Tag: writer

Posted in Australia, Life, Loss

Put Out Your Bats

Posted on by Charlie Alford

Things happen.

You just don’t think they are going to happen

but they do.

A fallen hero

things happen

but then they get better

but sometimes they don’t.

I saw red bold letters

I saw yesterday on replay

I felt the sun shining

I heard clouds on the bay

Flags fell

Wishes made

Prayers barely answered

hope fell into shade

Darkness cast shadows,

against the light of humanity

but breathes of love

in the veins of a global community

roared across oceans

to the place I call home.

Streets lined with cricket bats

wherever I roam.

I didn’t know you

I only knew of you

I feel the pain of losing you

because I feel the grief left by you

Things happen

Nonsensical things happen

and we all keep asking

why did it happen to you?

—

Written for Phil Hughes & Cricketing Community. I can’t say I ever followed cricket or know much of the team but what happened last week I felt in my heart just like the rest of the world. It’s just so shocking and I still can’t believe it.  I had to write something.

#putoutyourbats

Posted in Life

Live the Journey

Posted on by Charlie Alford

Originally posted for 365 Days of Creating Charlie:

Dwelling inside is my inner Alice

perplexed by the choices she has to make

the Cheshire cat, his words mean no malice

but enigmatic words are hard to take.

If the destination is unknowing

than the direction doesn’t matter

when the moments in between are flowing

that is when your road begins to scatter.

So, take a jump down the white rabbits hole

stop for tea with the Hatter and the Hare

scribble and sketch all over your life scroll

for life is outside society’s square.

To be here – is the greatest game you’ll play

another decision, take it your way.

Posted in Life

Poem for Mental Health Week

Posted on by Charlie Alford

Inspired by Mental Health Week that is sweeping across Australia.

Empty

like a glass of wine

on a Friday night

spinning happily

wonderland

spices and chilli

stings shivering nerves

casacade of goosebumps

the real world screams

from all directions

piano keys at her temples

bass at her heart

eyes like lead

oh, a paper-weight of a head

Downton’s Daisy, is

devilishly clever

a marionette under the wrong master

she doesn’t know what to do

society says she will not do

in her family tree of servitude.

That story stops there

hack and halve and hack again

dreams submerge reality

or is the other way around?

She is tired.

She is empty.

She breaks her down

to build her up.

She is the builder.

Posted in Life, Writing

Despicable You

Posted on by Charlie Alford

Despicable You

Trolling about the place

your radar must be broken

your mind wanders

far in the wrong direction

your twisted pleasures

scratches against my life

like nails on a chalkboard

turning my sunshine to rain

your words taste like milk

that has been left out alone

the government warned us

about the Internet

now bonding with humans

face to face

sends dancing endorphins

but are frozen shocked

by disillusioned speech

the brown eyed pot belly

sprawled across the chair

sends shudders down my spine

there’s just something not right

chuntering over there

the office clock ticks away

but I’m trapped in creepy moments

of seductive despicability

but it doesn’t work on me

my disdain pauses your conversing

the innocent shrivelled shrugging

shows a lifetime of rehearsing

to me you are a real life Gru

vile and wicked; twisted you.

Posted in Writing

Human Tetris – The Commuters Curse

Posted on by Charlie Alford

Human tetris… activate!

Do you hear the people sing?

Swinging like monkeys

in a boxed rainforest

the jungle calls loudly

ghostly footprints

taste like rain.

Twisting, turning, jerking

weaving the web of suburbia

even though you don’t know

you know

no worries, mate

the commuters trolley of blind faith

fly down highways

while I am suspended like a marionette

dreaming of growing wings

the charismatic eagle Always

one day will cut loose the strings

Do you hear the people sing?

Posted in holidays

Composed upon Mutianyu

Posted on by Charlie Alford

I’ve recently returned from my trip to Beijing and so enjoyed learning the history and culture of our Chinese friends. The following is a few words I composed whilst almost passed out in one of the gantrys of the Great Wall of China as I tried to escape the sweltering sun and rest my poor weary feet…

 

A reel of memories

that taste like duck and dumplings

a warriors cry silenced

carved into the mountains

a story of everlasting pavement

up and down, up and down,

exposed under Asian sun

straw hats among the sloping grass

following footsteps

immune to creaking chairlifts

and anglo invasion.

 

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Posted in Life, Loss

The day the laughter died

Posted on by Charlie Alford

Written in honour of Robin Williams – a true entertainer that had a huge impact on this girls childhood. I can’t think of a favourite childhood movie that didn’t have him in it. From Aladdin, Flubber, Hook to Dead Poets Society, Good Will Hunting and even more recently Happy Feet.

 

The day the laughter died…

shock waves and sadness

a piece of my youth – gone

I always thought Peter Pan lived forever.

Sparkling blue eyes

decades of smiles

like ripples across an ocean

throngs of characters

transcending time

always and forever

caught inside life’s hour glass

trying to break free

a special kind of magic

never before and never again

will our hearts warm

like you warmed them

our genie

our doctor

our captain

remember

turn at the second star

nanu nanu.

 

Posted in Seasons/Nature

The Other Side

Posted on by Charlie Alford

Written for Heeding Haiku With HA: Summer Kigo by MindLoveMisery’s Menagerie…  Summer is indeed burning brightly over the northern hemisphere and I am so much looking forward to joining them next month for a couple of weeks. However, south of the equator, at the bottom of the world Winter is making herself very well known. So here is my tanka from:

The OtherSide

Winter Sun caught in trees

 

On the other side

billowing clouds block the sun

wind chimes dance fiercely

shaded from Summers beauty

we’ll find our way back again.

 

 

Posted in Australia, Loss, Seasons/Nature

Foggy Days Ahead

Posted on by Charlie Alford

This fog is symbolic of discontent
Hurt and pain burns inside this weary world
each of us clouded by our judgements
it happened in a moment; emotions twirled.
Walking through shadows of a misty place
searching; scrolling for pieces of answers
disappearing without a scrap or trace
echoes of voices of social dancers
Soon the fog will lift from this tired city
And her flags will be raised back to full mast
Even in this moment the world seems shitty
tomorrow will pull it into the past.
We’ve been here before; Winter comes and goes
We’ll be here again – that everyone knows.

Posted in Time

1 Day 1 World Project: 10pm

Posted on by Charlie Alford

Inspired by Northwest Frame of Mind 1 Day 1 World Project: 10pm and the well-known game ‘If I go to sleep now… that’s 8 hours sleep’…

 

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“Time is an illusion”

It’s 10pm on a Monday

eyes closing; must be time to sleep

dreams of finding time – someday

there will be logic in our weeks.

Weighed and measured all my lifetime

into hours, days, months and years

conditioned by the hands that chime

transient moments – deepest fears.

It’s time to set the alarm clock

It’s time to turn down the warm bed

It’s time to pull on the wooly socks

It’s time to farewell today – she’s dead.

Time is humanity’s greatest curse

inured to the great grand design

trapped inside from birth to hearse

will we ever find the time?

It’s 10pm on a Monday

and it’s almost time for bed

tomorrow will be another day

tick tock goes the clock, she said.