. Poetry from The Great In-Between

Thursday, November 5, 2026

Have you seen Corruption too

 


Blessed be 

Velumbound 


Have you seen Corruption too? 


(A lone voice whispers)


For many years I have seen your world get darker, be it by brooks or society's underground streams.


I've wandered through dreams with Morpheus.


Saw political hungry eyes gleam.


Free from light but dark, beside brooks or underground streams.


Just know this.

From I Camael


A beast hides its face, amongst those where it sows its seeds of greed and disgrace.


As it's welcomed willingly into corrupt places.


By eyes that gleam.

Berifit of any God's grace.


(C)

Copyright John Duffy 


Camael is the Archangel of Love, War, Justice, Strength, Courage, Fortitude, and Protection. 


 




The Philosopher

 


Blessed be. 

Velumbound. 


(A lone voice whispers)


In 2026


It's good to still see someone who loves that mysterious thing called poetry


For like astrology


Reading or being consumed by it can help reveal answers 


We all might silently yearn for it to help us through personal disasters 


A chance to embrace the fluctuations we endure daily 


With people or situations, as we walk out of our door


And even more so 


Pay homage to those experiences as we explore and grow


On this planet, we live on


It's great to see the intricate and delicate


The visceral


Sensuous and ravenous themes 


Used to lay works by its followers upon its altars


As they bare their souls

Their sacredness 


For to do so, in the stillness of day or night


I know they too will feel the tranquillity and shades of holiness, of being alive 


In a wild world of living broken things


The never-ending opportunities for showcasing their insights, using social media 


As a bridge

A sort of PDF file


The transformation and attachment to the Seen 


The Unseen and creating connection points


Like a docking way station


For travellers to be able to pause and look within, a carefully created abyss 


As they look back and reminisce


For with you, the writer 


It might help bring peace to those seeking a light 


From that which burns in your candle holder


As you let that poetic lantern go


And for you, the listener who reads on 


Throughout the four seasons, for whatever reasons


It can help summon emancipation through liberation 


The beholders of all things good


As they stand

Shoulder to shoulder, as you get older


From the servitude of seeking to be always good, in all things


Trying to find freedom under the rising sun


As well as avoiding the temptation and bondage of evil, for a gilded chain 


Since a golden chain can be as much a chain as an iron one


(C)

Copyright John Duffy   

Wednesday, November 4, 2026

Alberto's Dreams.

 


Ultimately, "Alberto's Dreams" captures the universal human anxiety of the unlived life. 

Alberto is a battle-weary traveler who has survived the "four winds" of existence, yet his final, most profound battle is entirely internal. 

He dies or fades away, wondering if he should have crossed a sacred threshold with the one who got away, leaving the reader suspended in his final, haunting question. 

(A lone voice whispers)


As I lie nightly in my bed of metaphorical red roses, and as my soul flickers in the encroaching darkness


A midnight battle commences within my mind 


Do I chase that mesmerising handmaiden just beyond my sight, bestowed by fate


Or was our preconceived time in the Master of all Ceremonies great book done, and now it's too late


As I breathe in as the pain eases and the wheezing stops


I can feel her lullabies and needs reaching out


Like the long-lost look Edith gave Lot in Sodom and Gomorrah 


Before she too turned into a pillar of salt


As I sit in this darkness consuming this twenty-five-year-old malt whiskey 


I wonder where she is 

as my inner mind, filled with thoughts of ever-swirling prose, goes misty


I once walked in the Land of the Shadows 


Walked knee-deep in the primordial sludge upon secretive moors, serenaded by echoes from a light-giving Arkenstone 


I fought the four winds


Maelstroms and dark mysteries to find my own battle-weary path home 


But when I pause for a quiet moment and I look back 


Across the many memories of my own tapestries and deep tributaries 


Stretched here before me from here to my birth 


I always wonder


What would happen if I caught her soft hands


And carried her willing and wide-eyed 

Across that sacred threshold


Into my Red Church 


(C)

Copyright John Duffy 



Have you had the Blues

 


(A lone voice whispers) 


As the silvery midnight sun rose


I drank my wet, velvety smooth whiskey


Tasting exquisitely

My Life's Blues


I looked to the faraway sparkling stars

Wondering 


Where do those lost really go


The mother's

Fathers 

Sisters and brothers 


After this mortal show


Is it to alabaster halls and reunions with old family and friends


Warm conversations, endless soft music and priceless red wine


Or somewhere else


Cocooned between this world and the divine


Just relentlessly exchanging stories and fond memories


For there is no longer any time


Will they still remember us and send us a sign


A soft kiss on the cheek

A red robin

A white feather


To always remind us

They still wait, love-drunk


In all weathers


Longing for an 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


(C)

Copyright John Duffy

Who's your muse?


 Blessed be 

Velumbound. 


This piece is a gothic, psychological exploration of creativity, trauma, and the subconscious mind. 


It frames the "muse" not as a traditional, idealised figure of inspiration, but as a collective of repressed emotions, memories, and fears waiting to be processed.


(A lone voice whispers) 


Who's your hidden or known muse?


Muses come in many forms, and this relates to all those emotional tributaries. 


You consciously or unconsciously carry.


In mental interdimensional abstracts


Which wait patiently to flow rapidly, only to make you perspire when you dream. 


From fear, love and all things broken in-between 


Do they all stand knee-deep, huddled together in quiet conversations, until you dream?


Then agree which one will enter your mind-eyes, fast-flowing streams?


To greet you in the deep recesses of your mind 


As so many others watch


Waiting their turn to cross over from their compartmentalised tombs


To be the muse


Standing within Amygdala's darkened rooms


(C) 

Copyright John Duffy 



Are you being hunted?

 


Blessed be. 

Velumbound. 


Beneath the supernatural imagery, this transmission is a sharp critique of modern adult life. 


The speaker argues that as we "grow older," the "insidious manipulation of society" forces us to compromise our values.


We take on stress, greed, and moral compromises (chains and baggage), which ultimately weakens our spiritual core. 


Sleep, which should be a sanctuary, becomes the danger zone because our subconscious is forced to confront the corruption we tolerate during the day.


Visions from The Great

 In-Between


(A lone voice whispers)


Did you know that demons prowl like a clan of hyenas while you sleep? 


They come close, creeping in from the dark shadows and sniffing for the odour of your soul. 


Their presence may signal that you are becoming increasingly corrupted by the insidious manipulation of society as you grow older. 


They seek the sweet smell of cabbage, a feast to collect, much like Jacob Marley, as your soul grows weak.


As you carry more and more unnecessary chains and baggage. 


So the question is: 


Will you pray to your God of choice to strengthen your soul? 


For when you sleep, the night dwellers come prowling, creeping in 


To seek you as their ultimate goal. 


For they look for corrupted souls who are drawn to all things wicked, linked to defilement.


For them to use soul metastasis to help their wickedness grow


Like falling black snow. 


(C) Copyright John Duffy



Occult Whispers

 



Blessed be. 

Velumbound. 


"Occult Whispers" is a piece about reclaiming agency. 


It suggests that by diving into the esoteric depths of the self, utilising intuition, and consciously choosing to walk away from past traumas ("low places"). 


An individual can fundamentally restructure their reality.


The wind (ventus) becomes the ultimate symbol of this transformation:


Invisible, powerful, clearing away the old, and rising above the earth.


(A lone voice whispers) 


Do you summon new or old secret places


Sanctuaries of Hidden Sacred Spaces


Transforming and restructuring unseen realities, and visions of old or new faces


To even build bridges to cross contradictions of ego, self and even trauma


To walk away from low places: 


Linked to old cities like Sodom and Gomorrah


Using a diverse mixture of letters as a supernatural or mystical quality


To create and help override everyday experiences of regression or depression 


Using wisdom, spiritual insight, and intuition


If so, this occult spell is for you to help you win


Quasi ventus surgas et vincas omnia peccato coniuncta


(May you rise like the wind and conquer all things linked to sin)


 (C)

Copyright John Duffy 




The Lost Boy and the Girl with the Golden Guitar

 


Blessed be. 

Velumbound. 


This evocative transmission is a deeply personal, elegiac piece that explores themes of secret love, spiritual connection, and shared suffering. 


Written as a dedication, it blends romantic idealism with a sense of tragic isolation.


. The Subject: An Idealised Muse


• "To the one I know with a secret, sacred name": 


The transmission opens with an air of exclusivity and intimacy. 


The "secret, sacred name" suggests a bond that is hidden from the world, elevating the muse to something holy or divine.


• "uses poetry as a means of expressing the beauty of appealing to people, with a common touch": 


The subject is framed as an artist or a communicator who possesses a rare gift—the ability to express profound beauty while remaining accessible and relatable ("a common touch") to ordinary people.


2. The Setting: Isolation and Material Contrast


• "Lying on her bed / Surrounded by glittering glass and silver": 


This image introduces a stark contrast. 


While she lies in bed—a vulnerable, perhaps sedentary or restricted position—she is surrounded by cold, sharp, and brilliant objects ("glittering glass and silver"). 


This could symbolise wealth, a sterile environment (like a hospital or a beautifully adorned cage), or the fragile, fractured nature of her reality.


3. The Core Conflict: Separation and Devotion


• "Every day we're together, in spirit, and one day God will save and forgive us": 


This line reveals that the speakers are physically separated, relying entirely on a spiritual connection. 


The plea for salvation and forgiveness introduces a layer of guilt, taboo, or religious tension, implying their bond may be forbidden or unconventional in the eyes of society or faith.



• "No matter how deep life's cruel knife cuts":


This striking metaphor acknowledges severe external hardship, pain, or emotional trauma. 


It establishes the bond between the two individuals as a sanctuary against a hostile world


4. The Archetypes: The Lost Boy and the Golden Guitar


• "The little lost boy and the girl with the golden guitar, who loved each other too much": 


The transmission concludes by transforming the two individuals into mythic, fairytale-like archetypes:


 • The little lost boy evokes vulnerability, a lack of direction, and a need for comfort.


 • The girl with the golden guitar reinforces her musical or poetic identity, where "golden" represents her value, brilliance, or pure talent.


 • "loved each other too much": 


This final phrase is the emotional crux. 


It suggests that their love is overwhelming, consuming, and perhaps the very source of their tragic circumstances. 


It implies an intense, codependent, or impossible romance that defies boundaries but carries a high cost.


Key Takeaway


The transmission operates as a bittersweet tribute to an intense, hidden relationship. 


It beautifully balances the pain of physical separation and worldly cruelty against the enduring power of spiritual unity and artistic appreciation.


Let us begin. 


(A lone voice whispers) 



To the one I know with a secret, sacred name 


And uses poetry as a means of expressing the beauty of appealing to people, with a common touch


Lying on her bed

Surrounded by glittering glass and silver 


Every day we're together, in spirit, and one day God will save and forgive us


No matter how deep life's cruel knife cuts


The little lost boy and the girl with the golden guitar, who loved each other too much 


(C)

Copyright John Duffy 

Has the Serpent (The Nāḥāš) visited you?

 


This poignant transmission explores the profound duality of human existence, contrasting a lifelong romantic ideal with the devastating reality of sudden loss and grief.


Structurally, the transmission relies on an extended metaphor built around the "stages of the day" (Dawn, Twilight, Night) to map out the journey of a relationship from its youthful inception to its ultimate fate.



The Intrusion of the Serpent (The Nāḥāš):


The tone shifts dramatically with the introduction of the Nāḥāš (the Hebrew word for the serpent in the Garden of Eden). 


This choice of language is deliberate and powerful. 


By framing the tragedy as a smiling, deceptive serpent or a "dark thief in the night," the transmission elevates a personal loss into a cosmic, archetypal betrayal. 


It implies that the destruction of this perfect love is akin to the Fall of Man. 


An expulsion from paradise.


(A lone voice whispers) 


In the Dawn of Life, 

Maybe even at high school


Did you embrace one of life's golden rules


To hold hands, encouraged by first love's sweet kiss


To carry you through to the supercool, Twilight of your Life


With the only true one, whose love has never cooled:


And if you're still incredibly lucky, brings you such bliss 


Or did the Shadows of Life appear 


Smiling like a Nāḥāš

Like a dark thief in the night


To take back God's divine gift, and leave you scrambling and grieving 


Daydreaming of the Dawn and Twilight of your Life


Before something cruel caused you to separate and drift


When everything seemed so perfect and nice 


Before the cut of The Shadows of Life's sharp, ceremonial knife


(C) Copyright John Duffy 






The Watcher

 


Blessed be 

Velumbound. 


This transmission is written from the perspective of "The Watcher." 


A soul who died on March 5, 1902, and has spent over a century in a state of purgatory or spiritual limbo.


Instead of moving on completely to the afterlife, the speaker has chosen to sit on a spiritual precipice ("Perched / Upon this rock") to wait to rejoin a lover in heaven. 


The core conflict is the agonising passage of time; 


The speaker is trapped between an unyielding attachment to their past life and the slow, painful wait for their lover. 


To finally join them ("walk through that gate").


(A lone voice whispers)



I crossed over

In March 



On the fifth

In the year of our Lord

1902



All these years 

I've sat 


Patiently waiting for you



I've watched 

Our old world

Burn



Through the blackest of nights 



Witnessed hearts bleed

With incomprehensible need



Seen corruption and illusions unfold 



As the seduced welcomed evil into their strongholds



Watched shining stars fall

Pondering my fate 


As I wait

Thinking


 

When will she call me 

And walk through that gate


That I look to

Down that dark road

Every second 



Whenever I think

Of you



I've looked in

Old memories that beckoned



Explored all the who knows

Linked to sin



Chased paper boats

With endless time 



Just hoping

She's coping

In Heaven



And not broken 

In the Deep Divine



But still

Perched 



Upon this rock

I

Wait



Even though the Mendli

Think I'm crazy


  

But my old Love 

Still cuts me open


 

Making me cling to an old life


With wild dreams of a new beginning



So angels

Forgive me



But hear me

Quick



Take my hand

And lead me home 



To her


Give me the Star Fire

If this can't happen


Or you can't do it



For I fear

I can no longer

Wait 



For the opening of that gate



So let me cross the burning sand barriers



Step straight through the eternal fire



For I'm waiting for true love


The price worth this pain



As one 

Moves on

And one remains



Show me a happy couple

And I'll show you the fire that ignites 



And it's that light

That I pray



Keeps carrying me

On horseback 



Throughout

All these 


Endless nights


Before I lose the will to fight and ask Pandemonium to let me in  


(C)

Copyright John Duffy