comfort

A HOME FOR HOPE

/ deuxiemepeau / 11 Comments

 

There is a gentle light shining
in this place not yet home,
pouring hope into a hold
beginning to pull on my grip.

There is a light, a subtle light
adding a lightness to all
that is weighing; the furniture,
the fittings, the fitting into a city
that has not changed
during my absence while I
have not stopped,
a city often angry
as I search for a place
of solitude amid all that leans
towards arrogance, of comfort
to come in from the chaos
and the clutter and the claws
clutching at scraps in the cold
corners the commenters
are unconcerned with.

Tonight, there is a gentle light
to lay under and dream
of what will go where
in this house soon to be a home.

All words and photographs by Damien B. Donnelly

Audio version available on Soundcloud:

 

 

COMFORT IN THE CARDS

/ deuxiemepeau / 1 Comment

 

Behind the fanfare we fan the light
to make our way through another day
to night. Behind the fuss we muddle
through movement on route to contentment
caught in quiet corners of unconsciousness,
like that word on the tip of the tongue
we can’t quite pronounce.

On terra-cotta tiles I turn through cards
of comfort from days now distant,
wishes signed with love from names
I can no longer call in this light,
in this life. Far from the fanfare,
far from the fuss, you are all still
somehow a part of each movement
I make, distant stars now that once
held dreams, that once signed cards
of greetings, never thinking how much
one day, beyond the fuss, they would mean.

All words and photograph by Damien B. Donnelly

Audio version available on Soundcloud:

A SOUL IN THE SHADOW

/ deuxiemepeau / 2 Comments

 

She was not made
for sunlight
and silly,
she was not designed
for display
and distraction.
She loves moonlight
where her tears
find comfort in the stars
and her shadow
is more shelter
than cell.

All words and photographs by Damien B. Donnelly

Based in a Twitter poetry prompt from #WrittenRiver

THE RETURN TO THE WATER

/ deuxiemepeau / 8 Comments

 

At 20 I was reckless,
I waded into waters
with careless concern
for direction.
At 40 I had grown
to understand grounding;
it was not the water
that rushed through me
but the bed my body
rested on. I stand again
over the waters,
rushing always onwards,
but have found my place
in a bed that reassures me
I am no longer a victim
to the whisper of regret.

All words and photographs by Damien B. Donnelly

Inspired by a Twitter poetry prompt form #WrittenRiver

AGEING FRUIT IN THE HOT SUN

/ deuxiemepeau / 19 Comments

 

And so my first try at online Magnetic Poetry, at first glance I thought “Well, this is fun,” but I was wrong. A challenge of limitations.

 

 

Beat and blow
and bare away,

let not blood rip beauty black

We watch,
we want,

“I want hot peaches, honey,” you said

“No music for me,

no sun”

 

All Words by Damien B. Donnelly, limitations by Magnetic Poetry.

WHISPERED WORDS

/ deuxiemepeau / 11 Comments

 

Last night 
you came calling 
like a song 
to soften the shadows
and found me
slipping in
between the silence
and the slumber.
Last night 
you came calling
softly
with your whispering words 
that filled the longing 
soft words that settled 
upon my bed
like a blanket to sooth me. 
Last night 
in the sweetened stillness 
you bent down
from above
from far away
from somewhere beyond the silence
and beckoned me closer 
with your wisdom
whispering words
softly 
like stars in the darkness 
like hope in the loneliness 
welcome words whispered 
which fell from your lips 
and moved amid minds 
warm words that rested 
softly 
in between worlds 
of sleep and seclusion
that found my ears
that soothed my shoulders
that caressed my chest 
like a breeze
like a beautiful breeze
like a beautiful summer breeze 
that lets you breath 
that finally enables you
to breath 

Last night
you whispered
from a world away
and I awoke all the lighter
as the night gave way to day.

 

All Words and Photographs by Damien B. Donnelly

Click on the link below to hear the audio recording on SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/damien-donnelly-2/whispered-words

THE COMFORT OF THE SHADOWS

/ deuxiemepeau / 9 Comments

 

Screen Shot 2016-03-23 at 00.58.03

I seek out silence
as I settle in the shadows,
as I settle in the darkness,
as the darkness drowns me in its silence.
I seek out comfort,
I seek out solace,
a space safe from sonic stimulants
escaping sound
beneath the silence,
a refuge from the rage
that roars within my head,
raging, roaring, raiding reason,
cover me in comforting cradles
until unconsciousness carries me off.
I lean into nothing,
the soothing embrace of the nothingness
blanketed within the darkness,
l lean in to draw breath,
I lean in to draw silence from these hands
no longer holding pencils, painting pictures,
painting words in lyrical lines.
I seek to draw distractions
from this piling pressure
that towers over me,
that topples down on me,
that trembles tap tap on my temples,
trembles, trembles,
a terrific torture, torture, torture
pounding, pounding, pounding, pounding.
I seek shelter from the weight that weighs against neck,
that climbs over blood and bone,
that steals sight from eye
and human from head.
I seek comfort
in the silence of the all-encompassing darkness
and wait for the suffocating pounding to stop.

All Words and Photographs by Damien B. Donnelly

 

THE ROAD

/ deuxiemepeau / 4 Comments

 

I,
In the face of all
That came before me,
I,
In the hope of all
To be put before me,
I,
Accepting of the many times
I’ve fallen,
I,
Rejoicing in the many times
I’ve risen
See,
The future as an empty canvas
Stretched before me,
See,
Now the wisdom in all the words
Once bestowed me,
See,
The rhyme and reason to the roads
That lead me here,
See,
The distant faces from my past
I still hold dear.

I,
The inquisitor along the winding road
I’ve taken,
I,
A single soul so often foolish
And mistaken,
I,
The poet penning prose
Beneath the silence,
I,
While wearing masks to be let in,
To shun the violence
Remember,
Each and every laughter
Life has brought me,
Remember,
To raise my head to whatever power
Reins above me,
Remember,
The lengths of love
Which others shared,
Remember,
To see the hope,
To keep the faith
And not be scared.

 

SAFE IN YOUR HANDS

/ deuxiemepeau / Leave a comment

In the darkest of night, in the deepest of storms,
When all sound is eroded and all sight has elapsed.
When the entity arises with staff in his hand,
The Avenger of life; The Reaper, he stands.

When the world is divided and the soldier’s gun aimed,
As they gaze upon a land full of hatred and rage.
As war creates anger, base food for the weak
And the timid huddle together joined by a fearful streak.

No fear shall I have, no tear shall I cry,
No doubt for the future, no woe shall I sigh.

When ignorance breads hatred through the veins of brothers,
As the cord that binds us is untied and unattached.
When it’s brother against brother, battle of morals,
There can be no winner but forever foolish quarrels.

While the walls hold the cries of frightened little children,
In the heart of each stone lie the blood and the bruises.
The Adult, the Guardian, the Figure in the night
Makes innocent little children feel dirty neath the light.

No fear shall I have, no tear shall I cry,
No doubt for the future, no woe shall I sigh.

When disease engulfs and courage is tested,
The body feels betrayed by the mother, the protector.
As the ravages of decay mean now you walk, not run,
And the foreboding termination means tomorrow may never come.

When no more is there evidence of the strength of nature,
As the walls of destruction fall forth and crush the seed.
As the green of the earth becomes engulfed by doom,
And no more shall we witness the flowers beautiful bloom.

No fear shall I have, no tear shall I cry,
No doubt for the future, no woe shall I sigh.

For you will stand tall with strength in your hand,
Love in your heart and me at your command.
How could I fall into a crevice of decay,
When you stand beside me to bring life to my day.

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MOMENTS IN A WINDOW

/ deuxiemepeau / Leave a comment

 

An old man
Crossed the street
Below my window
And I wondered to myself
Where my future would lie.

I put my hands to my face
And still smelt of you
As if your body still
Entangled with mine.

I am now fully clothed
Though just moments ago
Lay nakedly revealed
In your arms,
Told you stories,
Shared your secrets,
But know not
If you know
My last name.

In the comfort
Of almost strangers
We let darkness take the day,
In the silence
Beneath that darkness-
We let your needs find their way.

In a world waged not by war,
Harmed not by hate,
Torn not by tears,
We’d lie together
With whoever
And in each moment
Let go our fears.

You drove me
Home again tonight
And along the road
We passed a sign which asked
Do you know where you’ll be tomorrow?
Of all the streets,
Of all the towns,
Of all of the predictable possibilities,
I wondered alone
As we sat together,
Like we’d just slept together,
Like we’d just kissed each other,
I wondered was it a sign
Just for me?

The old man
Will cross my street
To the pub
Every night
Till his end,
Of this
I am sure
That he is sure.
But if tomorrow
I will again
Smell your scent
On my hands-
Of this
I am sure
That I’m not sure.

All words and photographs by Damien B. Donnelly