle closer little one and learn before the night is through
That what you see in front of you is exactly as it seems
Look once, twice maybe thrice
Until you’re sure as you can be
Don’t be willing to make that blind jump
For something you can’t feel
Shuffle closer little one learn the lesson well
I know you do trust me now
But I can hear it clanging madly that life ending bell
You must see this is your end my child take a bow
Ailsa
© AilsaCawleyPoetry2016
ailsacawley 