ON REREADING THE GREAT AUSTRIAN POET RAINER MARIA RILKE by Paul John Roach Rilke sends a message into the abyss. A god and a worm stir, Blink distractedly, Then return to their duties Concerning the workings of Physical and metaphysical substance. The Master is not concerned. He probes again and again, Like a dentist Seeking […]
THE BORDER by Paul John Roach On the border Between mountain and valley I watch the swans fly Without limitation. A wooden cabin Next to a stream That bubbles and flows Through grasses and flowers Is my home. All that passes Passes by Without hindrance. Beyond the forest A victory is celebrated With fireworks, Then […]
I LOST MY EGO by Paul John Roach I lost my ego To a friend called me Who invited us over For a cup of tea I had to work out What was on his mind So that I could present What he was hoping to find But my teatime friend Had learned about projection […]
DIALOGUE by Paul John Roach “Go on, push yourself into a poem. Silence is golden But you’ve had enough of that. So, what will you say, What ruby gems Like pomegranate fruits Will float Or cascade into creativity?” “Aren’t they creative enough, those seeds? Can’t you be satisfied With what the everyday brings?” “Of course […]
Observed Last Night at a Local Pub Just saw a man Grinding on a juke box In jacket and jeans And sandals with socks, Dipping and weaving Giving the best that he’s got. Having a Guinness or two My friend and I were discussing Gender identity Just a moment before This everyday Joe hit the […]
The Equivalent by Paul John Roach The equivalent of the wood in my head Is the wood on the hillside; The equivalent of the long ride, the green lane, the winding path, Is the dream that alerts us to the unimagined. The darkness beneath ferns Or under riverbanks Is like a closed shop of goods […]