October 2023 – The Yorkshire Poet & Friends

Oh, the woes of a man in need
To quell his desires, to succumb, and proceed
For a boon to his hardness, he ventured forth
And found Viagra, that miracle for growth

A pill to split a man in two
One side elated, the other subdued
For erections long and hard, it gave
But alas, a warning, he did not crave

For troubles lurked beneath the veil
Of a side effect that made him wail
A monster arose, persistent and painful
A curse, known as Priapism, so disdainful

His manhood was now a burden to bear
As he sought solace, for the pain to bear
Oh, the irony of his quest for pleasure
Now a nightmare, a continuous measure

So let this be a lesson learnt
A warning for all to never be burnt
By the fire of desire and pills unknown
The cost of pleasure can be overblown.

Steve Halstead.

Undiscovered

Published on October 22, 2023 by theyorkshirepoetLeave a comment

I listen to great music
Composed with skills I do not possess
I read poetry
And amaze at the beauty of words
The symbolism in simple lines

Who has such talents
The ability to shape sounds and images
To use eight simple notes
And create a symphony of delight and wonder
Words on a page in such fashion
To educate and enlighten

How I wish I had skills such as these
Turning sounds and words to beauty
Sun sea light and air
There to enjoy
Yet so few do

Are the poets and great composers
Chosen of God
Given gifts that mere mortals
Do not and cannot possess
Are they lifted above the ordinary
Do they know how different they are

I think not
Simple beings
Whose thoughts can translate to great things
Perhaps we all have such
But use it not
Either by choice or simple ignorance

So we look and listen
And admire others
Unaware we have such talent
Taken to our graves with us
Never to be discovered.

Norman Turkington

Tell Me

Published on October 22, 2023 by theyorkshirepoetLeave a comment

Say you’d tell me
When warm thoughts are no more
Say you’d let me know
When your feelings run cold

I’m not yet used to this
Expressing emotions one to one
I am fragile like an eggshell
Cracked so easily
No seasoned liar awaiting payment
For favours given

If I walk on your sensibilities
Rebuke me
Send me back in time
When nothing passed between us
I’ll understand
But tell me

Norman Turkington

oh ye non-warring nations

Published on October 22, 2023 by theyorkshirepoet1 Comment

In this land where swords no longer clash,
Where battle crys are dried in dust,
In these tranquil lands, untouched by strife,
Lies a quiet ignorance, blight mistaken.

Oh, ye non-warring nations, oblivious rapture,
Shielded by illusions, veils of false safety.
The lull of peace, a tender lullaby,
That sings you into slumber, deep and blind.

Your hearts, once aflame with fiery passion,
Now dulled and drowsy, indifferent souls.
The lack of battles fought, and men grow tired,
The embers of courage dim will expire.

In distant lands where errant winds do howl,
Lives shattered, dreams devoured in desperation.
But in your sanctuaries, tranquil and unaware,
The cries of anguish fail to reach your ears.

Through veils of privilege, your vision blurs,
To look the other way, deafen the cries of pain.
Your ignorance breeds a delusion so serene,
The whispered falsehoods declare all is well.

Yet, oh ye non-warring nations, heed my voice,
Lift the veil of indifference, awaken from slumber.
For to feign ignorance, to turn a careless cheek,
Is to surrender to darkness, to let injustice flourish.

Let your hearts be kindled with compassion’s fire,
Embrace the world’s sorrows. Let empathy be your guide.
Reach out your hands, extend them far and wide,
In unity and understanding, the seeds of peace reside.

For warring or not, we are bound as one,
A tapestry woven in diverse hues and cries.
Let ignorance wither, knowledge be our sword,
Awaken, oh ye non-warring nations, to the world’s strife.

Steve Halstead.