Young People

Young people
energise
generalise
tantalise

Young people
frustrate
run late
captivate

Young people
sharing
caring
daring

Young people
raging
creating
changing

Young people
so bold
take hold
grow old

Storm Approaching

Storm approaching
Sky darkens dangerously
As grey then not quite black
Blankets the blue

Storm approaching
Trees suddenly shivering
As wind gathers strength slowly

Storm approaching
Birds take flight
As they attempt to outrun the force
Fast and furious

Storm approaching
Rain pelts and spatters
As precipitation lets loose
Dark and dank

Storm approaching
Noise volume increasing
As wind and rain and hail (elements from on high)
Descend destructively

Storm gone by
Strange quiet descends
As expectations build of
Another angry storm

Qualia

(with thanks to Antonio Damasio & Philip Yancey)

Simple sensory qualities!
Mental patterns giving sense
to entities.
Blue of the sky
Mellowness of the cello
Soft, eerie glow of
candles on a cathedral wall
Vibrating bass sounds
Fragrance of incense
Bracing fresh air
A lover’s sensual touch
Fresh, organic pears
Newly expressed feelings
Moving from
urgency to immediacy
a place of calm
the rhythms of eternity
Qualia abound
Qualia give pleasure
Qualia bring peace

God in our image

Policeman, poet,
painter, politician, polemical.
If I were God
he…may be a she
at least…a composite

Marking

Red ink on black ink
What do students think?

Concise, to the point
Sentences.
A delight to read.
Easy to understand.

As opposed
To

Rambling, virtually incoherent
Monologues
Which aren’t really
Because
They quote ad nauseam
Their favourite writer
Or worse still
Don’t quote
But
Simply mention that
So-and-so said this-and-that
And like it or not
I
Neither agree nor disagree
With him/her/them
But it makes my essay
Look better
Even if you don’t think so,
So there.

Ah, marking
A joy and an excruciating pain
Both – at the same time.

Pouring

Rain pelts down
Taking away
Our sense of
Communication

Gales blow tough
Without thought
Not ceasing
Desperation

Chill of fire
Bone to bone
Interrupts
Fascination

Morning dew
When we walk
Everywhere
Infiltration