Submissions by Razzerleaf
POEMS AND SHORT STORIES
Poet Introduction
I have been writing poetry for about 10 years now, still need to crush a lot of coal before I get a rough diamond. I try to improve all the time so really like constructive feedback, Love reading other poets and finding something that takes me away.
Heavy Ipods
Only the radio had the power
to keep my attention
for an hour each Sunday night,
just after a bath
and a bubble beard shave.
The rest of the time
I was a distraction
to the rest of the class,
well at least that's what it says
in those musty pink report books
in the loft.
The top twenty meant as much
as match of the day, James Bond or
the head rolling out in Jaws.
When it was over at 7:00pm
I was always left feeling a little depressed
called it Sunday night tummy.
Dad rarely spoke between...
to keep my attention
for an hour each Sunday night,
just after a bath
and a bubble beard shave.
The rest of the time
I was a distraction
to the rest of the class,
well at least that's what it says
in those musty pink report books
in the loft.
The top twenty meant as much
as match of the day, James Bond or
the head rolling out in Jaws.
When it was over at 7:00pm
I was always left feeling a little depressed
called it Sunday night tummy.
Dad rarely spoke between...
#childhood
#music
332 reads
11 Comments
Don't wait up (soup for tea)
He's greasy on the settee
picking dead skin from
his stubby toes,
tries to turn his neck by
leaning backwards and rolling.
"How long does it take?
the match is about to start".
She hears him but keeps scouring the surface,
works hard to stay in the gym
and fills every room that he's not in.
Regrets are resolved in a full-length mirror,
smoothed out, over her hips.
He hollers into the kitchen
"I said how long is it gonna be"?
Not as quick as you were this morning
she mutters under her breath. ...
picking dead skin from
his stubby toes,
tries to turn his neck by
leaning backwards and rolling.
"How long does it take?
the match is about to start".
She hears him but keeps scouring the surface,
works hard to stay in the gym
and fills every room that he's not in.
Regrets are resolved in a full-length mirror,
smoothed out, over her hips.
He hollers into the kitchen
"I said how long is it gonna be"?
Not as quick as you were this morning
she mutters under her breath. ...
#relationships
#lover
449 reads
4 Comments
Before the white boards
You don’t forget a covalent bond
when pupils dress like molecules,
tectonic plates are easy to grasp
when desks slide into continents,
But Billy Bentham
had a pub lunch
and came back with greasy lips,
ready to burst and beat the shit
out of any would-be noise maker,
rule breaker, I wasn't a chance taker.
So I sat and watched
the playing field crows
meeting at the murder.
Dodging the borrowed shorts brigade
skulking off for a bike shed smoke,
with pale legs and black plimsolls,
a flat...
when pupils dress like molecules,
tectonic plates are easy to grasp
when desks slide into continents,
But Billy Bentham
had a pub lunch
and came back with greasy lips,
ready to burst and beat the shit
out of any would-be noise maker,
rule breaker, I wasn't a chance taker.
So I sat and watched
the playing field crows
meeting at the murder.
Dodging the borrowed shorts brigade
skulking off for a bike shed smoke,
with pale legs and black plimsolls,
a flat...
#disappointment
391 reads
8 Comments
Another problem with being a party-goer
Behave yourself tonight,
and please don’t embarrass us.
But five drinks in
I'm tumbling backwards
setting the clock for 17 again.
A non-smoker cadging cigs,
swallowing shot glasses
then another pint,
swapping party anthems
for Springsteen and Motorhead,
I air guitar my way to the
wrong side of another day.
Her gun metal frown
was one step in front, crosshaired
and ready to take the head-shot,
banging on the bathroom door.
My reflection leaned towards me
and smiled, hollow-eyed.
...
and please don’t embarrass us.
But five drinks in
I'm tumbling backwards
setting the clock for 17 again.
A non-smoker cadging cigs,
swallowing shot glasses
then another pint,
swapping party anthems
for Springsteen and Motorhead,
I air guitar my way to the
wrong side of another day.
Her gun metal frown
was one step in front, crosshaired
and ready to take the head-shot,
banging on the bathroom door.
My reflection leaned towards me
and smiled, hollow-eyed.
...
#relationships
#conflict
#disappointment
389 reads
8 Comments
The problem with being a party-goer
My shirt made me feel fat
and the sofa was too soft
for short legs.
She was scraped back, DrM booted
and mostly wearing black, makeup included,
confident about being uncomfortable.
I immediately put her in my emo box
and opened my fifth can,
I didn't watch her sit down on the arm
of the sofa.
"You look safe" she said
as she leaned against me.
I nodded in resigned agreement.
My wife came back from the toilet,
"they've got a walk in shower" she said,
I nodded with surprise.
...
and the sofa was too soft
for short legs.
She was scraped back, DrM booted
and mostly wearing black, makeup included,
confident about being uncomfortable.
I immediately put her in my emo box
and opened my fifth can,
I didn't watch her sit down on the arm
of the sofa.
"You look safe" she said
as she leaned against me.
I nodded in resigned agreement.
My wife came back from the toilet,
"they've got a walk in shower" she said,
I nodded with surprise.
...
#anxiety
387 reads
6 Comments
Potpourri and paint
Yes it’s true that materials play their part,
bricks and mortar, wood and glass,
a colour you found for the front door
that makes the Maple burn its brightest,
but they are all just pieces of a collective,
It’s formed in layers not
specific things or places.
It’s the wet nose of a dog that
that nudges onto tears,
a strip of morning sunlight that makes
the dust dance and finds the cat curled,
a coffee mug and its coaster rings
that briefly fog the glass.
It sits beside us all for family TV, ...
bricks and mortar, wood and glass,
a colour you found for the front door
that makes the Maple burn its brightest,
but they are all just pieces of a collective,
It’s formed in layers not
specific things or places.
It’s the wet nose of a dog that
that nudges onto tears,
a strip of morning sunlight that makes
the dust dance and finds the cat curled,
a coffee mug and its coaster rings
that briefly fog the glass.
It sits beside us all for family TV, ...
#home
430 reads
8 Comments
Nan
College foyer on the phone,
seeing if she’s made it home.
Yes who’s that, what do you want?
switch on your ears Nan, its Keith,
oh my god, Henry it’s the police.
Painful joints and blue rinse hair,
Bingo to play from a comfy chair,
nip upstairs and fetch my dabbers.
Cabbage cloaks the common room,
then pies on Thursday afternoons.
Hello love come on in,
have a look in the biscuit tin,
hunched back and rheumatoid claws,
hips that click and weight she can’t gain,
false teeth smile that never complains.
...
seeing if she’s made it home.
Yes who’s that, what do you want?
switch on your ears Nan, its Keith,
oh my god, Henry it’s the police.
Painful joints and blue rinse hair,
Bingo to play from a comfy chair,
nip upstairs and fetch my dabbers.
Cabbage cloaks the common room,
then pies on Thursday afternoons.
Hello love come on in,
have a look in the biscuit tin,
hunched back and rheumatoid claws,
hips that click and weight she can’t gain,
false teeth smile that never complains.
...
#kindness
#family
385 reads
9 Comments
The Green Jackets are coming
The park tunnel was long enough
to lose peripheral vision,
it dripped even in dry weather.
Sometimes I would sit in the shadows
watching kids run like bumper cars
sparking fear onto blackened bricks.
I was learning.
A test for the playground huddle.
Have you heard?
when we leave at four the Green Jackets
will be waiting by the bridge before the park,
its winter, it will be dark.
There was this girl walking home,
on her own.
Four of them jumped her.
“What did they do, what did they do?” ...
to lose peripheral vision,
it dripped even in dry weather.
Sometimes I would sit in the shadows
watching kids run like bumper cars
sparking fear onto blackened bricks.
I was learning.
A test for the playground huddle.
Have you heard?
when we leave at four the Green Jackets
will be waiting by the bridge before the park,
its winter, it will be dark.
There was this girl walking home,
on her own.
Four of them jumped her.
“What did they do, what did they do?” ...
#lies
#confusion
422 reads
2 Comments
Slow news day
The first to leave the room
were your cats,
followed by a stench
breaching the doorway,
snarling across my face,
the heat only made things worse.
I turned off the breakfast show
and placed a cushion over the scars,
leaving the remote in your grip,
just pressing the button
without touching flesh.
I didn't want to feel the cold.
Two lots of Saturday papers
missed their morning coffee
and completed crosswords.
Then on Wednesday
you were headline news.
'Blood on her shoes'
the pets had slept at...
were your cats,
followed by a stench
breaching the doorway,
snarling across my face,
the heat only made things worse.
I turned off the breakfast show
and placed a cushion over the scars,
leaving the remote in your grip,
just pressing the button
without touching flesh.
I didn't want to feel the cold.
Two lots of Saturday papers
missed their morning coffee
and completed crosswords.
Then on Wednesday
you were headline news.
'Blood on her shoes'
the pets had slept at...
#death
#cats
391 reads
10 Comments
HMS Glory
When uncle Frank came back,
he said he’d been held
behind bamboo walls
while his body ate itself.
Edna gave him rice pudding,
He nearly killed her.
He gave away a bayonet
and a black-sashed HMS hat,
things like that scared him.
I hung them on my wall,
but they still shook
when a door slammed.
The chip shop round the corner
changed hands to Mr Yip,
so future fish suppers
were caught in the Volvo.
Edna complained
it was too far to drive,
so she cooked.
Frank...
he said he’d been held
behind bamboo walls
while his body ate itself.
Edna gave him rice pudding,
He nearly killed her.
He gave away a bayonet
and a black-sashed HMS hat,
things like that scared him.
I hung them on my wall,
but they still shook
when a door slammed.
The chip shop round the corner
changed hands to Mr Yip,
so future fish suppers
were caught in the Volvo.
Edna complained
it was too far to drive,
so she cooked.
Frank...
#soldiers
#war
305 reads
4 Comments
Mike
A renegade rabbit called Mike,
stole carrots from Tesco's each night,
tunneled under the shops,
for organic crops,
then peddled away on his bike.
Now Mike was a greedy young rabbit,
troubled by a carotene habit,
soon he stopped caring,
the raids got more daring,
he was caught with a kilo of carrot.
Breaking rocks with his teeth in the yard,
the time he was doing was hard,
each night in the shower,
a Hare called him flower,
and tried to catch him off guard.
stole carrots from Tesco's each night,
tunneled under the shops,
for organic crops,
then peddled away on his bike.
Now Mike was a greedy young rabbit,
troubled by a carotene habit,
soon he stopped caring,
the raids got more daring,
he was caught with a kilo of carrot.
Breaking rocks with his teeth in the yard,
the time he was doing was hard,
each night in the shower,
a Hare called him flower,
and tried to catch him off guard.
#funny
#CallToAction
528 reads
2 Comments
Thick skin
I lost every key,
even the ones I threaded
on boot laces round my neck,
I hid them at the backs of drawers,
blue-tacked under table tops
but you still took them.
I mind myself in unlocked rooms,
respectful of what I was,
sipping at the waterhole,
holding host with all that sat,
drinks would go flat and I would burn
plastic in the ash trays
of furtive conversation.
Your words now fall ferrous,
on childlike courage,
iron fillings that move on your magnet
hidden by the true possessor. ...
even the ones I threaded
on boot laces round my neck,
I hid them at the backs of drawers,
blue-tacked under table tops
but you still took them.
I mind myself in unlocked rooms,
respectful of what I was,
sipping at the waterhole,
holding host with all that sat,
drinks would go flat and I would burn
plastic in the ash trays
of furtive conversation.
Your words now fall ferrous,
on childlike courage,
iron fillings that move on your magnet
hidden by the true possessor. ...
#relationships
#oppression
587 reads
12 Comments
DU Poetry : Submissions by Razzerleaf