ON THE WINGS OF SWANS AND THINGS

I wrote this when I found out that my best friend had gone overseas. I couldn't follow her and I guess I was feeling a bit abandoned.

ON THE WINGS OF SWANS AND THINGS
10/06/81

LAST NIGHT SHE WALKED INTO THE CLEARLIGHT
CARRYING TAPES OF DAY-TO-DAY,
THE BOWS AND SCRAPES
AND ALL THE MESSY MEMORIES
LEFT LYING AROUND THE PLACE.

FUNNY, HOW EASY IT WAS
TO LEAVE THEM ALL BEHIND.
SHE WAS, OF COURSE, THE HEROINE
OF THAT TIMELY FLIGHT OF FANTASY,
DRIFTING AWAY INTO ETERNAL SOLSTICE
WHERE NO MAN KEPT A TAB ON HER
OR BARTERED FOR HER CHARMS.

I’M GOING TO MISS HER ANYWAY,
CHILD OF A CONSPIRACY OF HIGHS,
BUT SHE’S ON THE WINGS OF SWANS AND THINGS,
FLYING FRIENDLY SMILES.

Kristofer

The Plastic Shroud

The pic is of me at my very first Sydney Gay Mardi Gras in 1985...

THE PLASTIC SHROUD
08.02.81

SOMEWHERE SOMEONE IS SPYING
IN AN UNDIGNIFIED MANNER,
DISEMBODIED FROM THE LIFE AND TIMES
OF ‘NOW’.
HE REFUSES TO LIE STILL IN THE DARK
EXACTLY WHERE I LEFT HIM.
HE HOLDS HIS WAKE INSISTENTLY,
REMINDING ME OF THE NAGGING CHILL
IN A PAST THAT NEVER SLEEPS.

I KILLED HIM, I KNOW,
BUT THE DEAD WILL NOT LIE STILL.
HE CLAWS THE LID
BLOOD UNDER FINGERNAIL,
ALL BECAUSE OF WHAT I WAS,
HOW I THOUGHT,
WHO I’VE COME TO BE.

EVEN NOW AS I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP
HE WANDERS AROUND MY ROOM,
TANGLED IN A PLASTIC SHROUD.
EVERYTHING IS NOT AS IT SEEMS.

Kristofer

Eyes of Diamonds

EYES OF DIAMONDS
28.03.82

I REMEMBER YOUR EYES OF DIAMONDS,
YOUR WAYS THE WAYS OF PURE LIGHTNING.
FLASHING AND UNFOLDING,
FLASHING TO UNFOLD THEM.
WE CAME TOGETHER IN WAVES OF PASSION
SO TENDER WITH LOVE I SHALL NEVER FORGET.

REVEAL YOUR EYES TO ME AGAIN
AND SPEAK THE SILENCE OF YOUR MIND.

LEAVE THE SORROW OF YOUR BED
AND PLACE YOUR HAND IN MINE.

UNDRESS AND DIVE INTO THE STREAM
THAT SWIRLS WITH WAVES OF LOVE
AND CURLS MY FINGERS IN YOUR HAIR.

AWAKE AND CONSUMMATE MY DREAM
IN WHICH I TOUCH YOUR FACE
AND KISS YOUR EYES OF DIAMONDS,
LIKE THE LAST TIME…

BUT HERE YOU LIE AND IT IS FATE,
OUR LANGUAGE TOO FOREIGN TO TRANSLATE.
FOR LOVE ONCE LOST IS LOVE ALONE
AND LOVE ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH.

Kristofer

Mantlepiece Dancer

MANTLEPIECE DANCER
17.05.81

I’M LOOKING UP THERE ON THE MANTLEPIECE
AT A BEAUTIFUL IMAGE, A BEAUTIFUL DOLL,
OLD CHINA IN WHITE FASHIONED, NO DOUBT,
ON A BETTER DAY, BY THE FANTASIES OF AN ARTIST.
GOD SPEED SUNSET! FOR THERE ABOVE THE FIREPLACE
SHE IS THE EVENING AND I AM THE DARK.
MY CONSCIENCE IS SILENT,
NOW THE WORLD AND I ARE WAITING
FOR THE MUSIC TO BEGIN.

DAY IS FAINT AND IN SUSPENSE
I WATCH MY SHADOW DASHING UP THE GRANDFATHER CLOCK.
I WATCH MY HAPPY FAMILY PORTRAIT
GROWING STERN AND TURNING SLIGHTLY INTROVERT.
A NIGHT OWL CALLS, THE STARS ARE OUT
IN A DREAMY AUTUMN SKY,
NOW’S THE TIME TO WATCH MY DANCER PIROUETTE…

BEAUTIFUL DANCER, DEAF TO MY PLEAS
AS YOU CURTSEY TO THE CENTREPIECE,
YOU ARE ROYALTY IN MOTION,
LET ME IMPRESS YOU WITH A BLUEBELL AND A SMILE.

BEAUTIFUL DANCER O, SO PETITE,
AS YOU GLIDE ALONG THE MANTLEPIECE,
I AM TREMBLING WITH DESIRE FOR A SHUDDER AND A SIGH,
AS YOU EXPOSE ME IN DEGREES
TO THE RHYTHM OF A SLOW STRIPTEASE.

Kristofer

Ashes

It's a generational thing.

ASHES
25.11.81

SHADOWS LURK IN FORGOTTEN HALLS
WHERE FLOWER CHILDREN PAINTED ‘PEACE’
UPON THE CRUMBLING WALLS.
WITH THEIR BRUSHES DIPPED IN PAIN
AND THEIR LOVIN’ KISSES STAINED,
O, THE INCENSE STICKS THEY BURNED IN HOPE,
THE ASHES STILL REMAIN.

THE FIRE OF THEIR RESENTMENT SAW
A NEW RESISTANCE BORN.
A BATTERED AGE DEMANDED PEACE
AND SO THE MOVEMENT FORMED.
BUT WHERE ARE THEY WHO STOOD SO PROUD
AND SPOKE FOR ‘RIGHT’ AND ‘GOOD’?
THEY ARE LONG DEAD IN THE ASHES
OF PEACE AND BROTHERHOOD.

AND IN THE HEYDAY OF THE HIPPIE
SUCH INSPIRING SONGS THEY SANG
IN THEIR GROUPS AND IN THEIR COUPLES:
‘ALL AS ONE AND TO THE MAN
NEVER MORE TO BEAR THE CROSS
NEVER MORE TO SUFFER LOSS.’
BUT CHILD OF THE NEW GENERATION,
YOU ARE LEFT TO COUNT THE COST.

Kristofer

Hades Doors are Closed

Salute to a new generation?

HADES DOORS ARE CLOSED
13.01.82

HADE’S DOORS ARE CLOSED
AND PARADISE IS LOST.
NOW WHERE HAVE ALL THE EPIC POETS GONE?
THE FLIRTATIOUS GREEK GODS
HAVE GOBBLED THEM UP
AND GENESIS ONE HAS ENDED IT’S RUN.
SO SALUTE THE NEW BREED
OF THE LASER EYE STARE
RETURNED FROM LIBATIONS IN HEAVEN AND HELL.
THEY WILL NEVER RETURN TO WRITE POETRY THERE
FOR HADE’S DOORS ARE LOST TO SIGHT
AND PARADISE IS BARE.

Kristofer

Mandollin

Just my attempt at the Epic Poem genre

MANDOLLIN
14.12.81

SEA DOGS ON A MIGHTY VESSEL,
LOUD AT NIGHT THEY CRAZE AND FALL
THROUGH STORM AND SWELL ON SEA-SPRAY WINGS
ABOARD THE MANDOLLIN.

‘DECK OUT THE LONGSHIPS, MY REGAL WARSHIPS,
BRING ME MY BOW, MY BROADSWORD AND SHIELD.
THE SEA BEGS FOR COMPANY, BEGS FOR MY SOUL;
MY SOUL BEGS FOR VICTORY OUT IN THE COLD.

‘SPARE ME YOUR WEEPING, MY WOMAN, MY CHILD.
THIS SEA IS NO OGRE AS GOD GUIDES MY HAND.
THERE ARE ARMIES TO MUSTER AND TALES TO BEGIN
AS WE GO A-VIKING ON PROUD MANDOLLIN.

‘THERE ARE LANDS GREEN AND WEALTHY, OUR AXES ARE HUNGRY.
OUR HEARTS PLEAD FOR PLUNDER, OUR SONGS SING OF BLOOD.
MY SHIP LIES A-WAITING, HER SAILS TO THE WIND,
WE LEAVE ON THE NOONTIDE ON FAIR MANDOLLIN.’

AND SO THE MIGHTY CHIEFTAIN SAILED;
RAISED HIS STANDARD, BLESSED HIS ARMIES,
AND MANDOLLIN PROUD BORE HER LORDS ‘CROSS THE WATER
IN VICTORY'S NAME THROUGH THE GREY SHEETS OF RAIN…

THE VILLAGE IS QUIET THIS SEASON AGAIN
BUT FOR THE YELPING OF CHILDREN
AND THE CROONING OF THE OLD ONES.
STILL THE WOMEN KEEP THEIR LONELY VIGIL
EVERY EVENING BY THE SEA
WITH THEIR FEET IN THE WATER, THEIR EYES TO THE SUN,
THEIR BRAIDED HAIR GREYING, THEIR WEAVING UNDONE.
AND SUMMER CHASES AUTUMN AND WINTER CATCHES SPRING,
BUT STILL NO WORD HAS REACHED OUR SHORES
OF THE LONGSHIP MANDOLLIN.

‘DECK OUT THE LONGSHIPS, MY REGAL WARSHIPS,
BRING ME MY BOW, MY BROADSWORD AND SPEAR.
MY LOVE CRIES IN SOLITUDE, CRIES FOR OUR CHILD,
BUT MY SOUL CRIES FOR VICTORY OUT IN THE WILD.’

Kristofer