. Poetry from The Great In-Between

Thursday, September 2, 2021

The Letter channelled just for you if you're grieving

Press play before reading. Salute.


As I slept late one dark night


These words seem to be whispered in a deep dream


The letter left to be sent to someone.


Maybe just you


A painful day will come soon


My beloved when I'm no longer around


To share my love and sweet smiles 


But you will find happiness


When this once penned love letter channelled by your friend John 


Is eventually opened when found


Yes you


You will cry like the Holy River is running down your soft cheeks


Just wondering why I disappeared


A while ago when I died


Those precious tears which may seem to fall endlessly 


When you look for me up in dark storm-filled emotional skies


But my dearest 


Don't search for me aimlessly throughout all the busy villages or big cities streets


For I am still here 

Deep inside


To whisper through beloved memories


To bring to you much needed inner peace


For I’ll always love you


May these words still linger and resonate deep inside


To help you cross 

Mother Griefs notorious picket line


And if there ever comes a time 


When they seem to lose their glimmer or illustrious shine


Or just through time

Slowly fade


Just pick up one of my 

divine memories sticks


One of my old well-loved photographs 


And revisit our once happy Memories Parade


For I am simply a heartbeat away


A silent joyous thought 


On a beautiful Summers day


A warm embrace while the Winters starlings play


Just forever keep me real close 


Within the deep recesses of your mind


Don't let Father Time

tear us apart but just let me live 


Within each and every

beat of your heart


For here's a secret many cursed by

Father Time 


Simply forget


A few flowers on specific days


May seem so precious

But for us 


Living here on the other side


If you can remember us in the good times


The happiness and joyous occasions when we were all once together


Then we will be reborn

In your beautiful tear-filled eyes


To always return to help you conquer


Your soft tears and perhaps a seemingly never-ending depression


So smile now and just

think of me as I continue to make an impression 


So I can be reborn to always see 


All you can see


My greatest of all friends


My beloved one and only


Please remember though


I'll always try to visit and watch over you


But just promise that whatever happens


Getting depressed is never the solution or key


And just smile knowing I'll never forget you if you'll never forget me


Copyright John Duffy



Wednesday, September 1, 2021

The Shadow Queen

 

Press play before you read. Salute.



(A lone voice sings so low)


Tis but a dream to dream the dream

Tis but a dream to see the Shadow Queen

Tis but a dream to hold her hand

Tis but a dream to dance entwined

On black and white dance floors

With the marching
New Orleans bands

Tis but a dream
I deep dream at midnight

When I pray when there is no light

And she comes knocking on my Astral Doors

At the edges of where my mind sleeps

And whispers in the Encroaching shadows
As she says

Let me in
It's me

The bringer of so many luscious sins and dazzling enchanting silver-coloured dreams

Let me in from the cold of The Great In-Between

So all our unexplored fun
Can begin

As you worship me
The Shadow Queen

Copyright John Duffy

(Image shared with fair usage policy. No claim to image)

Tuesday, August 31, 2021

If grief could speak

 

(A lone voice whispers)


As the silvery midnight sun slowly rose

I drank my smooth twenty-five years old malt whiskey

Tasting exquisitely my Monday blues

I looked up to the faraway twinkling stars

Wondering where do
those lost really go

After this mortal show

Is it to alabaster endless halls filled with young or old familiar family or friends

Warm conversations and continuous soft music and priceless red wine

Or somewhere else

Cocooned between this world and the deep divine

Just relentlessly exchanging stories and memories

For there is no longer time

Will they still remember us and send us a sign

A soft kiss on the cheek

A red robin or maybe even a random white feather to always remind us

They still wait for love drunk

Longing for a much sought after embrace

Like a drop of spiritual moonshine

Will we ever see them again
Or are they simply lost forever

No matter how hard we pray and mutter
Amen

Copyright John Duffy

Just thinking about my beloved sister and the endless numbers, who take their last breath every day. Salute.

Saturday, August 28, 2021

If Angel Gabriel Could Speak in 2021. The Year of Covid.

 

If Angel Gabriel Could Speak in 2021. The Year of Covid.

(A lone voice whispers)

I have lived and walked for more than a thousand years

Amongst you

The ever-growing and changing masses

I have heard and answered so many heartfelt prayers

Spoken in the long shadows and convinced so many to stay the course

Whenever they felt doubtful as things seem to fall apart at the seams

Or just got increasingly worse or perverse

To always remember

No matter how magnetic the seductive pull of temptation

To appreciate how green their own grass is

I've held soft and hard hands

Consoled the young and old and tried to comfort

So many crying silently in the painful mazes of their own darkness

Its unspoken number is truly unfathomable

I have been a whispering Mage appearing in diverse forms before so many others

Sent by the Almighty on High to try to nurture and encourage

Endowing them with a higher power to always find the strength and courage

In rekindling their inner flame once lit so long ago by a glorious sacred candle

To stand strong and be willing and able

For I'm indomitable

An angel sent to bring hope to even you and all the others who may feel inconsolable

For I'm just a bringer of inner peace

For God is my strength and my ministry

One that speaks of everlasting mercy and promise

No matter how dark your worlds many changing political landscapes or forests

My favourite name of all is Archangel Gabriel

And if you find one of my billions of white feathers that I sometimes leave

Especially for those beautiful heartbroken souls

Whatever their pain and tragically emotional reasons in 2021

The mournful year of Covid 19 to grieve

To help find hope or whatever they need

To once again be encouraged to believe

As you live through your limited mortal life

Just pick one up and keep it real close in your coat or trouser pocket as a good luck locket

For it will help bring you peace and tranquillity

Throughout all those morose long cold winter or hot summer nights

When you need to rekindle
your old belief in a religious phenomenon

Whilst seeking to conquer or accept

Your physical or mental vulnerabilities

To help you carry on

No matter what seemingly hard endless times

You may appear to have fallen on

Copyright John Duffy

Friday, August 27, 2021

If Love could speak

 

Press play before you read. Salute.

(A lone voice whispers)


Yes I, from whence all gloriously emotionally notorious pain


And sexual heartbreaking anxiety but soul-rousing feelings stems


Like the precious aroma of an exquisite expensive perfume


Invading like an insidious thief


Any particular room


I'll invite you  

If you dare welcome me in


To see the world through new crystalline lens


As your soul finally matures


As it's put through my exceptionally complicated


But sophisticated extraordinary fires


To be eventually willingly or unwillingly cleansed


Copyright John Duffy


Image by the so-talented Marco Tenaglia

Tuesday, August 24, 2021

The Jilted Grooms Monologue

 


(A lone voice whispers)

Is there nothing more wicked that you could do to me in front of everyone to see

As I sit here alone in this beautiful vicar's annexe room

But all said done
I'm still crying out for you and for some much-needed hope and sympathy

All I ever wanted was your blessings

Love and understanding so I could change

And find peace for all those sad times I went missing after work

I know you heard me crying

When you saw me in church last week before the wedding

Praying and kneeling

Trying to burn away all those old feelings and temptations which are still terrifying

I just wish you'd forgive me

For deep inside
All this old pain is constantly swirling and rising

And it's why I'm no longer smiling

For life without you as my fabulous wife feels like I'm slowly dying and being cut open by emotions sharp knife

Raw sensations which just keep twisting

Growing and shouting to be heard in this eerie silence

I know there can be no more hiding

No refuge from the irrefutable truth why you left

No more buying expensive sparkling diamond rings to turn off your warning bells and sirens

No more red wine and opening shining elegant gifts

No matter how perfect the timing

So I'll just keep trying to cope

Hoping in time I'll grow strong enough to keep fighting

Strong enough to find out who's waiting on the other side

Strong enough to stop drowning in tears

Strong enough to find hope and try to restart celebrating

And in time
God willing

Find me that piece of treasure that will instantly light up my sad life like you once did

Like a bolt of bright lightning

But until then
If you ever see me crying

Just know it's my price for trying to come into Gods house to exchange vows

Whilst carrying an invisible suitcase filled with stories of cheating and lying

Copyright John Duffy

Monday, August 23, 2021

Did you know reincarnation exists?

 

Did you know reincarnation exists?

(A lone voice whispers)

Did you know

You're part of a carefully designed operation of such epic proportions

Its depth is unimaginable

A subtle design filled and masquerading

Embedded within deep spiritual emotions

A mythical vacuum

In the shape of sometimes
inconceivable silver keys home

A real reason to beseech kindness and love to atone

Whatever the seasons

We are all sinners at some level

All said and done

But it's an eternal battle

For we are limitless and constantly reborn

So it's one that still can be won

You don't have to be devout saints

You don't have to mimic faithful religious figures or their only son

You don't have to live life in dim shadows
as non-engaging devout monks

Or grace the worlds many black and white dance floors

Like quiet powerless black-robed nuns

You just have to embrace all things

People or situations
that wilfully comes

Filled with magnanimity and a sense of gratitude sympathy and empathy

Beyond ambitious devious trinity's

For it's how you'll live forever

In realms of self-imposed liberties

Rising like Mother Sun
in the perpetual East

Blowing like the early morning breeze

Filled within an everlasting ease

Engaging and delectable like a limitless
conversational piece

You can all sometimes forget this life is but one of many versions

On a short term lease

You may get caught up in the moment

Forget to look around and reflect

But always remember

The Tall Man will eventually arrive in his long black mac

To collect

It's better to do your best than to live forever in eternity

Swirling and swimming in silvery pools

Filled and undulating in waves of regrets

So rise in the morning with good thoughts within your heart

It's how you'll escape the pain in tomorrows unknown futures

Of your soul falling apart

As you awaken behind a newborn's bright blue eyes

Powered by a strange beating new heart

Copyright John Duffy

Sunday, August 22, 2021

The Broken Man's Monologue

(A lone voice whispers)

I once dreamed I gave you a ray of soul-soothing sunshine


To help burn away all those tendrils of darkness and bitter shadows


Which haunted and followed your beautiful soul around


I once dreamed of walking on the soft yellow beaches


Barefoot under the blazing sun


Hand in hand as the blue carpet of the Pacific before us


Rolled and undulated in adulation as we looked on speechless


I once dreamed of consecrating this risk


My final chance at channelling happiness but now I'm sat alone


Doomed to just channelling sadness like Sylvia Plath


Tasked to thinking


“Is there no way out of the mind?”


Do all these tragic gifts come to all in time


Those sad souls like me who watch the rainfall with no one to run through it


Those who have the roaring log fire but no one to share it


Can the loneliest seconds in anyone's mortal existence


Be when they are staring at their whole world falling into tiny silver pieces with no resistance


And all they can do is gaze in unwanted acceptance


When they realize this is the new normal


A life replenished with no blessings but instead chasing a Bluebird called Repentance


Stuck in a bell jar of madness


Gripped by strands of insanity  

  

Trapped inside an airless urn that distorts one's perspective on the world


And prevents a connection with real people that could help


Comme moi, une des masses silencieuses.


Qui se cache volontairement dans les longues ombres envahissantes.


Qui une fois brûlé par aime la flamme violette, choisit maintenant de rester déconnecté


(Like me, one the silent masses.


That wilfully hide in the encroaching long shadows.


Who once burnt by loves purple flame, now choose to stay disconnected)


Copyright John Duffy

Saturday, August 21, 2021

My Dark Queen called Misha

 

She came to me

Slowly walking with a certain swagger in the confines of my deepest of sleep

A dark queen called Misha

Dressed from head to toe in blue and ivy within darkened pines

Surrounded and followed by hollowed out old men who she left

Constantly seeking her divine attention as they whined

That Lady

Voluptuous and so heart-stoppingly seductive

She now nightly just visits me

Where we stride out like reunited old souls

In indistinguishable old grey and green coats

And we soar the lower levels of the Astral Realms

Striking like hurtling red arrows into its viscous spinning harems of never-ending Immortality

Long winters of whimpering lay adrift in the swirling smog as they are cast aside and pardoned

Beyond loveless lands filled with strange withering shapes and haunting igniting purple vicious flares

Striding forth like married beggars

Lost on its unreachable railways that must go somewhere

Through the blackest of its murky sludge

Towards the bright lights in the near distance

We tirelessly trudge

In-between grimy shadows and the hordes of beseeching souls below

Forever bellowing and crying out in unison with shrieks filled with primal fear pure anxiety and overwhelming depression

We fly

Ashes of grim damnation below us flow as we watch the hordes go hither and forth

We share the air for a moment or a brief night

Twins souls who dared to reach for the unreachable lights

Mountains below us dance a strange Argentine tango as we soar

Dark anxious memories now forgotten

Lay crying below upon darkened undulating snake-filled wet floors

In the distance
With hands clasped together tightly

We look deep into each other’s dark eyes with no signs of resistance

For we know we'll get there together someday

To visit old stalls within celestial halls

When we are eventually recalled

The Lady and Prince

Who move together forever as one

In Dreamland

Copyright John Duffy

The voice of Malziamane

 (A lone voice whispers)


In the deepest of woods

My fever grows


The tempo builds

Calling you to go


Drop your bags

And cancel your life


A new life awaits 


Tempting you to walk through my gates


In the middle of the night

My lone voice whispers


Come see me

It calls to you the listener


I change you forever

I'll own your soul


Your previous pain

Fears or shame


Will disappear when you appear and tell me your name


In the deepest of woods

My fever still grows


A seductive invitation


To leave your old life behind and live with me forever entwined 


Copyright John Duffy

The Sacred Tree