I conceived this poem over 50 years ago. Dissatisfied with the initial draft I did no more but over the years one or two key lines continued to haunt me. Early in June 2024, I managed to fall out of a tree I was pruning. My injuries included my left broken arm, hand, and wrenched neck. As a left-handed person that put a stop to many activities, including writing. Trolling through a listing of unfinished poetry the old draft came back in view. Unable to do much else without help, with one unsteady right-handed finger I began to rewrite it.
The Royal Train is now finished. There are two words in the poem you may not be familiar with, they are Djinn and Yama. Djinn is an Arabic plural noun meaning elemental earth-bound spirits hidden from sight. Yama is the Hindu God of death and justice, son of the Sun God Surya, who judges the souls of the dead and depending upon their deeds, assigns them to the realm of the Pitris, (their soul heritage) or to Naraka, (Hell) or to be reborn on Earth.
Humming gently, whistle muted
The Royal Train arrives,
Auto enabled
and expectant of deaths
it screeches driverless to halt
at Rebirth Platform number one.
Doors open.
Into the darkened interior
you float
light as a feather, half asleep,
jostling to get a window seat.
Dreaming, so you believe
The tangled web you often weave.
You’ll not hear the whistle keening
the train restart
Or know its full and wide within
But you will hear, and feel
the pulsing coupled driving wheels
relentlessly rhyming
abba du by abba du by
abba du by abba du by
Cyclical sounds dispelling time
unfolding memories, child-like
motivating youthful desires.
Easily thoughts become creative
Manifesting a desirous world
pulsating independent forms,
life needy forms that gratify,
satiate, and has you wake
and expostulate
to the rhyming wheels
♫ do what you will, do what you will♫
Is this dying you ask of me
travelling free able to see,
testifying
life doesn’t end?
To begin it’s all picture postcard
Dolby Sound and technicolour
Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.
You, righteously urging the Self
undo, make up, inwardly heal.
Elemental forces enter in;
purpose forms and whispers Djinn.
Unreasoned giving thoughts arise,
happiness spreads like blood within.
Onward and-upward you spiral
the ego cries unwise!
Fear of God enters in:
knowledge dissipates.
♫ Hinder me not, hinder me not
Hinder me not, hinder me not ♫
Hallelujah, God is Great!
Here you reign between the points
of destination and departure
coerced to play the part of king
to this extension of your mind:
pieces and pawns, two of a kind
aboard the Summerland express,
resolved to undo, clean the slate,
begin anew:
entrained upon the ever long
never-ending pointed track. Yama the Jailer God.
Where will it end?
You ask yourself.
No sooner said
the melody of chiming wheels
cease their singing.
Doors slide back,
the Station Master speaks
”rebirth platform number two!”
A dream of people disembark.
No such place but it feels like home
But why you ask, and where am I?
Here unknown smiley people sing
and have you fear the child within.
No walls here and no pearly gate.
The old and young in ragged trews
torn uniforms and winding sheets
or dressed like you, in Sunday best
congregate and await their fate.
Loved ones you believed were dead
appear glowing with health, saying
do what you will, you’re free, enjoy!
Youthfully love, rest from the world
time-out, reinvent and explore.
Your thoughts cease to justify need,
love bearing energies bond with
outpourings of the giving self.
Harmony prevails,
the Way becomes known. Hallelujah, God is Great!
Seeds of union germinate,
love unfettered starts to grow,
your mind enjoins to many lives.
Reason no longer governs form
upward as mustard seeds you flow
all and everything
in a spiral flow.
Doing better
more of what was done before.
The Way becomes your inner state
Divine reason commands the soul.
Karmically you accept your fate.
How can I suggest you differ?
Little do you know, its checkmate
another game must now begin. Hallelujah, God is Great!
Ah, winsome love, what aches your heart, breaks the rhythm of your mentor’s rhyme, stuns you into silence? Does the world debase and sully your native innocence trade on your gentleness, draw on the giving Self? Do you fear the well has gone dry and life’s effort a hoist of cold rocks, the brain tired of strictures, Of duty -duty denying the Self?
Let your fears flee to the winds Let go memories that haunt you Have them find oblivion in the shifting sands of time. The healer’s hands cup your face The power of love turns back the clock Years vanish and youth smiles The mystery deepens wordless expressive timeless love
Had you known your granite headstone would be flanked by two unknowns you might have thought it significant; as yours stands tall like one chosen compared to their drunken faces.
The tree that shadows where you lay its sloughed bark being last to view the moonlights felicitations; In your day sinewy green with youth has suffered change like you have.
The proud and leafy head is burnt broken and lifeless; its blackened antler branches gouging the sky. The knuckled roots naked of earth reshape the form you left behind.
The unknown blistered facing flags askew upon the biers they mark wedged between the tree’s webbed feet is living proof that men must fear. Names mean nothing to nature here.
Though Earth has held your name upright slow moving time has wrought its change; skeletal remains seeking rebirth remarry to achieve what you could not. Path to Mecca: world without end.
I am dropping out of the skies huge head whirling like the flower above me singing in the wind. My last home The silver – metal bee drones forward into the sun and I her human seed am reaching for my roots in the glazed earth feet first.
The final words of an assault rifle couldn’t be more honest and chilling. How many more will die knowing only the feeling of murderous metal in their hands?
Tony’s poem speaks volumes about the pitiful truth of war and bloodshed. Weapons handed to youngsters in the name of duty, their lives sacrificed for the supposed good of their nations. But behind the lies and deceit, larger forces are at play, and they climb upon the dead to reach for more power. The final words of an assault rifle couldn’t be more honest and chilling. How many more will die knowing only the feeling of murderous metal in their hands? Congratulations Tony!
Lay me down, half boy half man, lay me down, I’m hot. Burning your hands, I am, lay me down, I’m shot. The next round won’t fire.
Warning you, my fresh-faced keeper you am wanted by the Reaper.
Would have liked to be a plough, would have made good, turning earth, here and now. Would have, and should;
instead, they made me a driller of bullets, and you my son, a killer.
You praise me, when you’re sleeping, you call me your lover but when I’m spitting lead you call me a fucker.
Crusader, this round’s a bad one, and I’m overheating. I’m done. It’ll blow you to kingdom come.
Melting down, I can’t speak now. Melting down, death trap. Burning your heart, I am. Melting down, worthless scrap.
Pray, pity, maker of guns. Pity the death, of your sons.
Author’s note…
He is a short haired, well-built, who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, just old enough to buy a round of drinks but old enough to die for his country. He recently left comprehensive school where he was probably, an average student, played some form of sport, drove a ten-year-old rust bucket, and knew a girl that either broke up with him when he left, or swore to be waiting when he returns home. He moves easily to mood music and hip‐hop, and to the rattle of an AK-74 assault rifle.
Tony’s eloquent poetry infuses life and soul into rusted shells of steel and iron, once meant to keep others afloat, now drowned in the tides of time and indifference. Mere objects to some, these ships were once the domain of the living, and carry the emotions and memories from times gone, embedded within their mighty hulls. Haunted or taunted, they rest with countless stories alive inside them.
In muddy mouthed Portsea Creek unwatched forgotten ships lay beached dashed and smashed breathless, cut and bled weather beaten picked and broken
by the dockside stooping crane’s bill collecting scrap.
Their final passages over shallows barnacle crusted bottoms scraping over shingle pulled and pushed by impatient tugs
who know falling tides suckling mud claim tows.
Robbed by landsman written out of registers deserted bridges balefully glare untold memories of purposed lives men who swore repeatedly
like lovers on heat trumpeting union of engine and steel.
Now their ghosts can be heard reliving purpose in the night blowing base horns heaving anchors turning their screws seaward
blending rusted hulls to the sea and the never-ending sky.
Portsea creek and its cutting divides the city of Portsmouth from the Hampshire mainland.
The planets conjunct, portending his birth bade us search on…….
We found him there in Bethlehem as the charts foretold but not with ease. Not one well to do house of Arab or Jew Roman or Greek had birth between them, no infants male or female could be found born that auspicious day; or women nigh to deliver under the star bright sky.
The planets conjunct, portending his birth bade us search on; visit caravan, tent, Inn and stable. Divers places all to no avail until on tavern steps, feet begging to rest we overheard a shepherd speak, of how his shelter was occupied by two well dressed Jews. Man, woman and a child just born.
Yes! –and here he hurried to tell his kin such peace as lulled his sheep to sleep and such Light about despite the moonless night that quite amazed him. A wine skin for his guest he took, and his sister with a knowing look on being told, insisted she also would journey back. He talked of voices of unseen guests.
At once we realised the town full – where else? Our profession advised; the tavern temptation dismissed, we had the shepherd guide, our bodies begging for rest. The pathway hard, our camels bad tempered, the cold wind swept hills unforgiving. We talked of turning back, yet could not agree, urged on by power greater than the body’s sap.
Wearily we arrived, not a moment to soon and knew at first sight, our year long journey cross sea, mountain, desert, river and plain was justified. Our faith upheld, the purpose before us in the bedding straw, a child born Venus; the power on Earth to Love. His eyes; the majesty of the Monarch of Time,
Our strength returned quite unexpectedly, as if we ourselves had the child’s unlimited power. In his grasp we placed our gifts, Myrrh, Gold and Frankincense. We gave news of Herod, Spoke highly of the child. Held our tongues in check on futures and bar that journey soon to be would say this and only this –
“His word and deed would long be sung in praise ere Jupiter and Saturn swung the sky and Man in darkness has the voice to cry Hosanna, Herald of the peace to come!”
this poem brings to light the order of existence, the rules of supremacy. The qualities and characteristics of a living being sets their place in the pattern of life. Do intellect and emotions make humans superior to other species? Is it the strong against the weak, the voluble against the mute?
Terveen Gill of Masticadoresindia writes…. this poem brings to light the order of existence, the rules of supremacy. The qualities and characteristics of a living being sets their place in the pattern of life. Do intellect and emotions make humans superior to other species? Is it the strong against the weak, the voluble against the mute? Let’s not forget that humans are beasts that change their natures according to convenience. Beware!
The condemned man is making a statement of purpose, giving birth to his soul (the ribbon of wise) record, which cannot be extinguished by death. The term pigmy bowman is used figurately speaking to describe his captors as hunters of little importance. This symbolic poem poses the question is condemned man mad – or is he a voice of truth? What the poem seeks to do is highlight that small minority of people whose understanding of life and purpose is radically different from others and represents a threat to the powers that be. Except in rare instances the death of such individuals are not recorded to our history -yet their presence whether recorded as madness or divinely inspired has and will continue to change the development of mankind. T.S. Eliot understood that when he said humankind cannot bear too much reality. Note: the number 8 is the symbol of regeneration.
Granite Sliver Arrowhead I see you spurned by Pigmy Bowman yet you suffice and scathe the greening mortar… Mind that delibly records attempt my show and outward personality. This ribbon of a madman’s weave is the tape of all my saying small border thin and compass hand the clutch and stay Fingers…. Placing granite slabs to face their palms of tungsten flesh toward the shortened eye. Yet soon the tongue of this my wise and scrawl became as fever pitch and heavy as the hammer held halfway in arc deliberating as the mother would pressing down urging fingers in the lock of Isis eye to the agony that is mother And now is mine. Is birth! The warder had me carry seven days in labour waiting… before the fertilising seed became and his eye perceived the ribbon of wise inflicted with my word and writing. He stared examined even to the letter head lost in mergence to the polished stone turning, smiled…. Father dimly smiling through the stain of glass in the you can never tell about face…. He left and straight informed the governor. The hammer struck the child full born umbilical cut began to cry…. My eyes were full of faces demanding outstretching palms of tungsten flesh. Their right they screamed is feeding first why was I no askance waiting? They spread upon my word the slime and their cement that matched the slab and then.. Fingers turned upon themselves they commanded- called my clutching hand to lease my living Scribe this chipping sliver of their granite. They took. …. that morning after before the ashen face nether time of wanting day whilst less the night there stood eight mourners neath the sky bowl blooding red in their caps of prison grey and the circle turning tribute was the Sower spreading quicklime. And in my cell There stood another waiting for the shining mortar’s greening mould.
Ah! The pain the wanting all over dilemma sober reach out sweet grape of confusion; a duchess spread out on her savage’s bed willing her blood red to the lips of her lackeying male, neither caring the speech or the stain of his whip. Taking the seventh of her seconding breaths at the weep of secretion.
Comes now the concentration; the apex of arc, the long-drawn laugh of the physical man. The peak, then the plummet of an up thrown stone; extinguishing fire. Then the cold Darkness of Earth and then the winter of a why gloom face frosting the smile of devil cares not into peaceful beginning; a child in the low of the arc, weak murmur of problem.
And yet in end it begins; in the no start never finish real of the spark, in the still heard gasp mute echo of Psi fleeing the white. In the good die young the crude soldier damning as with the devils and the un-vowed nun; the same design. All blind fisherman in the day-night casting pearls from the corporeal banks of unsettled sublimity.
It manifests as harpoon with a white heat line; the strongest plus and minus seed. All charge of the instrument cannon, Time traveller to the state of perpetual climax; there as the spear of the deepest descent. The finder receiving the arranged and irrevocable choice the twin of sex; Satan-Father coalesced.
Consider, discuss, decide as you must. A boy of nine I was, given to play? Yes- but impatient to grow. A minder of sheep and goat, not quite a shepherd, you understand. Arab Jewish Samaritans, lowborn we were under Roman rule in the land of Moses.
Tent dwellers; nomadic in the Way of the Sea we moved our flocks from pasture to fold over plain, hill slope, through mountain pass. Self-sufficient, our mixed blood had no ties in towns and we were shunned in cities. At that time there was much disquiet,
camel borne travellers would hail us seeking safe passage to Damascus anxious for news, telling of homes destroyed of livestock lost. Herod by the sea of salt in hope of cure, still covetous of power. Riots and Roman soldiers everywhere.
It was the hottest time of year -too hot. My father the elder shepherd of our band decreed we leave the plain of Armageddon skirt the Galilean hills and drive to Mount Carmel and fold there in cool caves the pasture good, the Kishon river close.
Unusual for time of year it rained unexpectedly. Wet and freshened I explored cave and gully gaping at rock paintings, sling shooting hawk foolish enough to target our flock. When night fell there was talk about events on the highway, riots in Sepphoris.
Mahmud was our Rabbi, a Samaritan Who taught us boys by rote from a scroll. He would disappear for days on end, reappear warning of wolves, thieves in hiding, bringing herbs, fruits, figs, salt preserved fish, feet, hands, and body bruised and bleeding.
But not this time -from the tomb of Rachel he had seen columns of soldiers, pillars of smoke, people fleeing carnage, a forest of crosses. He arrived much distressed. Nearby, he said, there is a camel camp of Persian men, star diviners, here for some special event.
So deep the dreamless sleep I slept, when roused I complained of being woken. My father’s command to dress was brusque and impatient. Mother soothingly said be quick no time to rest. Sheep and goat were want to break the folds and strange lights had appeared in the heavens.
Girding mantle, grasping staff, sling, and pipe I joined the men grouped around a fireside where Mahmud, repeated yet again to disbelieving ears, of a vision given in prayer, how an angel of the lord appeared announcing birth of a messiah to all men.
How he had run to the Kishon River to impart this news to the Persian men, and they, exclaiming in response said this was the proof, the final proof they sought. And without delay broke camp and headed east. The river shining phosphorus in the night.
Did I hear a voice as we knelt in prayer? For when Mahmud said follow me, I knew the angel would want us shepherds go! Find the birthplace, give tribute to the child. More in fear I think, of unearthly things, Claiming protection of the women folk,
some herders stayed with the folded flock. For me this was adventure, side by side my father leading with Mahmud we trod the Magi’s tracks. An uphill beaten track Nazorean’s often trod beyond Bethlehem to Elijah’s tomb. In silent awe we came
to where the light was strongest; there halted by a well-dressed Jew, then let pass. Mahmud having yet again spoken of his vision. We entered a cave, two donkeys tethered looked at us curiously –and there in a lamp lit area no bigger than a tent
a babe in swaddling clothes lay in the arms of a woman and before them, three Magi. Also, an Arab woman, an older sage-like Jew and a fearsome looking man whose smile belied his looks. The air perfumed –a scent so strong my head whirled with feelings.
We knelt on the hard stone in a presence of many persons unseen; God’s angels I know them now to be. We presented lamb and kid –the best of the litters we had, and in turn were given sweet wine. Yet I was not allowed, and she, seeing this
beckoned me to drink from a leather gourd that hung from the cradle bed, a sweet warming juice. I drank gazing as I did upon the new-born baby’s face. Then not asked but sure of rightness I began to play my shepherd’s pipe. With eyes closed he smiled,
as if somehow, he had heard me play before. The tune was new to me and full of majesty, my fingers moving my brain asleep I lost all sense of time, only just aware of his mother’s happy face; the attention of all that were in that holy place.
As dawn began to show we took our leave. My father with pride made much of my tune. There was curious talk about the older man, was he her husband? Why birth in a cave? They were not poor, and the Magi had given gold! There had been talk of Herod,
more so the riots and of Rome’s steel hand. Yet for all this talk as we returned, the paths aglow, I sensed my nomadic life would never be the same again. We had gained in status been received as equals –us lowborn shepherds; and feted at a godlike event! Yet despite this, seeds of doubt took root.
The holy book lost its magic -I questioned why Jews and Gentiles warred, sacrificial lambs, the militancy of God. Instead, I dreamed of union in remembrance of the child, believing he would one day share our daily bread forever hopeful that our souls might wed.
Consider, discuss, decide as you must the burden of proof is a human need. My shepherd’s tale, straightforwardly said is to you a plea -that in the body’s Keep your soul should no longer groan and weep but celebrate the Love that is Heavens Bread.
November knives are sharp from rarely cutting trees with ice keen to spread the Autumn still disorderly too dead leaf mounds and twisted pyres of broken branches dying. Angry with the suddenness of death upon the long-life summer still gestating seeds incubating the morrow’s generation.
No respecter steel of the horny scale stern stemmed anticipate killer of sweeting herbs laid out of nurseries. Their strike is totality the savage straight and understood unshackled slave the Left of Azoth’s* court ordained Murder’s license. The cyanide of breathing green and making red writ with freedom and the blessing.
Their respect the reaching hand smite upon the pale cheek down-flecked, small bird, lion hearted solitaire late and lonely from the crowded nest. Nelson eye mistaking promised land left in folly for the cockfight.
Permission now the pipe through which the blowing water freezing spear-like knives aim immutably their changing numbers. Now the form and clearly seen disguise upon the ugly cripple-noise of air. Now the Magi calling spell upon the freezing sphere for the maiden less her fall-a-leafing cares and the pretty snow comes charging sleeked venomous with wedding fever.
The negative of burning trees is born in fire beneath the blackened Guy scarce the single six shrivels the dry exhausted breast of summer and defers the passing pagan night to favour dawn a frosted coat. And is quick in taking close the negligee and becoming Charon’s wife.
And yet the Phoenix rebirths diversifies the one intent so purpose as the Spaniard blanket hand before his steel tricks by sleight of hand the promise death. Turns the unresolved by resolution hand upon itself to suicide and school again.
And so, the zenith of the black does not appear will not give the flawless jewel beginning’s chance less the cause of all the living dies for never having death.
Azoth is the essential agent of transformation. It is the name given by ancient alchemists to Mercury, the animating spirit hidden in all matter that makes transmutation possible. As the Universal Life Force, Azoth is not only the animating energy (spiritus animatus) of all manifest forms of life, but also the inspiration and enthusiasm that moves incarnation intelligence. In the cosmos, and within each of us, Azoth is the mysterious evolutionary force responsible for the relentless drive towards physical and spiritual perfection. The line, ‘the Left of Azoth’s court ordained’ analogies the Universal Life Force as a Monarch, and the court of many forms which it manifests -all of which are appointed, and subject to the needs of the ‘Monarch’. Describing the court as having a Left (and a Right) purpose is giving it a negative (as opposed to positive) action. The Universal Life Force is a creator having the power to make and break, cause or complete, begin and end. The power of Life and Death. The perpetuating cycle of the Phoenix opposes the Left of Azoth’s court.
The weaver bending arms of twisted knotted yarns serves the loom and the loom a pattern makes. And bent upon the stool, his eyes direct upon the thread between weft and weave, his vision skips.
The shuttle smooth moves through the shed to the clack of treadles pressed; feeling more than seeing, every bone reactive To the rise and falling weaving shafts.
The sun arcs through the window overhead dying unnoticed in the west and in the cool unseen light of night, clouds arise to hide the stars. Bobbins twirling empty are replaced.
He labours not for kudos or for rates. As every yarn entwines it speaks; heddle and treadle selecting straighten out and the loom alive a drumming music makes.
Star and sun dance light within his bobbing head; the weavers’ needs are met, and the soul unfurls. Love that has a thousand-silent sounding ee’s Spins on to weave for all eternity.
Mine Quick Voice of Aquarius 