Stick 91 - Shadow Clock

Shadow Clock

Tick Tock
Unflinching, marching shadow clock

Tick Tock
Vicious drumming against what was never actually a rock

Tick Tock
Thoughts that never stop, shadows that crowd and interlock

Tick Tock
All organs mashed to pulp, your lies constantly cause unrelenting shock

Tick Tock
Earth time soon stop, soul time tick tock

Tick Tock
Your shadow will no more become my block

Tick Tock
Good bye shadow clock

Stick 90 - The Woman Sage

Predictions from a woman sage...

Men have to leave
The woman sage said to me
They will leave you, you will see, she said to me
Men cannot stay with female hearts too wild and too free

I turned my back on what she said
I turned to lead my life with none of the predicted upset
Time passed, I gave love, as if it would forever last
men came, but left as soon as the wilderness blood was let

I loved, then lost, then grieved alot
I searched, then watched then believed I should not stop
I loved again, I lost again, then grieved as the wounds gushed blood again
lose again, lost again, stone-cold and chilled-to-the-bone again...

I stop the search, I watch no more,
I now know the sage knew what life had in store
I love them all, I love them still
I miss them all, with a wild heart and a free female soul

Stick 89 - Forrest Games

Forrest Games

We'll meet you at half past dark o'clock
when the moon is ready to mould her silver clay
We'll meet you at the bottom of the rock stairs
just where the creek ponytails 
and the ferns whisper about that secret trail 

You'll see us lazing on a fallen tree trunk
watching the fireflies weaving magic circle tracks
You'll see some of us crossing over
and you'll wonder when you'll witness 
our spirits join hands in the valley below the yonder-under  

We'll cross the swinging bridge
We'll slide along on the night-time dewdrop sleet
We'll wind our way through the fern canopy display
We'll never wish another day away
We'll let nature ensure that we never ever again delay

Stick 88 - Red Telephone Box

Red Telephone Box...

The number was 28-6-1965
The call came through at a quarter past 2
The name was given
The joy of the news shared by the proud young parents

The phone had a dial
The dial had 10 holes
The holes had bold black numbers
The numbers led to calls with random life outcomes

The calls were made throughout her life
She rang often and she rang without delay
even when some of them had already passed away
She shared her everything and she shared her all

The telephone box still stand proud in that park
Many others talk, cry, unburdon and lie
Many others walk there and end calls with a smile
The telephone box, in all its red,
witnessed a life filled with decisions and calls of no regret

Stick 87 - Torn off into Strips

 

I hear the train from quite far away

It's rythmic heartbeat sets the pace

The wooden ladder help me cross the fence

as I stand next to the snake rail line space

 

I feel the earth start to shudder

It's announcement of anticipated arrival near-far away

The choice is simple

step forward or step back

 

I want the train-wind to suck my last breath away

It's violent passing rush an echo of cold metal crush-dismay

I lose control as I deliberately test fate

as I deliberately close my eyes and still-in-the-moment-wait

 

I grimmace at the flood-rush-adrenalin in my ears

The violent realisation of that choice frozen in time

my experiment complete

as I float over and above the very spot of that train line moment in time

Stick 86 - I never knew...

But now I know...

That to enjoy the rain clouds build,
you have to lie back and keep very still

That to feel and cleanse with rain,
you need to undress, unprotect and turn your face to the sky domain

That to see a rainbow,
you have to turn your back to the sun

That to reflect on the wet-after-mud,
you have to squelsh it messily through your toes

That to become part of the living human race,
you have to truly get wet, get muddy and fully embrace

Stick 85 - To Peel the Fear

To Peel the Fear...

The Fear was always Near
It caked heavy mud around my legs
It trottled my rasping throat
It chocked my very last grain of hope

The Fear was so tangibly Here
It pretended to represent what's real
It tempered my goals and dreams and hopes  
It pestered my every attempt to heal

My stick stepped Up
It caned the fear
It shook me into action
It carried me towards new traction

I now know to Peel the Fear
I now know what is left after I finish the peeling
It is the overwhelming, positive, freedom feeling
that offers a strong patient promise
far beyond the hold of that un-peeled threathening fear

Stick 84 - The Scream

Have you ever listened to your own scream...?

Scream one:
Was at my birth
I screamed as my eyes struggled to focus through mucus arrival
I screamed with sheer determination to secure my very survival

Scream two:
Was when I played hide and seek
I screamed with fun as my brain counted down from fifty to one
I screamed in sheer delight as I caught my friends in frantic flight

Scream three:
Was during the attack
I screamed with a hunger to make the violence stop
I screamed with anger to signal strength when I certainly knew I had none

Scream four:
Was during three love lost times
I screamed these screams inside my heart
I screamed these screams and did not believe they would ever stop

Scream five:
Was during the death of those who left me bereft
I screamed this scream as I bargained with God
I screamed this scream as I pleaded even as they left

Scream six:
Is always in my nightmare dream
I scream as I push a knife into a killer devil's spleen
I scream as I sweat and yearn for a new silent, softer, soothing dream

Scream seven:
Is yet to take place
I fear what would make this scream appear
I hope a soothing human arm will be near to hold me close and dear

Stick 83 - Sand Bangle

 

Photo supplied by Jaco Labuschagne

Stick found  July 2013 on a Durban Beach

Hidden in the Sand...

Bangle Fair
attracting women from everywhere

Stick Gift
price-tagged to attract many a female hand

Female Tears
mingle beauty with a fair of fear years

Brown Sweat
dripping from a blue-bangle-veign pulsing wrist

Bangle Stick
nature's umbilical cord

Human Pulse
infused with red dust stick heart

Life's Twist
stick bangle linking the arm of the past, with the open-palm future to last

Stick 82 - Four continents of Love

Travel with me...

My Father lives in Timbuktu
he taught me humour, warmth and whit
he carries in his inner pocket
a sweet called "in my heart you fit".

My Mother lives in Ubud
she taught me care, curiosity and creativeness  
she carries on her paint palet
all the colours of my futureness

My Brother lives in the Amazon
he taught me loyalty, healing and all about life beyond life 
he carries with him
a pebble called "lets imagine a world with never-again strife"

My Sister lives under the Sea
she sends me messages in rare ocean bubble viles
she carries in her aqua eyes
the answer to swimming towards ever-lasting love-highs

Stick 81 - Simplicity

Simplicity

Clear water
on the lake edge
lapping answers
onto white sand shores

Clarity chatter
of the black swans
sliding through
the silver sleek water surfaces

Clean lines
in the forest ferns
dripping
with early morning dew drops

Candor 
in my life now
simplicity
to safeguard the new simplicity

Stick 80 - Female Notch

The female notch on that stick...

It's a girl, we hear
our sister hearts miss a beat
we females have to play our part
to ensure we save this little baby girl from the very start

It's a girl, we hear
she may not make it
she may join the 200million who died in gendercide
in modern one-child China

It's a girl, we hear
she may not make it
she may join the 5800 brides burned to death each year
in dowry disputes in India
 
It's a girl, we hear
she may not make it
she may be one of the 30% of women killed by their spouses each year
in domestic violence in United States of America

It's a girl, we hear
she may not make it
she may be raped with 3600 other girls each day
in the rape capital of the world South Africa

We, the female notches in this place called world
It's a girl, we hear but should not fear
for those of us who make it
hold each and every girl, dear and near to our hearts
embrace each and every female from the moment her life starts

Stick 79 - To Barbara

With all my love...

You lie tonight in a hospital bed
I lift the sheets and spoon cradle hug you
my beautiful New Zealand friend

Your bluest blue eyes may form a tear
I stroke your soft female cheek and ease possible fear
my beautiful New Zealand friend

Your mind journeys through a life lived in truth
I see your many years of giving the unconditional loving proof
my beautiful New Zealand friend

Your pain now ever here, but still your whimsical smile appears,
I drink from your ever welcome cup of positive energy always so near
my beautiful New Zealand friend

Your hand in mine, our hearts entwined
you gave me love when it was hard to find
I love you always and pray for you
my beautiful New Zealand friend

Stick 78 - Dog Leg Living

Dog Leg Living

My path in life
weaves unevenly not straight
it has been known to dog leg
to the left of the left, where I stand and wait

My path in the dog leg
is surprisingly different
from the best laid plans
far away from my home and friend lands

Three leaves I hold now
they each offer a way out
and I stand and wonder at the edge
of the dog leg path-ledge

Leaf one gives me the right to fight and become
Leaf two gives me the flight of freedom and non-belong
Leaf three gives me what I am yet to understand and build upon

so for now in indecision I hunch down and wait
I rock myself and cradle my confused state
I wait and wait and hope it does not become dark and too late

Stick 77 - Google Stick

Press  - Ctrl Alt Del...

you Googled my name
you assume what's there describes my game
you assume what's there explains my reserved strain
you assume you know the me behind my name

I lived so much more
with pride my body and mind explored
my heart and soul moulded my core
your online search misses what I have in store

I press enter as I live my life 
I save my inner files in a directory devoid of strife
I store my learnings in a wisdom domain
I believe the me in me is not for Google searches to claim

The me in me
will always be
sensitive aware

The me in me
will always be
delighted at the life that sets my thoughts free

Stick 76 - Sticks to Rest

Breathing the fresh morning air....

folded together
lives entwined

sharing a past
hurt to rest at last

ease of soft voice
clarifying many a choice

cleansing white morning sight
healing in simple delight 

with back-forward glance
memories part of the next life advance

Stick 75 - Black Seed Sheets

Black Seeds on White Sheets

Sometimes, when you least expect
hidden secrets reach up from seed pod aspects

Sometimes, when you least expect
the female will remain strong, while the man struggles to belong

Sometimes, when you least expect
the road to a place becomes the road to help replace

Sometimes, when you least expect
the white cross of loss, becomes the peaceful new growth moss

Sometimes, when you least expect
the eucaluptus trees, become the road-beacons that help set you free

Stick 74 - Paint Palet Dinner

The invisible colours on my stick plate...

I scooped my yellow
it tasted of warm friendship around a veld fire

I dipped my aqua
it tasted of energy laughs lazing in a summer pond

I cut my forrest green
it tasted of intimacy and skin on skin

I mixed my purple
it tasted of strong opinions and taking sides

I swallowed my blue-grey
it tasted of keeping sadness and loneliness at bay

I left a little red
it tasted of the exciting life I have not yet led

Stick 73 - Ode to a Ritual

Remember to do this alone...

When summer came
so did nature's ritual flirting game
My anticipation echoed the full moon that night
the night before the beginning of the warm summer light

The ritual is followed to the letter of an unwritten law
it starts with the fact that you must be alone
so you take off your shoes and paint your toenails bright pink
then you match-make your feet with remote beach white sand 

No human but you
should walk towards the limestone rock proud and true 
drag your hand over the rock, till you feel the first cut
taste the salt of the blood and the salt of the sea

Take off all your clothes and be sure to go slow
then wait for the seagull to dive-fly and screech a hallo
walk towards the crisp cold ocean holding onto the balming sun
and be sure to undo your hair to create some added fun

Dig your toes deep deep into wet water sand
and let the waves giggle brightly, as water stream through your hand
the inquisitive shallow sea will now circle your shy female hips 
as your curves mirror the round arches of the breaking wild wave sea lips

As you lean back to float on the aqua of the ocean's music note
You abandon all thought of losing your hope
because the orchestra of water will surround you in sound
you'll fall in love with your nature lover and forever be ritual bound

Stick 72 - Female Clay

Dear God
I thank you with all my human heart
for the women you lovingly created
those wonderful females of note, in the scrolls of ancient and old  

Eve, who came first and led the way

I believe she was stunningly beautiful
I see her sun-ray smile as peach juice drip from her whimsical lips
Just before she shares that apple with him, after she was explicitly warned not to

Ruth, who lost her beloved so early

I see her large grieving soulful questioning eyes
I imagine her humble softness and the warmth of her loyalty gift
When all expected her to return home, she stayed and saved the day

Abigail, the wife of the revered King David

Her wisdom and integrity set her apart
Her refusal to give in to the evil that came, just before she met her handsome King
I see the respect her King-husband held for her
as she debated, discussed and dared to differ
while absent-mindedly turning her second marriage ring

Mary, the woman who birthed your son

I see her acceptance of the supreme, sublime and utmost divine
understood only in the spiritual realm
I seek to emulate the unconditional love she held for her darling son
I dream of her musical laughter, as I desire to emulate her calm

I bow before you now my Lord
It's very late at night
I join my hands in prayer tonight
 

I hope to meet these women one day
I place myself in your hands this day
and I feel ultimately safe to stay
as a willing happy bundle of busy female clay

Stick 71 - The Wishbone Stick

Wishbone Marathon

I wish I wish
we were all predisposed to greenleaves of ever good

I wish I wish
we were all under-exposed to withering leaves of ruin and rot

I wish I wish
we were all superimposed upon strong branches of respect and grace

I wish I wish
we were all supposed to drink wisdom-water from greenleaf gatherings

I wish I wish
we never proposed breaking the wishing bone

I wish I wish
that the break did not cause one to lose and one to gain

I wish I wish
two branches remained as one, in a mystical wishing bone marathon

Stick 70 - Upside Down

Upside Down and Inside Out

Have you ever seen Chinese money coins float
Have you ever seen the power of the possibility of what seemed so remote
 
Have you ever seen the clear water in the Laoshan mountain wishing well
Have you ever seen the power of the stories that the monks there foretell

Have you ever seen the calm acceptance-breath in crisp mountain air
Have you ever seen the power of the wisdom of Confucius laid bare

Have you ever seen the beauty of the now and the here
Have you ever seen the power of those who embrace
an upside-down and inside-out
human space,
here, there and every-everywhere

Stick 69 - Consequence Arteries

Arteries of consequence...

My curiosity led to fosicking in the moonlight
My discovery led to unbelievable arteries of insight

My velocity led to movement and flights of freedom
My naivity led to unparallaled warnings by those who worship reality

My sexuality led to joyous journeys in the magic beyond
My physicality led to tracing arteries of the deceptive body bond

My amorality led to hindrance and dispair
My luminosity led to clarity of the importance of flair 

My nonconformity turned fearful traditionals away
My search for goodness-arteries led my heart to never ever waver or delay

Stick 68 - Umbilical Cord

the unborn offspring of a mammal before birth

twilight fetus
hollow sound
bubble pond
mother's bond 

unhatched fetus
unscathed life
unaborted love
mother's freedom loss

natures call
echo wall
shared agony
mother's prayer

umbilical anchor
umbilical storm
umbilical rip
mother's baby fetus born

Stick 67 - Graffitti Pain

How much sorrow can one person borrow

Ink everywhere as I vomit pain
Insight nowhere as I clean up the stain

Invisible graffitti in a very course life grain
Inflamed colours mask terror that reign

Incognito is how I fend and blend in
Involvement nowhere in the empty bin

Insanity the only sometimes clarity
Inaudable screams from the yearning disparity

Incurable torment in the shadows of my mind
Inaccessible the view when my eyes have gone completely blind

Stick 66 - Hour Glass Sand



 

The hour in the sand glass...

 

I ran cold ice-white sand through my calm reflective fingers

and I knew what it meant

 

I scooped small sand-handfulls, but realised that sand cannot compress

and I knew what this meant

 

I lay back and closed my eyes and dripped the sand from head to toe

and I knew what this may mean

 

I rubbed the sand accross my belly button, filling the hole to the top

and I knew exactly what this meant

 

I stood up and shaked the sand off and felt it scrape and hurt my salty skin

and wanted to avoid what this meant

 

I picked up the empty sandglass and realised the hour had passed

and I knew the meaning meant...

 

... that I should add soft sand 

... to the palm of my grasping hand 

... till every belly-button moment 

... fills me with the wisdom and foresight of what it all meant

Stick 65 - Bluer than Blue

My Blue Ink Tattoo...

I floated in the pool of bluer than blue
The blue was equal to a trust so unquestionably true

The trust lay naked on a bed of gold
The gold embodied an unconditional love to behold

The love was framed by a halo of togetherness
The togetherness came from an abolute selflessness

The selflessness floated on a safety blanket from the sun
The sun swallowed the shadows before they dare begun

The dare was there as two soul mates set sail
The sail was torn in the test from the mammoth storm

I float again in a pool of deep-deep bluer than blue
The blue is now the indelible ink of the failed dare tattoo

Stick 64 - Crickle Stick Living

Crickle sticks are so very rare...

This stick bridged the gap
between the world of forward and back

This stick curled around the sore
and created a newfound shaded strong-stone floor

This stick circled the sunshine
and drank thirstily from the warm wishing well in the middle

This stick straightened out and with no anchor as yet
stretched its fingers to the beginning of the next

This stick mourns the dark from the back then
and touches gently the "what's over rock"
as it waits patiently for the next forever

Stick 63 - The Time of the Old

The Time of the Old...

Today's stick reminded me of the beautiful stories captured in the wrinkles of an older human being. I dedicate this stick and piece of writing to my beautiful grandson, Luca Fourie. When he was only four years old he told me with soulful eyes about "the time of the old". As I am starting to edge closer to the time of the old, I write this...

In the time of the old
one can live bold
one can be stronger
and stand one's ground much longer

In the time of the old
many threads of life come together
many memories blend in with past and future forever
and life's troubles become lighter than a bird's feather

In the time of the old
some say that we all become equal
some say that we tell our life stories with imaginitive sequals
and we give more and we take less and we appreciate life at its full best  

In the time of the old
any smile and loving hug will suffice
any welcoming warm-cup visit and chat will add spice
and as we listen and as we blend in
we long to share ancient wisdom with those in the time of the young

Stick 62 - Blisfully Unaware

The Handful of Unaware...

A handful of fireflies
filled the humid summer night,
their bright light outshone the moon
ouside the window of that special room

A handful of moths
stalked the dark yellow quiet porch light
their delighted eyelash wings flirting
as they stopped to rest on the windowsill of that special room

A handful of centipedes
marched their way accross the wooden windowsill
their determined journey
led them to enter through the window of that special room

A handful of white small ants
playfully gathered around the sugarbowl
while they chatted blisfully unaware
of the mutilated female body on the bloody bedroom floor
of that special special darkened room