My Poetry Blog

Starts right now!

I will not post, read or comment on any blog or group here at blog.co.uk until Tuesday 26th June

The Book

I took a book from off the shelf
And started reading it to myself
A hefty tome yellow with age
I trembled as I turned each page
My eyes widened with surprise
As graphic scenes met my eyes
A heady mix of every fashion
Written with heaps of passion
Loins and legs are everywhere
Breast and bellies are laid bare
Page on page of steaming flesh
Hot and spicy and very fresh
Descriptions are very earthy sounding
Beatings, trussing and even pounding
Fruity sections so revealing
Feeding senses and appealing
My appetite is now heightened
Making me so very frightened
I put the book back on the shelf
Trying so hard to restrain myself
I really shouldn’t have taken a look
At old Mrs Beeton’s cookery book

©Marian Barker

Self Defence

My defences are down and there at my feet
Broken by fierce battering storms that beat
Crumpled and bloodied there they lay
Waves dashing over them day after day
Washed by the tides and in their wakes
Breakers and boulders my spirit takes

Helpless I lay and yield for a while
Then start to rebuild smile by smile
Stronger foundations are quickly laid
Fortitude and courage are displayed
Day by day new defences are built
And the broken pieces sink in the silt

©Marian Barker

Open and Closed

Eyes that don’t see
Ears that don’t hear
Blissfully insulated
Closed to everything near

Eyes that won’t see
Ears that won’t hear
Minds that are closed
Through ignorance or fear

Eyes that can’t see
Ears that can’t hear
Are open and waiting
To receive loud and clear

©Marian Barker

Witch's Brew

Hubble bubble toil and trouble
See the witch’s cauldron bubble
Hints of truth though just a few
Go to make the witch’s brew
Simmered with a venomous bile
Served up with a twisted smile
Taste if you must but if you do
The witches brew will poison you

©Marian Barker

In Praise of Silence

In the stillness not a sound
Silence fills the air around
No noises beating at my head
Only calm and peace instead
Free from noise and set apart
In silence I can hear my heart

In the stillness not a sound
In my head ideas abound
Nothing to disturb my muse
Or to detract or to confuse
Free from toil and daily grind
In silence I can free my mind

©Marian Barker

That Quiet Somewhere

There
Turmoil will cease
In that quiet somewhere
I find peace

There
Nothing can harm
In that quiet somewhere
I find calm

There
Where I like to be
In that quiet somewhere
I find me

©Marian Barker

A Walk Around My Head

I looked around my head today
To see what I could throw away

In a corner I found memories
In another were lessons learnt
And hidden there right at the back
Some things that needed burnt
I brushed away the cobwebs
And tidied things in heaps
Piles and piles to throw out
And others there for keeps

Good memories are here to stay
I’ll look again some other day

©Marian Barker

My Never Ever Land

In this fantasy land where we reside
We will never be able to turn the tide
Never ever will we meet face to face
Never ever will our bodies embrace
Never ever will you call me your own
And I must forever live my life alone
Our lives will go on this way forever
Despite all who say “Never say never”

©Marian Barker

Backstage

The world is my stage
People think they know me
But the real person is hidden
Behind a mask of tragedy

The performer you see
Simply wraps a mantle round
To disguise her angst and sadness
Tragic yes - but profound

Peek behind the cloak
Then perhaps you’ll see
Behind this velvet shield
And recognise the real me

The world is my stage
People think they know me
But the real me is hiding
Behind a mask of comedy

The clown you see
Simply paints on her smile
She finds a face within a box
And wears it for a while

Peek behind the scenes
Then perhaps you’ll see
Behind the elaborate façade
And recognise the real me

Perhaps when the show is over
You’ll look back and you will see
That it was all just one big charade
You never did know the real me

©Marian Barker

This was first blogged 4 years ago and I know it's about Rugby but as England and France are playing footie tonight I thought I'd play the poetic licence card and post it again!!!!!

Paris Match

I’m now a European
I live in rural France
My life is so much richer
I’m glad I took the chance

Now life is usually quiet
And nothing much occurs
But the other night, our local
Was the busiest yet for years

On one side sat the *‘froggies’
With their tricolours unfurled
And then there were the *‘roast beefs’
From quite a different world

The room fell hushed and silent
As they watched the game begin
Both groups of supporters confident
That their team, of course, would win

The French group was the largest
As you would, I’m sure, expect
The Brits all here on foreign soil
Must show their hosts respect

They sat there with stiff upper lips
And tried to keep their poise
Whilst surrounded by the *‘froggies’
Making such a dreadful noise

Towards the end a change of mood
When it was becoming clear
That England might just win it
So the Brits gave out a cheer

Then with every passing minute
They started getting smugger
On Saturday in our French local
When England beat France at rugger!

©Marian Barker

* please note the words 'froggies' and 'roastbeefs' (rotiboeufs) were terms used by the French supporters

Feeding the Monster

Beware of the monster with green scary eyes
It will creep up and give you a nasty surprise
You may think it is sweet and won’t be a threat
But be very careful you’ve seen nothing yet
The monster will lull you into feeling secure
Then quickly turn round and hurt you for sure
It pretends it’s the best friend you’ve ever had
Then laughs in your face and makes you feel bad
It thrives on attention and it’s a true parasite
Waiting ready and eager to give you a bite
It will feed on your emotions and suck you dry
Then slink into its cave and leave you to cry
Early next morning it will appear large as life
Smiling quite sweetly and yet holding a knife
It will pierce your heart with a cruel twist
And toss you aside with a flick of its wrist
Moving on with a flourish to fresher prey
That will feed the monster for another day

©Marian Barker

Beauty

Beauty of spirit transcends all human form
It craves no attention, it’s smooth and warm
Needing no enhancements or artificial aids
The natural beauty of spirit never fades

Beauty of spirit is like nothing on earth
It’s priceless yet underestimated in worth
Immeasurable value and most understated
Modestly beautiful and yet never inflated

Beauty of spirit defies the passing years
Ageless and flawless and so it appears
Youthful and lively, happy and gay
Beauty of spirit does not go away

©Marian Barker