A Poet's Blog: Roger N.Taber shares his thoughts & poems...

Thoughts and observations by English poet Roger N. Taber, a retired librarian and poet-novelist.- "Ethnicity, Religion, Gender, Sexuality ... these are but parts of a whole. It is the whole that counts." RNT [NB While I have no wish to create a social network, I will always reply to critical emails about my poetry. Contact: rogertab@aol.com].

Name:
Location: London, United Kingdom

Sadly, a bad fall in 2012 has left me with a mobility problem, and being diagnosed with prostate cancer the same year hasn't helped, but I get out and about with my trusty walking stick as much as I can, take each day as it comes and try to keep looking on the bright(er) side of life. Many of my poems reflect the need to nurture a positive-thinking mindset whatever life throws at us.

Tuesday 7 January 2020

Floods of Fear


[UpdateFrom February to April 2019, widespread flash flooding affected large parts of Pakistan, most severely in Balochistan, KPK, Punjab, and other provinces. ... The main areas affected were Turbat, Tump, Nasirabad and Dasht where 300 people were displaced due to the flood.]
Dare I suggest climate change is not as recent a phenomenon as some people are suggesting, not to mention as many others who remain in denial.?


The 2010 Pakistan floods directly affected an estimated 14-20 million people, and killed over 1,700. Nearly 1.1 million homes were damaged or destroyed, and at least 436 health care facilities were destroyed. The floods in Pakistan began in late July 2010, resulting from heavy monsoon rains in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Punjab and, Balochistan regions of Pakistan, which affected the Indus River basin.

Nature alone is not to blame. Humanity is polluting its earth, air, seas and rivers, and we need to start taking our individual responsibilities to the planet seriously before it is too late. Too many people don't even recycle waste, even where facilities are provided, and do not see it as their problem; we all need to do what we can...or it will be left to future generations to suffer the consequences and pick up whatever pieces may be left. 


Past-present-future is a continuum for which we all need to shoulder some responsibility instead of shrugging off the likes of climate change as fake news or as of no immediate personal concern to us so let other people clean up our mess...


FLOODS OF FEAR


Floods of fear confronting Pakistan,
indiscriminate, rich and poor;
terrorism no less a threat than rain

Now and then, the worst monsoon
breaks down the strongest door;
floods of fear confronting Pakistan

Pain and grief as the world looks on
(some say could, should do more);
terrorism no less a threat than rain

Those left homeless, no peace plan
for reconstructing their future;
floods of fear confronting Pakistan

Across the border with Afghanistan
some two-way trafficking for sure;
floods of fear confronting Pakistan

Aid on its way, can’t arrive too soon;
nature wreaking sickness and more;
floods of fear confronting Pakistan;
terrorism, no less a threat than rain

Copyright R. N. Taber 2010


INDUS RISING

Swathes of the Indus rising
where homes stood, crops grew,
men, women, children dying

It’s live in tents or nothing
whom the monsoon rains pursue;
swathes of the Indus rising

Millions have lost everything,
aid taking its time to filter through;
men, women, children dying

Cases of cholera spreading
like a terrorist nightmare come true;
swathes of the Indus rising

The stink of bodies floating
where nature’s wrath spares but few;
men, women, children dying

Human spirit near breaking,
yet its promises to mend ringing true;
swathes of the Indus rising;
men, women, children dying


Copyright R. N. Taber 2010


[Note: Both poems appear in Tracking the Torchbearer by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2012.]





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Monday 7 January 2013

Time and Tide

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

The genesis for this poem was written in 1976. I have only recently revised it.

Regular reader will be familiar with the sea – in all its moods, and as they reflect my own - as a theme for many later poems.

Sometimes, the sea inspires me; sometimes it comforts me; sometimes it scares me, especially as I grow old(er) and am inclined to see it as a living metaphor for a splendid vastness that will surely (for good or ill, better or worse) one day claim my spirit.


TIME AND TIDE

The lonely sea
laps at my feet, stars in the sky
small comfort;
on a hushed beach,
a huge white moon winks wryly
at me

Sun, sea, sand,
slipping through weepy fingers
like kinder times;
life, death, love,
hovering low above, still waiting
for Godot

Wind grown cold,
I growing old with all the stoicism
of a sand statue;


night-pools, they swirl
around me, surprise, confound me
with home truths

Though I dare
a sleepy shore’s passions reawaken,
I know…
why the lonely sea
laps at my feet,  stars in the sky
small comfort

Copyright R. N. Taber 2001; 2012

[Note: An earlier version of this poem appears in  Love and Human Remains by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2000.]

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Sunday 1 July 2012

A Seaside Calendar

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

I spent another lovely day in Brighton, Sussex (UK) recently. I love it there and always enjoy time spent at the seaside. 

I have read poems ‘on location’ in Brighton for You Tube that some of you might enjoy although don’t expect the quality of the videos to be up to BBC standards; just follow the link and click on ‘videos’ to browse and view any that might interest you. (I read different poems on each Brighton video):


Meanwhile, as a song goes with which UK readers especially will be familiar, Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside...
{Photo: Pendower, Conwall, taken from the Internet.]

A SEASIDE CALENDAR 

Laughter, on summer-scented air
bursts on jaunty wing;
glad eyes shine the dipping gull,
excite twin waves,
returns excelling. Sun on sand.
Oh world, on hand 
to greet me, make or break, 
whatever

Joy but hushed, the autumn year
devours the sky;
sad eyes shape the dipping gull,
endure each wave,
returns excelling. Sun on sand.
Oh world, on hand 
to greet me, make or break,
whatever...

Hopes reviewed, wintry ways
break their silence;
watery eyes applaud a lone bird,
brave each wave,
returns excelling. Sun on sand.
Oh world, on hand
to greet me, make or break,
whatever...

Comings and goings of n-o-i-s-e
in playful flight;
wide eyes consume a mating pair,
glide twin waves, 
returns excelling. Sun on sand.
Oh. world, on hand 
to greet me, make or break.
whatever...

Copyright R. N. Taber 2000; 2018

[Note: an earlier version of this poem appears in Love and Human Remains by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2000.]



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Thursday 22 March 2012

The Time Keeper

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

I spent most of yesterday in my beloved Brighton. It only takes an hour on the train from London, Victoria and I can get to Victoria in about 30 mins from where I live. As I am not really up to much travelling at the moment, it is an easy journey to a delightful place and a guaranteed lovely day (whatever the weather).

Yesterday was like summer and I really enjoyed my usual stroll on the beach until meeting up with old friends to catch up over a few beers later.

THE TIME KEEPER

Keeper of my time since the day
I first saw you, a beauty to the eye
more splendid than royalty, riding
on a white unicorn in pastures green
mountains or gently rolling hills,
Child of Avalon, Queen of Hearts,
carried on wings and a prayer
like wildly flowing hair in chariots
of fire

Keeper of my time since the day
I first heard you sing songs making
heaven ring out with such hopes
of spring, joys only summer days
can bring, dreams that autumn
cannot fulfill or winter kill, whatever
any God may have in mind for us,
left free to choose, for good or ill,
always

Keeper of my time since a day
I first followed you in a storm,
shared the violence of a passion
equal to death's own, nor less
a rage to live than ever stirs in me,
envious of rider-unicorn a place
in eternity, riding, rearing or simply
left to graze, my fickle mistress,
Lady of the Hours

Keeper of our tides in history,
the sea, the sea ...
  
Copyright R. N. Taber 2004





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Tuesday 21 June 2011

The Horse Whisperer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

This poem has not appeared on the blog since 2008 and is repeated today especially for 'Clive and Kate' who have recently retired to live by '...the love of our lives, the sea.' Oh, but I am so jealous.

Now, Regular readers will know that I have a passion for nature from which I take what I like to think is a strong sense of spirituality. For me, personally, religion offers nothing. At the same time, who’s to say the power and glory some attribute to ‘God’ does not belong to Nature? My understanding of God is that He is everywhere, but I cannot go along with the idea of a personified God or supreme power so all my senses feel inclined to embrace nature instead. I have felt this way since childhood, long before I became aware of my sexuality. [Just as well, I guess...]

Whatever, we should respect each other’s points of view instead of constantly sniping at them and fighting over them. [I am often accused of sniping at world religions, but if you read my preambles and poems carefully, you will see it is the hypocrisy and bigotry on which so many so-called ‘religious’ people feed - not infrequently with undisguised relish - that I am attacking.]

Incidentally, I started writing this poem on Brighton beach in 2007 and finished it on the train back to London the same day.

(Photo from The Internet)

THE HORSE WHISPERER

Foaming passions crashing down
on this, my art

God’s stallions on a last ditch run
of poetry…

Apollo, master-catcher, anxious
to break us in

Ghosts in the frame calling us out
in heaven’s name

Salty tears, a sandman’s labours
all but won

Lead palomino rears, cries, bows,
spirit unbroken

Leaning forward to bend its ear,
I, the horse whisperer

[Brighton (E. Sussex, UK) September 2007]

[From: Accomplices to Illusion by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2007]

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