Tag Archives: Life and death

dum spiro spero

a grain doesn’t know where it falls
it trusts in the hand of the sower
but trust can be as blind as the bat
that beats it down even lower
into the ground

a grain doesn’t know where it falls
it trusts in the richness of the soil
but soil can spoil in the winter
where it becomes harder to toil
into nature’s crown

a grain doesn’t know where it falls
it can only sprout up in bare faith
but faith can be pared down further
by the taxman’s loathing of waste
in for a pound

a grain doesn’t know where it falls
can bloom ‘tween stones with its last gasp
but a last gasp is as transient
as a world that burns in the blast
of a nuked town

by TETIANA ALEKSINA & TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2025

Tumblevision #43

There is only one of these childhood treasures left now. Rest in peace, Mr Oddie. 😔

by TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2026

ask nothing

infinity
a crumb, our collective mind
from the day we are born
we’re enmired in longing
& we reach all our lives as if
our slow death has barely begun

infinity
we’re avoiding in the rain again
as it washes away the tears
past stars inert down the lane
dare we to wear our insides out
like we were ever here

who are we to hope for love
as we lift our heads above
the skies could fall any moment
how on earth are we alive

infinity
too many arks on mountains
for any of them to be the one
our jesus is nothing
our buddhas are nothing
so too our drowned expectations

infinity
it’s another god for the blind
yet we feel that white room calling
boundless, all walls fallen away
we’re dispossessed in night’s array
how heavenly the stars

who are we to hope for love
as we lift our heads above
each moment an accusation
how are we still alive

what if infinity left us blind
to vanish beneath the sands of time
& yet we hope
yet we love
we live

by TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2025

age of dissent

even the smallest body
laid waste in the smut of war
holds more dignity than you
you titans of craven hatred
titans of grubby fascism

may heavy the hereafter youth
their bones be a blight upon you
& yon god resolutely scorch you
all titans from the befouled earth
then itself from living memory

see the old men declaring war
when they ought to be busy dying
clearing way for the new

fear you the ghosts of our children
& all that they doth represent
may their legacy of bravery
smother all blood of titans
rot you in annals of time forgot

even the smallest body
laid waste in the glut of war
may their bones be a blight upon you
smother you blood of titans
rot you in bowels of time forgot

the strong shall be made weak
& the weak forever strong
clear way for the new

by TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2025

white man (go ooga booga)

you keep hunting brown people
how does that make you feel
are you feeling big enough yet
did you get those extra inches you needed

this caveman mentality of yours
it makes you more tribal than them
why fear those who bleed out like you
& why hide your proud face behind that mask

a clear & present danger
but not them, it’s entirely you
& something has to change

now you’re moving on to the woke
on to the alphabetic people
the different, blamed & broken
the compassionate who use their words & hearts

this gunman mentality of yours
it makes you more brutal than them
& now you’ve moved on to ice fucking bitches
don’t you see, to the face equals fascism

something has to change
but not them for you
it’s you, little man, & only you

by TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2026