By
Ken Allan Dronsfield
Where Dust and Ash Reign
Broken bricks of shadowed memory,
lost to time, far-reaching aged hands
once life reigned and prospered there
now back to the earth as dust and ash.
Wagon wheels and horseshoes left,
abandoned without prudence or grace
recalling days of our westward craze
well before cars or planes were adept.
Reticent views of laughter or squalor
buried in graves on the vast open plain;
trinkets lay about, shimmer in sunshine
the well gone dry, like clay blown away.
Walking the flat, prairie dogs scatter,
red shouldered hawk spies with intent
as buzzards circle some miles away;
Dust and ash about; a mindful matter.
Shaken Not Stirred
In the evening transcending;
my lonely heart not adjusting
as the rabbits play at chasing
shadows in flat mottled grass.
Warbling of self righteousness
fragile screaming in mourning
echoing within a mirrored eye
the abominable crispy breath.
Flame to the wick ignited but
the candle dreams of darkness
entombed within subtle empathy
grasping at Angels drifting high.
Orbs in pastel traverse souls
a percolated sadness wreaks
my mutation reeks of change
a purple rain shaken not stirred.
Requiem of a Bastard Rat
Trading off my food stamps
for beer and a carton of smokes
coughing is getting much worse
raspy voice after the night shift
Airing up the flat tires on an
’85 Chevrolet impala wagon
disco moves to the Bee Gees
performing ‘One Night Only’
Memoirs recorded yesterday
humming fast like a tattoo gun
search out my pack of beef ramen
trippin’ away as a Samurai rabbit
Rapturous glide on thinning ice
living life swimming a vat of fudge
super big gulp stolen from 7 Eleven
sketchy requiem of a bastard rat.
Congratulations Author Ken Allan Dronsfield on your excellent published writing prose, and a huge shout out to Tuck Magazine for acknowledging your hard work. Pittsburgh Author: Renee' Drummond-Brown (Renee's Poems with Wings are Words in Flight)!!!
I really enjoyed the tripping back to a time I only read of or seen on film; most assuredly this written medium of throwback is the finest journey I've been on in regards to the portrayal of such a time as that in the delightfully charming "Where Dust and Ash Reign". It felt so right as if I had heard a story spun by an elder or had even travelled back to time to try on myself. Such is the power of the author's imagery within this. "Shaken not Stirred" had a mournful despairing effect on me as I'm sure most would feel, as we are drawn in by the hauntingly provocative lines that offers us a view of the melancholy mind of one who is lost in deep thought as he reflects on himself. While reading this beautiful piece, I felt myself slowly easing into a saddened state as it gently delivered me to the end of the line; I'm so glad I will be able to shake this one off, yet will always remember the hook that caught me. The poets's ability to totally captivate and mesmerize his readers is obvious. As for "Requiem of a Bastard Rat". Ken's imaginative muscle sneaks up on us yet again, reminding us of the infinite amount of greatness he has stored within that he taps into which makes him such a highly sought after writer. The poet in him never fails to surprise us EVER! Well done indeed.