I write my waking incoherence
And when I sleep, I dream in words;
I write out lines as daily penance
And let them go, like captive birds.
The words are seeded in the darkness,
Plucked like stars from midnight skies;
I may not know their rhyme or reason,
Or if they’re foolish, foul or wise.
I write in ink on crushed papyrus,
I write in blood to spread the virus;
I write for love, I write for money,
I write in vinegar and honey.
The joy is in the puzzle making,
In finding pieces that might fit;
It’s not unlike the art of baking,
Or solving riddles bit by bit.
I write in pictograms and stone,
I write with feathers and with bone;
I write for fame, I write for history,
I write in code and silent mystery.
The pain is in the shards of meaning
Piercing into mental flesh;
It’s not unlike the knife of healing
Cleaning out a wound that’s fresh.
I write in tones that cast a spell,
I write for heaven and for hell;
I write alive, I write when dormant,
I write in tune and script discordant.
The words are borrowed, begged and stolen,
Yet these words are mine to give;
The belly of my words are swollen
And, given birth, they start to live.
I write my muddled hero’s journey
And when I fall, words pick me up;
I write out sentences that turn me,
Questing, towards the gilded cup.
I write to breathe, I write to survive,
I write to believe, I write to strive;
I write to conceive, I write to thrive,
It’s writing that keeps me alert and alive.
Wayne Visser © 2017
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.
