SEMINARIAN

SEMINARIAN


A sanctuary, this studied room –
a sacred place without divinity.

Here, he first began to scour
the weed-strewn paving of his mind –
thought-loads of words strove to devour
his piety.

The books, which thronged
his living space, provided sustenance –
a new found grace.

Alone,
a hermit walled in by abstractions,
striving to fill a god-shaped absence
with well-honed words.

Roomed in his study, studying his mind,
vacuity – that most tenacious weed –
has left him blind.


Malcolm Evison

BEING

BEING


God spoke –
I dare not listen.

I could not face
the stillness
of simply being there.

God spoke:
there were no words –
I simply saw

the suffering of others.
I could not share

the stillness
of simply being there.

One day I knew
God could not speak -
I used my eyes,

I saw and felt
the suffering of multitudes –
I listened to their cries –

then cautiously I whispered
“I am here”

and from my helplessness
I knew -
that God was there.




Malcolm Evison
28 July 2005

Aged Poet celebrates his Beloved

A new video of Malcolm reading three poems for Helen can be found on the Aged Poet's Space (Archive Mined & Freshly Spun) - why not have a listen.

The poems read are: EMBRACE, TRANSFORMED and THAT DAY.

Reclamation

RECLAMATION


Just another
lightly throbbing
gritty grey day

a second chance
to modify one’s outlook
divert one’s gaze away

from the reality -
begin to play
the game

of life regained.



Malcolm Evison
29 January 2009

Malcolm reads Five more Poems

The poems by Malcolm Evison are 'A Spun Illusion', 'Grey Day', 'Mist in Fell Country', 'Lines Beside The Garden Pond', 'Aubade' (sans le soleil)'.

MIMI

MIMI

(aged 2 ½ years)

Wrapped in the warm fragrance

of the everyday

she moves mountains –

only to stumble

on the commonplace.

Complacency

so easily destroyed.

I try to capture it

with words, they writhe

relentlessly. She laughs

allows the world

to write

its affirmation.

Malcolm Evison

Man For His Age

MAN FOR HIS AGE

Care-worn he leads

his guilt free life,

turns fears

into a bar-room joke –

he never fails

though sometimes falls

a victim to

“the changing times”.

Suburban heroes never weep,

they share with celluloid

an inability to bleed.

He veils his sorrows in

a sentimental song

and never sins –

his standards are complete

and up to date.

A true son

of a dying race.

Malcolm Evison

Flutter By Moment

Flutter By Moment

it alights

softer than a whisper

on my sleeve

almost

as if it sought me out

I sit

relax

breathe in the gentle air -

the butterfly

spreads out its wings -

this moment

I am

at one

with nature

sharing the fragility

imagining

a place where all

could feel secure -

wearing

the butterfly

like a heart

on my sleeve

Malcolm Evison

17 July 2008

Sequel on Archive Mined

A sequel to GREY DAY, entitled "RE-AFFIRMED" can be found on Archive Mined and Freshly Spun

GREY DAY

GREY DAY

 

 

the light

or lack of it

strives to deny

day’s movement

 

the change

from slate

to milky grey

holds sway

 

the sky

is unremitting cloud

shrouding the day

in timelessness

 

there are no contrasts

simply a hint

that the earth

may yet prove flat

 

 

                     

                                                        Malcolm Evison

                                                                       5 July 2008

 

Listening To Stockhausen

LISTENING TO STOCKHAUSEN’S CARRE
with COLIN (aged14 months)


High spaces, free and contained -
embraces, sacred and profane.

Each moment a change;
change the instant
start anew.

Fresh breezes, shrill streams
chimes ringing -

the baby smiles –
he shares
none of my amazement;

constantly amazed
his is affirmation.
He laughs, picks up a new toy.

I relax -
immersed in the present.

Spaces
free and contained.


Malcolm Evison

************************************

another poem, freshly unearthed from the archives, THE GIFT, can be read on Archive Mined and Freshly Spun

New Day on Archive Mined

I have posted a further poem this morning, NEW DAY, on 'Archive Mined and Freshly Spun'.