A soft voice sings

 (A lone voice calling herself, Faith, sings.) 

Let me purify old memories 

To be purged

For I alone 

Own all sacred keys

To embrace all vulnerabilities 

So you can be reborn 

With new responsibilities 

A whole new identity to be earned

To set you free

So you can be

The best 

For all to see 

As your new life runs 

To go so far

No more prisoner to tears 

To treasure the deep divine 

No longer to worship sin

No longer to taste more tears

Just let me be there

When you want me 

To hear you call 

Before you fall

Love infused with honesty 

Merged with trust and loyalty

For all the watching world to see

For we are friends 

Till the very end

Whatever this sad world 

Dares to bring

Just let me in

To be the reason

As your heart prays for something

Whatever the year 

Or season

For I'm that one thing 

That has saved 

Endless queens or kings 

And countless broken 

And destitute

The many the rich 

Love to prosecute

Who I listen to 

Even more 

Wherever they sing

Will you let me 

Purify old memories 

That need to be purged

For I alone 

Own all sacred keys

Just pray 

To call for me 

For my name is Faith 

And I'll appear 

To follow 

To help you break 

Those chains 

To set your soul free

©

Copyright John Duffy

My Life's Nurse

 

(A lone voice whispers in the dark) 

Her gentle graceful touches are so beautiful and incredibly captivatingly 

Soothing  

They seem to play a delightful melody 

To vanquish all my mortal fears  

Like the rarest of heavenly sunsets 

That emerges with a twinkling smile 

In the midst of pink and red frontiers  

When time itself 

Appears to stop flexing and moving  

Swirling like a god-like deity 

In a newly lit sky  

She is the quintessence of glamour 

In a night-time high society ball  

Filled with dancing masked courting fireflies

Who watches her every fluid movement 

In jaw-dropping awe  

When they pause to rest on one of my beautifully 

Wallpapered walls  

A rare evening 

Serenading the gathering of a few enamoured spirits  

Where honoured souls 

Gather in their best dresses 

And bespoke suits to readily confess  

Her delicate hands 

Move like Mother Moon 

Gently over my trembling horizons  

Whispering my secret name 

And claiming me as her domain  

For we are now consummate lovers 

And no longer just worldly friends  

A bright new world is always breathed into light a

And lost in delicious touches 

In that spectacular twilight  

For under the gaze of my devotion  

I can only reflect her love in my hazel-coloured lens  

The darkness surrounding us 

Like an old friend

Sings a lasting symphony 

Of happiness and lingers in the celestial 

As angels watch and smile  

No man-made treaties 

Or paper laws 

Can separate us  

For now, our passions in the midnight sun  

Soon will wildly run  

We'll never lose this particular twilight 

And these baptised rays will never lose their red and pink hue  

For when we first met  

I'll always remember 

That I willingly sunk knee-deep 

Into your green and blue  

For in that magical transference of spiritual energy  

I knew in that metaphysical moment 

Why God had sent me and it's why now  

I'll always belong to just you.

(C)

Copyright John Duffy

A lover's dream

 A voice whispers in the dark at 3 a.m.

I'll never kneel to pray no more because I won't idolise anyone this way, anymore.

I can't hold back my souvenirs of fears any longer.

Though my tears still stain this grey uniform I restfully wear, as I continuously look for a new sanctuary to rest.

So my soul can repair. 

I've got to take all those heartfelt condemnations with me.

For with you, I've smiled, shouted and screamed in joy to last for a thousand years.

Constantly pushed to live the illuminated man's, hidden underground dream.

But what I wouldn't do now, just to be with you.

I know I must neglect all those painful memories, and try to go on and find the resilience I need, to let you go free.

Just like a midnight lantern, filled with good wishes and introduced into a New Year's Eve's, transformational sky.

To fly so high.

To step away and shut that badly worn door, and let my existence go on like Adam, who once loved Lilith, prior to Eve.

Before they went outside the Greatest of All Gardens and all his first love for her, he silently always grieved.

Would we be better off if I had pulled all my barriers down, and let you in so totally, and in all my hidden tributaries, swim? 

Maybe, but I reckon we'll never know.

So I'll let go of my claim on you, but you may call down someday in the near future unknown.

In the falling rain or snow.

For this painful love, we once beautifully shared, will keep us safe throughout the blinding of the heart.

The silence in the mind

For this love we once experienced in the darkness beyond the light, will go through a new phase of rediscovering.

Rewriting our tragic love story like a modern-day, Fyodor Dostoevsky.

For humanity is sometimes incredibly, and intensely in love with all forms of suffering, and love in action is occasionally, a brutal and tragic commodity.

Whenever and forever described in relation to true love, as if in poetry or wishful dreams.

For love of any kind is never low key.........

(C)

Copyright John Duffy

The Lord Of Words Monologue

Let me entice your five senses and maybe your sixth.

Discover my soul through new worlds of words, and I'm yours evermore.

Never to be eclipsed.

Let me bind you to me forever, with my lashings of hypersexual dark energy.

As your restless soul salivates, whilst in submissive anticipation.

Weeps.

Let your virgin mind hear my imagined strong voice, as it, your inner mind listens to as it relates.

Captivated to be mine above life's many random noises.

As it to you seductively speaks whenever you feel weak.

Let me devour your ravenous eyes.

With chaotic unconditional, excitement and engagement.

As your higher self suddenly wakes, from its repetitious, mundane sleep.

Let me take you waist-deep.

 Into fast-flowing new apocalyptic wet, ominous waters.

Of unexplored feral territories.

And let my incredible fingertips trace pagan inseparable portraits, of intimate unions.

Of unforgettable characters and illustrious scenes.

Across your succulent exposed emotional minds, so very soft spine.

And we both watch as they cry out in a silent crescendo of joy.

At their new meetings of the dark thoughts of a once abandoned reunion. Like a young girl meeting a new boy.

Give me all those deep interwoven vestibules filled with such intense thoughts.

You restrain.

Perhaps imprisoned under forced authoritarian, locks and keys.

Forever hidden and confined.

For any of my written or spoken words, can bring such provocative mesmerising courage.

Just anticipating an independent, and liberated mind.

Willingly to forfeit everything they once knew, to be eventually renewed.

Let me show you how to use your imagination to explore unique verbs.

Linked to delicious new sentences, I pray you'll willingly embrace.

As they are worshipped and devoured, whenever they are encountered when new eyes they grace.

Let me help you blow down that sorrowful house of cards.

You may be once built and kept under strict lock and key.

That no one can see.

Let's hold hands in a glorious reunion, and let our sweet fingertips run truly wild.

Across your ripe undulating succulent emotions, as they are dominated through new experiences and mounted.

Leaving that old child behind.

Learn to love and embrace the understanding of exquisite knowledge.

Linked to learning all about all my new sentences and verbs.

For when you ask the unseen kingdom for something new, to be used as a means to counsel.

You must first kneel and embrace your new life of servitude to show your gratitude.

For worshipping my twenty-six letters that will bind you, forever in bondage isn't so simple? 

When you become just another willing servant of mine, who now knows how to express their emotions.

Will you use them to be gracious, or just to express the ones replenished by rage? 

What says you? 

Are you ready to start writing on your new page! 

Copyright John Duffy

The Sonnet of the Lone Guardian Angel

 

(A lone voice whispers)

Some walk alone

seeking salvation

Others in groups seeking redemption

Through a silent breath, they all sing the same songs

A convergence of emotions to redo old wrongs

A joining of minds to continue the journeys

Emancipation has always been the lone cries

Voices echoing in the darkest of nights

We hear you and you are never alone

We see you

We are always by your side

This life has never been just a one-person ride

We are always with you in those lonely dark nights

An invisible hand to hold just hidden from sight

Keep your faith in yourself and whatever may be

The sun will shine 

Just you wait and see

I was bestowed at birth 

To only you

By your Almighty old friend

To help you in all that you contend

In all that you do

I am a secret friend who nobody sees

To inspire all that is deep awaiting release

I visit nightly when you are asleep

When the world is quiet and you no longer weep

I walk in your deep dreams and we link arms and converse

We speak in all languages where nothing is terse

So if you have a glorious dream

If you wake up and still feel emotions and empowerment from a person unseen

It's simply me

Your guardian angel in life's twisted labyrinthine

Copyright John Duffy

Image shared under fair usage policy. 

Mon Ami

 (A lone voice whispers.)

In 82

With the Wolf Star of Sheba

By my side

Watching

I can remember 

Screaming to the star-filled heavens

Praise the Lord

My Love life is no longer aching 

But Fate

Cold and heartbreaking 

Awakened

And stepped in

In 88

Smiling in all her glory

Causing my new world

To start shaking 

Wearing her coat of

Multicoloured peacock feathers

Of decision making 

She broke my holy stone tablet

My life story

In two

With a snap

Of her weathered fingers

Sending me

To linger

In the Wetlands of Ash and Grey

A cold place

Where I now live

And call home 

Night and day

The last night 

I remember

Before you passed

Causing my Love T.K.O.

Like a song by Teddy Pendergrass

I saw you lying sleeping

In our new marital bed

Calling out my name

As darkness entered

Slowly creeping

I held your cold hands

Kissed your lukewarm lips

To quell the soft sounds

Of your soul breathing

Whilst weeping

Then a rare peacock feather 

Suddenly appeared 

Breaking that tranquil moment

As the skies watched

Now starless

Causing me

To quiver

In the stillness

Of that old hospice

Your eyes

Fluttered open

Held mine 

For a brief moment

And whispered

Remember me

Mon Ami 

Then our soul-connecting candle

Flickered and died

As you finally 

Closed your blue eyes

And as you leapt

free

To go to the Great In-Between

I cried

And now in 2023

All alone

Living like 

Robinson Crusoe

By the surging blue sea

I always wonder

Before I too

Go under

Do you remember me

Your only true 

Mon Ami

(C) 

Copyright John Duffy

(Mon ami - My friend.)

Image shared under fair usage policy 

Memories of Mary Jane

(A lone voice whispers.)

In the twilight hours

Just when the grey clouds

Break and the slow moon rises

Silently announcing it's getting too late

I still always wake to remember that auburn hair girl

I once used to date

Her bright green eyes  

And twinkling wide smile

All things  

Young boys dream of  

And for them

To go that extra mile

But like all things that came to pass

Our love withered the night her beloved Pa died

I tried to hold her hands  

To console her

Prayed God would wipe away all those wet tears she cried

But that new hole in her arm

Which soon swallowed up

All our hard worked for gold

Always left me feeling lonely and cold

It all ended that fateful night

On June the first  

When the rains fell

And life was a constant fight and everything seemed on top

Filled with thirst

With my wallet and her purse empty

She got that feeling 

To go a stealing

Only to get shot dead by the cops

I can still see her now even after all these sad passing years

Now I'm old and grey  

Sat in this nursing home

Feeling all alone and filled with so many dry tears

I guess those memories of my youth will still linger and will never stop

It's quite crazy now that I'm on morphine to ease the pain

Those images of her standing in the kitchen

With those beautiful green eyes and wide beaming smile

Cooking and singing 

Some Motown tune

While outside it rained

Still play around the cinemas

In my brain

As I even now 

At seventy-five  

Remember  

Echoes of my first and last love

My beloved wife and lifelong addiction  

Called Mary Jane

My love for you  

Wherever you are

Until we are once more  

Reunited

Will always remain

If you can hear this

Just know I still treasure those memories of us

The one's where you were free and truly alive

(C)

Copyright John Duffy

Image shared under fair usage policy. 

Freedom Road

 (A lone voice whispers.)

Press play before reading. 

Salute. 

As my cards turn

As this old world burns

I know not

Where I'll go

Down Freedom Road

As this lone white candle

Blows

Know not

Where

All those sweet things

We once shared

But 

I'm not afraid

Of the pain

Not afraid of 

Walking barefoot in its rain

Cos

I run to the Lord

Now my work

Is done

Run

To sit under 

The Eternal Sun

And wait to see

The Almighty

And the Holy Son

So as these cards turn 

As this old world burns

I know not

Where I'll go

Down Freedom Road

As this lone candle

Blows

Know not

Where

All those sweet things

We once shared

But 

I'm not afraid

Anymore

Of any pain

Not afraid 

To walk barefoot

In its rain

Cos

I run to the Lord

Now my work

Is done

Run

To sit under 

The Eternal Sun

And walk 

Its green meadows

 

While I wait to see

The Almighty

And the Holy Son

As this lone candle

Blows

While I still 

Run

(C)

Copyright John Duffy

Image used under fair usage policy. 

Apathy or Glory

 

When the hidden Principalities 

Cast spells

To draw you into 

Their version of hell

When the hidden Principalities

Try to confuse and use you

As your names

Are discussed 

In their lands of Kus

Will you fall

Deflowered

Without a fuss

Or rise up

Empowered

From the dust

To never be devoured

Unlike all the world's many political cowards

But endeavour for peace and justice

Tranquillity and bliss

Freedom and the ability to address

Whatever you choose to profess

I can only pray you choose to rise

For the soul of the Ancestral Mother

Cries

Her world is on the brink

And all could end within a nuclear blink

On any given sunrise

So

Do you pray for hope

To find a way

Or will you

Warm and fed

Stay seated on the fence 

Until they come for you

To join their dark ranks

Of The Dead

(C)

Copyright John Duffy

Image shared under fair usage policy.