EquineAnn Poetry Stop

[Horsa]

I've worked hard on this one that just popped into my head for ages. I really worked hard to even out line-lengths, finish it and shorten it. I'm really struggling to shorten it and think it's too long. Constructive criticism is welcome. I'm very sorry it's so long. I hope you enjoy.

A steam train trip​

Everyone was waiting for the gigantic black five
hovering at the platform like bees round a hive
we could hear it hurtling down the tracks
it was steaming past all the coal stacks
we heard the screech of metal on metal
clackety-clack went the train on the track
finally it could settle
the fireman filled the coal and stoked up the fire
the doors opened to let on the ticket buyers
guards ensured
everyone was all aboard

it started off extremely slow
Whew! Whew! Whew! Whew!
the whistle blew
like a kettle heating up telling you the water's boiling
or a pan when your dinner's broiling
we were all going to have a good day
chimney was smoking and the engine steamed away
the fireman kept piling coal in the locomotives fire hole
causing a black cloud of smoke as black as coal
the smoke was like a funeral pyre
while the fire firemen were stoking got higher

the iron horse was running along the tracks
through fields and forests, both the fronts and backs
then we got to dinner-time and there came a trolley dolly
a lady was pushing the tea and sandwich trolley
I bought a sausage sandwich and a nice cup of milky tea
I could have had a cooked meal, but no dining car for me
looking through the window to see what I could see
I saw horses, sheep, cattle and sheepdogs running free
they were looking as happy as can be
I looked out of the window and saw the heather
while the train went hell bent for leather
then we went around the bend
that's when I reached my journeys end

here I am in Oban after such a pleasant trip. What a delight!
seeing Mull, Skye and Iona from the road was a wonderful sight
we fed and stroked wild swans
we heard the sound of bagpipes in a far off uproar
they were playing the most beautiful songs
though they drowned out the songs of the birds
we could smell delicious food at a sea food stall
we smelt the aromas, of salt and the goodness of it all
we decided to have some shrimps for a snack
that would fill us up while we got back
I picked up all the beautiful shells so I could hear the sea in each one
on the beach we looked around
listening for every single sound
like the sounds of swans and gulls overhead
plus those on the beach waiting to be fed
on our return trip home I looked at what I could see
remembering all I'd seen with glee
living life to the full
my trip today was never dull
I am planning to come back again
this experience will never leave my brain

 

[Horsa]

Thoughts spinning in your head
Over-analysing everything you said.
You feel like cringing at the idiot you were
While your thoughts really whirr.
You said things you really regret
& said & done things you'd rather forget.

 

[Horsa]

A six-way battle​

Though the sky outside is clear
A storm is raging over here.
There's a six-way battle being fought.
Between conscience, memory, knowledge, fear, logical & emotional thought.
There are arrows of harsh words and spears of fears and bad memories being flung.
While conscience fires the cannon-ball of guilt, I just feel as if I was being hung.
I'm sick of this painful feud.
Making me feel as if my head was being thumb-screwed
In the torture-chamber of my brain
Where these thoughts & feelings remain.
From my eyes rain floods of blue tears
That carry on dropping for a thousand years.
& I can see the black dog of depression come.
To bite me on the bum.
& cover my eyes with a jet black blanket so I can't see clearly
& it destroys the interests I thought of dearly.

 

[shawnbm]

^ Like the imagery in that one.

 

[Horsa]

^ Like the imagery in that one.

Thank you very much. It's how I felt yesterday. I'm feeling a lot better today.

 

[shawnbm]

Glad to hear, Anne my dear.
Perhaps a time to hoist some cheer?

 

[Horsa]

Glad to hear, Anne my dear.
Perhaps a time to hoist some cheer?

I'll see what I can do, Shawn my friend.
(I'm experimenting with something writing wise at the moment.)
I'm feeling a lot better than I was & I've got a lot of other work to do.

 

[Horsa]

Insomnia

Isn't it annoying when you're tired so go to bed
But thoughts just won't stop swimming round in your head?
The rest of your body can be achy and tired out.
Your eyes can want to close but your head just wants to shout.
Your mind is racing at 100 miles per hour.
Ideas just come raining down in a heavy shower.
By the time you finally get to sleep it's time to get up.
Then you need bucketloads of coffee to drink by the cup.

 

[shawnbm]

^ sounds like something I have known all too well. How we do desire simply to rest a spell.

 

[Horsa]

^ sounds like something I have known all too well. How we do desire simply to rest a spell

I'm very sorry to hear that. It's a pain. We do indeed.

 

[Horsa]

Overwhelmed​

Do you ever feel overwhelmed
When people are screaming?
Or when there are so many thoughts in your head
When you should be dreaming?
Or when your mind is racing at 100 mile per hour
& you can't record your thoughts quick enough
& you need to be constantly doing things
or reading something heavy & it's tough?

 

[shawnbm]

You are really churning them out, Anne. Good on ya, as my father likes to say.

 

[Horsa]

You are really churning them out, Anne. Good on ya, as my father likes to say.

Thank you very much, Shawn. Writing is a good way of stopping myself from getting overwhelmed. (I'd think I was hyper if I was more physically active.) It releases pressure & lets me get some of my thoughts & ideas out of my head. It also allows me to feel, get feelings out, process some of those thoughts & feelings & express myself. I'm glad you enjoy reading some of my poems.

 

[Horsa]

Fascination over difficult things (inspired by Fascination over what's difficult by W.B. Yeats)​

Why is there such a fascination over difficult things?
Why do we prefer to do something to challenge us rather than something that to us sings?
Or just the simple pleasures life brings?
Why do we prefer reading tomes?
Than enjoying the comforts of homes?

Why is it harder to get something to chew on the more intelligent we get?
Why is it harder goals are more likely than easier ones to be met?
Why do we all like things that make us think?
Why do we like something in which our teeth can sink?
Why do we often find hard things easy & easy things hard?
Why do we do hard things perfectly but our easy tasks are marred?

After so long we find it hard to find the challenges we need to keep us going.
We want to learn but have to find something harder to keep us growing.
& find something useful & interesting to be knowing.
Either that or we find things that are way too hard like Greek.
Sometimes we just enjoy being a bit of a Geek.

Sometimes it's nice to give ourselves a bit of a break.
However, that's not always a piece of cake.
Our heads are always hungry for more.
Sometimes more information than they can store.
Mindfulness, relaxation & spontaneity are sometimes good things.
If our heads will let us this can allow us to appreciate the pleasures life brings.
If we don't do enough our heads switch off & we make careless errors, we turn into zombies by being on auto-pilot all the time.
Improvisation can be a good thing when we don't accidentally do something inconsiderate which can be such a societal crime.

 

[Horsa]

Horses in fields​

The sky was azure like aquamarine
The sun was a golden ball
It's rays were glaring bright
& it was burning us all

There were beautiful horses in fields
They were playing & running free.
I came to feed & caress them
& they were nuzzling me.