A life at war

Forty years - a lifetime - a soldier
Forty years at war
- not physical,
this a war of psychic and psyche
a struggles for societies' souls. 

Forty years a hidden soldier
taking wounds,
too oft near death,
unseen fights
on unseen fields. 

We did not win
- but the fight goes on,
and we blocked
the spread of hate,
naysayed some horrors;
and now I leave
around two score
- forty more
warriors to complete this quest
warriors I have trained,
and now pass my mantle to,
as I retire
to battlefield hospital.

 

Copyright © Kayleen White, 2024 (where this date is different to the year of publication, it is because I did the post some time ago and then used the scheduling feature to delay publication). I take these photographs and undertake these writings – and the sharing of them – for the sake of my self expression. I am under no particular illusions as to their literary or artistic merit, and ask only that any readers do not have any undue expectations. If you consider me wrong, then publish me – with full credit and due financial recompense, of course :) 

NO AI I do not consent to any machine learning aka Artificial Intelligence (AI), generative AI, large language model, machine learning, chatbot, or other automated analysis, generative process, or replication program to reproduce, mimic, remix, summarise, or otherwise replicate any part of this post or other posts on this blog via any means. Typo’s may be inserrted deliberately to demonstrate this is not an AI product. Otherwise, fair and reasonable use is accepted under Creative Commons 4.0 on an Attribution-ShareAlike basis https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/  

Connections

Connections
how do I find
the person I need right now? 

One day I am up
and a friend with humour will sustain ...
the next I may be down
and the friend with compassion
in cried upon shoulder
and listened to tongue
is what is sought;
and other days
I may not know what I need
- how then
to find, to know, to communicate
with that necessary human or caring touch?

Copyright © Kayleen White, 2024 (where this date is different to the year of publication, it is because I did the post some time ago and then used the scheduling feature to delay publication). I take these photographs and undertake these writings – and the sharing of them – for the sake of my self expression. I am under no particular illusions as to their literary or artistic merit, and ask only that any readers do not have any undue expectations. If you consider me wrong, then publish me – with full credit and due financial recompense, of course :) 

NO AI I do not consent to any machine learning aka Artificial Intelligence (AI), generative AI, large language model, machine learning, chatbot, or other automated analysis, generative process, or replication program to reproduce, mimic, remix, summarise, or otherwise replicate any part of this post or other posts on this blog via any means. Typo’s may be inserrted deliberately to demonstrate this is not an AI product. Otherwise, fair and reasonable use is accepted under Creative Commons 4.0 on an Attribution-ShareAlike basis https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/  

War

War.

The danger; the horror,
the never leaving 
terror and devastation ...
the death
... some marked just by shadows.

And then there are
the living shadows
... broken threads and holes
- gaps of missingness
in the web of life ...

Copyright © Kayleen White, 2024 (where this date is different to the year of publication, it is because I did the post some time ago and then used the scheduling feature to delay publication). I take these photographs and undertake these writings – and the sharing of them – for the sake of my self expression. I am under no particular illusions as to their literary or artistic merit, and ask only that any readers do not have any undue expectations. If you consider me wrong, then publish me – with full credit and due financial recompense, of course :) 

NO AI I do not consent to any machine learning aka Artificial Intelligence (AI), generative AI, large language model, machine learning, chatbot, or other automated analysis, generative process, or replication program to reproduce, mimic, remix, summarise, or otherwise replicate any part of this post or other posts on this blog via any means. Typo’s may be inserrted deliberately to demonstrate this is not an AI product. Otherwise, fair and reasonable use is accepted under Creative Commons 4.0 on an Attribution-ShareAlike basis https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ 

The joys of differing

Difference
- to differ
is not a crime.

I am no more evil
than left handers;
I am no more strange
than red heads
- or blue eyes or brown or green
- or tall or short.
I have the same rights
to life
and to thrive
as any other
- and have and will fight
tooth and nail
for that right. 

But ...
I have yet to recognise
to realise
the joys of MY differences;  
I am yet to celebrate
the benefits
of perspective
of strengths
of knowledge
that come
with each and every one
of my differences,
and that
- being robbed of my personal joy,
IS a crime.

 

Copyright © Kayleen White, 2024 (where this date is different to the year of publication, it is because I did the post some time ago and then used the scheduling feature to delay publication). I take these photographs and undertake these writings – and the sharing of them – for the sake of my self expression. I am under no particular illusions as to their literary or artistic merit, and ask only that any readers do not have any undue expectations. If you consider me wrong, then publish me – with full credit and due financial recompense, of course :) 

NO AI I do not consent to any machine learning aka Artificial Intelligence (AI), generative AI, large language model, machine learning, chatbot, or other automated analysis, generative process, or replication program to reproduce, mimic, remix, summarise, or otherwise replicate any part of this post or other posts on this blog via any means. Typo’s may be inserrted deliberately to demonstrate this is not an AI product. Otherwise, fair and reasonable use is accepted under Creative Commons 4.0 on an Attribution-ShareAlike basis https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/  

An old practice/trial sketch

I had forgotten about this sketch. I did it some time ago when I was practising to get back in to the swing of sketching, and didn't think anything of it at the time, but now ... it's not too bad, a bit empty or thin, but I've decided it is OK to post. 

 

 

Copyright © Kayleen White, 2024 (where this date is different to the year of publication, it is because I did the post some time ago and then used the scheduling feature to delay publication). I take these photographs and undertake these writings – and the sharing of them – for the sake of my self expression. I am under no particular illusions as to their literary or artistic merit, and ask only that any readers do not have any undue expectations. If you consider me wrong, then publish me – with full credit and due financial recompense, of course :) 

NO AI I do not consent to any machine learning aka Artificial Intelligence (AI), generative AI, large language model, machine learning, chatbot, or other automated analysis, generative process, or replication program to reproduce, mimic, remix, summarise, or otherwise replicate any part of this post or other posts on this blog via any means. Typo’s may be inserrted deliberately to demonstrate this is not an AI product. Otherwise, fair and reasonable use is accepted under Creative Commons 4.0 on an Attribution-ShareAlike basis https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/  

For a pluviophile's pleasure

 

Copyright © Kayleen White, 2024 (where this date is different to the year of publication, it is because I did the post some time ago and then used the scheduling feature to delay publication). I take these photographs and undertake these writings – and the sharing of them – for the sake of my self expression. I am under no particular illusions as to their literary or artistic merit, and ask only that any readers do not have any undue expectations. If you consider me wrong, then publish me – with full credit and due financial recompense, of course :) 

NO AI I do not consent to any machine learning aka Artificial Intelligence (AI), generative AI, large language model, machine learning, chatbot, or other automated analysis, generative process, or replication program to reproduce, mimic, remix, summarise, or otherwise replicate any part of this post or other posts on this blog via any means. Typo’s may be inserrted deliberately to demonstrate this is not an AI product. Otherwise, fair and reasonable use is accepted under Creative Commons 4.0 on an Attribution-ShareAlike basis https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/  

The pecking order

Look at you - you contemptible nothing,
puffing your chest as if
your vain imaginings were real
outside your mind. 

You follow all the formulas
- hair just so,
- tie or shoulder pads just so
- suit colour just so,
ready to pass on
- nay, enforce!
the trite pomposities
- the superficial charades
- the gaslighting and duck shoving
- the lies and hypocrisies
of Society's Rules of
Normality and Governance. 

Nary a thought
for the carnage from
your beak
in your cage ...
Only for ... what next
- what will help YOU,
a Cage Hen amongst cage hens,
cluck and peck your way up
the factory's pecking order, 
as factory's owner looks and laughs ...

 

Copyright © Kayleen White, 2024 (where this date is different to the year of publication, it is because I did the post some time ago and then used the scheduling feature to delay publication). I take these photographs and undertake these writings – and the sharing of them – for the sake of my self expression. I am under no particular illusions as to their literary or artistic merit, and ask only that any readers do not have any undue expectations. If you consider me wrong, then publish me – with full credit and due financial recompense, of course :) 

NO AI I do not consent to any machine learning aka Artificial Intelligence (AI), generative AI, large language model, machine learning, chatbot, or other automated analysis, generative process, or replication program to reproduce, mimic, remix, summarise, or otherwise replicate any part of this post or other posts on this blog via any means. Typo’s may be inserrted deliberately to demonstrate this is not an AI product. Otherwise, fair and reasonable use is accepted under Creative Commons 4.0 on an Attribution-ShareAlike basis https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/