somewhere in the dark
as the engine rumbles warmly
grumbling through the night
somewhere in my head
while hands casually grip the wheel
or fiddle with the radio
somewhere on the road
as the tyres hum and hiss
or bump through water-filled potholes
somewhere beneath the roadlights
catching chrome and paint
or spinning off reflectors
somewhere on the signs
sometimes catching your silhouette
cast by another's headlights
somewhere between the guideposts
blinking their diamonds and rubies
and hemming in the tarmac
somewhere out there in the night
as the revs stay steady
and beat a heady rhythm in my ears
somewhere in the mystery
of turning the next corner
and passing other petrol burners
somewhere between the fabrics
of time, space, reality
or bitumen and bluestone
somewhere it happens
and i feel grafted to steel
my soul could drive on forever
06-04-99
credit to jeff koyen for the diamonds and rubies concept
a floating head in the clashing rain
a mind full of glass
and ears full of pain
jump across the laughter in the sky...
press hard on your temples
and wish to make diamonds
sensing sense and improvidence
make careful plans
for distant lands
and crush the list to dust in your hand...
sweep lives across the table
but don't disturb their sleep
fear not though you feel the knot
or the body unravells
and the skin goes taut
the impressions make a lasting form...
keep warm in the core of hearts
and know thyself if you will
for certain seeing waves away the seas
of rife knowledge
and pure known truths
pull the thread and you'll forget it all...
be careful where you tread in dark
for you may return in sunlight's glare
then midnight fights away the knights
while daylight flees
and stars reach out
turning all with heady quicksilver fire...
and then you'll fall into the mirrors
and eyes of surrounding faces
12.6.99
picture people's faces in the rain
drops like thoughts in their hair
odd feelings, odd images
so many people to care about
under trees and over bridges
tyres hiss through water
carrying a dry capsule
loaded with precious cargo
reminded of our mortality
that bitter taste welling up
scaring us, harsh stabbing
roughly shaking our hearts
so fragile, these loved ones
terrifying thin skinfuls of blood
so wonderful, so varied
irreplacable and unique
driving, smoking, drinking, living
they're all health hazards
let go, unclench your fear
accept that you will end
know that you must have to lose
recognise your fear as a symptom
know what treasures you hold
for if you love you will fear
06.07.99
if i only knew the secret
i could write the cure for cancer
on this page
with this pen
if i only knew how.
so instead my thoughts slip out
leak over the edge
drop over
to fall free
dripping loose threads.
9/7/99
weaving words through pulp
or stringing them over plastic
betraying thoughts to glass
baring souls through language
searching for a hiding place
standing on a treeless plain
running from each light
spaced monotonously down the road
catching strains of ourselves
on the returning breeze
caught up in the beaded mist
of moments past and strange
flashes of inspiration
hissing in execution plunge-pools
fireflies dance complication
through cloying agar reality
carrying our strange cargoes
strapped painfully to shoulderblades
creaking ominously in the breeze
as we plunge into the whirlwind ------
exposing hearts to the elements
betraying mind's eye visions
dropping on knees unrepentent
under the searing glare of the Other.
9/7/99
will you perform a whimper or a bang
explode or swallow it whole
will you put aside childish things
or throw away your suit
will you go with guns blazing
or will you go gentle into midnight
will the bear get you
or do you have ten times the teeth
will your spirit outshine the moon
or will you hide in bottled haze
is your soul prepared for eternity
or do you just expect a hangover
is it the end of everything
or the start of a new age
is the world half empty
is the universe half full
will you watch the satellites fall
or disbelieve the silicon nightmare
will you wait for your messiah
or will you crash, crash, crash?
11.07.99
crushing fate
aimless hate
water closing
re-complicates
airless breathing
killing feeling
dashing brain cells
sends me reeling
strange cloying
endless toying
powers that be
always calling
gasping crying
wheezing trying
cold blood hands
senses dying
slipping away
the fading day
falls off the world
no more to say
plunging down
sunset's frown
warm horizon
golden crown
softened steel
strangled peal
a final burst
waxed unreal
9.9.99
strung and rusty barbs hang
brown teeth biting the wind
a straggling weathered line
slowly crossing the fields
golden grit on the surface
covers the fading memory
of pristine steel strings
once plucked by fencer's hand
posts drift over the crest
a skidding queue down the hill
coming to rest at the foot
to gather up and stroll on
27-09-99
the streets glisten with rain-lifted oil
driveways flanked by Otto bin Daleks
standing at attention by the gutter
full of scraps and empties and shreds of lives
darkened shops seem surprised to see you
and they roll over and pull up their shutters
shunning the attention of after hours passers-by
with meaningful shrugs at their Opening Hours sign
17.11.99
© heretic 1999