Peace

(A lone voice whispers)

In the lower levels of spiritual existence 

We once roamed

Alone and lonely

Forlornly

Looking for true love

And all its mysterious emotional energy

Hidden away 

In our empty homes

And like a red rose 

Blooming in a garden of thorns

I found you

Like a rare diamond amongst the coal

Blowing your triumphant golden horn

We danced

Sang and laughed together

And our happiness seemed forever

But Fate

That unseen handler of so many

From The Great In-Between

Intervened

Then you were once more lost 

The ever-expanding sea

 From dark shores

Had reached us and you were beached

Somewhere 

Between

Where and there

Between us

But

Regret is a grey smoke 

I will never breathe

Pain 

A tablet of separation

I will never take

For our life

Together although short

Will vibrate

Throughout my eternity 

Forever

For memories make a person once broken 

Smile filled with happy thoughts

Though unspoken

For pain and regret are always blowing like hungry

Vampiric seeds in the loose winds

Hoping to take root and grow in the garden of sad hearts

Which invite them in

Sadness found in regret and pain 

Should be cleansed by remembering

All those happier times 

For that's how I remain

Profound

For even though now

My old love and me

Don't share the same

Common ground

Like

Rose DeWitt Bukater and Jack Dawson

In that famous Titanic ending scene

We'll dance forever 

Together

 

In my dreams

(C)

Copyright John Duffy

Image shared under fair usage policy

Autumnal Whispers

 Autumnal Whispers 

Autumnal darkness comes like a favourite old friend 

In this

The longest of nights

In September 

Creeping in like a Mesopotamia creeping mist 

Like one remembered 

While the rest of the world is sleeping 

Depriving me of sleep

Underneath its meager grey skies

As weather chimes

Overcast

Cry

Sing and whistle

In rhyme 

O Lord,

Hear my cry

On your

Most High

Open up my soul contract

And declare by your decree

My freedom is still intact

My freedom to find my Lucinda

The girl who once gave me her number 

A while back

Only to lose me and our whispered pact

By the strike of your thunder

Hear me

O Mighty Lord

In this Autumnal hour

Cut the cord 

Cut the cord

So I can leave this memory place 

Of smoke and ash

So I can just run

To find her with all my remaining power

But in these low whispers 

In the deep depths

I feel the vibrational presence of viewers

So here's to you

You 

The bohemians 

Eccentrics originals and mavericks

The kingdom builders of visual worlds that shine through 

Using the power and brilliance of inspired words and fluted thoughts

I pray with you to stay

Like my beloved Lucinda 

In memories

You 

The Ones

That has the brilliance of words and fluted thoughts 

Only you

I can praise

You

The searchers

Creator's

Poetic

Time abusers

Be free and never 

Bought

(C)

Copyright John Duffy

The Wastelands of Shibboleth.

 Foundation of the piece:

Do those we lose, watch and wait?

What do you think?

Title:

The Wastelands of Shibboleth. 

(A lone voice whispers)

These nights are so long 

Now that I've crossed this dark sea with the child of Erebus

Singing

The Coming Home

Song

To a land undreamed of

But I sometimes 

Wonder 

Do you still miss me

My only love

Now that we're both free

For I'll still love you 

As long as The Hurrian Hymn is played 

Even as long 

As heartfelt prayers are made

To the peaks of the highest snow-covered mountains 

And into the deep depths

Of Agartha 

Hidden Fountains

My soul may be unreachable

And out of sight

Every night

Brought about by our Lord and Grace

By always remember 

I'm here

Just waiting in a pristine white room

In a unique place

Where 

Through my obsidian scrying glass

I can still see 

Your beautiful face

By sun and moon

Rain or shine

Fire or candlelight

To love you

Is all I now have 

To carry me through these endless nights

In these Barren Lands

To remind me

You were once mine

An even though

I've taken my last breath

When Deaths Messenger

Charon called

I'll still love you through all the tragedies

As 

Thane of Glamis

Loved his Lady Macbeth 

For sometimes faith in love 

Is all you can use

When you have nothing left 

To lose

So when God

Bade me take my last breath

With a wave of his hand

Like Nero of Rome

So I could hear the child of Erebus

Singing

The Coming Home

Song

I made his messenger

Titan promise

I shall see you better

Even after death

When you join me here

In Shibboleth

The Wastelands 

Filled with those

No longer wearing flesh 

(C)

Copyright John Duffy

Image shared under fair usage policy.

Music shared through Cap Cut

Argento

 

(A lone voice whispers)

In this new spiritual war, 

I've searched

So many once long forgotten rooms 

Hidden in this cathedral of my mind

My old worldly kingdom

Looked in faded memory tombs

For freedom

Visited death and birth

Laughter and mirth

Mementos of life on Earth 

Endless light

And dark cloaks

Worn by

Recollections

Of folks

Invoked

Now 

I'm here 

 

Standing like a lighthouse 

Before all the oncoming

All consuming darkness 

By this 

Always burning 

Old Oak tree

The only truths

I now know

Sharpened by the Blacksmiths 

Of Time's

Anvils

As it flows

Like poetry by

Oscar Wilde

And it's why 

My soul

Now bleeds

In rhymes and cries 

Looking down to the walking flesh coffins

Beyond 

Filled to the brim

With greed and sin

Just awaiting a home

When gravediggers

Are summoned 

By lone priests

To dig

I've watched love turn to hate and burnt to ash 

As foolish lovers

Took the Devil's cold cash

Looked upon empty bedrooms 

As angels were cast out by new practices

From loving homes

Seen red roses

Crushed in concrete

To never regrow 

As their leaves 

Withered in sorry defeat

In the ethereal snow

Saw Straw Men

In red clouds 

Ride in

Smiling

To rain down on those 

Praying to sin

But through it all

No matter how many

Pieces have to fall

The only truth that matters

Is to have faith

In whatever religion 

You believe in

To break the bullpen 

 

So You'll know when to protect yourself 

To never choke again

For one day 

We

The true believers

Will stand 

Shoulder to shoulder

Arm in arm

And sing this

Our battle song 

O LORD

O LORD

Keep us

Safe

O LORD

Safe

O LORD

From the wicked 

Places

O LORD

Protect us from storms of violence 

O LORD

By planners

Hiding 

In the silence

O LORD

O LORD

Come our Way

For

You are the Way

The way to

The Ford

So 

Hear us

O LORD

So

Hear us

O LORD

Glory Glory

Hallelujah

O LORD

Glory Glory

Hallelujah 

 

Do you believe 

You'll stand and sing

Arm in arm

When the Great Tribulation 

Comes and

Begins

I hope so

For when the trials of sin come

I'll look for you 

To take 

Your arm

To sing our marching song as the great purge begins

To the sound of beating drums

O LORD

O LORD

Keep us

Safe

O LORD

Safe

O LORD

From the wicked 

Places

O LORD

Protect us from storms of violence 

O LORD

By planners

Hiding 

In the silence

O LORD

O LORD

Come our Way

For

You are the Way

The way to

The Ford

So 

Hear us

O LORD

So

Hear us

O LORD

Glory Glory

Hallelujah

O LORD

Glory Glory

Hallelujah 

 

(C)

Copyright John Duffy

 

Señora Desamor: Lady Heartbreak

Press Play

(A lone voice whispers)

I can always remember the first time I met her

Dancing wearing blue roller skates to Disco Inferno

In Studio 54

In 77'

All dressed in white satin 

I should have known 

Deep down what would happen

She'd put me under her emotional spell

Like an angel sent from Heaven 

Then invite me later

Like a concierge

Into here

Heartbreak Hotel 

Where the broken go to rebel and scream

In their cells

As She watches and

Absorbs the sights and smells 

While lost souls like us

Kneel plead and yell

Burn baby

Burn

So it must be true what some say

That if you're eager to learn about or taste a touch of hell

Take a sip of love's crimson waters 

From her deep well

To fall under her spell

(C)

Copyright John D 

Señora Desamor: Lady Heartbreak

Image shared under fair usage policy 

 

Propaganda

 

Press Play.

Foundation of the piece:

Do you trust everything media companies broadcast?

(A lone voice whispers)

Let that balloon of propaganda and conditioned hate go

So it can disappear and fade like winter snow

Like when Spring comes

Marching in 

With her army of green 

Called Rebirth

To fire life-giving bullets from their green guns 

Into the Earth

As She watches and speaks in tongues 

To embrace the sounds of your own souls redemption drums

When that time 

Finally comes

For even the blind get led by the blind

Cleverly played by those 

Who cast mind spells to bind

So let that balloon float away

Filled with verses that once swayed

Starting today

Therefore, in closing 

Listen carefully what newscasters say

For all words are spells

Particularly poetry

Don't get given a dark balloon of hate by Spellcasters

With minds

Bought with silver pieces of eight

To cast mind spells to bind 

To subjugate

Who are always lying in wait

Smiling sitting in this interconnected world 

Just bought and paid for 

To manipulate 

(C)

Copyright John Duffy 

Image shared under fair usage policy

The Monologue of the Vampire who changed his name to Dorian Gray

 

Press Play.

(A lone voice whispers)

I've seen crazy things

Mortal man should never see

Done and experienced acts of such depravity in candle lit 

Incense filled bedrooms

And chambers

Secrets

I'll take when I'm called to the tomb

Sailed in slow-moving ships and endless 

Wet hips around the world

Not just in this

My present life

But many more

Past lives

Entered dark places of depravity

Straight ones wouldn't enter or drink in 

Fearing the call of serving the Countess of all Sin

For eternity 

But now I feel Death wanting to take this life alongside all I love

For I feel him looking in my secret scrying mirror 

Smiling like Michael Angelo with his bony hands by his side

Tapping in rhythm 

The Marching Days Are Over

But with my silent heart now asking 

Was it worth it

All that excessiveness and scandal 

As we sit on this last mountain of Goodbyes

Not feeling the warmth of this purple-repentance candle

On my cold and calculating mind

Her bright light

The one from so long ago

Strikes my amygdala

Like an arrow fired by Sitting Bull

From an acute angle

Deep into my skull 

And as her sweet memories fill my immortal cup

From my first love

I know why I won't accept Deaths offer and be culled

For to drink all that this life and future lives offers

I'll take everything in her memory and will never stop

As I wade knee-deep

Through its fast flowing waters

Looking for more lambs

Ready to slaughter 

(C)

Copyright John Duffy 

Image shared under fair usage policy.

Beloved Memories

 Press play.

Press Play

 

Have you taken her mark yet?

 

Press play.

(A lone voice whispers)

Take these few words as my blade

My Athame

To take my mark
To be my eternal slave

Wherever you sit or lay Beyond the stars

For I'll help mend all your scars
Keep your deep secrets

Help you breathe in deeply
To quell the screaming

So you can revel and grow
In my new experiences

As your soul drifts
Through words

Like the Mary Celeste and starts singing

Never to feel empty
Or lonely

For I'll help you make it Through each and every night

So make my mark
On your astral skin

Think of Poetry
And welcome me in

And we'll have each other
Every day and night

So it'll be alright
I'll help you
Win

For you're everything I need And everything I want

A new flame to join

The many others 

I helped to blaze and see

So conjure me with

"Sume animam meam
Calliopea"

(Take my soul
Calliope)

And I'll be with you
Always

So mote it be

(C) Copyright John Duffy