Ruins by Neil Creighton

Ruins
 
You see this ruined house,
windows broken, tiles askew,
now just a crumbling wall or two?
 
A woman made it long ago.
from distillations of her love
and she filled it with her song.
 
Then she grew old and frail.
Her judgment passed.
She gave the keys away.
 
The music changed,
the windows broke,
the roof tiles slipped and cracked
 
and wind and rain, 
sweeping through the house,
blew all the notes away.
 
If in dreams I listen close
on the wind I still hear 
fragments of her song.
 
Then I grieve for her
and for every brick of her house.
All that music gone to waste.

​

Neil Creighton is an Australian poet whose work as a teacher of English and Drama brought him into close contact with thousands of young lives, most happy and triumphant but too many tragically filled with neglect. It made him intensely aware of how opportunity is so unequally proportioned and his work often reflects strong interest in social justice. He has been widely published, both online and in hard copy. Recent publications in hard copy include “The Second Genesis: An Anthology of Contemporary World Poetry”, “Prosopisia”, “Poetry Quarterly”, “The Poeming Pigeon”. Online he has been published in “Antiheroin Chic”, “Autumn Sky Daily”, “Praxis Mag Online”, “Peacock Journal”, “Rats Ass Review” and “Verse-Virtual”, where he is a Contributing Editor. His chapbook, “Earth Music”, has been selected by Praxis Magazine Online for publication in 2019-20.