Slain

veteran scars weigh heavy 

revered but their warnings unheard

the word of war by levy 

murder by a different name 

guided by egos of the guarded few

their cue for the masses slain

(C) Steven Stokes

Daffodils Dazzle

lost glasses

daffodils dazzle

kindling grass 

(C) Steven Stokes

Misted Window

misted window

coarse water surges past

swans in a field

(C) Steven Stokes

Freedom

we sit and watch worlds aflame  

our action or lack of is defined

by a mind disposed to blame 

no more bound to this fiefdom 

we break boundaries writ by another

to smother our freedom

(C) Steven Stokes

Clarity

over my idle fissures 

still waves lap on the sands of awareness 

the wind careless with whispers

a moment of clarity 

hard fought against the storm of attention 

the intention sanity 

(C) Steven Stokes

The Snick of Time

the snick of time grows older 

a sullen graze on the sinew now weak

I seek warmth on bones colder 

 

pits are donned with mulish pride 

each a spoil of lessons hard and taught

but still sought you by my side

(C) Steven Stokes

Winter’s End

winter’s end

a solitary robin

replaces the news

(C) Steven Stokes

Shrove Tuesday

shrove tuesday 

batter sticks to the pan

or vice versa 

(C) Steven Stokes

Valentine Sun

valentine sun 

poison hemlock shadows

dead daises

(C) Steven Stokes

Freezing Fog

freezing fog 

a distant shadow

evaporates 

(C) Steven Stokes