Lily Pond By Joe Hakim

In the autumn of the last year when I felt the need to know everything about everything, I had the power to turn gardens into battlefields - I could conquer entire worlds by the side of a privet hedge and steer the journey of a legend with the tip of a branch. Until one day, at Grandma Simpkin's house, where I had colonised the edge of a lily pond at the foot of her garden. It was to be the harbour from which I would launch an assault into a neighbouring land, and as I prepared my army to embark on a voyage across an dirty green ocean, I slipped and fell in, fell into the putrid, filthy water. Submerged, I thrashed around and cried for someone to save me, but my battalions stood mute and immobile and watched my struggle with moulded plastic indifference. As my nostrils and mouth and ears filled up, I screamed and spluttered, as a a dark liquid panic swept over me, a feeling I had never experienced before, and then a hand grabbed my wrist and Grandma Simpkin pulled me out. As I stood by her fire, naked and shivering under a blanket, trying to shake all the bits of weed and dirt and leaves out of my head, I began to understand something: At some point in my life, I would die and there was nothing I could do about it.

Copyright © Joe Hakim 2009

thisisUll.com Featured Writer Joe Hakim
Click for Home Page	Click for Index Page	Click for Media Page

This poem can also be read on iPoetry, the poetry app for the iphone/ipod touch available on the Apple iTunes App Store.

Poetry - Ever Decreasing Circles By Belinda Barchard
	The river echoes the pains, Of broken hearts, of broken minds, Even if I embrace my heart and my mind, It can never feel so sweet, Like a melody already played, Forever in your ears, But lacking the intensity. Read more...

Poetry - Hull Big Screen By Mark Walmsley
	What a bloody eyesore Tinned noise and what for? We leave our sad life behind Only to bloody well find Another TV we've got away from To see this giant abomination This broken down screen Hull's supposed to be green, yet, Read more...

Poetry - Long Long Ago (Fado Fado) By Dayne Coyne
	Long, long ago And oh so far away I can't remember Did it ever really happen? It must have been far, far away And oh so long ago I can't remember Did I ever really know Read more...

Poetry - As It Was By Mike Watts

Shower light's still on Cheap coffee's gone Been asked where I've been Can smell Mr Sheen A liner in the bin Pornography's missing Toilet flushes blue Read more...

Poetry - On Yer Todd By Joe Hakim

I'm the last piece of spaghetti in the jar in the cupboard, I'm the kid picked out by the nit nurse, I'm the unclaimed purse in the cloakroom. I'm the only coin in the Read more...

Poetry - On Patrol in Afghanistan, A Soldier's Tale By Andy Grant

	The call to prayer as dusk falls in The moonlight starts to shine All around fear grows within With the sound of gunfire rounds, The mortar flash the home made bomb The small arms fire afar The dessert night is cold and still Read more...

Poetry - The Unhappy Clown By Bronwyn Ellis
	A glance at his reflection before painting on his face, His scarlet smile stretched wide across a pure white, pallid base, The gaudy stripes of colour worn in contrast to his frown, A teardrop in the cornflakes from this poor and saddened clown, A lifetime making others laugh makes humour seem so tragic, The repetitious magic tricks had somewhat lost their magic, Balloons transformed to animals before the children's eyes, Read more...

Poetry - No Practical Skills Required By Mark Walmsley
	Congratulations and well done, on the purchase of your new kit The enclosed easy instructions, will show you how to fit All the packaged items, contained and arranged as seen Will give you years of good use, the best that's ever been Take out the parts from box 'A', and place them on the floor Place bags '1','2','3' and '4' with the hammer and a saw Get yourself a screwdriver, a tape and resin Glue Read more...

Poetry - Lonely Boy By Dayne Coyne
	Suspended in the world of twilit sentiments That flickered dimly through his sad grey eyes Resigned to stagnant future the boy viewed himself As now constrained by fate to tread the aisles That retreat into the past Between the half-forgotten memories Where sorrow's line is cast Read more...

Poetry - Flag By Laurenceaux

I saw our flag flapping and stuttering against its pole. I saw our flag straining, writhing and contorting in a wind of change. I saw the pole unbending. Dogmatic in its stance, leashing and lashing the flag Read more...

Poetry - Soldier, Farewell By Patrick Henry
	Under the flag he chose to serve, Marching no more down roads aflame, The soldier fallen lies held in where the pall Bearers pass the ranks for his last time. Few words will tell or heal the loss. Bugle notes stand for the unspoken thought. Those nearest share the deepest hurt. Read more...

Poetry - Winter Rain 09 and A Tale of Romance By Phil Pretheroe

	She wore red, always. A dress, floaty. Like it was summer, it was December. She danced, gracefully. Read more...

Poetry - 500 Yards By Mike Watts (Video)

I side step Dog shit A syringe A wounded tampon From some Dirty minge A crushed can On somebody's bonnet Read more...

Poetry - Fall of a House in Ulster By Patrick Henry
	To go across the sea to Northern Ireland, Could mean curtains for you, closing your last day. Thinking to see sunset ablaze along The Lagan, It's your house torched by those wanting you out of the way. Memory of tense times recent in The Troubles, Jogs at sight of boarded windows, from where some had flown, Read more...

Poetry - All To Come By Mike Watts

Amid the intensity Of summer When I meander Through afternoons Chaotic With crowd And colour Read more...