How dare I …

How dare I spew epithets

at a world that feels as if

it’s weight is crushing in on

me, for I have done nothing

to lessen the burden, I have

seen the injustice and turned

my back, I have heard the cries

of hungry children … and excused

myself from response.

 

Who am I to say “Enough!”, when

I sit and watch the news of yet more

wrong doing by mankind on mankind.

How dare I pass judgement on species 

arrogant enough to believe itself

superior to all other creatures when

I know in my heart the judgements to

be hurled at me for my own trespasses.

 

Then I think of my mother, her wise

loving eyes taking in her young son

and all he can be … her saying to me

“Remember my love always “When

I am perfect … then I`ll judge you.“

and keep that solidly in your heart.“

 

I try Mum … I really try.

 

Glenn D. Clarke 23  09  2011

Where are you now?

I have searched round every corner,
opened every door I have found,
revisited all my waking dreams,
but to no avail it seems.

Oh, I have been in arms that held
me through the dark and lonesome night,
I have kissed the lips of those
sweet souls whose comfort I have sought.

In bottles of wine, and vats of tears
I have drowned my lonely soul,
I have thought I knew desolation,
but then … I also thought I knew
my ravaged heart.

When young I felt your presence,
it was spring green dewdrop fresh,
with breath as sweet as cherries,
and the smell of sunshine on skin.

I have spent the years wandering,
spent my youth like so much coin,
now the years are gathering about me
like questions … and still no answer.

I have longed for you my true love,
have swept all fear away from my heart,
I am ready for the fullness of you
with but one question left to me …
where are you now?

By Glenn D. Clarke
August 2011

“I hope you don’t mind …”

“Such sweet compulsion doth in music lie.”

John Milton 1608-74  ‘Arcades’ (1645)

In 1970 a young musician recorded and released his first hit song,

it would go on to become an anthem for those who love … and those who love great music, for it in and of itself puts into simple context all that is of heart and mind in love.

That young musician would go to write some of the greatest rock ballads, culminating in a piece of music history that celebrated two iconic women … Marilyn Monroe and Princess Diana Spencer.

He is no mystery to anyone who has loved his music through the years, he is Elton John … and that first hit was “Your Song”.

Your Song

It’s a little bit funny, this feeling inside
I’m not one of those who can  easily hide
I don’t have much money but, boy if I did
I’d buy a big house where we both could live

If I was a sculptor, but then again no
Or a  man who makes potions in a traveling show
I know it’s not much but it’s the best I can do
My gift is my song yeah, and this one’s for you

And you  can tell everybody this is your song
It may be quite simple but, now that  it’s done,
I hope you don’t mind, I hope you don’t mind
That I put down in  words
How wonderful life is while you’re in the world

I sat on the  roof and kicked off the moss
Well a few of the verses, well they’ve got me  quite cross
But the sun’s been quite kind while I wrote this song
It’s for  people like you that keep it turned on

So excuse me forgetting, but these  things I do
You see I’ve forgotten if they’re green or they’re blue
Anyway, the thing is, what I really mean
Yours are the sweetest eyes I’ve  ever seen

And you can tell everybody this is your song
It may be quite  simple but, now that it’s done,
I hope you don’t mind, I hope you don’t  mind
That I put down in words
How wonderful life is while you’re in the  world

I hope you don’t mind, I hope you don’t mind
That I put down in  words how wonderful life is
While you’re in the world

I heard the song today and immediately was transported back to 197o, and to my girlfriend Lisa’s place where I heard him for the first time … and the magic that is Elton John has never let me down.

I just felt compelled to write this as sort of a Thankyou to him for all the years and all the sweet memories … so Elton … if you read this … “Cheers mate.”

http://youtu.be/z7j1uogI02A   Please feel free to click and remember.

Glenn D. Clarke   23/07/2011

For the time that we have here

It’s moments like this I feel the hands

of time take hold of my agonized sense

of self … and with deft fingers peel me

open like an overripe piece of fruit.

 

How easy it is to simply recline

allow life to take hold and inject the

venom of self-doubt and loathing

into the veins of your consciousness.

 

You are allowed to dwell here for a bit,

but do not linger long, do not lay root

here, it is like pain; a place to visit, yet

not a place to live.

 

The light is where we live, the dark

where we sleep, it is a wise person who

knows how to differentiate, moves forward

into the light and gathers joy.

Who are you …

I don’t know … just not sure

who you are, only just around

the shadows and lines, those

carved by time.

 

Vaguely … familiar in a rather

perplexing way, there is a

resemblance, a certain form

of what … familiarity?

 

It seems you have carried

enough … it seems, what

is this burden, this weight

you have chosen … or?

 

Was it chosen for you,

did you have no say in

how much  complexity

you could bear  … buckle under?

 

Was it Cohen who said

“Everything has a crack,

that’s how the light gets in.”

Are you cracked open yet?

 

Are you split apart, have

you tasted enough bile,

is it finally time to say

“Enough” … is it?

 

Light exists, even though

you seem to not see it yet

it is there … it exists on the

edge of your being.

 

If only this damned

mirror could reflect around

that corner  … up that hill,

and around that bend  in your mind.

 

Glenn David Clarke   04/11

The Blood of Kings and the Heart of a Mother

  

Inside your veins runs the blood of Kings,

the day will come when muscle will be as

sprung steel, all will make clear a path as

you stride past, for they will know … you

are a power to be reckoned with.

  

You are future King, leader and provider

of strength to your clan, you will hunt,

you will provide nourishment for their

bodies, and you will be the ever vigilant

watcher and fierce protector … King.

  

But for now young Princeling it is time to

watch, learn, gain the knowledge you will

need, build the strength and cunning of

a leader through the play of children, for

someday the game changes.

  

For now it is not your time, for now it is

life at a smaller scale, the joy of bugs, the

flicking tails of adults to spring on, and the

wrestling matches with your siblings. It

is a time of suckling, and all the love that

flows from a mothers heart.

  

 Glenn D. Clarke  04/06/2011

Photo: Billy Dodson

 

To Be A Willing Creator

We work in the dark – we do what we can – we give what we have.

Our doubt is our passion and our passion is our task. The rest is

the madness of art.

Henry James 1843-1916: ‘The Middle Years’ (1893)

The passionate task of art … which of us as artists wishes not to be a slave to his or her art form, we wrestle with it and try to throw it to the ground, we have all lost sleep trying to achieve the perfection of a given moment within, we beg to the Gods for a moment of clarity.

 

I myself have been driven mad with the desire to create … to give unto the world a birth of something of my soul, at times it comes unbidden, it seems to ooze out of every pore, it will interupt your life as if to say “Listen up you … I am here, present and ready … now get to work!”. But there are times … times of the screaming inside your head at the nature of this elusive beast, this fickle creature who plagues your existence with the lure of beauty to be held in your mind for one second and gone the next.

 

It is true, creating art is a labour, she is a hard task master … but the reward, ahhh the reward, whether it be paint or clay, stone or film, written word or twisted wire, the reward to the artist is the feeling of being at once parent and partner; in bringing the light of the world onto it, the full realization that you have given to the world your form of gift. For it is a gift you bear, and you have birthed into existence, for I don’t believe any artist would ever not agree … some pieces are as children being loosed in the world, and the chips fall as they may.

 

So now that I have given into that creature inside of me, now that I have allowed it its’ moment of rant … now I can go back to the process of waiting for the inspiration to knock on my minds door, and maybe, just maybe I will be given the release I seek, the joy of witness, the lusting complete.

 

Glenn David Clarke 03/29/11

I find myself thinking; For Diana

I find my self thinking at this time of my friend Kevin, a year has come and gone since he left us, and I find myself as confused as I was at the time of his leaving, not so much about the why of it but more in the loss of someone so fundamentally good … don’t be mistaken, I understand that it happens to us all, this “shrugging off of this mortal coil” is just lifes continuance … but this void, the emptiness left in the wake of someone so well-loved seems such a waste.

  

His life was a joy to him, his wife Diana was at the centre of that joy as were his sons Ryan and Tyler, for Kevin was the epitome of the “family man”, his family was his whole life, and Diana has been his raison d’être, for he loved her all of his days; which was very evident when you saw them together, not in a doting kind of way … more comfortable, stable and ever strong, their love was the tie that binds and very inspirational to this writer.

  

Kevin had another “family” … his staff … and I know that the loss of him was a major devastation for us as it was for everyone who loved him, but somehow his staff felt it on a level I have personally never known. It was the loss of a solid piece in their lives, the rock they held to for strength at times, for he always made himself available for them if they needed him for advice or guidance … he was truly a leader. He was also a prankster, a party lover, a friend and at times a pain (let us not forget the light-in-the-washroom joker). He was always there if you needed a shoulder, for he hated seeing his people in any pain, and would always try and help … “Thankyou buddy”.

  

So with this  comes the end of a year, and today we will all get together and have a drink, a chat, a memory and hopefully an understanding that with Spring comes new life, we have welcomed three new little lives into our fold this past year (and a bit ), and for me they are a reminder of life at it’s most poignant.

  

We love you Kevin, we miss you always from one and all. Great peace be with you and with your loving family.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9OPdKM_2kE

This video was chosen for it’s wonderful feel and lyric, I hope you like this Diana, it was chosen for all who loved him.

Glenn D. Clarke  March 21/ 2011

Lighter

I am going to take life a lot lighter now,

not that I intend to take it less seriously …

just lighter, too much drama kills the actor,

too much pain dulls your senses, and I want

to be more aware … aware of life around me,

aware to the possibilities, aware of me and all

the subtle changes that are occurring in me.

  

Lighter sounds a good word, buoyancy is

always a lovely feeling, to breathe the air

and be one with it, to flow effortlessly down

the road of life, to be open and honest with

oneself and all about you, and if lost … to

regain your sense of self and your place.

 

For to long did heaviness follow my every step,

like a cloaked spectre … oppressive and denying

me the ability to breath or even to move through

my days and nights … no more.

 

I will choose lightness, I will choose to be in and

of the world once more, to move unfettered in

decision, aware of my self, sure of my desires,

awake to all of the possible gifts of this life …

I will be … lighter.

Glenn D. Clarke  10/2010

When Life Takes a Turn

 

When it seems that your life turns

a corner and forgot to tell you …

and the odds seemed stacked against

being able to survive …

when days turn to months and

minutes to years …

you tend to forget who is on your side.

  

You are the one to help you,

and you have to be your own best friend,

for the strength you need is right there

inside you, and the kindness you show

is the needle and thread to mend.

  

We tend to not be so kind to our own soul,

and our heart will bleed tears by the score,

so look after your self, and do no harm to your

being, for … given time, love, and patience …

all will prove to be within your grasp.

  

Life is a walk into new days, not all will seem

kind, nor will all be clearly defined , but as in

all aspects of your life … tis not the destination

but the journey that should drive you forward.

 

Glenn D. Clarke  09/10