Tag Archives: Life and death

off the leash

a stray dog drowses beneath the park bench
a high class cat purrs so refined in french
a black sheep pretends to belong with the white flock
a cow chews tobacco, filling the farmers with shock

since democracy was proclaimed at the animal farm
humans have looked on with a degree of alarm
without fur or feather and walking on hind legs
they think animals are no more than ham and eggs

only the lazy underestimate these orwellian times
society has failed to turn from violence and war crimes
the animals have taken note of mankind’s wicked ways
flipper, paw and hoof follow in the footsteps of malaise

can humanity change its ways before it’s too late
will humanity face the wrath of the animal state
does humanity deserve this impending tide of hate
should humanity be spared this apocalyptic fate

by TETIANA ALEKSINA & TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2024

hiberheim

we swore allegiance to winter
in this ice sanctuary
where snowfall whirls
in its ritualistic dance

we swore allegiance to winter
and fell asleep in euphoria
let our bodies turn into
fragile white materials

by TETIANA ALEKSINA
© All rights reserved 2024

condimentality

this is the day that divided the earth
mustard or ketchup on your hot dog?
the choice of condiment was paramount
one side wore yellow, the other side red
tension was rising like fermented dough
pretty soon it got personal, with pickles too
insults were slung with side order of onions
and a tower of babel of used paper towels
then out came the knives and other utensils
the salt and pepper shakers, and glutamate
with preservative smeared over more conflict
kept it going way past the point of sanity
this is the day that divided the earth
when the first vegan was immaculately conceived

by TETIANA ALEKSINA & TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2024

timeless regret

in the beginning was false light
all hope with zero substance
in the beginning was a false start
all hopeful disqualification

where is your shining future
has zeal undershot the mark
the wooden veneer has rotted
on the springboard of your past

the guts of your journey is now
no space for before or hereafter
no time for you to distinguish
starting lines or finishing ribbons

in the end silence lays with you
deathbed’s unwanted dire love
in the end you lay with the four walls
and posters of promised yesterdays

by TETIANA ALEKSINA & TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2024

ripples in the soup bowl

when you’ve traced your secrets into the sand
with a spirit’s hand at the water’s edge
is when the tide washes in to wash it away
& now no one on earth will have ever known you

when your face can’t be a part of this world
at the ripple & quell of a wishing well
your reflection does question former times
where no one said you could be lovely

& you’re wondering why you had to obey
when you did not wish to hold a gun
& you’re wondering why she bothered to stay
when you could not put bread in her hand

those men lined up at the soup kitchen
were never allowed to be more than hunters
with dusty hearts & those lifeless eyes

when grace extends only so far as merit
don’t be so loyal to your suffering
they’ve laid claim to your life without consent
& indentured you to kill in the name of

when disgrace has felled you for the last time
when the muffled gunfire burns in your lungs
when you wake into your funeral wreath
beyond the subatomic algorithm

& you’re wondering why you had to obey
when you did not wish to hold a gun
& you’re wondering why she bothered to stay
when you could not put bread in her hand

those men lined up at the soup kitchen
were never allowed to be more than fodder
with dusty hearts & those lifeless eyes

you can love like no one owes you
you can give however you want
but no man can bend forever
the men lined up at the soup kitchen
were never allowed to be simply human
no man can bleed forever

by TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2024