M I R R O R
Its embodiment be round, Or square,
Even rectangular,
All glistening in crystal clear.
Concealed in compacts
Upon decorative scenes
Against the tall and the ornate
Simplicity to elaborate
Exemplifying in our wrinkles
It glitters those pearly whites
Casts a guardian’s silhouette
But it can illuminate the nemesis
Observing ourselves ageing
(You can’t hide from it)
Through the arrangements of hair
Blades cris-crossing the face
The beauty tips are pictured
It’s every second an image postered
Smash it!
Crack it!
Kiss it in the joy of the moment
A dance routine to imitate
This beautician’s accessory “Good Morning”! – (A little bit blurry)
Tears drawn from its pain
Eyes a roller coaster of thoughts
Squeezing and squirming we flex
In front a reversal of the obvious
Reviewing the past and present
In its many reflections
Providing the illusion sanity
Holding the truth of our normality
The caressing linear and curves
Angulated across its substance
It echoes us out
So it refracts internally
With snapshots of light
Facing time amongst anonymity
Indications that will reveal your soul
We touch it, for a sense of security
To bridge a warped common sense
Dreams smeared across its surface
Engaged in personal conversations
A rehearsal to self-judgement. Close your eyes
(The portrait still hangs before you)
Open them…… SURPRISE!!!!
Imprinted notes of love messages
Or a reminder for occasions
Numbers written in rouge
Unveils all those who have stood
Before this mystic speculum. It doesn’t search or Commands anything from you
Yet it sees everything.
Thinks it controls those appearances
Seems to retain our secrets
Inanimate to hold you to account.
But with all that clear potential
To be greeted, With a smile, Everyday.
“Mirror, mirror on the wall……”?
DISREGARD
Breaking glass on the mapped floor
Shatters all that stands to the fore
Running tears in a river of blood
Grasps the fears of the torment in flood
Promises are short and broken in two
Commitments between the old and new
Financial havoc festers into a deficit
Ignores them, but never their assets
To them,
This means nothing
To them,
Demands something
Keeping the balance, port side
It’s their interests, with a bribe.
Refuge mounds piled from our dumps
Rubbish now a life source, not junk
The earnings are eked out of a wish
Providing wealth that we will dismiss
Their reserves are being relegated dry
At a snap of our fingers, live or die
Allowed nothing through the seasons
With war and strife, a justified reason
To them,
Currency is law
To them,
They crave much more
To what seems the cost, bread for life
There’s no demand to their sacrifice
They sever the pipes that feed oxygen
Evaporating lives that a worth living
Diluting the crystal-clear waters
Leaving arid soils as glistening mirages
Seedlings wash away from the hands
Filtering through time like sand
Cease the exploitation of one’s land
Rejuvenate our will to make a stand
To them,
Cigars and wine
To them,
Disregarding minds
What’s expected – Suffocation
What’s the real fear – Annihilation
Ashamedly we are just surviving
Whence another predictable crime
Mark Wheeler, 1993
Many questions still unanswered
Probably never, until the end of time
To them with those beady eyes
Flashy quotes from heads in the shy
Interned themselves down under debts
Seeing the rest suffer their regrets
To them, Capitalism
To them,
Feudalism
Depriving a world now full of serfs
From their crystal ball of biased truths
M U M
Mum, I love you wholeheartedly. I could never say it enough I say it with every ounce of me
Our white rose
Whose hugs evoked a comfort be. Weekend aromas of sweet baking
Your ever-presence to aide
A freedom to live (Stubbornly in her moments)
You loved and was loved, Our beautiful Yorkshire lass.
Across moors awash in heather
A girl grows in the fields
Upon a seaside white house
Shadowed by an abbey’s grandeur
To reside, to hide.
A boisterous imp of youth
Feels the heavy cloud It hangs above her. In struggles of silence, Is the determination for love (For the strength of assurance).
WAR arrives. Bombs, raids, a scarcity of time. You’re ailing
Very little schooling
The family fractures, It builds your iron will, A forthright personality. Your heart does blossom warmth
Embracing the person
And caring to be there,
Praying for the joys of happiness.
As a flowering rose
Greeting the world in colour
Adventures shine on every petal
Subtle to touch Its power is enlightened. You bring an innocence
To nurture
For people of prominence
To picturesque sunshine
A candid luxury
In this black and white Britain
Mark Wheeler, 2023
You cradle benevolence
Reflecting on the emotions
Mending the cracks and cuts
A wonderfulness.
And so, your light shone
Above a west country lad
His embrace assured you love
With a commitment of hearts (Three score and six my love) To sacrifice half a world away And see it flourish in our lives
Sustaining our energy
With understanding eyes
In a tug-o-war with life
But it’s all there
Ship-shape and Bristol fashion. Let the pen write daily
Acknowledging everything encountered
The milestones The achievements. Then done with yesterdays Always the future that’s ahead
Your re-invention for learning
That tenacity of conviction It showed how amazing it was College, music, Standing by our sides
Trusting in the choices You gave me 54 years And how I saw you fly Mary Poppins like. You are our vessel to this world, Now you can fly forever
(There you go Hannah)
The Lord be relieving your soul Its’ devotion served.
Let your White Rose In the stars, it glitters. Your beloved, take thy hand
Loving hearts blossoming
A continuation of your journey. Thank you, For every ounce of your love. Thank you, for your wonderful life, Mum.
