Radical Roots

Yesterday the rage burned
today the tide’s turned.
With forked tongues
you speak Tannahill’s name
but you’d ignore him still
if he was born again.
You’d wave Wilson off
with cheerful glee.
While sitting on
the establishment’s knee.
Excluded, rejected,
suicidal, dejected.
His body found
in Candren Burn
Too young by far for
an unsanctified urn.
He whispers to me
from times goneby
As together we ask
Why oh why?
Radical roots under
the streets of Paisley
Unlike my friend
deaf ears won’t phase me
The martyr’s rise
a radical revival
blossoming still
for our survival.
So many tales
still to be told
a Paisley pattern
of the brave and bold.

#RadicalRoots #PaisleyPoetry #RobertTannahill #AlexanderWilson #1820sMartyrs #RadicalRenfrewshire

Mnemosyne

What world is waiting

for soles to tread,

passions to invest.

Have I been here before,

or is it a new door?

 

The future unknown,

unwritten, ink

stains once bare pages

Will it be better here,

or is there more to fear?

 

Remember treasures

discovered, bond

worlds, as one story.

When does the train arrive,

marked destination thrive?

 

A poem about the unknown, about change and uncertainty but most of all a poem abut worlds within worlds 

Rashelle Reid

The Wizard with nae Baws

Hiding under the cover

Of madness, like a feartie

He covers his sins

Afraid to air: a chat;

A discussion; a blether,

A natter, a debate.

With one of the people

Who make Glasgow

Glesga and puts

the gal In Gallus.

Like those who ran

Before him, the pig

Squeals, lifting the veil

Decadence lies behind

And the wizard

Is revealed wanting.

Baws: Balls (testicles, nuts); the way a bum utters the word “balls.”

When someone has “nae baws” in Scots, they are displaying vast amounts of fear.  Often refereed to as “big fearties” e.g. Boris Johnson is a big feartie.

 

#GE2019 #VOTESNP

 

Rays of Hope

What to say when silence has been my solace?

Where to go when I’ve been all over the place?

Will the tears ever stop rolling down my face?

When will I  learn to walk with grace?

Now I’ve found Rays of Hope

With their support I know Ill cope

Cancer conquered, a future altered,

Walking forward, she faltered.

Falling to her knees…

Give me strength, she begged.

Give me what I need to cope.

And God delivered

RAYS of HOPE

 

RAYS of HOPE is a Cancer Support Group established in 2015 to help anyone who has had cancer. We provide a safe, confidential environment where you can openly talk about your cancer to others who have had a similar experience. We support you through difficulties following a diagnosis, whether they are emotional, practical or physical, and hope to help you turn a negative experience into a more positive one and help you regain control of your life.

https://www.facebook.com/RaysofHopeCancerSupport/

#RaysOfHope  #itsOKnottobeOK #CancerSurvivor #MentalHealth #WorldMentalHealthDay2019  #WMHD19

 

From Paris to Berlin

From Paris to Berlin
In every story we get in
my eyes are scanning for truth
scanning for truth
’cause when I’m hearing the lies
And all the ways we could die
my eyes are scanning for truth

You left me longing for truth

From Paris to Berlin
In every story we get in
my eyes are scanning for truth
scanning for truth
’cause when I’m hearing the lies
And all the ways we could die
my eyes are scanning for truth

False flags are a game,
And every night I scream again,
Praying that it’s not true
that I’m going insane.
It’s quite a long time ago,
that I left your control,
Hungry for the truth
like I know what that might be

From Paris to Berlin
In every story we get in
my eyes are scanning for truth
scanning for truth
’cause when I’m hearing the lies
And all the ways we could die
my eyes are scanning for truth

You left me longing for truth [x2

Terror was the thing
And now I just can’t fail to know
MK you are something everyone needs to know
I guess I’m thinking of truth,
Like I would know what to do
If and when I found you,
but I don’t, I’ve got no clue

From Paris to Berlin
In every story we get in
my eyes are scanning for truth
scanning for truth
’cause when I’m hearing the lies
And all the ways we could die
my eyes are scanning for truth

You left me longing for truth, [x2]

Who-whoa-o
Who-whoa-o
Who-whoa-o
Who-whoa-o
Who-whoa-o
Who-whoa-o
Who-whoa-o

From Paris to Berlin
In every story we get in
my eyes are scanning for truth
scanning for truth
’cause when I’m hearing the lies
And all the ways we could die
my eyes are scanning for truth
You left me longing for truth

Multiple suspects on the loose in Orlando; total media blackout of eyewitness accounts

Life, Death and Everything in Between

It’s been a while WordPress, sorry.  I came today not realising it’s my 10 year WordPress anniversary.  I’ve not been around much as the past year has kept me busy dealing with life, death and everything in between (read cancer).  Between work, family life and generally trying to stay sane in an insane world, I haven’t had time to keep posting but I have still been scribbling away at times.  In all honestly, it’s been mostly the times when my head felt like it might explode, or my heart feels like it’s going to break.  Writing is such an amazing way to deal with overwhelming emotions, if you’ve never tried it, I highly recommend it.  During my quiet time I have lost some people very close to my heart including a dear friend and an aunt and uncle, my aunt to Cancer and my uncle to a broken heart.  I wrote these poems to commemorate them both.  My hope is they offer comfort to others experiencing loss.

with love,

Rashelle

My Love for Irene Roy

 

What love has connected

no distance can divide

I am always with you,

in the love you have inside.

 

Until we meet again my love

I’ll never be far away.

Tune into your heart

where I’ll always stay

 

Together in the laughter,

together in the tears

As we have always been

during our many happy years

 

Until we meet again my love

don’t think I’m far away

Tune into your heart

where I’ll always stay

 

Heavenly Love for Bill Roy

I know why you couldn’t wait

your love had wedged the gate

keeping it open for you to slide through

so once again she could be close to you.

 

You slipped off when you had the chance

To be reunited in the eternal dance,

Free at last from your earthly bounds,

you smile and laugh as you spin her round

 

You don’t hear the angels serenading

As they join you both in celebrating

heavenly love returning home.

 

 

The Final Whistle

Sitting on the side-lines

cheering less and less

Disconnected voices

never sensing my distress.

Benched by circumstance

not an inability to play

Poverty of opportunity

the price I’m forced to pay.

 

How do I stay connected,

when I’m stuck within these walls?

 

I still turn up to training,

hoping my time has yet to come.

but the team fails to see

the shadow I’ve become.

The alarm bell is ringing

the side-lines call again,

but I’ve decided to stay at home

reconnect with lost friends…

 

Will they notice my disconnection,

or the space upon the bench?

 

I shower and prepare myself

for this meeting of minds

No longer care about connecting

with my team-mates who went blind.

I check my reflection in the mirror

to check I’m ready to go

then I count out the tablets

before I change my mind to no.

 

Did we win today I wonder,

as the final whistle blows…

 

 

National Suicide Prevention Week 2019

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, advice and help can be found here.

http://www.nspa.org.uk

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/suicide/

Rejection

The moderator has fallen asleep

and logic has left the building.

Isolated from my dreams,

hope shattered once more.

As my broken heart screams for acceptance

from these three strangers symbolising a society

that seeks solutions in experience.

Imagination and creativity trail behind

only a few steps from the starting line.

Too tried to try again,

my only fuel now rage.

Tears blinding, I try to step forward

But I stumble and fall

Slumping to the ground with a thud.

Passers by stop to stare

as friends whisper in my ear

the words I’m not ready to hear

“Whit’s fur ye will no go by ye”

Which I know is true

because I’ve saw it too

But for now, all I can see is how hard it’s been

to have yet another crushed dream.

Irn Bru

Sing along to Paolo Nutini’s Iron Sky.

We are dry individuals
Dying for our sugar
But the shops
Couldn’t get much more

We find fakes with aspartame
To tempt us with hydration
But no one, no nobody
will  give you the sugar

To rush
into work
into life
Without Irn Bru that’s fast becoming no more
What about choice and our freedom?

Oh Irn bru
It’s dripping down the walls
Of a drink we cannot drink
In this harsh reality
Man made poison spoon fed to the blind
Serves now to define our cold drinks counter

From which we’ll rise
Into work
Into life
Without Irn Bru that’s fast becoming no more
What about choice and our freedom?

You’ve just got to hold on
You’ve just got to hold on

[Charlie Chaplin’s speech from The Great Dictator]
“To those who can hear me, I say – do not despair. The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of grief – the bitterness of men who fear the way of human sweetness. The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the ginger they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish… Don’t give yourselves to these unnatural drinks – machine drinks with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines! You are not cattle!… You are men! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure…. let us use that power – let us all unite.”

And we’ll rise
Into work
Into life
Without Irn Bru that’s fast becoming no more
What about choice and our freedom?
Into freedom

From which we’ll rise
Into work
Into life
Without Irn Bru that’s fast becoming no more
What about choice and our freedom?
Freedom, freedom

Oh, rain on me
Rain on me
Rain on me

#IrnBru #PaoloNutini #IronSky #Freedom #Sugar #AnotherOliverShaftsScotland #BarrsBringItBack #SweetenMyLifeUp

The Thaw

 

Wake my child,

Come walk with me

Allow yourself to

Be transported back in time.

Step forward with glee

Hear the sounds serenading your

Journey, crunch, crunch, crunch.

Experience what it’s like to

Dance in the rain of the trees as you

Look up to see only blue sky

Bask in the glory of the sun

Melt like the frost as you

Return home to thaw

Drift off to sleep once more and

Remember always to

Dream