Drs. Rikki Keller: poetry

Anthay...

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Hi …I’m known as Anthay, but my name is Tony. I never had much for school as I was al-ways busy playing the teachers up, thus, I failed miserably and lacked any formal qualifica-tions on leaving school. At the age of 16 ½ yrs (the half was important then) I joined the Bri-tish Army, I became a Royal Pioneer and excelled on the education front. I turned down the position of becoming a clerical orderly in favour of serving in Northern Ireland (Action Woo).

 

After serving 10 yrs and 172 days (I wasn’t counting...) I had served my time and chose to leave. I had gained ‘City in Guilds’ as a welder and this was the direction I took as a career. 

I still have a passion for welding and I love to create steel sculptures, but after a period of 10 yrs or so, I chose to become a Taxi Driver.

To date I’m still a Cabbie, but between the welding and cab driving days, I started to write poetry and never took it seriously. One year ago I wrote a poem for an artist friend on the internet, she loved the poem and encouraged my writing further. I then started to write about my cab driving friends and I was encouraged further by them.

After having a selection of my poems published by Forward Press, I continue to have my work published and have also created my own website: http://www.anthay.co.uk 

I’m a prolific writer of rhyming poetry and couldn’t resist calling the website Reveille of Rhyme, below is a selection of my work.

 

A Sonnet of Love.

Love is a word that is easily said,
It slips off the tongue with tiny dealing.
For it’s been written, always being read,
You lay together, look at the ceiling.
For love is simply a four letter word,
It should be spoken without clause in place.
Said without feeling, should remain unheard,
No heirs and graces, division in race.
Its given meaning when two beings bond,
When spirits are floating, absorbed as one.
The hearts entwine, their emotions respond,
Praise each other, like the moon and the sun.
Many allow it to flourish and part,
As it occurs, takes a piece of their heart.

©Anthay

Fruit of Mind.

Like a jar of jam on a desolate shelf
My thoughts are my own, kept to myself.
A twist of yawning, the contents preserved
The fruit of mind, sweetness served.

With notions of you, an attraction untold
Of ripened berries that are sealed, not sold,
Charmed to the tongue, no bitter taste
To gently grasp without wanton waste.

A loss of youth but matured with pips
No unsavoury taste will pass your lips,
This freshens the heart, no hurt to grieve.
Just remove the lid and allow to breathe!

©Anthay 2006

 

Phantom Army.

On a cold dark and foggy night
The dogs don’t bark, no cats in sight
On top of the cliffs, stands a tree
By the sea, by the sea, by the sea.

Fixation figures start to appear
A Roman legion is marching near
Shields to carry, their swords do hang
As they clang, as they clang, as they clang.

They’re battle hardened, fought many a’ war
They march as a troop in lines of four
The general rides the horse he’s got
To a trot, to a trot, to a trot.

With a tedious trek their search abound
They wearily wish their fort is found
They carefully look, but to their cost
They are lost, they are lost, they are lost.

A visionary fort, their eyes a’ trick
For the eerie brave their pace is quick
The general, his horse and eighty men
It is then, it is then, it is then.

They solely believe it’s the fort they see
As they quickly march towards the tree
For the Roman elite, it’s one and all
As they fall, as they fall, as they fall.

And now today, if fog is in sight
Don’t follow Romans into the night
On top of the cliffs stands another tree
By the sea, by the sea, by the sea.

©Anthay 2006

 

Dad and son

I was there son, with tears of joy,
When you were born, my baby boy.
From your first words, that began your speech,
The moment you walked and you could reach.

When you were two, your mummy went,
Found a new boyfriend, her time was spent.
Throughout the years, she did not miss,
Her baby boy, he didn’t exist.

Daddy stayed, your life to build,
To watch you grow, play ball in the field.
To polish your shoes and wipe your nose,
To take you shopping, buy sweets you chose.

To wash your clothes, when covered in dirt,
To find a plaster when you were hurt.
To watch you achieve and be your best,
To take you to school, help with your test.

Now you’re a man, my job is done,
Throughout the years, we had fun.
When you visit and knock on my door,
I will welcome the son I adore.

Now mummy sent you, a letter of pain,
Through her wisdom, she would explain.
That man you worship and call your dad,
He’s not your father, so don’t be sad.

In her spite, she hoped to destroy,
What we had gained, when you were a boy.
I was absent, when the sperm deed was done,
But through nurturing you, I have gained a true son.

©Anthay

Until tomorrow!

Why push my buttons, provoke my fear?
Is your craving so great, you can’t stand to be near?
I want to understand, this anger you create,
Why there has to be a problem, so you can debate.

You have to pick fault for my anger to feed,
So you have a reason, to quench your need.
As the happiness we had, will been put aside,
My madness will start with the bottle I hide.

Then you will control, the mind I knew,
As I go insane, trying to help you.
You’re licking your lips. Has your mouth become dry?
Now you need a reason, so you can be sly.

My bloods have boiled and explode to a peak,
And now you will run to find what you seek.
You steal my tears, my feelings are hollow,
And now I’m to blame for the spirits you swallow.

You stand in denial, but your craving has grown,
You’re no longer the person I have loved and known.
So now you’re content, our life is a’ blur,
With your glassy eyes and your voice a’ slur.

Until tomorrow! When it will then repeat,
With another argument, I can not defeat.
Until tomorrow! When my madness will start,
You take all my tears and break my heart.

 

©Anthay

 

It is an honour to me to show you samples of Anthay's poetry!
He is a publishing poet and moderator at:
My other poet-friends and I also post poems here:
Zeb, Clare, Alan & many more.
You will also find our work at:
 

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