Tryst

Tryst Jun 2016

Friends with benefits,
Parted by the sea --
Love without deficits?
Mais oui!

People can still love one another without living together.

#brexit

Tryst Jun 2016

If men were born as womenfolk
And women born as men,
And oxen shied of bonded yoke
To plough no fields again

If blighted lands burned black with rage
Came verdant with the rain,
The world might turn another page
And there find peace again

Tryst Jun 2016

The Devil's Bridge

Upon the bridge
Upon the bridge
And proudest of the three

The mighty bridge
Stands on the bridge
Upon the Devil's lee

Him swift to gloat
With forking tongue
His path above the scree

Until his goat
Was bitter stung
By woman's trickery

Tryst Apr 2016

Rain Kissed Garden

Does not the rain kissed garden fair the fairer?
Untamed sunlight wouldst wilt the brightest flowers,
As love unchecked might bring to bear the bearer
And feast to bite the mind it swift devours!
When darkling clouds loom storm-like over thee,
Weather thy thunderous rage tho' thou detest it,
Love sallies hence and makes a bold decree:
"No cloud is e'er so dark love cannot best it!"
Light shines its brightest in the dankest dark,
The better then that thou should plainly view it,
So of each storm make light with thy remark:
"Love is the light and darkness shall renew it."
If thou wouldst doubt it so thou knows love not,
Love knows it still long e'er these lines forgot.

Tryst Apr 2016

Giles "Salem" Corey

In pressing times truth oft' lies so oppressed
And falsehoods rouse to speak in joyed debate
That burdens brought to bear upon the breast
Might anchor nought but will of one testate

What courage leant upon a graven guest
Not thrift of fear in bearing of his fate
But silent as all untruths so expressed,
Except to cry with cursed tongue, "More weight!"

Giles Corey was executed via "Pressing" during the Salem Witch Trials on September 19th 1692 at the age of 81. He refused to enter any plea against the charges of witchcraft, as was his legal right.
Entering a plea meant he could be tried in court and if found guilty, all of his estate would be forfeit to the crown.
By not entering a plea his assets could be passed to his children. To prevent people from using this legal loophole, the law allowed a person to be "Pressed". This involved the person being stripped, having a large plank placed upon their chest, and then large rocks piled on top of the plank to slowly crush the chest, until a plea is entered or until death occurs. Giles endured his torture for two days before succumbing, only ever crying out "More weight!" when asked for his plea.

#trials #salem #witch

Tryst Mar 2016

At the Airport

A scattering of cars,
black, yellow and red;
Rusting epitaphs.

Tryst Mar 2016

Farewell Old Man

Let mason's mark not be aught told of thee
When time the griever weeps upon thy mound,
All livelong deeds like boughs unto the tree
Bring life to roots laid low in hallowed ground.
No!  Let thy mark be made in shadows cast
To wilt the weeds that clamber for thy heights,
Withered tendrils may writhe to gape aghast
And fall ashen to flames thy name ignites!
All men are named yet name makes not the man
And deedless men no time should be afforded;
Yet scribes will bridge the void to tell thy span
And song will keep thy life and deed recorded.
        Oh children yet unmade rejoice thy fame
        May deeds live on eternal in thy name!