Monday, May 03, 2021

Captain Tom's 100 Challenge: In aid of the Integrated Neurological Services charity (INS)

 100 lines of poetry, written 01-02 May 2021


A 100 lines of poetry

By

Simon Bucher-Jones

 

 
(A Villenelle)
                               
1                              The Moon's the pale reflection of the Sun
2                              It does not shine with its own light but yearns
3                              To give back all the love that it has won
4                              From that celestial fire, which is not done
5                              But for five billion years more, freely burns.
6                              The Moon's the pale reflection of the Sun
7                              We humans too (in all we have begun)
8                              Give back the warmth of sunlight. It returns
9                              To give back all the love that it has won
10                           Through plants, and flesh, to us, its warmth redone
11                           In chemical fire, in Earth and Earth's concerns.
12                           The Moon's the pale reflection of the Sun
13                           Our life's star-stuff and sun-light moved or spun
14                           A dance through space and time of many turns
15                           To give back all the love that it has won.
16                           Nor are our darknessess, a thing to shun
17                           Without the dark who 'gainst the light discerns,
18                           The Moon's the pale reflection of the Sun
19                           To give back all the love that it has won?             
 
 
               
                                (A Pantoum)
                               
20                           Are we so fragile then, we human folk?
21                           That at a lightning stroke we fall away,
22                           Become less than we were, a broken yolk
23                           Spilled from the egg-cup of a dawning day?
24                           That at a lightning stroke we fall away,
25                           A golden thing, across the table cloth
26                           Spilled from the egg-cup of a dawning day?
27                           As irreparable as Humpty, or spoiled broth?
28                           A golden thing, across the table cloth
29                           Unfixable by any soldier's troop,
30                           As irreparable as Humpty, or spoiled broth?
31                           No. We are more than addlepated soup
32                           Unfixable by any soldier's troop -
33                           Incurious horses and more confused men.
34                           No. We are more than addlepated soup
35                           We have our own strength still, to fix and mend:
36                           Incurious horses and more confused men,
37                           May be themselves made better, taught to heal.
38                           We have our own strength still, to fix and mend:
39                           Helping, we then help others, and they too
40                           May be themselves made better, taught to heal.
41                           Paid on, our gifts, repay in setting right
42                           Helping, we then help others, and they too
43                           Kindle their own small lights against the night
44                           Paid on, our gifts, repay in setting right
45                           The small silly mistakes we might have made
46                           Kindle their own small lights against the night
47                           For humanness is more than triumph's might
48                           The small silly mistakes we might have made
49                           Are valued by the Gods for their surprises!
50                           For humanness is more than triumph's might
51                           And from the yolk and eggshell, phoenix rises!
52                           We're valued by the Gods for our surprises!
53                           Become more than we were, a broken yolk
54                           For from the yolk and eggshell, phoenix rises!
55                           We are not fragile, we, we human folk.
                               
                                (A Terzanelle)
                               
56                           We all have one room curiously carved of bone
57                           Full of the veiled, lace hangings of ourselves
58                           What comfort reaches in to those alone:
59                           Who dust the empty spaces of those shelves?
60                           That is the gift that others may bestow.
61                           We all have one room curiously carved of bone
62                           But light, and sounds of hope, and life may grow
63                           The torn veils may yet be with care rewoven.
64                           What comfort reaches in to those alone:
65                           But slow baked kindness walm as bakery oven
66                           Gifts made with love, and with love freely given.
67                           We all have one room curiously carved of bone
68                           But helped, we may repair and mend the riven
69                           Parts of ourselves, until we too, are lights.
70                           What comfort reaches in to those alone?
71                           But those we give in turn through days and nights
72                           We all have one room curiously carved of bone
73                           Parts of ourselves, until we too, are lights,
74                           Whose comfort reaches in to those alone.
                               
 
                                (A Sonnet)
                               
75                           We are all flesh and flesh in time may fail
76                           But there is in us, that which may yet live
77                           The words and deeds we make may yet prevail
78                           For each of us has gifts we might give.
79                           Un-hoardable that wealth, for spent alone
80                           It shines, only when given light and air.
81                           Pend in a cell of iron, or crypt of bone
82                           It is not golden and it is not rare
83                           But only stuff and nonsense that decays
84                           To pass with antique flesh from ancient view,
85                           But set to use - is full of shining rays
86                           The light of which lies in recipient's gift!
87                           The poem's nothing - but for the reader's grace
88                           The poet nothing, but for their love’s face.
                               
                                (A Clerihew)
                               
89                           Doctor James Parkinson FGS
90                           Said to Mary (his wife) "I confess!"
91                           "I might have found a title more ballsey…"
92                           "For my 'An Essay on The Shaking Palsy' ".
                               
                                (A Haiku)
                               
93                           In the darkened trees
94                           The wood perceives nothing
95                           Yet, time brings dawn.
 
                               
                                (A limerick)
                               
96                           There was an old poet of Shanklin
97                           Who none of you need to be thanklin'
98                           These sort of tricky demands
99                           Make him rub his old hands
100                         If he's failed, he deserves a good Spanklin'


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