Gypsy Pirate Spirit (I am not afraid)





 

(i)

 

I,

I am not that smart,

nor (indeed) brave.

 

And my art,

it doth no longer

behave!

 

Who am I trying to save?

 

I eat stars,

like unripe apples

& nearly choke

on fiery cores /

 

Am lost, yet found.

Love's biggest fool,

and yet

 

Love's biggest cause.

 

A cause hopeful or hopeless,

I will let you, dear reader,

decide.

 

(ii)

 

And they say

that a one-eyed man is King

in the Valley of the Blind /

 

But my heart is like a prison

in which I lie confined.

 

I'll drink all thee world's oceans

just to find her shore /

 

My wretched soul

a restless castaway,

doomed to forever

 

explore.

 



 

(iii)

 

And yet!

And yet,

 

lest I damn forget!!

 

I would give it all up,

give it all away,

 

I hope she'll understand /

 

For just one moment

in her company,

to one last time

 

hold

her salt-stained hand.

 

(iv)

 

I am merely

a Gypsy Pirate,

 

on these decks tonight

more than a little

 

seasick & homesick

 

and possessed

by the fullest of full moon /

 

mourning

countless loves

and lovers,

 

alas!

 

Gone too soon.

 

(v)

 

But today,

on this Friday Good,

 

I confess /

 

I will eat my bodyweight

in chocolate,

 

no less!!

 

It is true

that many a fair maiden

got my body & my bed /

 

But you were

one of the few (my dear)

 

that got my heart

(but much

 more important than that)

 

my head.

 

You left, I stayed.

 

And I am no longer afraid!

 

I still do not know

 who I am trying to save /

 

But I am no longer afraid!!

 

 

(vi)

 

And much

in the same (yet different) way

 

that the clouds tonight

hold (briefly)

onto the moon,

 

I (too)

hold onto memories

 

of holding the salt-stained

hand of

 

a lovely mermaid...

 

Now I finally see / it was only me

 that I was trying to save...

  

And I will never

 ever (ever)

 again

 be afraid.

 

Yes,

 I am

 no longer

 afraid!!

 



 

 

(c) Brent M Harpur, 2013.

 

"Art should comfort the disturbed & disturb the comfortable." (Cesar Cruz)

"All art requires courage." (Anne Tucker)



not many words that rhyme with orange...

 

 

I am in Byron.

I have not slept for nearly

twenty-four hours.

 

I close my eyes,

lie here in early morning sun

and behind closed lids

 

I see orange.

 

It warms me, comforts me.

 

It makes me think of you

at Central station

in your orange dress,

drinking orange juice from a bottle.

 

I had forgotten

that this

is only the second time

we had met.

 

Once before,

a year & a half ago

at a conference in Melbourne.

 

I drew you

and we talked about your Dad,

 

perhaps one of the best conversations

I have ever had.

 

Usually,

when I draw people

I don't do a lot of talking.

 

I let the other person talk

and give the illusion I am multi-tasking.

But it is quite an effort

to talk (really talk, to engage)

 

and draw at the same time.

 

I think we, (however)

might have had a real connection that day...

 

And now, this second time.

 

I can remember

every single thing we talked about

during our first meeting,

 

as if it was only yesterday.

 

Orange.

 

I feel very comfortable

when I talk with you.

 

This is not

always the case,

when it comes to talking with girls...

 

WIth you, I am not so shy.

A little braver, perhaps bolder?

 

I had forgotten

 how gorgeous your smile was.

 

And I am more than a little

 mesmerised by your accent...

 

You too, (like me)

are not from this part of the world.

 

We agree,

this is a very strange place

indeed.

 

While we talk,

time does not exist. I do not notice

the thousands of others

bustling around us like ants...

 

We talk easily about

 

intuition,

immigration,

your sister getting married,

babies,

 

and love. *

 

And just as

the conversation is starting to get really interesting,

it is time to board my train for Byron...

 

Orange.

 

I wish so, so much

that you could accompany me to the Premiere.

 

We hug goodbye.

 

A real hug,

the kind I miss

and don't get enough of in my life.

 

Is that your soul I can feel

touching mine

as we hold each other?

 

I close my eyes,

we hold each other so close

 

and I see orange.

 

In those arms I feel so safe & warm.

 

I kiss you on the cheek goodbye.

 

You blow me a kiss.

I look away for a moment,

and you are gone.

 

I look down

and see your unfinished orange juice

on the cafe table.

 

It makes me smile,

and think of your orange dress.

 

Travel well, Gentle/Strong Aries Soul!!

 

I will think of you often

and that wonderful smile...

 

It is true.

There are not many words

that rhyme with orange.

 

I have so little to offer you.

But maybe I could offer:

 

A gentle heart,

a genuine smile

and a generous soul.

 

Would that be enough?

 

* And love? What of love??

 

My heart has seen

so much action lately,

 

and yet I am still

not really sure what love is...

 

But of one thing

I am sure.

 

I am ready now.

 

I am ready...

 

To love

and to be loved.

 

...And if the right girl comes along,

    to make beautiful babies!!!

 

 

(c) Brent M Harpur, 2013.

"But logic never could convince the heart!!" (Colin Raye)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 







red/blue (bustle busy sky-blue)

 



Looking out my bathroom window, I see /
The moon caught up in the branches,

By morning,
she'll have broken free.


You (my dear) are caught up
in my heart-branches, too /

But come morning, daylight & birdsong,
I'll be distracted by

bustle, busy sky-blue.



(c) Brent M Harpur, 2013.

"Who's gonna take your place, fill your shoes?
 You never used to look behind you, that isn't what you'd do.
 Didn't leave a thing behind you but the miss you blues."
 (Mark Knopfler, 'Miss You Blues'.)