“Don't Start A Fire If You Don't Know How To Put It Out.” C.D.Smith (2004)
These poems are
topical to the new millennium, addressing issues such as social values, morals,
paradoxical wars and goal orientation
POETRY OF 3RD MILLENNIUM (CE) - 26 pieces
21st Century Paranoia
A Slow Creep
A Woman Overcomes Abuse
An Internal Affair
Beauty and The Beast
Choice
Christmas poem
Conflict of Interest
Days Like This
Faces
Going
Gulliver Invaded
If I Knew Then
It’s a Rush Job
Monkey Invasion
Sandbanked Sonnet
State of The Nations
The Girl With No Heart
The Night We Won
The road To Nowhere
The Weary Traveller
Toe The Crooked Line
Weltanschauung
When we were them
Why
looking through the window while waiting for
the network to be restored.
cds - 14 Sep 2004
So
brown, yet surrounded by so much blue
So
morose, island nobody goes to
So
sudden, it appeared before my eyes
Minutes
ago it mirrored the blue skies
So
sad, as my eyes become lachrymal
So
confused, while I try to unravel
So dry, teeming
with crawling crustacea
Exuding
fumes of differentia
So
what, if this island looks so lonely
So
what, if it no longer has beauty
So
what, if it sticks out like a sore thumb
So
what, if the crawling crabs make you numb
It
is a short while that the tide is low
Then
the high tide sets the harbour a-glow.
cds
- 10 Sep 2004
Long
days and short nights!
Shades
from city lights.
Can't
sleep - there's no sound!
Must
have feet on ground.
Coffee
and red bull
Can't
eat - stomach's full
Of
worry, not food.
Is
stress really good?
Mind
paralysis
Then
analysis
Too
little sunshine
White
walls just aren't fine
Money,
more money
All
is not funny
Got
so much to swank
Yet
still owe the bank
Eyes
open, yet blind
Look,
but cannot find
Up!
Down! and behind!
Just
befuddled mind.
Too
little, too late
Impatient,
can't wait
Pressure
breaks the heart
Then
its time to part.
cds (Dec 2002)
8 syllables per line, ABAB rhyming,
last AABB
The road you walk
is long and straight
You walk and
sometimes, start to run
You wonder if you
will be late
When you get there
will you have fun
The load begins to
show its weight
You want to rest,
but must get done
The sun will set,
you can’t be late
A shorter path,
there must be one
The road turns
slightly, then you see
A crossroad with
so many signs
You hurry so
excitedly
“A shorter route,
the choice is mine”
The first sign
reads “five minutes, West,
Beware of highway
robbery”
The second reads
“Much place to rest,
Will take two
minutes or twenty”
The third reads
that the road is steep
But if you’re
strong, “six minutes max.”
You don’t know if
to laugh or weep
The three routes
each carry a tax
And so my friend,
if you are sad
And
sometimes feel your lot is bad
The choice you
make has consequence
You must weigh up
your options hence
cds (c) March 2004
The meter demonstrates the fast pace; ‘Mealie’ is South African for
corn.
Another rush job
There's no time to eat
Mealie on the cob
Sandwich of cold meat
The phone keeps ringing
The people complain
You keep on singing
Won't do it again
Eat an elephant
A little a day
And don't say you can't
You do what you say
Don't have a bigmouth
Bite what you can chew
You can spit it out
After a review
Twenty four a day
To eat sleep and work
Plus make time to pray
This one you can't shirk
Twenty thousand days
Plus five thousand more
That's so many ways
So much time to score
cds (2003)
I marveled as I sat and watched
The little garden snail.
From where I sat I could barely see
Him move, I thought, He’d fail!
But when I got up, closer drew
So clearly I could see;
He persevered albeit slow
I noticed him move t’ward me.
Many things happen everyday
Results are what we do and say.
It is the very subtle change
Our values rearrange
Craig D Smith (2003)
Water everywhere,
not a drop to drink
Plastic, tin cans,
floating; what do we think
Shortcut for
sewerage and industrial waste
Open tap, water
horrible to taste.
All along the
sea-shore, beautiful shells
In all kinds of
shapes from Tubas to Bells
Like you're
looking for needles in haystacks
Among the wine
bottles and cigarette packs.
I watch the
foaming waves roll to the shore
I wish I could be
here for evermore
But feel like I'm
standing in a pig's pen
Will the beauty be
seen never again?
Large signs all
around read conservation
No evidence in
implementation.
Craig D Smith (June, 2003); meter: 9
syllables
A boy lived near the mountain rocky
Full of attitude, he was cocky
Wants to win both
rugby and hockey
Shouted that the wolf ate all the sheep
Made the whole world to read and to weep
And changed to a jump from a slow creep
To catch the wolf they cleared the whole field
Human rights laws were even repealed
Poor little lamb whose mother was killed
The field that burned had both sheep and nut
Even the goats were in a deep rut
Opened the wolf found naught in his gut
We kept on hearing of smoking gun
No champagne and cigars, that's a pun
The only smoke is from George's one
Oh! Look! how we've saved Red Riding Hood
Didn't I tell you, we would do good.
But alas, her plate has got no food.
Down in the place where the sun shines bright
And drums can be heard all through the night
Lives another boy who likes to fight
Little boy from the place in the sun
Doesn't know how to have any fun
Always plays the part of the main one
Rather have tears than share in the joys
Will not play with all the other boys
Instead he breaks everybody's toys
Has to walk barefoot, cannot wear boots
Feet too big, like the guns which he shoots
At the working people whom he loots.
- CD Smith, April
2003
A moving black
carpet, is stuff from dreams
And this one is
magic, or so it seems
Not perfectly
shaped, no Persian rug
I wonder if I had
taken a drug.
No footsteps, no
war shouts, no gun in hand
Appear from
nowhere, take over the land
When I'd realised
what was going on
I was surrounded,
had waited too long.
Oh magic carpet, I
wish you were here
To carry me safely
over my fear
They have
conquered my legs, both right and left
I rush for the
little stream in the cleft.
I jump in the
water, never so clean
The ants have all
drowned, my mind now serene
- CD Smith, 10
April 2003
The children
laughed as they watched him jump
Over the fence the
acrobat went
He climbed the
tree with agility
Take no rest, his
energy not spent.
He danced the jig
for his audience
Used his curved
feet to enhance his grip
Jumped down to the
ground and swung around
With perfect
balance, did not slip.
Only green bananas
on the tree
All the same one
in each hand he took
Swung around the
tree he disappeared
The children did
not know where to look.
Suddenly they
screamed and tried to run
He'd let go the
branch, soared through the air
His long tail
curved above his body
Crouched on the
patio without a care.
A Sonnet of Lamentation
- CD Smith, 08 April 2003
A soldier wipes
his brow to clean the sweat
Within a minute it
is soaking wet
He wished that he
had not exposed his face
The sandstorm rose
and did not show him grace.
The children
playing with wild abandon
It's so hot that
the boys don't have shirts on
The thunder rolled
and then the rain poured down
Red muddy water
had covered the ground.
A baby cries and
rests on mother's breast
The time has come
to close her eyes and rest
Silence broken the
bomb has left the skies
Awoke the baby,
shrapnel blinded eyes.
The paradox that
war must bring us peace
Means production
of weapons must all cease.
Craig D Smith (2002);
Mixed rhyming scheme (AB AB / AA BB, last line) 8 syllables
Running and screaming through the night
Hugging tightly, cry’ing together
Children at windows stare with fright
Night is cold inclement weather
Flags are raised, patriotic show
It’s war, they said, we try our best
Children are urged, to bed you go
Don’t ask the score, you need your rest
In the streets they expatiate
Once aloof, now united force
Drums and blow-horns reverberate
Rejoice as we’ve finished the course
And as the sun begins to rise
People on the streets realise
Newspaper headlines on lampposts
We won the cup, the nation boasts
Craig D Smith
(2002) (AB AB Rhyming Scheme, 8/7 8/7
Syllables)
The sun shone brightly on the field
The earth was soft and fertile
Predictions of a gen’rous yield
Sow, then wait, a little while
‘Twas dark inside the lonely room
Alone, no child, so forlorn
Visions of a night filled with doom
A dawn of jeers and harsh scorn
Please tell me why they so deride
Will I ever bare a child
Tears, there were none, but still she cried
On naked knees, humble, mild
He took a sickle to the field
Hired men to help him reap
She stood behind the window sealed
Nobody could hear her weep
He praised the earth and his own skill
Had the men build bigger barns
More men helped him the barns to fill
Women spun the cotton yarns
She wished he’d asked her to assist
Wished she’d had a cotton dress
When she tried to speak he’d resist
And left her to clean his mess
Everyone came to celebrate
She was forced back in her room
The villagers thought he was great
They didn’t care of her gloom
She sang a song of darkest night
A sound superb and profound
Her voice was greater than the light
And the heavy drumming sound
The festival abruptly stopped
Her song piercing ear and heart
Champagne bottles suddenly popped
A new life for her did start
She sang for every great event
And she travelled far and wide
Her husband had a letter sent
Smudged with tears to show he cried
Once worthless to a worthless man
Now precious to the nation
Sing because she knows she can
At every celebration
Craig D Smith (2002)
AA BB rhyming scheme with 10
syllables per line
Ring-ring
ring-ring, I am so excited
Familiar
sound, my soul is ignited
Wake
up and reach out, to answer the phone
Open
eyes—still in hotel, all alone
Sitting
at the table, sipping on wine
Reading
the newspaper, and feeling fine
Your
dinner is ready, the waitress says
Hotel
food again, and for yet more days
Sitting
on a park bench, watch children play
Sunshine
and light breeze, on a Saturday
A
little girl screams, her friend has caught her
I
smile—get up, but she’s not my daughter
Craig D Smith (2001)
Birth
A
cold breeze, a bird singing
The first rays of
sunlight bending through the atmosphere.
Tears and
screaming
Then laughter,
because baby is here
Walking and Talking
The wind blowing
fresh, a dog barks
The sun is dim
through the morning mist.
Baby talk and
little footsteps
Tantrum, pounding
walls with little fist.
Education
The wind blows
hard, the clouds threaten to burst
I cannot see the
silver lining.
Everything moving
so fast
Books and homework
the time defining
Social Interaction
The rain falls
hard, but suddenly stops
The sun’s rays
bring colour to the moist sky.
A bloody nose,
school shirt torn
Get home, as
friends and can’t remember why.
Decisions
High noon, shaded
sun, partial eclipse
Smell of grass
burning, veld fire.
Know what’s right
and wrong
Must weigh against
desire
Self Responsibility
Clear sky, light
breeze
Can see the
horizon in the far distance.
Yet the salesman
asks me to sell,
My soul for a mere
pittance
Accountability
Trees bending in
the strong wind
But after they
return to upright
So the salesman I
push away from
And resist him
with all my might.
Maturity
Springtime brings
new life with it
Colourful flowers
and boats in the lake
Singing of birds,
barking of dogs
Baby crying, and
laughing, keeping us awake
Falling, getting
up seeking new paths
Experience and
learning from my mistakes.
Death
Winter comes again
this time so severe
It is so dark and
stormy, I can’t see nor hear
Lightning and
thunder fill the blackened sky
I know that the
time has come for me to die
The storm
dissipates, and calm fills the air
The clock on the
wall says, there is no time to spare
I look back and
count the thousands of hours
How many growing
thorns, how many flowers
I look back at the
clock, there is still a minute left
To share some joy
and peace and bridge the open cleft
And now I close my
eyes but to darkness more
But see instead
the sunshine on the crystal shore.
(A
Parody of Sleeping Beauty by CD Smith, 2001)
The door was
always open
Until one day she
lost the key.
And everyone who
knew her
Loved her, so
sweet was she.
The
village Jack crashed through this door
One happy summer’s
night
And turned this
heart of milk and honey
Into solid
granite.
The village men no
longer smiled
The women wore
long veils
The cats got stuck
up in the trees
And dogs didn’t
wag their tails
The sun was
blackened by dark clouds
The curtains
remained drawn.
Til one day prince
Charming came by
And saw the people
mourn.
So swift was he,
leapt off his horse
Brandished the
golden key
So tall, so
handsome, and so bold
Yet smitten by her
beauty
He knelt beside
her lifeless bed
And then began to
sing
So soft so gentle,
so profound
His words new
light did bring
Children singing,
jumping playing
The village filled
with laughter
That sunny day he
took her hand
And lived happily
ever after.
Craig D Smith (2001)
Flashing lights
and holiday music like ‘White Christmas’
Playing loudly in
the mall, it should be a festive mood
Yet through the
lights and song there is a buzz
Of people rushing,
stepping on toes, being rude
Another song
plays, the words speak of a little child
Yet nobody stops
to hear what it is about
Instead a mother
red-faced and perspiring
Tries to control
her child, should hear her shout
The gifts, the
food, the drinks, the party hats
Being loaded in
the trunk, after money’s spent
Yet with all the
happiness that these should bring
I see man and wife
in heated argument
A driver rushing
before the shops will close
Needs goods for
the special Christmas lunch
Tries to steal a
parking space from somebody else
The next I see him
land a Christmas punch
Midnight the music
blares to celebrate
The new day, being
the 25th December
Yet morning dawns
and they are all asleep
The gift of Christ
they did not remember
Craig D Smith (2001)
If
I knew then what I know now
Things would be
different, but maybe not better.
If I knew then
what I know now
I take no chances,
live life to the letter.
If I knew then
what I know now
I may never have
bruises for the times when I fall
But the most
important that I know now
Is that love will
conquer all.
Craig D
Smith, 2003
Shame the present generation
A time of great tribulation
Competition, aggravation
Don’t try to do the best you can
‘stead be better than other man
The peaceful scientist’s old adage:
“Characteristics of our age
Perfecting means, confusing goals”
Search for and making new loopholes
Removing from the troop their souls
To suit your needs, new laws you pass
Like looking at warped looking glass
The line was straight, has double joint
And so with that I
pen my point.
Craig D Smith (2001)
Strange places
Different faces
A story to be told
Whether young or old
Sunken eyed, and worn out
Like death lurking about
Exciting, bright and gleaming
Like the midday sun, beaming
Embittered and hardened
Like one never been pardoned
Lonely, morose, weak and scared
Like a clouded moon, when night is dead
Contemplative, thoughtful, praying
Like a tree in the wind not swaying
Much to see in strange places
But more in the different faces
What story does yours tell
Are you bleak or well.
Craig D Smith (2001)
Going along the
road
Oblivious to
obstacles
Hearing children
laughing
Seeing them eating
Popsicles
Going along the
long road
Not knowing where
it ends
Hearing people
working the fields
Turning when the
road bends
Going along the
long steep road
Climbing hard and
fast to reach the top
Hearing birds
singing from the trees
Wondering, when
will the climbing stop
Going along the
long steep winding road
Can’t see in the
distance, the rain is hard
Hearing how fast
the water rushes past
Wishes this
journey, you could discard
Going through life
not knowing why
Going through
trials and temptations
Going where you’ve
never been
Going for the big
vibrations.
Craig D Smith (2001)
A picture of living, so common in
our age
Lifting the
obstacle with all my might,
I sigh with relief
to know it’s gone.
And then I move a
step forward
To find I’m faced
with another one.
Nine years old I
wish I were,
Things aren’t
getting any better here.
Help me move
myself along,
Help me sing a
happy song.
The past has come,
the present now.
I sometimes cannot
see the way
That I am walking.
It’s almost dark -
Give me a lamp and
oil I pray.
I see the children
happy play
Tomorrow is just
another day.
For adults
tomorrow brings new fear
Nine years old I
wish I were.
What to do, Oh!
Where to go.
At the crossroad,
which way to turn.
My Lord can help!
This I know.
So, Why do I
suffer, when will I learn.
Craig D Smith (May 2003)
I open my eyes, there are still ten minutes
Before the alarm will sound
I lay in bed and reflect on the dream
And beautiful thoughts abound
The smell of the coffee like an energy boost
Gets me doing the things I must do
I get out of the house lift my eyes above
The sky is a stunning blue
The traffic has stopped for a minute or two
I don't notice because I see
The birds and the flowers in the park across
And a monkey climbing a tree
It seems as though the time has flown
I have finished another race
And the work on my desk is finished now
A smile crosses my face
I sit down for dinner and say a prayer
Around me, family's all there
I think for a moment, how happy to share
And love and embrace and care
– A Petrarchan Sonnet
Craig D
Smith - 2003
In the tradition of the original Italian sonnet form.
Rhyming scheme: abbaabba, cdecde; Pentameter.
The octet expressing the melancholy, the sestet replacing
the lamentation with light.
When at first I saw the grey horizon
I complained about the night being so dark
"Why did I come to this forsaken park?"
It was the wrong night that I had chosen.
Only a few stars, about a dozen
So tiny looking like a dying spark
The oil tanker, alone, like Noah's ark
Moved so slowly like the sea was frozen.
Head hanging low I walked toward the dune
Standing on the dune, I looked to the sea
Across the ocean a beam shining bright.
The blues suddenly left I changed my tune
The trees where I was, were curtains for me
Made it so dark I could not see the light.
– A variation of the
Petrarchan Sonnet style
Craig D Smith (May 2003)
Got up this morning with gun against head
This young lad didn't know what he must do
In a minute or two he may be dead
And Satan welcomed him into the queue
Bombs going off and buildings falling down
Water levels rising, the earth too hot
Fear removed his smile replaced it with frown
Blocked his vision, his blessings he forgot
Get up young man and open your eyes wide
Take a handkerchief, wipe the tears you've cried
Make a diff'rence in any way you can
Stand for your belief, a rock of a man
When you awake and the sky is not blue
If you remove the clouds, the sun shines through
Craig D Smith 16 Oct
2004
To
look the same
To
play the game
Pressure
from your peer
To
live the dream
Be
on the team
Boat
rocks, who will steer?
First
innocence,
Experience
After
many years
Children
won't learn
They
want, won't earn
And
a parent fears
You
want to teach
But
cannot reach
So,
you fear the worst
They
make mistakes
And
cause headaches
You
think that you're cursed
How
can this be?
Happen
to me
And
then you think back
You
were that age
And
filled with rage
Made
your parents crack
You
saw the gang
With
whom to 'hang'
You
thought they were cool
When
mummy spoke
You
made a joke
When
you broke the rule
As
children grow
They
think they know
Everything
they need
As
parents grow
They
need to sow
Loving
caring seed
Craig D Smith (May 2004)
I don’t know if you read
What the newspaper said
But I am still turning, it
about in my head.
There’s such a commotion
They ain’t got a notion
You win some you lose some,
but stick to your portion.
We all want to be king
Have all the choirs sing
When we arrive and have, the
city hall bells ring.
You then become the slave
For the power you crave
And everybody sees, `cause
of how you behave.
Its not to interfere
But they won’t let us near
They think they own the
world, and tell us “We don’t fear.
We will do what we must,
Join us or eat our dust
United we don’t stand, help
us when guns are rust.
They say that we don’t care
Invading here and there
Why can’t you see that it’s, an internal affair!”
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Smith, 1999 - 2004