Poems Relating To Rites Of Passage.

Poems Relating to Rites of Passage.

 

Something is taking place.

Horns thrust upward from the brow.

Hooves beat impatient where feet once were.   

My son, youth grows alarming in your face.

Your innocent regard is cruelly charming to me now.   

You bristle where my fond hand would stir

to stroke your cheek.    I do not dare.

Irregular meters beat between your heart and mine.   

Snuffling the air you take the heat and scan

the lines you take in going as if I were or were not there

and overtake me.

   And where it seems but yesterday I spilld the wine,

you too grow beastly to become a man.

Peace, peace.    I’ve had enough.    What can I say   

when song’s demanded? —I’ve had my fill of song?   

My longing to sing grows full. Time’s emptied me.

And where my youth was, now the Sun in you grows hot, your day   

is young, my place you take triumphantly.    All along

it’s been for you, for this lowering of your horns in challenge. She   

had her will of me and will not

let my struggling spirit in itself be free.

 

-Robert Duncan.

To move the body towards itself
Requires a shock to make the test
A test of wills to be denied
A finer will to be defined.

The common man respects the state
Of comfort, happiness well defined
A hiding place to be most true
To living life in absense.

When man becomes a worthy disciple
He is initiated in the order of Light
He takes a test to work his truth
To open his mind, to kill the past.

The only way to find the light
Is by taking out the dark
To claim the present, to be reborn
The pain of birth to be renewed.

The loss of dark will take your heart
Will rip you up, will spit you out
Will bring your life to reaper’s edge
Will make you wish that you were dead.

But when the fury wastes its rage
A birthing process is engaged
A newborn vision will unfold
A new awareness to behold.

The grip of truth will power faith
& faith will bring the truth to bloom
A potent force to order time
The gift of life in Nature’s way. 

-Tom Kitt.

Ella sat by her window,
She listened to the other children,
On their way home from school,
She touched the iron window bars,
It was cold and Ella yearned for warmth,
She talked to the other children,
But they didn’t hear her,
When Ella sat by her window.

Ella sat by the fire,
She listened to the crackle,
As it begged for more,
She touched the flame,
Leaping back in pain,
She talked to creatures who moved with the blaze,
But they didn’t listen,
When Ella sat by the fire.

Ella sat at the table,
She listened to her Ma, Pa and Grandpa,
As they talked about grown-up things,
She touched the food,
Squidgy and burnt,
She talked to herself,
No-one listened but her,
When Ella sat at the table.

Ella went to bed,
She listened to them argue, Ma, Pa and Grandpa,
Shouting to each other in loud hushed voices,
She touched her sheets,
Wishing she were somewhere else,
She talked to her teddy bear,
He listened, but never answered,
When Ella went to bed.

Ella dreamt,
She saw creatures fly,
Their wings gleaming in the sunset,
She saw faces,
Much more beautiful than she could ever have imagined,
She saw skies, birds, animals,
For the first time in her life,
When Ella dreamt.

Ella woke,
She listened to nothing,
She wished the dream had gone on,
She touched herself,
"I am blind."
She said,
But no-one listened,
When Ella woke. 

- TJ Gardener

I'm laid back, A mellow attack,
I sink in and hear "What was that?"
The wind? The rain? Sin? Or pain?

Roll with the punches,
Bundled in bunches,
Sitting in silence,
Eating our lunches.

Lost in the sound,
As I lay on the ground,
Listening to beat,
Of my heart's pound.

It's hard, and it's loud,
It beats strong and proud,
It beats alone,
But its beats are allowed.

It resonates, it decimates,
It'll survive, is what I estimate,
Survive the wind, the rain, my sin, and my pain.

- Jon Zimmerman

Relationships tend to be quite tricky
They send me into a dizzy

Father I knew, was not to be
Father who had to be, was not be

Years gone by, not a word heard
Out of the blue someone comes calling

Do I feel happy, do I feel content?
Or should I ponder upon what should have been?

My share of laughter, my share of love
Was it even mine or only for those who came after?

Father's are the pillars of support
For this daughter, it's a hornet's nest

I don't know what went by,
I don't know how hard you tried

Through the dark road of despair
I found my way to self-support and self-reliance

Do I still need you, I wonder?
I think not, as the need was never felt

Disconcert is the only emotion
Your sudden presence makes me feel

You are still as good as not there
No change I see happening around

I feel no hatred, I feel no attachment
Acceptance is a long way ahead

The only bond that holds us together
Is your share of DNA in my creation

Never will I be able to call my father, 'Daddy'
It is not an excruciating agony I will bear all life

This is where I feel tempestuous towards you
'Cuz you still have someone to call you 'Daddy'

The poem appears chaotic to you
Utter chaos is what my mind is going through

So feel no hurt, feel no detest
I am just a daughter who learned to live without a father

Relationships tend to be quite tricky
They send me into a dizzy. 

- Batul Nafisa Baxamusa

Is it wrong?
Is it right?
Is it in the song?
Is it in the night?

It is a mystery.
It is a musical.
Written in history.
Written so lyrical.

Is it a word?
Is it a sentence?
It is a bird.
It is a penance.

Spoken so softly.
Spoken so sweetly.
Spoken so daftly.
Spoken so meekly.

I lost myself.
I lost my voice.
I am now found.
I will rejoice.

Was it a moment?
Was it eternity?
Smitten by torrent.
Smitten by serenity.

I am empowered.
I am benevolent.
Had I glowered.
Had been malevolent.

Woken to stars.
Woken to stares.
Woken to scars.
Woken, aware. 

- Jon Zimmerman

You betrayed me
You tore my heart out
And ripped it to shreds
Know I dread
To see you're face

I hate you
Because you lost me
When you
Made me cry

You hurt me

You betrayed me
You tore my heart out
And ripped it to shreds
Know I dread
To see you're face.

- Tia Crowley