Not Poetry. Quatrain Verse in English & Swedish. Dagsverser. On the Mundane & the Arcane.
Common sense loses all traction
in ever contagious anomie
Hearts losing courage for action
in free fall from erstwhile apogee
Our faux free-willed self-containment
shall assure the same result
of our chasing entertainment
an indulgence we exult
as well acting out blindly
in feckless ways unkindly
Aren’t words just something we utter
so no cause to get uptight?
As something we just let flutter
no need for feeling contrite?
Take care to avoid some subjects
while be up on latest trends
Lay off our usual suspects
who talk Tesla but drive Benz
Above all don’t appall them all
by acting the rumpled sleuth
who with hapless self-righteous gall
goes out looking for The Truth!
Beware that if we bring up facts
bystanders shall forthwith make tracks!
+)
-facts = caution: factual evidence, unless disregarded, may stop us from doing what we want
Voluble words shall lack poise
leave little trace, fade as noise
Words may strain as if in shrunk costumes
when trying leap high in ballet
While aggrieved faces express volumes
of what purloined words can’t convey
Words may sparkle while their essence
get lost midair in senescence
Below blown sea fowl
ship with ardor
tossed in storm’s howl
steers for harbor
Of shelter beseeching
to dock in snug port
though shore leave but fleeting
if crew doesn’t comport
So here’s your lonely life, sailor!
The open ocean: Your jailer!
Vardagens grymma villkor
blir att på lyckan mest bomma
Å ej något man klargör
med hjälp av modeord tomma
Uttryck villigt känslor
djupt ur ditt hjärta
men avstå från klyssjor
särskilt om bjärta!
Så måste från stort ordflöde avstå
om vi hyser hopp att nånsin förstå
Since morning’s crisp elation
we walk, head down, in daze
Tangled up in frustration
lost in Life’s dead end maze
Yet another day wasted
in mean meanderings
too lightly smelled & tasted
on wobbly wanderings
Are we too mired in anguish
to grasp our heart’s warm language?
+)
-mean = here: small-minded; ignoble
In space planets callously align
silently encircle, rotate
Some hearts may beat warmly and benign
while others coldly desolate
While Universe’s dark frozen space
stolidly shows no emotion
compassion may help us humans face
our continuing commotion
It may not lead us anywhere
but provide solace while we’re here
Vart barkar dagens prosa
på kurs så ostadig
på dess talträngda kosa
i pladder istadig?
För dagens mänska förstås
även kortfattad vers
tycks alltför tröttsam gunås
En förvirrande pärs
Jovisst är vers en fossil
surfar hellre vår mobil
When to others’ hardship resistant
aren’t we failing in compassion
when just on own comfort insistent
ain’t our empathy on ration?
Our eyes glazed, as fear we smell
we act disdainfully
of all those faring less well
rather than humanely
Thus we dismiss them indignantly
while blaming others malignantly
När förtvivlan skriker
i grå hopplöshet
när modet oss sviker
i kall enslighet
Att ha nån att hålla i famn
i åldrandets kulna höst
från livets stormar i trygg hamn
en sån outgrundlig tröst
Så kan vi snart vänta oss svar
från den lurande döden?
Kan det nu vara länge kvar
tills den falnat livsglöden?
Men till dess i varje dag
när kan finna tröst, grip tag!