. Poetry from The Great In-Between

Sunday, February 26, 2023

The Song of The Great Mother

 Press play before reading. Salute.



Soon comes Spring  

Mother of All Things 



When barn bells
Ring at dawn 


To cries of fawns
Singing in chorus 


To wild deer
Running through forests


Oak trees 
Green leaves 


Making promises 


Honest people
Dancing to
Pipe and drum beats


With no rest
As they run 


Hiding from tourists 


To celebrate 


The soon kiss
Of Summer 


When golden leaves
Announce its coming 


Like an old lover 


For we are one with 

Hawthorn and Elder 


And all Mother Nature
Sends us 


Euphoric dancers

In Deepest of Forests 


A time of birth and happiness

From here
To August 


A time of love and healing

For all things
Hurting 


For she's in air
And clouds 


Reborn in dirt 


For
Soon she comes

As Spring 


But known to us 

Euphoric dancers 

In dirt 


In deepest of Forests 



As just 

The Great Mother 


Goddess of All Things

Who hurt 


(C)
Copyright John Duffy 


Image shared under fair usage policy via Pinterest. 



Luna's Last Letter

I can hear them coming for me 


With their lit torches and dirty pitchforks


In long queues of smelling degradation 


A poor woman in the dim woods 


It wasn't my gods and goddesses who stopped their rain and ruined their crops 


 

Bringing pain 

Hunger and destruction


I am not ashamed of my faith or my resurrection


I write and leave this note 

Under this floorboard 


So my name saunters on  

Over this crazy threshold


Watched by my guardian 

Achelois 

She who washes away pain


My beloved moon goddess 


Who hangs on the horizon

Always in the cold


But one day 


Under this cavern 

Six feet underneath this cruel world 


Where I'll soon lay 

Today 


When they break-in 


In a new place where sun or light 

Doesn't reach or play 


I'll rise up one day


The sun will shine again

My breath will be short and sharp 


On that Judgement Day


Especially

When I kiss the dry soulless mouth of it 


Brother Persecution that stole me away


And sent me into the Grey Sea 


I can soon see 

Appearing 


For me to swim in 

Before me


But when I return 


We'll sit together

Side by side as memories of my old world 


Burns 


Like crimson tumble reeds 

Glowing and

Blowing 


As the ashes of more of his newly condemned 


Float by 

Tortured with such violence


As Achelois 

She who washes away pain

Cries 


In the ensuing silence


Remember me 

Luna 


The worshipper of Achelois 

Who once lived in peace 


By the sea 


(C)

Copyright John Duffy 


A theme centered around wrongful persecution.


Can you imagine the horror of seeing the baying crowd approaching, ravenous for their version of justice?





The Sattari. Eve's Soldiers.


Press play before reading.
Salute.



(A lone voice whispers)


Deep in Blackwood Forest 

At the third stroke of midnight 


If you're brave enough 

and want to see 


A rare sight 


To see a silver ritual chalice raised 

As dirty country music plays       


See Masters of Temple 

Stand in hot circles of fire 


As people in masks 

Watch 


As they sweat and perspire

            

The summoning from the 7th Seal 

Of the biblical maiden 


Who helped usher in 

The Ultimate Sin


From The Great In-Between


Invoked 

To make all kneel     

As she is seen                        


Do want to see flames dance like two twin lovers  


Locked in romance         

Into the immortal night     


Be bound in bondage 

To Eve


And that circle in Blackwood 


When found  

Without fight


Just meditate     


Visualize a dark forest 

And imagine yourself there 


As your fate 


And 

In your holy dreams 

When it's late


I'll send the Sattari 


With a gentle call   

Into the light 


Of 


Dabis animam Evam in aeternum?


To bring you 

To your last-ever party 


In Blackwood Forest 

Tonight


(C)

Copyright John Duffy 


Latin translation:


Will you give Eve your soul forevermore?


                            

Saturday, February 25, 2023

Lady Judgment

 


Press play before reading.

Salute.


(A lone voice whispers)


In the darkness 


Simmering with sensations and vibrations of seductive sin 


She comes 


Swaying her sassy hips 

To the rhythmic beat of the pequeyo drums


Eyes flashing like rare blood diamonds 


Caught in a full moons light 


My Lafeta Le Fey  


Her dark eyes take in 

The sight of my hard skin  


As she looks over my way


That even the wind stops blowing 


And breathes in


Wearing nothing 


But midnight underneath her black leather coat and yellow hat 


I lie in wait  

Awaiting my fate 


For tonight 


Lady Judgment is staying 

The night




(C)

Copyright John Duffy

Image shared under fair usage policy via Pinterest.


Friday, February 24, 2023

A lonely ghost whispers


Surrounded by these

lit white candles 


As I sit here 


In this great stillness 

Filled with such proud grace 


Allowing soft tears to glide like the Egyptian Nile


And

embracing the sentimental  comforting

sanctification 


Of the salty water


Washing gently over my face 


I bind my mind to meeting you 


On that unforgettable afternoon 


Last June


You wore Gucci 


In black and gold and matching leather expensive bag 


The new moon whispered of such new beginnings 


But now 


When I see myself in this ethereal two-way smoke mirror 


I always see the tragic shadows of that old life and how it suddenly ended


Driving 

And smiling going home 


Then that deer jumped out 

As I stopped breathing and my heart surrendered


My Funeral 

The wake 


Then the silence 


As my name slowly receded from your worlds auditory radios 


We in here 

Listen to 


For our name being spoken 


To remind ourselves we are still remembered 


And I thank you for calling to me


For total silence means we are forgotten 


As so many sadly are 


When people get busy and all you are 


Is a familiar name at Christmas or on your birthday


So now I wish to stimulate that silence 


Reinvigorate it 

Into such a vibrational state


That our old devotion Loveliness and harmony 


Reaches you on Monday 

Our first anniversary


Allowing myself to find the space and grace 


To slow time down and reconnect 


While sending my manifestations out to take effect


I wish to spread our old love 


Like the beautiful scent

of Jo Malone's natural Bees

Coconut and Soy wax


Unto others 

Through this two-way scrying mirror 


To 

Those from my old life

Who still calls to me 


Sometimes 

In the great silence


On our interdimensional radio


In the hope that they too will feel our once-treasured love magic 


Before it all ended 

So tragic


And through them 

She knows I still miss her


So praising the four elementals 



Earth 

Air 

Fire and Water 


For their incantations to cross the constellations 


And create Way Stations 

In the hearts of others 


Sealed with these soul-lifting revelations


I now blow out these twelve white candles 


Lit before me


Dry my eternal eyes


Stare out into the sacred space between us


Releasing the intentions of my now still grey heart into the wild 



Thinking of you 


A red rose in the concrete 

Who always appears before me 


In black and gold 


Standing before my mirror as a living child in exile 


Slowly 

Alone 


Growing old



And with these words 


Ego semper amorem meum exspectes.


Ita fiat fiat 


(I'll always be waiting my love.


So mote it be)


I go


(C)

Copyright John Duffy 

Image shared under fair usage policy via Pinterest.

Thursday, February 23, 2023

The Titanomachy

 


(A lone voice whispers)


Remembering every single incredible memory  


Of my old lover's name 

Before the sun rises

Around the clock


I think is driving me slowly insane 

As the night sky seems to smile 

As it gleefully closes in


Each delicate syllable and dulcet tone


Rings and sends out such a resounding cacophony 

And vibrations of such a Trinity linked to Sin


Like a holy golden summoning bell 

Been slowly rung


Emanating a frequency filled with 


Happiness  

Togetherness  

And Divinity 


Tainted by visions 

And imagery 


Lost in throes of bedroom depravities


As it spins around in that sacred kaleidoscope 

Within my mind  


No matter the time



Memories of smiles and kindness  

Of laying together 


Talking for hours  

Lost in a mysterious stillness


About life  

Love


The universe and all things in between 


While holding hands in the encroaching darkness


Before all the cruel and unkind things in life 

Came crashing in


Like Zeus's thunderbolt and put out our beloved flame 

Which we foolishly thought would be lit forever  

  

So now I'm on this broken path 

That I'm doomed to walk again


To purge my spirit of this madness 


Trying to forget her

Since her soul left us


Old Henry and me 


The best old hound dog to sit with

Writing poetry


So Ma and Pa


I'm taking Old Henry 

And leaving this letter 


Driving South


Heading somewhere

I'm pulled blindly to 


A lonely secret location 

Past the Almshouses of shame 


With no name 


After my own version of 

The Titanomachy


Towards a place deep in the Appalachian mountains 

I've seen in prophetic visions 


Like a prophecy 


A spot inside the darkest of unvisited woods


A place I know

From Dreamland


A place known as 


The Land of the Black Crows 

In the deepest of Shadows


Where Old Gods of pagan mythology 


And weary Elementals 

Gather to watch  



Unknown actors dressed in sharkskin  


Perform a twisted version 

Of Dantes's Divine Comedy 


Accompanied by a lone violin 


That they love the sound of 

So much


A path known only to other 

Poor kindred souls  


When they're unconsciously invited 


Drawn

By a strange magnetic pull


To The Land of the Black Crows 

In the deepest of Shadows 


To watch strange sideshows 

To help lull and dissolve their pain


After being spiritually wounded 

By one of Eros's many bows  


Until nothing remains


Before they too pull on the 

Eternal Sharkskin suit


And take center stage as all the other broken 


Stand clapping in their seats and welcome 


People like

Old Henry and me 


Into their secret house of ill repute


A place where when painful emotions suddenly appear


They are shared and passed around 


To be consumed like a strange-tasting forbidden fruit 


By new friends 


Who use its raw magical energies to welcome new followers 

 

Who are brave enough  

To take up the call and commute


(C) 

Copyright John Duffy 


The Titanomachy, in Greek mythology, was the great war that occurred between the Titans, the old generation of Greek gods, and the Olympian gods, led by Zeus.

Sunday, February 19, 2023

Covid Dreams

Press play before reading.

Salute.

 

(A lone voice whispers)


Kneeling to pray 

One Sunday 


Looking at the sky 


I felt like Moses

As he climbed those high mountains 


At

Mount Sinai 


For as I closed my eyes 


I felt my soul cry 

Sitting alone in its throne room 


My own inner tower from heaven 


As it saw how the light of hope was dwindling 


With corruption 

Casting its long shadows 


On the many visiting 

Young and old sinners 


Who foolishly take its bribes 

To then walk 


In a new cold wind that blows 

From deep down below


With so many others 

Who now belong 


To the Devils many tribes 


And in these dark days of unrest

With many souls walking around 


Lost 


In forests of turmoil 

At sea or on soil 


Depressed


Factions of souls

Who wander dreaming 

Lost


Through many enticing temptations 


I always wonder 


Do they plead for purification

As they slowly erode to dust


Quietly drowning

In tumultuous promoted oceans 

Of distrust


To cleanse themselves 


In the deepest wells of the 

Primeval fountains of life 


Are they but wild spirits

Dancing ravenously under a moonlit sky 


Before they die 


Bathing in nocturnal essences


Chanting 


Artemis

Diana

Hecate


As their shadows spiritually 

Twist around the primordial fire 


Kissing naked skins of desire 


Raising arms in exultation 

And programmed hate


Screaming


Mother 

Maiden 

Crone 


Will you bless us 

And take us home 


My soul 

Just whispers 


In those crazy silent moments


It's a mad world 


A mad 

Mad world 


As the old age of kindness 

Seems to burn


(C)

Copyright John Duffy


Tuesday, February 14, 2023

The Meeting of God and Man


 (A lone voice whispers)


I met a God once after 


Following the immortal white beam 

of the Wolf moon


Guiding me to

Crossing into the holy threshold 


Beyond the legendary 

Open silver gates  


Into the strange 

Casual and haphazard lands of lucid dreams


I saw a man clad in wolf mane 


Bending low and kissing some called Persephone 


This I instantly knew for the strange warm winds 


Carrying a multitude of voices that never stopped whispering 


Told me so


I watched her shiver from the soft nape of her neck 


To her hard hips


After he left the taste of sweet red grapes on her soft lips   


I saw him once more 

You know


In the middle of Eighty-Four


When he appeared and whispered in my ear  


Saying 


I remember you

So know this 


In days that will come to pass 


Long after your kind has left the timeless playground



And has had been forgotten like the names of the Sumerian kings of old


I will remember that sweet kiss I once gave to


Persephone


And let you once again enter and live forever in my home 


From Sheol


A visceral realm 


A soft sandy shore within the reach of all that is flesh and bone 


For my new towns and  cities midnight visitors


Said the Dreamgod 


Who will always remain 

because love and imagination 


Chaos and hate 

Live forever


(C)

Copyright John Duffy

Image shared under fair usage policy via Pinterest.

The Song of Parly Pete

 Press play before reading.

Salute.

(A lone voice sings)


Come now 


My fellow broken soul weepers

 

Gather round gently

Like green ivy 


Gods eternal memory keepers


And hear this poor man's melody


A man 


Who's suffered a life of wrongs 


And tragedy


Since I lost my wife in a car crash 


Yesterday


After she sang this song


Parly Pete

Your sad days are done 


Even though its been so long



Sing 

With me


Hallelujah 

Hallelujah 


To happiness 

We now run 


With your Fiona


And our life's about to change 


So we can have some fun 


Hallelujah 

Hallelujah 


Sing to blue skies 

Sing to calling breeze


Telling them 

The happy days 


Are soon to come  

So that we can breathe 


Hallelujah 

Hallelujah 


Summer will soon appear 

In the eyes of your beloved 

Dear 


Fiona 

Fiona


Hallelujah 

Hallelujah


If we take the chance 

To help us pull through 


Hallelujah 

Hallelujah


For heavenly pipes will soon be playing 


And Elysium drums soon be swaying 


Hallelujah 

Hallelujah



As we let the seeds 

Of new beginnings  


Grow 


Hallelujah 

Hallelujah 


To be stars

In a new picture show 


That started so long ago 


Hallelujah 

Hallelujah 


 We know 

It’s time to move 


For our soul to grow 


Hallelujah 

Hallelujah 




But then she died 

At a quarter to four 


Hallelujah 

Hallelujah 


Its why I sing the blues 

To you


Hallelujah 

Hallelujah 


Don't look for love no more 

No star in a picture show 


Hallelujah 

Hallelujah 


Don't sing to the blue skies 

Don't sing to the calling breeze 


Hallelujah 

Hallelujah


Don't hear the pipes playing 

Don't hear drum  swaying 


Hallelujah 

Hallelujah 


 


Aint no going back now 

I'd rather freeze


It's why I sing the blues 

Into the cold breeze 



Hallelujah 


Hallelujah 

Hallelujah


(C)

Copyright John Duffy


Sunday, February 12, 2023

The Great Mother and Father



(A lone voice whispers)


There is something 

Not just any something


But a something that speaks 

To all things that creep 


Even those fast asleep 


A name of such sensuous devious mysteries 


Not just one name

But a thousand 


Repeated 

Sometimes carelessly 


So many times 

Down throughout history


She or he is wet red soft lips 

On dark candle nights 


Or sharp red nails 

In suspenders 

Or black tie 


In Moonlight 


Light and dark energy 

Intermixed 


That never fails to instill


The heat lonely hearts need 

To breathe 


The bringer of temptation 

To new bodies and even puritan souls


The right in wrong that tempts you 

So cunningly along 


The sweet satisfying afterglow 

Of sated souls engaged in acts 

Of sensitivity


The supernatural aura that surrounds 

us when we chase

 

And finally see 

and kiss its sweet face


A heart and home 

Without which 


We as a race 

Would no longer exist


She is the Great Mother and 

Father of Conquest 


In one 


The source 

From which lust and love 

Springs 


To learn 


Looking for fun 

Before their time burns


And they are summoned back to the alabaster sink 

To which 


All life returns 




(C)

Copyright John Duffy 


Picture shared under fair usage policy from Pinterest.

The Sacred Tree