THE PARABLE OF DECLINE

 

Tell us of the succulent grape,

left to languish on the ground,

that withered to a raisin,

and how we were seduced

by its sweet tastes

to feast upon an arid relic

of former fruitfulness.

John Walter Taylor

© All rights reserved

26 February 2025

The Clock

A ragged headstone

leans towards the West,

and on the grave

a dandelion grows.

 

Cursed as a weed,

this friendless flower

came as an airborne seed

to pledge a token of respect.

 

And so its golden florets bloom

in tribute to a nameless soul,

forgotten since the time

rushlights pierced the gloom.

John Walter Taylor

© All rights reserved

10 February 2025