Lawrence Hall
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Dispatches for the Colonial Office

                             The Toenail Clippers of Damocles

He who would sit upon a throne of power
Reigning his people from the sovereign’s seat
Let him not neglect in a careless hour
To practice good hygiene upon his royal feet

For suspended above him by a horse’s hair
CLIPPERS, which through and under his toenails pass
Thus beneath that weapon hov’ring in the air
He is cautioned not to be a horse’s (posterior)

And so reposing upon his royal couch
Let not the king be heard to whimper “OUCH!”

In the hedge row
Lovely juicy blackberries grow
The nettles are unforgiving
But push them aside
And find where the blackberries hide!

A nice apple and blackberry crumble
Is worth crossing a bumble bee
But go careful
Pick them careful, where he can’t see!

I have been there before—
In the ache you now cradle,
In the waves that rise too high,
Tsunamis swallowing the soul
Where breath forgets how to return.

I have wandered oceans
Where hope was bait,
And shadows wore teeth—
Creatures of doubt,
Feasting on dreams half-formed.

I know the streets where darkness blooms,
Where even streetlights
Bow their heads in defeat.
And crossroads mock you—
Left feels wrong,
Right feels gone,
And nothing feels… anything.

But hush now, my dear,
I hear the tremble in your silence.
Don’t give up,
I trust the light still sleeping in you.
Don’t fear,
For my arms are open
Like dawn after a sleepless night.

I will wake you
With a whisper the sun understands.
I will hold you
Until your tears tire
And find their home.

Cry, my dear—
Let it out like rain on thirsty soil.
You are not broken.
You are a miracle in motion,
A poem still being written.

You matter.
Your breath, your voice,
Your quiet presence in this loud world—
All of it, born with purpose.

The ones you met—
The pain, the grace, the chaos—
All were stars on your map.

So now,
Lift your chin like a flower to the sky,
Straighten your back
Like the mountain you are becoming.
And walk—
Not to escape,
But to return to yourself.

Just walk,
One trembling, beautiful step at a time.
I’m right here.
Always.

Love doesn't come and go
like waves,
doesn't change every moment,
nor does it touch only
a part of you.

Love is the ocean –
it drowns you for good.

my eyes tell everything
that's not a thing
it's the truth it is
the kind I once missed

one look in my eyes
and I begin to smile
not out of love
no-
that's been a while
cause I don't know
how to react
it's an error in my brain
with pain just like rain

not a mask
just not used to
act