ALPHABETICAL COLLECTION

Poems A–Z

Explore Alan’s published poems in alphabetical order. Read a poem here or follow its category to discover more from the collection.

  • THE EXILES

    Unable

    Read the written poem

    UNABLE

    First to die

    ABEL

    and no brother’s hand

    to staunch

    the bleeding

     

    the woe

    and

    the weariness

     

    how to tell

    FATHER

    ADAM

    Or not to

     

    the self-denial

    the burying

     

    and

    MOTHER

     

    the broken-facedness

     

    a crack

    in nature

     

    and the ground

    Unsoaked

    by the blood

     

    crying

    recompense

     

    much weeping

     

    two sons

    in a day

     

    and the long walk

    into

    thelandoflongwalking Genesis 4

  • THE PARTICIPANTS – The Present Players

    We have been so busy

    A call to examine the scriptural Birth Narrative as opposed to absorbing the popular additions to the Nativity. We have been so busy with the Christmas story, Adding to it – tinkering – as we saw fit: Here a donkey; there a little lamb; To carry Mary, worship at the cradle of the great “I AM”.

    Read the written poem

    We have been so busy

     

    We have been so busy with the Christmas story,

    Adding to it – tinkering – as we saw fit:

    Here a donkey; there a little lamb;

    To carry Mary, worship at the cradle of the great “I AM”.

     

    Conjuring a full-blown history for the Magi;

    Balancing equations: three gifts means three givers:

    ‘X’ must equal ‘Y’.

    Placing all within a ‘stable’, some prefer, beneath the ‘inn’, a cave,

    Where Mother Mary, in a manger, laid the baby ‘born to save’.

     

    Certain sure there was a maiden and a babe,

    A carpenter, a choir of angels, and perhaps an astrolabe,

    Some shepherds …yes… at Bethlehem,

    As God-With-Us came clothed in flesh, once, way back when.

     

  • THE GARDENERS

    We Win

    Adam is father, mother & husband to Eve. Adam is created with Eve latent within. Man and Woman – the one flesh – as God intended. Adam released increased Ish births ishah As God Unearths The woman within

    Read the written poem

    We Win

     

    Bone deep

    the sleep

     

    Adam released

    increased

     

    Ish births ishah

     

    As God

    Unearths

     

    The woman

    within

     

    and then

    The sin

    The shame

     

    All the same in

    Adamagain

    We win

  • THE SETTLERS

    Well Bred a piece for two voices

    Elisha feeds a hundred people with twenty loaves of bread. Gehazi, his servant, is sceptical of God's power to enact a miracle. (2 Kings 4:42-44) Elisha speaks to Gehazi Gehazi replies “Set the bread before the hundred; See that all are right well fed.” “All we have are twenty buns To feed the men: we’re short on funds.”

    Read the written poem

    Well Bred

    Elisha speaks to Gehazi Gehazi replies

     

    “Set the bread before the hundred;

    See that all are right well fed.”

    “All we have are twenty buns

    To feed the men: we’re short on funds.”

     

    “Twenty buns are all we need.

    Now, sit them down. It’s time to feed.”

    “All we have are twenty barms;

    Kindly sent from local farms.”

    “Twenty barms are quite enough.

    Gehazi, how you huff and puff.”

    “All we have are twenty batches.

    The men will have to snack in snatches.”

     

    “Snack in snatches? Not at all.

    Each will fare well: large or small.”

    “All we have are twenty baps;

    Enough for five men – ten perhaps.”

     

    “Enough and more. Now, servant, please.

    Let’s say ‘Grace’. Down on your knees.”

    “All we have are twenty bagels.

    We might as well just feed the seagulls.”

     

    “Feed the seagulls? God does that.

    Prepare the feast and stop the chat.”

    “All we have are twenty cobs;

    Will that feed all those big fat blobs?”

     

    “Those men are prophets like myself.

    Besides, you’re not so thin yourself.”

    “All we have are twenty rolls.

    Are we to feed one hundred souls?”

    “Whether the figure is under or over,

    Numbers don’t hinder the work of Jehovah.”

    “All we have are twenty muffins;

    And that, I say, is next to nuffins.”

     

    “Buns and bagels, baps and barms;
    Why are you so up in arms?

    God will multiply the muffins;

    Now hush your noise and let’s get stuffin’.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Alan R Garner for Kent Camp 240710