Category: poetry

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It’s Time

It’s time to redesign, to reconceive the world we leave
For those who follow in our wake, for each child’s sake
It’s time to spark and innovate, to syncopate with
New ideas, beyond the fears of failures past, at last
It’s time to rise, with fire burning in our eyes
And change our ways to giving, for life and for the living

It’s time to re-align, to reassess the mess we make
When what we take is more than need, is greed
It’s time to halt life’s slow decline, the heinous crime
Of ecocide, the plastic tide, the skies of smoke that choke
It’s time to heal the dying soil, to ease the workers’ toil
And make new waves of daring, with love and with great caring

It’s time to redefine, to resurrect the hope that springs
With wings of acting boldly now, with minds that beam
It’s time to dream of futures green, to reinvent our fate
To help the Earth regenerate, where waste is food, renewed
It’s time to turn from death, to take a breath, start afresh
And make a mighty pivot, for life and all who live it.

Wayne Visser © 2021

Book

Seize the Day: Favourite Inspirational Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together favourite inspirational poems by Wayne Visser. The anthology takes us on a journey through the peaks and troughs of life, celebrating the indomitable human spirit.. It includes many old favourites like “Poets Must Be” and “Chasing the Blue”, as well as brand new poems like “The Writer” and “Making Ripples”. Sages through the ages wisely say: / Carpe Diem – seize the dawning day / Oh, would that I could assuage that thirst / But the day conspires to seize me first! / With the hurry and scurry / Of home’s frantic flurry / And the hustle and bustle / Of work’s tangled tussle. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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In the Margins

When the story of my life is writ
All the chapters set, the headings bold
You may miss the most important bit
For it’s in the margins life is told

You may spot the notes in spidery hand
Crammed in next to work and daily grind
All the treasures of events unplanned
And creative doodles of the mind

They may not connect to life’s main plot
Or the tidy order on display
They may be the things that time forgot
Or the flash of colour in the grey

The main narrative may well be true
But it misses chaos, love and flair
It may chart the course on which I flew
Yet say nothing of my soul’s great dare

All the times I detoured and got lost
Or indulged in poetry and art
When I gave and did not count the cost
Or glimpsed the whole beyond the parts

When the story of my life is told
When the scribbling pen has come to rest
Just remember, as the tale unfolds
It’s in the margins that I lived the best.

Wayne Visser © 2021

Book

String, Donuts, Bubbles and Me: Favourite Philosophical Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together philosophical poems by Wayne Visser. In this anthology, he muses on subjects ranging from space, angels and destiny to time, science and meaning in life. According to scientists / The world’s made of string / That buzzes and fuzzes / Or some such strange thing / It’s also a donut / That curls round a hole / With middles and riddles / Just like a fish bowl / And there’s no mistaking / It’s more than 3-D / With twenty or plenty / Dimensions unseen / Still others insist / It’s really a bubble / That’s popping and bopping / Through the lenses of Hubble. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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Because I Care

When I strike on the streets in mass protest
And warn you to change or beware
It’s not because I’m foolhardy –
It’s because I care
When I brood in the quagmire of worry
And greet your bright smile with a stare
It’s not because I’m unhappy –
It’s because I care

I care that the forests are burning
That the storms are grey prophets of gloom
I care that the children are yearning
For a future where nature can bloom

When I speak with the words of the voiceless
And lay my stark message out bare
It’s not because I’m emotive –
It’s because I care
When I spark with the flames of great passion
And hope that you’ll take up my dare
It’s not because I’m hot-headed –
It’s because I care

I care that the homeless are growing
That the poor cannot flee from their pains
I care that the blood is still flowing
That the slaves are not free from their chains

When I strive for a future that’s better
And look for a purpose to share
It’s not because I’m a hippie –
It’s because I care
When I burst with ideas for solutions
And tackle tough problems with flair
It’s not because I’m creative –
It’s because I care

I care that the animals suffer
That the farms are like factories of doom
I care that survival gets tougher
That the sixth mass extinction now looms

When I call for bold action on climate
And demand that you clean up the air
It’s not because I’m dramatic –
It’s because I care
When I speak of the need for more justice
And implore you to do what is fair
It’s not because I’m a dreamer –
It’s because I care

I care that all black lives should matter
That the scourge of race-hatred remains
I care that the women get battered
That they still have to fight for their gains

When I wish for rewilding of nature
And the right to protect life so rare
It’s not because I’m a “greenie” –
It’s because I care
When I join in the movement for changes
It’s not my intention to scare
It’s just me shaping our future –
It’s because I care.

Wayne Visser © 2021

Book

Wishing Leaves: Favourite Nature Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together nature poems by Wayne Visser, celebrating the diversity, beauty and ever-changing moods of our planet. The anthology includes many old favourites like “I Think I Was a Tree Once” and “A Bug’s Life”, as well as brand new poems like “Monet’s Dream” and “The Environmentalist”. Then as we turned our faces to the moon / Our hands entwined, our hearts in sync, in tune / We felt the fingers of the silken breeze / And made our wishes on the falling leaves / A gust of wind set off a whispered sigh / Among the trees that leaned against the sky.  Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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Regeneration

The news is good (have you not heard?)
For every insect, beast and bird
The Great Extinction’s turning ’round
The seeds of change found fertile ground

The barren fields are set to bloom
The rivers sparkling crystal clear
New forests rise up from the gloom
The wild calls out for all to hear

The colour’s back in coral reefs
We heed the words of tribal chiefs
The farms are making healthy soil
The sun and wind’s replacing oil

The news is good (don’t you agree?)
Nature’s back, it’s not too late
Across the land, the air and sea
We let the Earth regenerate.

Wayne Visser © 2020

Book

Wishing Leaves: Favourite Nature Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together nature poems by Wayne Visser, celebrating the diversity, beauty and ever-changing moods of our planet. The anthology includes many old favourites like “I Think I Was a Tree Once” and “A Bug’s Life”, as well as brand new poems like “Monet’s Dream” and “The Environmentalist”. Then as we turned our faces to the moon / Our hands entwined, our hearts in sync, in tune / We felt the fingers of the silken breeze / And made our wishes on the falling leaves / A gust of wind set off a whispered sigh / Among the trees that leaned against the sky.  Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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All the Colours

The very moment that we met
I knew we would be best of friends
It started back in Tott’nham days
But that’s not how the story ends

As both our lives began to change
New partners and new purpose too
We seemed to move in swaying sync
With worlds unfolding bright and new

Now when I think of you, I smile
Recalling cider wisdom shared
And all the colours of your life
A sign of one who dreamed and dared

Today your sun’s on painted sky
With fresh adventures to begin
A flower shows your essence true
Of beauty blooming from within.

Wayne Visser © 2020

Book

Life in Transit: Favourite Travel & Tribute Poems

This creative collection, now in its 2nd edition, brings together travel and tribute poems by Wayne Visser. The anthology pays tribute to the likes of Nelson Mandela, Maya Angelou, Barack Obama, Antoni Gaudí & Leonardo da Vinci, and reflects on travels ranging from China and South Africa to Ecuador and Russia. Life is lived in the in-between / In transit / Between coming and going / Between staying and moving on / Between here and there / And what we call home / What we call settled or contented / Is merely a resting place / A station for refuelling / A nexus for reconnecting / A junction for changing direction. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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In the Mind

When this great race of life is run
When all is said and all is done
When we look back, we’ll surely find
So much of life was in the mind

The hardest trials, the stress and strain
The darkest nights, the clouds and rain
The loss that left us bruised and blind
These were the battles of the mind

The proudest wins, the joy and fun
The brightest days, the skies and sun
The love that made us good and kind
These were the triumphs of the mind

When this great wheel of life is turned
When seasons pass and tides have churned
When we reflect on what’s behind
We’ll know it’s true: life’s in the mind.

Wayne Visser © 2020

Book

String, Donuts, Bubbles and Me: Favourite Philosophical Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together philosophical poems by Wayne Visser. In this anthology, he muses on subjects ranging from space, angels and destiny to time, science and meaning in life. According to scientists / The world’s made of string / That buzzes and fuzzes / Or some such strange thing / It’s also a donut / That curls round a hole / With middles and riddles / Just like a fish bowl / And there’s no mistaking / It’s more than 3-D / With twenty or plenty / Dimensions unseen / Still others insist / It’s really a bubble / That’s popping and bopping / Through the lenses of Hubble. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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A Better Place

We may not sail the Seven Seas
Or board a rocket ship to Mars
Yet still we know to catch the breeze
And set our sights upon the stars

We may not run an enterprise
Or lead a nation and its realm
Yet still we have the wings to rise
And many ways to take the helm

We may not walk the halls of fame
Or take the prize in fortune’s race
Yet still we stand behind our name
And make the world a better place.

Wayne Visser © 2021

Book

Seize the Day: Favourite Inspirational Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together favourite inspirational poems by Wayne Visser. The anthology takes us on a journey through the peaks and troughs of life, celebrating the indomitable human spirit.. It includes many old favourites like “Poets Must Be” and “Chasing the Blue”, as well as brand new poems like “The Writer” and “Making Ripples”. Sages through the ages wisely say: / Carpe Diem – seize the dawning day / Oh, would that I could assuage that thirst / But the day conspires to seize me first! / With the hurry and scurry / Of home’s frantic flurry / And the hustle and bustle / Of work’s tangled tussle. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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A Poem

A poem’s the sound we hear when words go out to play
As they romp and rhyme, laugh and cry, or go astray
Some play nice, while others scratch and swear in fights
Some get down and dirty, some climb to heady heights

A poem’s the show we see when words are on display
As they flit and flirt bright colours, or shades of grey
Some paint true, while others splash and scatter in shapes
Some tell epic stories, some clown around with japes

A poem’s the churn we feel when words are in the fray
As they lilt and love, muse and mourn, or quietly pray
Some are thieves, while others shine and selflessly give
Some spark the fire of hope, some teach us how to live

Wayne Visser © 2021

Book

String, Donuts, Bubbles and Me: Favourite Philosophical Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together philosophical poems by Wayne Visser. In this anthology, he muses on subjects ranging from space, angels and destiny to time, science and meaning in life. According to scientists / The world’s made of string / That buzzes and fuzzes / Or some such strange thing / It’s also a donut / That curls round a hole / With middles and riddles / Just like a fish bowl / And there’s no mistaking / It’s more than 3-D / With twenty or plenty / Dimensions unseen / Still others insist / It’s really a bubble / That’s popping and bopping / Through the lenses of Hubble. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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Fifty

In all my years upon the Earth
This was the strangest since my birth
The year the ghostly virus struck
When time stood still and things got stuck

A year locked down under the dome
A chance to think, to be at home
A year of sickness and of death
When nature took a gasping breath

The crystal streams, the silent sky
The empty streets, the question why
The heartbeat of a world at rest
A seismic pause, a global test

Although we mourn for what is lost
We must reflect and count the cost
Of what will be our child’s regret
If we ignore the Great Reset

The end of coal, the peak of oil
The time to restore living soil
The promise of a solar dawn
An end to night, a brand-new dawn

A year of distance and of fear
A chance to love all we hold dear
A year of endings and of pain
When all good things must start again

Whatever challenges we face
This is our moment to embrace
A bigger view, a longer range
My fiftieth, the Year of Strange

Wayne Visser © 2020

Book

Life in Transit: Favourite Travel & Tribute Poems

This creative collection, now in its 2nd edition, brings together travel and tribute poems by Wayne Visser. The anthology pays tribute to the likes of Nelson Mandela, Maya Angelou, Barack Obama, Antoni Gaudí & Leonardo da Vinci, and reflects on travels ranging from China and South Africa to Ecuador and Russia. Life is lived in the in-between / In transit / Between coming and going / Between staying and moving on / Between here and there / And what we call home / What we call settled or contented / Is merely a resting place / A station for refuelling / A nexus for reconnecting / A junction for changing direction. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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African Flame

You are the first spark that kindles the fire
That nurtures our daring and restless desire
On journeys across the wilderness plain
You light up the way: our African flame

You are the red bloom that graces the tree
That rises from ash, a wonder to see
In nature resplendent, we honour your name
You burn with great beauty: our African flame

You are the fierce blaze that forges the soul
That touches the sky and makes the earth whole
Through hardship and toil, in fortune and fame
You burn with great faith: our African flame

You are the hot coal that glows in the night
That gives us the strength to stand up and fight
Deep passion’s a fire nobody can tame
You burn with great hope: our African flame

You are the warm light that keeps off the cold
That cradles our dreams and stories of old
Together in strength, diverse and the same
You burn with great love: our African flame

You are the enigma that flickers with heat
That dances with drums in sync to the beat
With colours that shine, with stars in your aim
You brighten the world: our African flame

Wayne Visser © 2020

Book

I Am An African: Favourite Africa Poems

This creative collection, now in its 5th edition, brings together Africa poems by Wayne Visser, including the ever popular “I Am An African”, as well as old favourites like “Women of Africa”, “I Know A Place in Africa”, “Prayer for Africa” and “African Dream”. The anthology celebrates the luminous continent and its rainbow people. The updated 5th Edition includes new poems like “Africa Untamed” and “Land of the Sun”. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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