Ways to Die by Paul John Roach -in memory of Virginia Woolf who committed suicide by drowning in the River Ouse. Introspection Self reflection Walking into the Ouse The polluted river Of the liver Soaking up the booze Consume it all Have a ball Nothing left to lose Slip away One summer’s day On a […]
5 a.m. Temple Service By Paul John Roach Waking up in the moist dark, Shaking off the desire to sleep, It’s up to dress without thinking And out, shuffling on the gravel path Through the trees Where birds are already singing, Into the glowing temple Where we will be singing too. Life wants willing participants […]
EVERYTHING FLOWS by Paul John Roach Everything flowsLight, rock, water and treeThe trash in the canAnd you and me.Never supposeWe are anything less than free.
COURAGE Concerning the recent attack on Leonid Volkov, a close ally of Alexei Navalny Out of an ostensibly ordinary day They came at him With hammers and tear gas, Working silently Like professional killers, But this time only to scare And intimidate, Banging his face and legs Into shock And blunted defiance. At any time […]
Owl Monologue by Paul John Roach “It’s good to be nothing,” Said the owl in the windless night. “Only you know my meaning, mouse, Skittering in the apparent darkness. Nothing is everything That’s what they say, The wise, like me. I perceive And I am successful. It’s the power of positive thinking But with a […]
This is a poem I wrote about the Romans in Wales. I dedicated it to Emperor Magnus Maximus (Macsen Wledig in Welsh) who was based in Britain and features in the ancient book of Welsh myth The Mabinogion where he falls in love with the beautiful maiden Helen. The Romans in Wales By Paul […]