David Rose's Blog: Nights Bright Days

In searing heat,
dry as ashes
swept from the hearth,
the riverbed bakes;
a clay oven.

Springtime crackles
through new-leafed branches,
rough wind rips at helpless limbs,
and the green leaves tumble,
whirl confused in twisting airs;
come rustling to a heartbeat’s rest,
and then to shatter
under the careless tread
of dusty boots.

Unschooled young leaves are
caught up in the tumult and the terror
of the plans and purposes of strangers:
aghast, even the cicadas
subside into silence.

© David Rose 2022


What inspired this extended metaphor was the unusual experience of hearing and feeling new green leaves crackle and shatter underfoot. Last year's spring was extremely hot (maximums of around 34 degrees C), and then we had windstorms that ripped new leaves from the trees. In the back of my mind were the ongoing stories of the abduction of schoolgirls by extremist rebels in Nigeria.

Here are two very different poems with a common focus: child soldiers in Africa. One is a haiku, the other free verse.

Small soldier © David Rose, 2014

   Take this, they tell me;
Small fingers hold heavy metal.
     Who should I shoot?

Red Dust © David Rose, 2016

Red dust
shudders from the drumbeat
of bare feet marching,
marching to a song;
a song for killing.

Green shirt
unbuttoned limply flaps in stride
with ragged shorts, brown legs.
White teeth pant, and big eyes roll;
much too close, the bogey man.

Blued steel
sways from a webbing strap,
a mortal, heavy load.
Amber wood gleams, buffed by
a thousand small fingers.

Red blood
pools on the watered earth
of a village just gone -
Someone's mother,
from another tribe.

He came to me as a battered feral cat, about 7 years old, at the end of March 2016. This poem records the first few weeks of our relationship.

'Blackie' 2016

Black fury hisses
clawing for life.
Yellow eyes glare
contempt and distrust.
Touch me not -
or die!
Patiently I wait,
at a respectful distance.
Hunger wins, and
a dark refuge.
Softly I answer wrath,
bearing the spiteful gaze.
Persevering I serve
the little defiant.
Curiosity draws
the dark shadow out,
nearer to me now,
day by day.
A gentle touch,
over and again:
purring.

and a little over six years later, in August 2022, the time came to say 'Goodbye':

'The Shadow' 2022

There’s a shadow in my heart,
in the corner of my eye;
there’s a shadow ever in my mind.

That shadow I see daily:
the one who padded in my steps,
who sat, never far away,
to keep company with me.

Soft black fur shining
russet in the sunshine that he loved;
so eloquent in look and attitude
to tell me what was wanted.

Golden eyes would soften
when his gaze turned to me;
Paws would fist and knead,
under my knowing hand.

Warm and faithful, without fail,
he would head-bump entry;
that furry lump beside me
within our nightly cave.

His paws had slowed,
his vision dimmed; and
I could see how he
was withdrawing day by day.

The black day came,
of fear and love despairing,
and then the knowing
he was gone.

There’s a shadow in my mind,
in the longing corner of my eye;
there’s a shadow always in my heart.

© David Rose, 2022

Hi everyone,

FINALLY I've gotten this short story together, and finished the cover, and it's being released on Amazon on November 15th.
Here's the link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LNW7VFX/

For those of you who've (quite rightly) been a little worried about me, I'm doing a little better in terms of energy levels. Pay has been cut temporarily because of COVID-19, by one third. Or maybe by 2/3, if they've chopped the travel allowance as well, so there's that...

Fortunately, my wife and I are married in community of property (we were young and very idealistic once, long ago), so I can always rely on her support!

Be safe;
wear a mask, sanitize, keep your distance.

David

I wrote this some time ago, and would be interested in feedback from those of you who follow me here.

Not Sonnet 130

My lady's eyes look bluer than sapphire,
Her lips gleam bright in glossy Coral Red,
Held up by underwire her breasts are higher,
From the bottle her golden hair is fed.
As on the screen the models perfect glow,
Just so flawless the maiden's skin does shine,
Whiter than whitest white her teeth do show,
Her every breath an air of spearmint fine.
In gentle modulated tones her lips,
Murmur the same sweet words into my ear,
And as the catwalk models swing their hips,
So too she teasing walks as she draws near.
But her fair construct of plastic rapture,
Will ever fail my regard to capture.

Just thought I'd share this poem, written for my wife :)

The One the Wild Things Love

Let the tufted ear just flicker,
there, once, among the shadowed leaves;
The least tremble of a whisker,
her swift eye catches, and perceives.

Forlorn vagrant, feral, wary,
yet, soft, her steps still draw his eyes.
He silent cries, and she hears him;
the hollow gut, the pain inside.

A new aroma, rich, alluring,
draws the fearful, skulking, scowling;
Fair a tasty feast assuring:
By her hand comes food reviving.

Each dawn and dusk, her tryst unbroken;
His confidence grows deeper, stronger.
Warm, her voice sings fond devotion:
Loveless, lonely, he’ll stay longer.

His brambled fur, the fevered paw,
will come to know her soft caress;
His wounds and scars, alike still sore,
her knowing care will heal and bless.

Once reclusive, brutish, rough,
all this I learned, and came to see
when her clear gaze caught upon me:
She is the one the wild things love.

(c) 2018 David Rose

Talk about living in interesting times! For the last decade we (South Africans) have been living under one of the most blatant kleptocracies in history.

President Jacob Zuma, together with Provincial Premiers (roughly equivalent to State Governors for US readers) Ace Magashule, David Mabuza and Supra Mahumapelo, together with several cabinet ministers and heads of parastatal bodies, have been looting the country with the help of the (nationalised) Gupta family from India. We're talking about hundreds of billions of Rands disappearing. This example has lead to a nation-wide culture of help-yourself down to local municipal levels, with the result that service delivery has been poor to non-existent, public health services have run short of medications in hospitals and clinics, education has lacked text books and teachers and funds to maintain schools, etc etc. All because so much money has been stolen that there hasn't been enough left to run the country.

FINALLY the governing ANC party has acted, under the leadership of a new party president, Cyril Ramaphosa, to oust President Zuma and his cronies (but perhaps not Ace Magashule, since he's just been elected the new ANC SG). Zuma has been officially asked to resign, and the ANC has stated that if he refuses, they will remove him in a vote of no confidence tomorrow, after which they intend to elect Ramaphosa as the new State President. Today also we hear that one of the three Gupta brothers has been arrested. Seems the tide is turning!

If you want to know more, Google 'State Capture' and 'South Africa', perhaps together with 'Zuma', 'Gupta', 'ESKOM', 'nuclear', 'Life Esidimeni', PRASA, SAA, etc. You'll get the picture.

If the post title leaves you with an itch you just can't scratch: check it out :)

For those of you who just *have to* learn a little more about me, Mike Gardner has very kindly interviewed me on his blog .

Re Patreon, as mentioned elsewhere, that's on hold until I make up my mind how I'm going to proceed.

Now go away, I'm writing!
(The New Chambermaid and Katia's Inheritance)

I've decided to venture into Patreon, a site which offers writers a model for public subscription patronage. At the moment I'm still finalising my page, but when I'm done the address will be:
http://www.patreon.com/davidrose
(launch should be in a few days; definitely before this weekend!)

I'm planning to use this blog to share my experiences, in case any of you are interested in trying it as well. I'll also be posting the occasional update.

Have you read Teacher's Pet and been disappointed by the abrupt ending? Let me confess, that was me being rather too clever, to the point that I wound up being stupid!

Good news: I have revised the story, including what happens after that moment of crisis, so that you can now find out what happens to Becky (and Sam). There is a proper ending!

Because I believe that a number of readers were disappointed with this book, I have *not* changed the edition or ISBN, but I have updated the cover.

It's still a free download on Smashwords, but Amazon may take a while to make it free again.