New website coming soon.
Hosting links and descriptions of all my various works.
I think you may get stranded within its vast kaleidoscope of visual imagery, vocal transmissions and storytelling from beyond the rift.
Think of it as a library where you go to get something that interests you....
From love to grief.
Supernatural to holy.
Good and bad.
Light and day...
I'm sure I've probably already conjured something mesmerising:
To make your heart and soul sway
Blessed be.
Velumbound.
This new transmission blends spiritual imagery like frankincense and myrrh with a tender, yearning plea for intimate connection and unconditional love.
Shall we begin?
(A lone voice whispers)
Will you show me your hidden inner beauty
Free from sin
Will you gather me
From the blue
And let me in
Hold me close like frankincense and myrrh
And whisper
Word for word
I love ....
(C)
Copyright John Duffy
Velumbound.
This is an evocative transmission in a contemporary, gothic style that uses dark, supernatural imagery to explore themes of global existential dread.
Spiritual exhaustion and the predatory nature of despair.
Key Themes
The War of the Soul:
The transmission frames current global events not just as political or physical conflicts, but as a deep spiritual battle.
A "war of the soul."
It captures a collective feeling of burnout, moral decline, and hopelessness.
Predatory Despair:
The transmission warns that despair is actively waiting to capitalise on human suffering.
There are forces (metaphorical or literal) that thrive and grow "rich" when humanity loses its hope.
The Loss of Hope (The Light):
The ultimate fear expressed is the total extinguishing of "the light" (joy, goodness, or humanity), leaving vulnerable souls open to consumption.
Imagery & Metaphor
Meaning & Effect
"The dark flies" Metaphor / Insect
Flies traditionally symbolise decay, rot, and death.
Describing them as "dark" reinforces a looming, corrupting presence.
"Hungry grey fingers crossed"
Anthropomorphism
Giving flies "grey fingers" that are "crossed" creates a creepy, visual image.
It suggests anticipation and malice, as if the forces of decay are wishing for human failure.
"Absorbing sad souls"
Spiritual Imagery
This highlights a total loss of identity.
The vulnerable, "sad souls" aren't just defeated;
They are entirely consumed and erased.
"Like Morgana / The witch"
Mythological Allusion
References Morgan le Fay (Morgana) from Arthurian legend.
She represents dark magic, betrayal, and a powerful entity that drains or subverts the good (Camelot/the light).
Tone and Structure
The Dramatic Opening:
The parenthetical instruction (A lone voice whispers) sets a theatrical, intimate, and eerie tone.
It sounds like a warning delivered in secret, emphasising the isolation of the speaker.
Rhythm and Rhyme:
The piece shifts from a conversational question into a rhythmic, haunting nursery-rhyme cadence at the end (lost/crossed, souls / Morgana the witch).
This contrast makes the final warning feel punchy and memorable.
"Fighting back.
Shall we begin?
Title.
Decay.
(A lone voice whispers)
Have you really looked at what's happening globally?
I feel you knowing the dark flies are waiting
Waiting with their hungry grey fingers crossed
Hoping and praying when this war of the soul is over
And the light has lost
They will be rich
Absorbing sad souls
Like Morgana
The witch
(C)
Copyright John Duffy
Velumbound.
This transmission is a modern take on a classic romantic and high-fantasy lament.
It explores themes of instant love, fallen grace, and emotional captivity.
Here is a breakdown just for you of the core themes, imagery, and emotional trajectory:
1. The Spark of Passion (Lines 1–5)
• The "Soul Catching Fire":
The opening establishes an intense, immediate, and consuming attraction.
Fire represents passion, but also foreshadows destruction and the eventual "burnout" or torment described later.
• The "Poor Liar" Oath:
The speaker emphasises their absolute truthfulness.
To deny this love would not just be a lie;
It would be a spiritual curse, cementing the authenticity of their feelings.
2. The Fallen Monarch (Lines 6–8)
• The Tolkien King:
This is the emotional anchor of the poem.
It evokes images of Aragorn (Strider) in exile or Thorin Oakenshield—kings who have lost their kingdoms, their glory, and their purpose.
• "Who no longer sings":
In J.R.R. Tolkien’s lore, song is tied to creation, hope, and light.
A king who no longer sings has lost his joy, his voice, and his connection to his truest self.
3. Captivity and Hesitation (Lines 9–10)
• "Rut of never-ending buts":
This line introduces a sharp, modern contrast to the fantasy imagery.
It represents analysis paralysis, self-doubt, and the real-world obstacles keeping the speaker stuck.
• The Dark Queen:
The transmission takes a dark turn here.
The object of affection—or perhaps the speaker's current situation—is personified as an oppressive ruler.
• "Iron and Rust":
Unlike gold and jewels associated with rightful kings, this queen is wrapped in decay (rust) and harsh control (iron).
It suggests a toxic relationship, a binding duty, or a bleak reality that has trapped the speaker's fiery soul.
Shall we begin?
(A lone voice whispers)
When I first saw you
My soul caught fire
If I said different
I'd be cursed forever
To be a poor liar
So now
The man that you see
Like a lost Tolkien king
Who no longer sings
I'm caught in a rut of never-ending buts
Serving a dark queen covered in iron and rust
(C)
Copyright John Duffy
Blessed be.
Velumbound.
(A lone voice whispers)
Somewhere, I can feel someone asking... How do you write what you write at night?
Shall we begin?
Words come and go
Like old lovers coming together on a dark Saturday night
After some red wine has flowed
They entwine and slow dance
Before they explode
To then enter silence as they seek penance in new tenants
While seeking transcendence
(C)
Copyright John Duffy
Transcendence:
Moving beyond the physical, material world to connect with the divine, sacred, or eternal.
It describes a deity or a spiritual state that exists completely apart from and above the physical universe.
For my new readers.
My style is highly distinct, characterised by a catalogue of supernatural poetic monologues.
Which I call transmissions.
My work is easily recognisable by the recurring, atmospheric opening parenthetical directive:
(A lone voice whispers).
Its poetic style centres on several core thematic and structural pillars:
1. The Gothic and Supernatural Voice
I stylistically present transmissions as messages whispered from spirits, angels, or lost entities calling out from darkness.
I explicitly treat the writing process as though I am a "conduit from The Great In-Between," giving voice to spectral or interdimensional figures.
Maybe I really am.
This lends my work a haunting, theatrical, and ethereal quality designed to be read as spoken monologues.
2. Themes of Cosmic Grief and Romantic Loss
A heavy air of melancholy, bereavement, and nostalgia permeates my portfolio.
Frequently touching on deep emotional states, navigating the silent path through grief, lost love, and the haunting persistence of memories.
Often juxtaposing ordinary, raw human pain (such as the devastation of cancer) against massive terminology, which I can only describe as "dark, biblical, cosmic leviathan energy."
3. Spiritual and Metaphysical Imagery
I sometimes heavily incorporate spiritual and religious motifs, pulling from Christian theology, angelic lore, and esoteric concepts (referencing figures like guardian angels, the Archangel Metatron, and the Book of Life).
These transmissions may often read as parables or modern-day psalms dealing with:
The afterlife:
Finding a way "home" and navigating the transition beyond physical existence.
Divine comfort:
Seeking guidance from unseen entities to protect and comfort the soul through the shadows of mortality.
Moral ascension:
Promoting three foundational principles—care, understanding, and gratitude—as the antidote to the mundane or artificial realities of the world.
4. Atmospheric, Noir-esque Musings
Stylistically, many of my verses rely on a sombre, cinematic aesthetic.
It is common to find my characters or narrators placed in late-night settings, marked by "whiskey-filled nights," lone cigarettes, rain-slicked landscape imagery, and midnight weeping.
This reinforces the sense of absolute solitude evoked by my hallmark phrase, "a lone voice whispers."
So there you have the opening to my many books' lore.
I'm just an old beast
Carrying an old brown satchel
Filled with mesmerising stories from deep
Beyond the Far East
For your curious eyes to consume
In a never-ending feast
(C)
Copyright John Duffy
September 28.
2026
Blessed be.
Velumbound.
A new reflective transmission processing the emotional aftermath of a past relationship through a ritual of gratitude.
The speaker uses the refrain "Amen" to accept both the joys and heartaches of the connection, framing the memory as a sacred, lingering presence rather than a source of bitterness.
Shall we begin?
(A lone voice whispers)
As I sit on this bed
Thinking about before
About our war and peace
And the so beautiful release
I just wanted to say
Amen
Amen for all the good and bad times when we were lovers and friends
Amen
For teaching me so much and introducing me to a love I could touch
Even though now
I miss it so much
But like the North wind that blows
As all things grow old and go
Where only the ghosts of love can know
Tonight
In this half light
With the most holy watching
Amen for all those old memories that keep on knocking
As I sit on this bed
Thinking about before
(C)
Copyright John Duffy
Blessed be.
Velumbound.
A haunting transmission of unresolved grief, existential loss, and the agonising philosophical dilemma of choosing between free will and fate.
By introducing dark elements like "shadow people" and striking Gothic imagery such as "ruby-green eyes," the speaker attempts to process a sudden abandonment while remaining trapped in a cyclical loop of memory and longing.
Ultimately, the piece tries to beautifully balance deep bitterness with a final gesture of grace and closure.
Shall we begin?
(A lone voice whispers)
Even after all these years, I miss you still
Especially today, when I remember
How you walked right out of life's great door
In the silence, I sometimes wonder:
Was it free will
Or fate meant to do me ill?
Today, I shall confront these thoughts
Until I have finally had my fill
For if it wasn't free will to do me ill
But shadow people from beyond the hill
Then I can only pray today
And only softly say:
I do not wish you ill
If of me you had your fill
So on this broken hill
I’ll wave my last goodbye
My old love
For even after all these years
I miss you still
Especially today, when I remember
How you looked with those ruby-green eyes
That could kill
(C)
Copyright John Duffy
