Time to make poetry about love

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Just thinking of ways to more time in my day... Think my commute would be handy to write something for Valentine's day.

Mae Meets Rich

This is just a little something I wrote a while back and found it recently. I was just experimenting with different writing styles and I liked this as it flowed easily - a quick read that doesn't involve a lot of thinking! For those who want to be lazy and just escape...

Mae Meets Rich

Mae felt out of her depth. She yearned to be back in her comfort zone and feel in control of every situation, a place where surprises did not exist.

Friends used to call her Mystic Meg as she had a sixth sense ability of knowing what people would say, their reactions to every circumstance and how the story ends. She was good and she knew it. Mae was the one who jumped at every opportunity to be spontaneous and care free, living life with no expectations and doing what the hell she wanted. She was the one who went backpacking by herself to remote parts of Kenya, who moved in with a man after a week just because he did amazing Arnie expressions and after finally accepting her outrageous red hair, she spent a year dying it various rainbow colours. This was all in her 20’s.

Mae’s 30’s were non memorable with a string of mundane relationships, unexpected disappointments and the dreaded bingo arms syndrome. It was a decade where her facial muscles forgot how to form a smile and at the end of every sentence was a frustrated sigh.

By the time Mae reached 40 she felt past her sell by date and was afraid of being considered a member of mutton-dressed-as-lamb anonymous group. A week after her birthday she promptly brought a new wardrobe, one suitable for the confident-sexier-middle-aged-woman. Keeping a brave face during the shopping excursion she returned the plastic smiles of the big-busted-small-waist shop assistants. They really annoyed her and were a painful reminder of her long lost youth.

At the end of the day Mae had collapsed on the floor in a tearful heap. She was barely through the door and did not hear the soft padded footsteps or see the tiger print shopping trolley parked in the hallway.

“What’s d’matter luv?” Mum had let herself in, again.

Mae moaned. This was one of those moments where she regretted giving her a spare key. “Oh mum it’s awful,” she shrieked, “my life is over, I’m now 40 and everyone knows it!”

            Mum chuckled, almost dropping her cup of tea. She bent down and gently patted Mae’s red curls, an attempt to bring comfort whilst neatening the hairy mess. “It’ll be ‘right luv, you’ll see.”

It wasn’t all right, the grey cloud stayed and it was a wake up call when one day she didn’t recognise the desperately pasty skinned woman in the bathroom mirror. That was the same day she decided she needed to find a man and www.nicetomeet.com promised her one.

           

*

It took ages getting ready that morning, a lot longer than usual. Rich’s fashion sense was simple – only black, grey and white clothing made it into his wardrobe – yet choosing an outfit was difficult. After starring into his wardrobe for what seemed liked an eternity, he closed his eyes, grabbed a top and a pair of bottoms, looked in the mirror and was happy with his choice.

He flossed his pearly whites until the floss turned pink, shaved his face until it was smooth as a baby’s bottom and carefully trimmed his ear hair with experienced precision, using pointed nail scissors. The hairs were not that long, their existence just annoyed him. He always thought about Grandad Frank’s bush that grew from both ears and his chest hair that blended into his beard. Rich was determined never to be like that; he hated hair and didn’t give a monkeys if some people thought hair equalled masculinity.

A girlfriend who – once they became serious – after four months of casual dating decided to foolishly initiate a conversation about changing his look. She even had the audacity to show him a glossy women’s magazine with rugged male models and over exposed body hair sprouting out of private places like fresh blades of grass. Rich didn’t know what was worst, that she felt the need for a cave man or that she was comparing him to sexy tanned men.

Rich eased his blue Fiesta out the drive and hoped for a manic-free journey. Lately he’d gotten tried of unsmiling faces frustrated with unmoving traffic and being on the receiving end of road rage that always left him feeling like a battered punch bag – he hated conflict and avoided it at every opportunity. London does that to people, makes them unreasonable, miserable and down right rude, Rich was determined that nothing was going to spoil his day. The pretty blond nicked named ‘Sunshine’ was waiting and willing to meet him.

*

The meeting place was a bit unusual. The 10k fun run for people with disabilities at Hyde Park was not Mae’s idea of a romantic hot spot. She hated Central London, the chattering crowds, the city noise, the retching collage of unrecognisable smells, all things she tried to avoid.

The rendezvous bench near the finish line was damp. Mae sat down and pinned a white carnation to her jacket collar. ‘Mister Tall’ gave no details of what he would be wearing but thankfully Mae remembered to stuff his profile photo in her bag. He was absolutely gorgeous, she loved his neatly designer trimmed beard and olive complexion. She thought about how she was going to explain her changed appearance; the photo she uploaded onto her profile was not her, hopefully he hated blondes and would find her charming.

Mae felt like a mug. Over an hour went by and the cabbage smelling old man next to her was not ‘Mister Tall’. To make matters worse she felt the 40’s grey cloud creeping up on her and she did not want to get all emotional in public. She threw the photo and white carnation into the bin beside her. She hoped he did not receive the messages she left on his phone, it went straight to voicemail and it was probably switched off. Mum did warn her about meeting strange men off the ‘net’ – like she understood what the ‘net’ was – but there weren’t any warnings about being stood up and hating it. Cabbage man smiled a toothless grin at her as she got up; she nodded a goodbye avoiding eye contact in case he got the wrong impression and followed her.

The eye-catching stalls intended to support the 10k event were inviting and despite Mae’s mood she couldn’t resist the sweet temptation of a coffee and cake. A stall towered by huge umbrellas and cramped with comfy sofas and tables seemed a popular choice.

*

Rich was late; his journey was a nightmare. He was unsure what was worst, that some idiot knocked a cup of coffee over his phone when paying for petrol or the accident on the A40 that left a lengthy trail of snail moving cars. He thought his luck had changed when he found parking straight away but when he got to the bench where Sunshine was meant to be – it was empty

*

Mae was so preoccupied with eating and drinking that it took her awhile to notice the handsome man in a wheelchair wanting to park his self at her table. He asked if anyone was sitting here.

            “Nope, it’s all yours, let me move this from here,” replied Mae. She picked up the rubbish from the table and chucked it away. “It’s a nice event isn’t it?” she continued.

            “Yeah, I come here every year”.

            “Do you take part or just watch?”

            “Used to race years ago, was meant to meet someone here but it got cancelled,” shrugged the man.

            Mae and the man continued talking until a waiter interrupted them and placed a drink and muffin on the table.

            “Here you go Rich, just how you like it,” said the waiter.

            “Thanks mate,” turning to Mae, “sorry… I’m Rich,” laughed Rich.

            “And I’m Mae, nice to meet you,” mockingly Mae stretched out her hand towards him, they shook hands.

            “So what brought you here Mae?”

            “I was meant to meet someone too.”

Copyright © 2014 Sonneteer Articulates (aka Traysi Matthew, Traysi Speaks) 
All rights reserved. No portion of this post may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or by otherwise without the express written permission from Sonneteer Articulates (aka Traysi Matthew, Traysi Speaks)

You

I said “hello” when you starred right at me

You smiled and nodded my heart skipped a beat

There was something about you

That curve in your smile

The way your eyes creased when you winked

The strand of hair that dangled kissing your ear

You looked familiar

The moment I saw you I knew I knew you

Maybe a faded memory from my childhood

Or I glanced your photo somewhere I can’t recall

I was so glad I met you

The other night you called me out of my sleep

Sleepy eyed mind weak I listened to your stories

You refused coffee whilst I had a least two

My head snuggled my pillow at 4 am

I didn’t mind I had no plans for tomorrow

I never have plans

And love letting the days sail by

I told you about the doctors and the pills

And the white walled room

And the times when everything was grey

I didn’t know if I was coming or going

I barely knew my name

You responded like you understood and knew where I was coming from

Like you’ve walked that road before

You frowned when I frowned

You cried when I cried

Wherever I went you followed

Everything changed the day I met you

They labelled me crazy and said I should be locked up

That’s how I heard it anyway

I didn’t care

All I wanted was you and our endless conversations

It was a brilliant idea when you said I should place mirrors in every room

Now you are with me your reflection I see every minute of my day

Copyright © 2014 Sonneteer Articulates (aka Traysi Matthew, Traysi Speaks) 

All rights reserved. No portion of this post may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or by otherwise without the express written permission from Sonneteer Articulates (aka Traysi Matthew, Traysi Speaks)

Elsewhere

Elsewhere

I say goodbye and leave to a place of elsewhere

Dissimilar to the here and now smells

The laughter I am use too

The historical tongues and rhythms of kinsfolk

Wrinkled with wisdom and time

A tear escapes and is quickly brushed away

An expression of strength replaces the one reflecting sadness

I turn away thinking I can do this

Somewhere a distance from home

Where faces blur into one race

Faced am I with new beginnings and learning

A culture almost malevolent

Childlike I approach

Unaware how to act

Or react to situations unknown

Confidence fallen I have none

Once so strong now consumed with weakness

I kiss a farewell to my family dreams

Distant home of mine

A memory of past living

Where the ‘here’ has transformed into the ‘there’

No longer the ‘now’

Forgiven I hope from my ancestors

For leaving the land of my birth

 I shall never see you again

(Submitted to Centre of migration, policy and society (COMPAS) poetry Competition 2013

Copyright © 2014 Sonneteer Articulates (aka Traysi Matthew, Traysi Speaks) 

All rights reserved. No portion of this post may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or by otherwise without the express written permission from Sonneteer Articulates (aka Traysi Matthew, Traysi Speaks)

A Moment in Time

Kisses on the collar bone

The way your fingers twirled a strand of my hair

Your familiarity relaxing moments of insanity

And need

I sigh and reach out to you

But you vanish as my fingers grasp just air

Here I sigh and bury my face deeper into your t-shirt

I smell you

Our marriage of our youth was one of new and interest

Knowledge of each other developed

Nights of bodies entwined into one

Days of thoughts and mind merging

We blossomed as a bud into a rose

I loved you

You moved me and gave me all you could possible give

Of you that is

It took and consumed me

It held and reassured me

I didn’t care there were days when we had no food

Or the times when it rained we woke afloat in puddles

Even the looks others gave at the flith on our clothes

I admired you

A change was coming you said one day

Sometimes you sang those words

With lips gently touching my belly swollen with child

Opportunities you said

For improving life for us and our child

Faraway lands with streets paved with gold

You were preparing to leave

Motivated were you

I supported you

Now I look around the room I call home

Saddened at the time gone by

The days drifted into weeks

Weeks into years

Parcels and money arrive monthly

But we are no longer the same

 I missed you

Copyright © 2014 Sonneteer Articulates (aka Traysi Matthew, Traysi Speaks) 

All rights reserved. No portion of this post may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or by otherwise without the express written permission from Sonneteer Articulates (aka Traysi Matthew, Traysi Speaks)

Still Enslaved

I had performed this poem at a Black History Month (BHM) event in October 2013. I love the first paragraph of this poem as it was inspired not only by the struggles of those with a different skin... but those who are considered 'different' (i.e. not accepted) by those who (wrongly) view themselves as superior because of others so called 'difference'. Different because of their accent, hair type/ still/ colour, gender, sexual orientation, weight/ size/ height and the list goes on and on and on...

Still Enslaved

We rose out of freedom

Yet we still walk these streets enslaved like modern day slaves

Shackled to the ball and chain of discrimination

Into a system that judges difference down the tip of its nose

We rose out of freedom

Yet the next generation have no idea where they come from

The land that their parents and grand-parents walked on

The real story that needs to be told across this nation

Its not all about us packed liked sardines on slave ships riding the rough cold seas

We rose out freedom

Yet we still frown at our own reflection

Unhappy with the image watching and wishing

Ourselves to be in a completely different skins

We rose out of freedom

Yet a sense of us and I has been lost in this diversity

Buried in the realms of multi culturalism

The negativity of the melting pot ideology

We need to be passing down our culture and history to the next generation

We rose out of freedom

Yet low self esteem is consuming our daughters

Unhappy with the kink in their hair and the black features that makes them

They are beautiful and they need to be told

They are beautiful

We rose out of freedom

Yet as a community we are dis-united

Diseased by divide and conquer are we

Fooled into believing we are better than the other are we

It is time to truly love your brothers and sisters

Because together we stand and divided we fall

We rose out of freedom

We rose out of freedom

And like Mayo Angelo once cried

Still we shall rise

Copyright © 2013 Sonneteer Articulates (aka Traysi Matthew, Traysi Speaks) 

All rights reserved. No portion of this post may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or by otherwise without the express written permission from Sonneteer Articulates (aka Traysi Matthew, Traysi Speaks)

Love is...

(A love letter to my one and only! lol...xxx)

Love is a smooth black brotha with a hip hop skin

And the type of voice that draws you right in

You are sweet talk and you know it

You have the gift of the gab and you know it

You make me sick because I know you know it

You know what I am talking about

It’s that peanut butter smile and your comic loving style

And those pillowed shoulders that’s broad

And broad and broad like broad-way

A girl can snuggle right in

Dive in get lost in dreams

Swimming in streams it seems of Otis bliss

Smooth like a kiss on a collar bone

You are my love is…

You be the sun that shines warmth on days

When I wither like a flower

Sun kissed am I on happy days in your rays sunbathing

Am I

Soaking up the support you are offering

Comforted am I through our whispered talking

You are listening

Hugging words you heard my hearts cry

Like a bird I’m flying high

Safely I sigh reassured my personal body guard has my back

By my side

Attached to me like a shadow

Together we run life’s three legged race

Matrix moving as we dodge the things that life throws at us

At times knocking us down but never destroying us

You are my love is…

Love is that special blend of us

Merging like the lighter palm into upper hands skin

We are one united

Been together so long we are older than old skool

Skinning teeth in history books are we

And going on and on and on like Ariston are we

I’ve known you from the ragga suit days and the Viking boots phase

When you that vibe and buss-ing our moves at the jungle raves

I’ve seen you grow from a boy to a man to a husband to a father

That development has left me amazed…

I am hooked… addicted to you…

You are truly my love is…

Copyright © 2013 Sonneteer Articulates (aka Traysi Matthew, Traysi Speaks) 

All rights reserved. No portion of this post may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or by otherwise without the express written permission from Sonneteer Articulates (aka Traysi Matthew, Traysi Speaks)

The Encounter

Who saw you see eyes watched
Smiling at me
Lips curled you smirked following I grinned
And I believe that was the beginning of something...
Special

Conversations flowed you did say musically lyrically
Listening intently fluttering around every word
Butterflying I followed you and allowed you
To enter my world

Introducing you to me and me to you
We convened connectively
Naturally it seemed
Feathery we embraced
Softly finger tips rest gracefully
Shyly you met me

Sound/ Video Poem for The Encounter



Copyright © 2013 Sonneteer Articulates (aka Traysi Matthew, Traysi Speaks)
All rights reserved. No portion of this post may be reproduced, 
stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by 
any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or 
otherwise without the express written permission from Sonneteer Articulates (aka Traysi Matthew, Traysi Speaks)

I feel you...

Heaviness falls down as I ponder on regret

The could of’s and should of’s

And if only I did it differently

I should of known better

Was that really me?

Salt tears gather on the corners of my mouth

The bitter sweetness I hate

I can’t help but feel that I deserve it all

I cry drowning in pools of guilt

I sink under blankets of condemnation

Conviction tightens like a rope

Sobs shout ‘whats taking you so long’

To open my eyes and realize

Analyse

Pause for a second and see through Gods eyes

The damage soul forgotten feeling unloved

I cried

Uncontrollable  

Pressed with feelings of sadness that is not my own

I feel your pain and explode

I sense your lost and drown

I walk in your shoes for just a brief moment

And I become flaccid like flowers blighted in the sun

Oh how I love you

What have I done

I cried some more clutching its transformation

Desolation into hope into restoration

Optimism, anticipation, faith

I believe

You are the God who restores

You’ve made me believe

Made me feel once again

Helped me see through Your eyes

I clobbered me with your compassion 





Copyright © 2013 Sonneteer Articulates (aka Traysi Matthew, Traysi Speaks)
All rights reserved. No portion of this post may be reproduced, 
stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by 
any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or 
otherwise without the express written permission from Sonneteer Articulates (aka Traysi Matthew, Traysi Speaks)

It is time to write...

I have just falling in love with a poem called 'write' by Sumi Mathai. It is an anthem that every writer should hold up high like a banner - sun-kissed and embraced by the wind. It caused me to pause and reflect - enjoy, breathe, refocus - on the brief moment of inspiration. Thank you Sumi Mathai.