in my head
and rats crawl out
and escape
down the street
then snakes
start slithering out
going down my body
onto the road
and then children
run out and as they hit
the ground they turn to ash
blown away by the wind
and now I walk
howling in horror
at what is happening
and animals tumble
out of me and
I cry and blood flows
from my eyes
as I run helpless
and burst
into nothing.
my face is distorted
and they look at me
and I try to smile
life is squeezing
my throat and what
can I do but choke
and collapse
and get up again
and go on and I look
at the world around me
and I see how evil it is
how it growls and blood
spills somewhere
how it howls
and children die.
live in the sunlight
my eyes are full
of illusions
and the world outside
is strange like my mind
appearing and disappearing
my desires glow and go out
and I am all doubt and wonder
I am a leaf blowing in the wind
I am my washing machine
full of ants
living my silences and screaming
my rants
and then there is war and children die
and hurt and saddened we all cry
for those hunger steals and the ones
accidents take and of course the murders
that go on and on without a break
till we are broken and the heat of this life
burns us and turns us into ashes from this strife.
floating in the wind
and we make such music
people have transcended themselves
and sleep in the sky singing along in joy
when they wake and the world is a happy place
our children safe and sound and we are touched
by this show of respect of love we dance and everyone
holds hands and jumps along and the Earth is thundering
with our feet our happiness and we embrace the moon
holding it close to our hearts and it feels so good
we are overwhelmed and we know what it is to be alive
and we lie down on the ground and kiss it in gratitude full of tears.
as they begin to eat
each other
blood flowing down
their chewing mouths
and it is the children
who are running scared
howling in terror
but then they too start
imitating their elders
and begin attacking
smaller kids
bashing their heads
with rocks
eating their eyes
their tongues
and soon the world
is empty of humans
and animals and birds
drown as blood
rises all the way
to the sky.
we live with the birds
and animals
and the trees
that sway in the breeze
and the sun is our father
the moon our mother
the stars our brothers
and sisters
and we fly all over the sky
and sing in joy with our children
and the oceans roar the fish dance
in the seas and make love
and the universe shudders in ecstasy.
all the wrong things
and then they begin
to get scared and hate
what terrible times
we create
what is the matter with us
I ask and find
we are stupid and mad
and the air cuts
like a knife
that’s how bad
things have got
and we are being
sliced to pieces
till the only thing left
of us in this world
is red masses of flesh
and oceans of blood.
going all the way
up to the sky
and the silence
of the mountains
is beautiful
and people here
are fun
the children talking
as they play
and there is that calm
that makes me
drown in the greenery
and turn to air
and light
in this blue firmament
vast and also white.
and more people
will come
like waves
under the sun
and it will go on
and on for a long while
and the children
play football outside
like I did as a boy
and neighbour
talks to neighbour
and there is mirth
in the morning
and I breathe it
and the birds chirp
and the sky is so blue
it soaks me fully
and I am born anew.
here having fun
their innocent voices
so beautiful
with the bird chirp
in the background
and the silence
around this
is enchanted
it becomes magic
and I can hear
the trees whisper
love to each other
I can feel
the joyful heartbeat
of the mountains
and when I look out
my window
I can see the sun
wave out to me
from the sky
and shout
good morning
and I laugh
and wave back
at it with a kiss.
Dominic Alapat 