Love and War Poetry

By Joshua Mebane

1

Geese in the meadowlands
A lone daisy stands
Beauty cut short
Now you are the last
Of the sweet petals
Into the earth we sink
A petal pulled
A heartbeat skipped
A hint of scent
In love, I taste
Mate of my soul
Geese, now overhead

2

August Hedges
A dizzying maze
Checkered marble
Flowers, with every gaze
A kiss in the courtyard
Pounds on a horse
Cheers surround us
Yet our eyes remain affixed
As our hearts race
In tune
With the horse

3

Plebians scorned
Penniless, no grain
Feeble, without drink
Monotone hails ring for the King
Brought forth, the plush chariot
Pampered, the stallions
Plump, the royals
Victory is promiscuous
Only reserved
For the brave

4

Charting its path
Navigating north
Migration fleet
Every vessel, debauched
A death promised
A demise unfelt
On its voyage, it’ll soon attack
Only then
Shall the drum not beat

5

Rain pours
A second more
Mother calls
A second more
Wet lips, wet tongue
I need more
The future, unimportant
A past of woe
A second more
A second more

6

Other than me, who?
Other than you, who?
Remember the time
Remember the feeling
Bodies entwined
Anarchy minds
There was no one but us
You deserved my trust

7

Reduced to name and date
Memories suffocating
“Twas the night before bliss”
You would say
And I’d smirk
Spring onto my lap
Hands would explore
And then….
A promise, became lie
A grand member, no longer
A spot, lost aroma
Space, keeps growing
Merely a husk, awaiting its visit
Oh love
They didn’t give you…
Your face

8

Gallop and clash
A time not of marches
Madness, erupted
Weapons unloaded
Fisticuffs and biting
Daggers or swords
Thought courageous, seen savages
From above, I still shout
A reign, afraid of losing the rein

9

Burnt clouds
A romp in the sand
Licked by the ocean
Kissed by the breeze
Lips emit whispers
Steady, on your knees
Hair glows
Our bodies roll
Crawling, towards the tide

10

A smile at dawn
Tears in the night
I am unwhole
Torn, between two
See me as I am
Realize who I am not
Lips binded, I cannot reveal
What is real
And what is not

11

An autumn romance
To die, before winter
For I lack
What you require
A hand to hold
A cuddle, on frigid nights
Small conversation
Materialistic obsession
Devotion, to tradition
A mind, of the masses
I could continue
But time with you
I know
Is fleeting
So just forgive me
For being broken

12

Cascade veils the bloody
Survivors, exposed
“Heed the leaves!”
Positions staked
Muzzels tremble
Across, the woodland
Silence
The cardinal
Overlooked

13

Grapes in the sun
Banana in the sun
Cobblestone below
And on the balcony
I wait
Ebony tresses, come
Bring the coconuts
Bring the watermelon
If you desire, I’ll give you
A wine bottle
You’ll pop the first
I’ll pop the second
Then we may
Feast

14

Gods they must be
For they see a past
Not of their own
A future, they’ll decide
Yet likewise
Not of their own
Mendacities are never told
Saints, all around
Excluding one
Accused a witch
Must be a witch
Accused a devil
Consign it to hell

15

Lines of love
In the midst of death
A battle lost
Where’s the kiss of death?
Memories, you bestow
Fresco
In the moonlight
A defector
We should have known

16

Temple ruined
Gladiators amok
Brimstone rains
While flames
Trespass
Down the earthly prizes
Scavengers dare fate
Sun, once lucent
Moon overtakes

17

A candle lit
There, a soiled gown
Mad eyes
Sunken jowls
Rotten teeth
Yet, a pleasant smile
Rescued or doomed
Freedom
Awaits

18

The maidenhead
Of the maidservant
Omnipresent
Tease or innocence
Reckoning, shall come
What of the helpmate
Whose eyes, see only gold
Forlorn my nights
Aflame my loins
A pallet apart
I had never thought…

19

A penny in the wicker basket
Attention of the shopkeeper
Voice of music
Eyes of the land
Pardon my drift
Your bosom, I shouldn’t
A laddie, I may be
But dear
See not our age
And destined
We’ll be

20

Hallmark of love
Meaningless
Above
The substitute
Ardor cries
Tears descend
A plethora of lies
To my heart’s content

21

Valiant, the men regarded
Noble, their crusade
Outnumbered by arms
By palms they led
Fatherland won’t weep
For the blood of the weak
All
Trench bound

22

Gossip of our village
Before we walked
The oak
Our domicile
Squirrels, our children
Grungy feet, from the ravine
The river, we bathed
Singing
When I, high-pitched and athirst
Realized
The game had ceased

23

Into the hills we travel
Seeking the fabled castle
In which, Cupid dwells
And once, we were struck
Recall our dalliance
Marvel our youth
Amongst centuries of eroticism
Coy of the artful lust
Peasants and gods alike
All with a part
In our seduction
That night

24

A time of birth
Amid madness strewn
Judgment to plunder
Woe heads
Cast stones
Race to finish
Before the enemy sees
Owning is key
Life means nothing
Unless it is seized

25

Vanity aggrandized
By the indebted
Puppeteer maestro
Mustn’t be vetted
Lead when asked
Decrees they’ll mind
Life signed
Aging
Fortuitous

26

A joie de vivre
Betwixt the caste
Kin of law
Forgive
My chaste
Sumptuous manor
Opulent attire
Oh whatever inspired
Such relinquishment

27

A white tulip
For your day of remembrance
Memories mustered
And I speak
Recalling our stroll of the rampart
In awe of the looming castle
A view of town
Red tile roofs
Vessels in the marina
A trip you were promised
A sailboat we would own
Fish would be reeled
Soaked in olive oil
Dipped in wine
With time spared
For sunset

28

The breath of the fallen
Numbered
Beneath the staked flag
Units dispersed
A general deserted
Weeks of havoc
Yet nothing, to be had
Orders for a savior
Aimed at stars
But the favored
Never
Are the invaders

29

Truffles set in roses
You
Sprinkled with liquid gold
Tangled
In Pearls
And Elysium
Your humble novice
Gone

30

The mecca of delirium
Before Madonna
Abbey ravaged
Cratered facades
Once rebuilt
Whilom flames
Rendered down and shame
Now here
Are kin

31

The whine of death
Hidden in clouds
As its fury
Thunders below
Surely a countryman
Perhaps a mate
While the eyes above the whine
Dare to merely stare
At our fate

32

A rotten orchard
A garden bereft
Vineyards soured
A pond of acid
Birds fall
Sun, never glares
A fraud
In the looking-glass
A house
Whoever’s home
A wardrobe
Neglected
Thirst
Forgotten
Hungry only
For you

33

Figure of shadow
You I sight
Tyro in decimated greensward
Aside whimpering chaps
Over lines
We stand drawn
Overseers
Of unseen

34

A gauntlet and gallows
Shallow pits
Storm besieged
Withering drubbed
Mercy cried
A chamber blows
Hollowed the souls
Oh country, one day
Please bear
Our bones

35

Merry on paths
Ignorant of what is bestowed
By lovers
Past lust
Plentiful beauty adorned
Lot daring
Eyes tarry
Our nature
Forever
More

36

Darkest night
Before departure
Armored knights
Withour armor
Treaties forged
Treasoners mounted
Pawns of game
Valleys chased
Independence spotted
And they hurray
To the queen

37

Whenever together
Together and alone
At your sight, I swallow
Through touch, I whimper
You fall, I rise
You fall, I rise
What are thou but a dream?
Kisses on the mezzanine
You scream, I scream
You scream, I scream

38

A scent in the wind
That you, my love?
A whisper in the garden
That you, my love?
Benjamin, our puss, hissing in the night
Because of you, my love?
I care not, about revelations
Transgressions, on the contrary
Always mired our conception
Through you, I thrived
A blossom, on expense
Oh how I’ve seeked
Occult and unique
Won’t you speak?
Or have I truly seeked?

39

Ravaged, the oars
May the sea still part
The cusp of freedom
May though, be a glimpse
Weary the travelers
Sore our hearts
Crescent the swells, almost overhead
Pity upon thee, and shame as well
Holler as they might
No sound will traverse
Blessed be the priest
Though I have no confession
I bear only hope
To spare my depression

40

Vested in power, my spirit burns
Uprisings up north, destruction out west
Though I roam the prairies
I shall not last
Seized, my altar
Battered, the masses
Mercy delayed
Wickedness abound
Oh might I ever;
See the countryside

Joshua Mebane