BOTTLED FLAMES
There’s a bottle,
filled with,
explosive flames
It starts with a flicker,
then it ends with an eruption.
And so it goes with the mind,
and the emotions.
The emotions fill,
the mind with anger,
until the point of unhappy expression.
There’s no way,
to escape,
the mind,
and the emotions,
are like,
bottled flames
THE HIDDEN GENTLEMAN
Somewhere in the distance,
Lies a quiet man, he don’t have a lot to say.
Yet, his mind is full of anguish.
Unable to take position in authority.
He stays out of sight in the fear of being rejected.
As if there were no existence of him.
Courageous, yet powerless, to do anything about it.
The hidden gentleman is silent.
All that remains is an existence.
THE LIGHTHOUSE OCCUPANT
On a misty shore stands a lone lighthouse.
The wind roars, as the tides slam against,
helpless sand dunes.
After a period of time,
the sounds of mother nature
seem to die down.
In the midst of the calmness
a subtle tapping seems to be heard.
It appears to come from the lighthouse
Even though no one is in it.
Shadow figures dance around
And about the balcony.
Then all of a sudden, they disappear.
Another dead person left to wander the earth?
Perhaps, perhaps indeed.
THE WEEPING WHIPPOORWILL
When the late rain entertains the evening
In the quietness of the dusk.
An old familiar sound occupies the attentive ear.
A mournful bird seemingly draws nigh.
Though a bird’s thoughts
No one knows.
The crying could be the result
From a lost mate.
Neverless, the sound of a Whippoorwill
Is pleasurable to the human soul
A certain peace surrounds the heart
While the weeping whippoorwill, flies around in the midst.
SHADOWS IN THE DESERT
Dry, dusty sand fills the air,
when you see something that’s
not really there.
Could it be a mirage?
Or someone with a troubled spirit?
The shadows come in
different shapes and sizes.
I can only say thank you for the ride of visions and words you use to express your poems. I love Bottle…it reminds me of the riots of 68 and the anger.Perhaps I can write a poem after you because yours reaches the mark.
Patrick, I always enjoy reading your poetry. Of this group, The Hidden Gentleman and Bottled Flames are my favorites. All of these are great, just those two I can feel the emotion behind them. Keep writing and keep sharing. I love you, my dear friend.
This is my brother’s work! I am so very proud of him for all the things he is doing. I know where his inspiration comes from, and it is difficult to read it without tears because of the emotional response they provoke. But, that is what makes for great poetry!!