Inside this dark and shrinking earth
by Raymond Holt
An ex Cranleigh village Bobby
Inside this dark and shrinking earth
With childhood memories from birth
Of flannel grey shorts on a red legged day
And toes cut from sandals, because that was the way
To make them last and not be discard
For life back then was very hard
And rabbit pie was a delightful sight
And at bedtime, “Mum, leave on the landing light!”
Then as I struggled between right and wrong
I should have become so very strong
But life’s not always black or white
And I never really saw the light
That shines so bright for you and me
So at the end of the tunnel, we all can see
That what we are inside this skin
Is so very humble, compared with Him.
But not for me the worn out chimes
Of yesterday’ songs and nursery rhymes
Or the worn out plot on a TV soap
We watch for weeks without much hope
Of seldom seeing something new
To surprise the likes of me and you.
So we live and we die, then dispose of our dead
And judge ourselves, by what we should have said
Then button our lips and hold on tight
With all our knuckles glowing white
For life is but a journey’s end
And what is this world without a friend?
But an empty, solitary, futile place
A clock on the wall, without a face.
LOOKING OVER MY SHOULDER
Copies are available by email:
for a list price of £7.99
And also available used on Amazon
Take a look at some of Raymond’s other poems HERE
© Main Photo by Tony Baker
