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Caravan
Whatever it takes
I will guide you
through pot holes
and rutted roads
if I have to push you
I will
through steep incline
and sharp decline
abandoned hopes
and broken hearts
Whatever it takes
I will be with you
through steaming swamps
and fields of mud
if I have to pull you
I will
through quicksand times
and broken signs
angry bruises
and scarring skin
Whatever it takes
I will love you
through cracked deserts
and brittle roads
if I have to be there
I will
through frozen grounds
and sobbing sounds
brooks streams
and shattered dreams
Whatever it takes
Charles Antony
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Fearing the Rainbow
Everyone knew her
as the girl
the girl who feared
rainbows
blessed with the second sight
she knew
when the dark clouds would gather
she knew
when the storm was coming
and she was fine
but afterwards
as the fingers of the sun
pulled apart the clouded curtains
she would quake and cast her eyes
downwards
in her desperation and fear
seeking solace alone
in her windowless room
Even pictures of rainbows
would cause her
to shake and perspire
but not so much
as seeing the real thing
arcing across the sky
perhaps
the misted light from waterfalls
made her feel the same way
but I never had the chance to ask
as one day
she was flattened by a house
falling from the sky
after a particularly
bizarre storm
Now all that remains
of the girl
the girl who feared
rainbows
is the pair of ruby slippers
that she was wearing at the time
but I’m not sure
whatever became of them
Charles Antony
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3. |
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Going Home
He put his hand
in his pocket and patted
the electronic ignition key
to the capsule
that would carry
him home
He felt that he had
been marooned
on this planet
abandoned
forgotten
for some months now
Each night
he could see the lights
of the mothership
orbiting
way above the surface
of the planet
Disappointed
with his survival rations
he longed for his
store of favourite foods
that called to him
night after night
from the mothership
He was not alone
on the planet
but he did not enjoy
interacting with
the humans
and their obsession
with eating
shepherds pie
and stinking fish
Their culture was
far too primitive
for him
and he counted down
the days
to the end of his
mission
and his return
Home
Charles Antony
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4. |
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Orpheus (Eurydice’s Lament)
O Orpheus
the death of me
you left me trapped
eternally
you had the gift
but I the pain
you left me drowning
in the rain
O Orpheus
I followed you
through dark and doubt
to be with you
you knew the rules
but I had none
you now lay prostrate
in the sun
And I
forever trail the path of dead
and I
abandon hope to fear instead
and I
despair the thought of roaming free
O Orpheus
the death of me
Charles Antony
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5. |
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Change
She used to cover her rainbows
first with tears
and then with
long sleeved blouses
and thick woolen tights
and he said he would change
At night
after forcing himself upon her
he would lie
with his back towards her
as she silently sobbed
and he said he would change
When his loving embrace
ended in her tumbling
down the stairs
cast out like a
cartwheeling rag doll
he said he would change
At night
with him in drunken slumber
she crept downstairs
returning with the sharpest knife
smiling
for this time it was she who had changed
Charles Antony
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6. |
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Pipes
The house in the forest
now empty
now foreboding
windows stare
unblinking
as the trees edge
ever closer
and the ivy creeps
ever higher
The Sunday walkers
would quicken their step
and turn their collars
to settle the hairs
on their necks
when the pipes in the house
start to whisper and groan
Children would visit
for a dare
only in daylight hours
with the swagger of youth
urging them forward
but bravado lay crushed
when the pipes in the house
start to whisper and groan
Some say
that a witch used to
live here
and others say
that she still does
as the pipes in the house
start to whisper and groan
There are stories
wicked stories
of tears and screams
washed down the drains
as the pipes in the house
start to whisper and groan
Once
an angel was seen
by a man walking
his dog
of how the angel
went inside
and was never seen again
as the pipes in the house
started to whisper and groan
Maybe
nothing ever happened here
and the house
just grew older
with abandonment
as we all do
as neglected pipes
will start to whisper and groan
Charles Antony
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7. |
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The Silver Dreamers
The silver dreamers
float
eyes shut
permanently
for they are blind
enlightened
they can see as far
as their minds
can reach
for it is they
who help and guide us
for it is they
who share our
joy and sorrows
that we may learn
that we may grow
in our knowing
On Earth
the silver dreamers
sit
eyes vacant
permanently
for they grow blind
enclosed
they can see as far
as their memories
will permit
for it is they
who stay forgotten
for it is they
whose loved ones have departed
and children have grown
that we may learn
that we may grow
in our knowing
Charles Antony
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8. |
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Children of the Mist
Behind him
he could hear
the children
singing and dancing
in the mist
calling his name
over and over again
Pressing his face
to the window
father slumped against
the mantelpiece
silent and numb
Mother hunched
upon the sofa
in a nest of Kleenex
constant tremble
in her sobbing
Snow swirled and flurried
and he knew
the grieving house
still held him close
but now outside
He longed to play
with the children
of the mist
the children who
sang and danced
leaving no footprints
in the snow
Charles Antony
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9. |
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Sunflowers
Then
in my time of darkness
my only view of the world
was the concrete yard below
I would watch
the sunflowers rise
above the far wall
turning their heads
to follow the path of the sun
I could hear
children laughing
as they played
around the noble plants
I never saw them
but I knew that
while the flowers danced
and the children played
there was always hope
Now
I sit in the garden
beyond the wall
and can see the haunted tower
clouded in haze
I can see
the sunflowers rise
above the wall
turning their heads
to follow the path of the sun
the children still laugh
as they play
around the noble plants
and I am glad
that I believed
that while the flowers dance
and the children play
there is always hope
Charles Antony
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Driftwood
In dreams
I am lying on the beach
washed up as driftwood
with the sea lapping
at my skin
caressing my feet
salting my hair
and no birds sing
I notice you
along the beach
also washed up as driftwood
with the sea lapping
at your skin
caressing your feet
salting your hair
and no birds sing
Sometimes the mist
drifts between us
but I sense
that you are still
lying on the shore
as driftwood
waiting to be collected
for this is where the silence crawls
and no birds sing
Charles Antony
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11. |
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Bees
Even bees get lost
sometimes
distractions can be an
adventure
the way home can be
hidden
the way home can be a
challenge
Looking up at the
stars
so many colours to
explore
filling these pollen heavy legs with
memories
filling these pollen heavy legs with
stardust
Eventually we all arrive
home
through adventures and
distractions
to learn from our collected
memories
to learn from our collected
stardust
But even bees get lost
sometimes
Charles Antony
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A Rose in a Teacup
Three o’clock
was always time for tea
he gazed out of the hotel window
across the bay
as the cups saucers
teapot and milk
were carefully arranged
around the single red rose
in the centre of the table
A splash of tea
had started to bloom
on the starched white tablecloth
and one of the delicate
floral cups was chipped
but he did not mind
and continued to reminisce seawards
as he sipped his tea
Eventually he stood up
to caress the flower
and with a small pair of scissors
trimmed the stem with shaking
liver-spotted hands
carefully placing the rose
in the empty teacup opposite
He glanced once more out of the window
knowing that she would not return
today
Charles Antony
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13. |
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Mapping the Stars
‘Tis said that
every mark and blemish
on the human body
may be read
as signposts
tracing our origins
back home
home to some forgotten
part of the universe
I explored every part of you
treasuring your cluster of freckles
in Aquarius
and your ancient scar
in Libra
I mapped every part of you
even bought you a telescope
to trace your origins
back home
home to some forgotten
part of the universe
But when the comet came
and all your stars
fell to Earth
I lost the map
and never did find you again
Charles Antony
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14. |
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He Lied
He lied
when he said
that he wasn’t bothered
about his skin
starting to dry and crack
He lied
when he said
that he didn’t care
about the creeping green tinge
that was covering his body
He lied
when he said
that the negative test results
from the hospital
meant nothing to him
He lied
when he said
there were no benefits
to his lengthening fingers
turning to claws
He lied
when he said
that he would call tomorrow
as he was having trouble
using his phone
He lied
when he said
that it was no fun
climbing walls
and catching flies
He lied
when he said
that he hated
basking on rocks in
the sunshine all day
Finally
he told the truth
to the other lizards
lounging in the sun
that indeed once he was human
Charles Antony
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15. |
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The Folding of the Flag
The white gloves
grip the flag
in ceremony
and begin the dance
of folding in to triangles
each fold a belief
in freedom and valour
each fold a belief
in God and eternity
like folding sheets
on laundry day
even though this sheet
would never know
the warmth of a body
for this body lies cold
cloaked in mahogany
A body denied access
to tearful cleansing
A body scooped from
the roadside
and laid out
as best they could
not suitable for the gaze
of wounded eyes
no bullet holes
no act of the brave under fire
this was death by mobile phone
Charles Antony
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16. |
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Apples
Then
you promised me
an apple
to keep the doctor away
to give me knowledge
improve my wisdom
I showed you
how to cut the fruit in half
to reveal a five pointed star
Every day
we danced beneath the apple tree
devoured the knowledge
and grew in wisdom
until you plunged the knife
into my chest
cutting my heart in half
to reveal a five pointed star
Now
I look up at the apples
I miss your laughter
I miss you
as you danced through the garden gate
arm in arm with the doctor
you left me to treasure the apple tree
and my five pointed star
Charles Antony
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Charles Antony : poetry and voice
Mauro Sambo : electronics, double bass on Caravan
Paulo Chagas : oboe, monochord on Fearing the Rainbow
Rogelio Nobara : pre-hispanic whistle for funeral, field recording and electric guitar on Going Home
Juan Antonio Nieto : electronics on Orpheus (Eurydice’s Lament)
Matthias Boss : violin on Change
Jeff Gburek : no-input mixing board, objects on Pipes
.zigo : field recordings and electronics on The Silver Dreamers
Jose Guillén : piano, sinthesizer and electronics on Children of the Mist
Atilio Doreste : field recordings, radio emission on Sunflowers
A.L. Guillén : field recordings, acoustic guitar on Driftwood
José Soberanes : electronics (modular synth) and field recordings on Bees
PCCL : virtual synthesizers, melodica, acoustic guitar and processed objects on A Rose in a Teacup
Javier Piñango : synthesizer (korg ms-20) and effects on Mapping the Stars
Stefan Schmidt : digital manipulation of the original voice recording on He Lied
Pablo Reche : electronics on The Folding of the Flag
David Vélez : music on Apples
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