Illustrating My Poetry

Recently I started a project, the purpose of which was to do my own illustrations of selected poems that I've written over the years. Some were written very recently and others were written over 40 years ago. Here's the first 5 of the selected poems with their illustrations. (The text of two of the poems have been scanned in from a slim volume of poetry, 'Behind The Mask', that I had published in 1981.)

Psychology Of The Legion Within

Why do those memories of embarrassment and shame

Touch some people who dwell inside this house?

Why do they wish to compromise on some worthwhile aim

And drink the dirty water instead of some fine wine?

The mediator looks to find the spouse

And tries to urge all the imposters to resign.

The house is where, along with dozens quite unwell,

Good householders and stewards also live.

They work and help those victims of a hypnotic spell

To find the rightful places for fulfilling all their needs.

In taking there's the kindness that we give

When closing off the doors to where indulgence leads.

Impressionist and comic, footballer and fool,

Actor and singer climb on to the stage

Where each will reign for just a little while as a rule,

The rule that not a single one of them can see

But then he enters and he turns the page,

The master of the house brings home the will to Be.

Empty Vessels

To win a friendship back

Lost, through the tangled overgrowth

Of motives misunderstood and feared

It is difficult. It is difficult.

But not impossible.

The faith which moves mountains

Does not move mountains

It merely watches them slide away

Clear the decks, round the vision

Answer to the soul

With a curious precision

For longing and wanting

Are symptomatic of division

And Being is beyond

Where conflict has no hold

And empty vessels

Carry gold.

For Trolls And Keyboard Warriors

How can I hate a stranger I've never met?

Only it is not 'I' but 'it' that hates

Because 'it' only relates

To black or white and yes or no

And is really rather slow

To acknowledge any debt.

So if not 'it' then who am 'I'?

'I' live beyond the opposites

And put together all the broken bits.

Albeit being hard to reach

It is only 'I' can really teach,

Give comfort, create and unify.

© Geoff Davis