Tag: Uncategorized

Mama

I’m walking over cobblestone skin tingling

Towards the lady I saw sometime

Shared a brief hello and smiles

I was alone that day just walking

Exploring a land not mine

I’m a stranger made welcome here.

This time I am in a group and she gives

A loving smile and hugs me tender hug

To her my pale skin is cold she worries

Head to foot she wears the black garb of her peers

She points to herself and me showing we are known

To one another if nobody else

She tells my family her name

I am in a foreign land I could be rejected

I am not

She puffs out her chest and says one thing

“Mama”, and again “Mama” with warning

She reaches into her bag, giving me sweets

Giving me tissues, and rubbing my arms

To warm me as only a mother can.

She points to show me where to find her

I nod understanding to this mother

Familiar yet unfamiliar

Family but not blood

Am kissed on both cheeks lovingly

By the never to be forgotten

Mama

Ailsa

©️AilsaCawleyPoetry2018

Let us create

Let us create ripples on the shore

That will vibrate out to sea

Cascade across the ocean floor to heal

The damage we have inflicted

Let us create ripples on the land

Reclamation of things we allowed to be poisoned

In our name without our knowledge

But now we know let us fight

For the freedom of the earth

Let us create spaces and places

Where the children can play

We need to be heard as a collective

The ones who think and care

Come let us fight for our children

The children of the future need love

Cages break or cause hatred and war

So let us cause ripples on the shore

On the land, in air, in the press

Ripples that become the new norm

That demand equality for all

Whether you’re black or white

Gay, straight, sure or unsure

Whatever your god or gods

For your own sake and others

Let us create ripples and remember

To use humanity and caring for all.

Let us create ripples that create waves

That wash on shores, bang down doors

And it’s no longer a world of us and them

But we’re united as a people who crave

Love. No bars. Love. No barrier. Love

Full stop

Ailsa

©️AilsaCawleyPoetry2018

Little tin man

It pours slowly and carefully on the place

You tried to say was a heart of good

Malicious skeletal grin on a face

Rusty metal box that passes for a heart

Purring out a faint drumbeat

A-v-a-r-i-c-e. A-v-a-r-i-c-e. A-v-a-r-i-c-e.

Words clatter forth telling of broken lives

Who were you to do anything?

Who were you to change something?

Leave it to the rest with perfect worlds

That you tell yourself they live in

A way to accept no responsibility

For the destruction that you’ve caused

Because it’s always someone else’s fault

You ask me to do it, beg me

End it all because you have misery

And I look at the acid that bubbles beside me

Pour only the water as ask for venom

To burn out the golden heart you say is there

All I see is rust, nothing gold even the hair

It’s dirty with the acts you carried out

And however much I’d love to see you scream

I won’t.

I’ll let your greed and the water, the tears shed

Rot what’s left of you

Little tin man, who never got a heart

Nor a brain just a mouth that shouts

Endlessly and desperately to the air

Scream on tin man I’m done.

Ailsa

©️AilsaCawleyPoetry2018

Crashing storm

All around the storm bangs shaking

Everything I knew before into newness

Difficult paths ahead and I see your lips move

Lightning cracks illuminating you

As you fall away from me

My hands grasp on to nothing

You’re trying to be heard and the raging

Seems to fight your message

And you free fall bringing another voice

You both speak my name in the scene

Technicolour and I can’t do anything for you

Either of you except make sure

You’re remembered for the good

I awake screaming at your being yanked away

My fear in eyes and voice

I know you’ll speak again soon

When my turmoil is more settled

When my seas have fallen calm

When my crashing storm has passed.

Ailsa

©️AilsaCawleyPoetry2018

The woman with no name

The woman with no name

She wanders around cast adrift

Back and forth wandering

Never acknowledged not ignored

Young and tender as a shoot

Leaving new growth in her path

Life springing where she has trod.

A whisper in time maybe, maybe

Is she real or imagined?

The woman with no name

Snowdrops rising shows she’s back

Giving birth to a new spring

Secrets passed down on the wind

Unwritten, but there’s the tales

Pass as milk from mother to child

Kindliness nourishing the land

She is real not imagined

She is a woman with many names

Touching all with her mantle of life

Ailsa

©️Ailsa CawleyPoetry 2018

Facing fury

The strangers face invades her space

Sour breath that tries to calm

Expecting drowsy eyes or nod of acquiescence.

Shhh his lips say smirk fades to fright

As the growl of fury escapes

Her teeth barred a wild woman

Unafraid, raging, threatens to tear him apart

The woman is not a gentle fearful soul

Her territory invaded life threatened

She didn’t cower, plead or give in

Primal scream and he’s terrified

No quiet mousy woman she.

Confusion reigns as facing fury

Was not what he bargained for

Her guttural cries that call strength and tribe

His eyes are widening getting her vibe

Knowing she’s alone but needs no one here

And furies rule that allow nothing approaching fear

Gaining, gaining, she’s almost at him

He’s clambering over the wall

However high he’ll never be safe

From the wild woman right here

He’d rather vault over and fall

There must be a hoard of banshees in that place

He’s decided never to return for more

Whatever that is it’s no ordinary woman

She came from a long forgotten place.

Ailsa

©AilsaCawleyPoetry2017

Will you be nice?

Will you be nice?

You tell me to wear the make up, look pretty

But only for you because this is the city

And don’t leave the house after dark.

Don’t even catch someone’s eye

Be closed and hard not shy

Never show you’ve got the spark

That says I can manage without you.

Be good, nice whatever that may mean

Don’t complain it’s your shame if you’re seen

If they call and they shout

If they should single you out

It’s your fault for giving them ideas

And show them they are feared

Don’t argue be sweet

Or a sticky end you’ll meet

As they taunt or hurt you at their whim

You’re just a girl remember so just give in to him

Don’t fight, bite or scream

He must have misunderstood the dream

That he chose to believe you wanted

Your eyes and lips say you’re haunted

From another who chose to ignore

And it’s not expected when you settle the score.

So will I be nice, dishonest to appease?

While you harm, brutalise and cop a squeeze

The answer is there and sharp as a lance

No I won’t, not ever, not a chance.

Ailsa

©AilsaCawleyPoetry2018

Disappearing

Hidden from view as you are

Wrapped up in cloth that shields you

From your own deepest thoughts

Afraid to face the haunted places

Locked away in your minds attic.

Tell everyone you can justify

Every word, thought, deed, action

And you believe the stories you sell

Like two bit replicas on street corners

That fall apart under scrutiny.

Your eyes grow more hooded

Sharp only with suspicion of all

That cross your path unaware

Of what lies beneath the facade

Do you even exist in that husk?

A spectre has taken over anything

There once might have been

And you invited it to eat you whole

Devour your soul with pleasure

Pride all that remains of humanity

Alone in your shell you’re happily

Watching yourself

Watching

Who was

Disappearing

Ailsa

©️AilsaCawleyPoetry2017

Gather you in

I gathered you in while falling apart

My fractures hidden from sight

Stroking, cajoling, painfully hoping

That things could heal and might

Go back as they’d been at the start.

I varnished quickly into the night

Over things that I wished not to see

Covering cracks and craters alike

With blind eyes that blamed only me.

I’d sit long nights wondering how wrong

I had gone and trawl searching the depths

Like a fishing boat out on the sea

The storm it raged inside you till it caught

My ankles and began drawing me down

And the bubbles rose from my mouth

A silent scream escaped me

I found my legs kicking wildly out of control

The shackles dissolved with every move

Freedom gained from allowing an end

To gathering you in

Ailsa

©️AilsaCawleyPoetry 2017

Your game

You smiled knowing your message

was one designed to cut me,

in your eyes, strong versus weak.

And you would win for sure.

Peppering honeyed tones with barbs

destined to hurt and destroy,

you’d be victor, rigid versus pliant

And you would win for sure.

Didn’t tear strips with razor blades

but tried to bend and break me,

you’d be puppeteer making me dance

And you would win for sure.

I’d say I’m sorry it wasn’t how you imagined

The game would play, but I’m not.

I found your bubble is self created

You’re terrified I’ll win for sure.

In case you’re in doubt I don’t do competitions

To be popularity plus

Wake up and get past your fears

Life isn’t meant to be a drama

With people playing bit parts

Nor is it how skilfully worn your armour

As you aim for someone’s heart.

I can play the game but I’ve opted out

You can carry it on with someone else

But don’t be surprised if they know what you’re about

Ailsa

©AilsaCawleyPoetry2017