"No-one is Indispensable" and "Over-rated Lust"

No-one is Indispensable 

Working to a common cause, maniac permitting
Jealously guarding minions over coffee
Eating where decreed, watching over boundaries
Strenuous drawing a thing to laugh at.
 
Knowing sgraffito from lead glaze, washing sherds
Getting the most of the excavation, welcome break
Pulling the pain of separation from lady love
Role models for demanding coupling at best.
 
One’s rubbish is another one’s find, removed by time
Monitoring the wheelbarrow a worthy act
Siphoning off artefacts from waterlogged soil
Pointless fighting the water-table, a good effort.
 
Torrential rain, a welcoming flight to the cabins
Gloopy spoil arrests even the best mattock and shovel
Occasionally stuck in the mud, dug out
Sometimes in vain, crossing purposes.
 
Everyone gets slagged off on this enterprise
Not harm done or did, lubricating the conversation
Hiding nascent truth is no longer possible
Common purpose to keep the head down and going!
 
Like a bomb hit it.  Controlled destruction
For want of a better word, for choice information
Raised above censure, published at will
Blurring boundaries between now and otherwise.

 


 

Over-rated Lust

Flinching through twilight, devoted to none
Lost prophecies sew up their own fates
No metal army thundering its virtue
Identical radio skirmishes believe the hype.
 
Sacrifice the day that’s in it, over half-effort
Efforts not the worst in night-time conversation
Embarrassed by the mutual in second helpings
Someone else’s declaration a jealous burn.
 
Singular fat escapades fool’s understanding
Walking win where least expected, rudely awakened
Seating guiltily on a tattered sofa
Stiff drinks required for the following mess.
 
Mutual accusations burn down the house
How do things end so badly is another curse?
Written off as life expectancy, still bleeding
Esoteric blood types a favour distilled.
 
Shouldering the blame where unexpected.
Perfume and make-up fall erect, gouged
Incendiary kisses an invitation to speak
Bleeding through silk an electrocuted fate
 
Living as given.  Beloveds back in focus
Not believing in love for good reason
Some local joke mars the atmosphere for ever
Bitching infinitely about your loss.

 

 

Patricia Walsh

Patricia Walsh was born and raised in the parish of Mourneabbey, Co Cork, Ireland.  To date, she has published one novel, titled The Quest for Lost Eire, in 2014, and has published one collection of poetry, titled Continuity Errors, with Lapwing Publications in 2010. She has since been published in a variety of print and online journals.  These include: The Lake; Seventh Quarry Press; Marble Journal; New Binary Press; Stanzas; Crossways; Ygdrasil; Seventh Quarry; The Fractured Nuance; Revival Magazine; Ink Sweat and Tears; Drunk Monkeys; Hesterglock Press; Linnet's Wing, Narrator International, The Galway Review; Poethead and The Evening Echo. Patricia recommends Pieta House.

 

Edited for Unlikely by Jonathan Penton, Editor-in-Chief
Last revised on Thursday, June 20, 2024 - 21:01