Three Poems

By Peter Devonald

(Twitter and Instagram: @petedevonald)

—RED OR BLUE PILL?—

skewered view of the world

decades of medication shape the landscape

every view jaded and confused by misleading

pharmaceutical mixtures of unknown cocktails

impossible ingredients with strange names and stranger origins

from manufactured faraway places

altering, changing and manipulating

sucking every profit out of delirium

the falsity of it all, the blank bleak falsity

medication to blank minds and swell bank balances

write blank cheques to blank canvass

the fog of unknowing

hollow cavities of lives

vacuum of emotions

this antidepressant dream

stultifying and stupefying

deadening and dulling

weakening resistances

calming thoughts with pillow over mouth

holding reality down

soften and silence the world

simplify, sugar coat with spoonful’s of sugar to make

the world go down

such simple easy visions

complexity and confusion eased like quicksand

into the bath of unknowing

soak, soothe, numb

don’t think, don’t ever think

slip into sleep

lullabies weep

—BEYOND THE BRIDGE—

Angels turn inwards

wings implode with crossed arms and broken hearts

deep thoughts and deeper sighs

what has the world become?

What has the world become?

Dark desires fly whilst goodness drops to knees

shredded with hopeless dreams

torso feels like concrete despair

cement fuelled lungs writhe with misery

aching longing limbs

exhausted by it all:

How long can you fight

the sirens sing

sleep the sleep that new horizons bring.

Aeolian winds blow harsh tonight

moaning and sighing sounds

eroding and demanding

weakens even soundest hearts.

The weary world won't miss you

sleep, sleep, eternal sleep.

Torrential rain gutters flood.

See the universe in your reflection

in the window of wind and storm

look beyond and see the trees

statuesque and all-knowing

blowing against the winds of time

survive, survive, survive

the mantra to it all.

All our strength wistfully sings new harmonies:

grow trees for tomorrow you won't see

lay roots for other people's children

focus on a fervid future

you will not be a part of

fashion dreams for others in the shadows

look forward not back.

Build roots for others longing life

maybe they might take the paths you failed to travel

be the person you could have been -

shield and protect them, try and try again

even as the eternal footman shuffles

still time to create, construct and hope

initiate the world you wish you'd lived.

—REFRAIN—

We / could be

so much more / we should be.

The impossible happens

every day / our potential

limitless.

The infinite

in this moment / now

is everything.

We are magicians / dreamers

miracles

in our hands / silhouettes

of trees / the promise

we must / seize.

In the stillness / of the night

sounds / heightened

by silence.

We hear / angels wings / whispering

wondrous / things.

To be lost / in this hour

the most amazing / flower

of opportunities

of this miraculous / enchanted

vibrant / world

are ours / to hold

alone.

About the Author:

Peter Devonald (he/him) is poet in residence at Haus-a-rest, columnist for Culture/ Arts and Heart Of Heatons poetry winner. 55 poems published / forthcoming in 2022 including Artist's Responding to..., Forget-Me-Not Press, Dwell Time Press, Greenhouse, Dear Politicians: Ecopoetry, RIVISTA, Suburban Witchcraft, Sixpence Society, ArtLove02, Dirigible Balloon, Shallot, Spoonie, Substantially Unlimited: Stigma, Bolton Breakdown and Wishbone Words.

Manchester based, Peter runs monthly poetry challenges for Heaton/ Cheadle/ Didsbury Post.

5 group shows including Tender Stems, Chronically Online Culturable Layered Onion.

Featured Poetic Map of Reading. 50+ film awards, former mentor Peter Ustinov Awards (iemmys) and Children’s Bafta nominated. www.scriptfirst.com

Y0u can find him at:

Instagram @peterdevonald

Twitter @petedevonald