Friday 9 March 2012

Money


by John Butterfield

Six times today
I was urged to buy
a big issue...
Twice today
I was asked for change by a beggar
enamel mug to collect coins
Once today I used
online banking
transferring a big sum
at the press of a key
Was it real
to use a magic keystroke
to share or hoard
without human contact
without having to look into someone's eyes...
When is money most real
the small coins in the mug
or the digits on the screen
in red or green
for more and more
money is detached from human reality
moved about by plastic cards and pins
The man said
you cannot love God and money.....
I know I cannot see God
but money has become invisible too
an invisible expression of power

Wednesday 7 March 2012

Obsession



by John Butterfield

the unattainable
the impossible
creates an attractive illusion
which against common sense
and better judgement
invades the inner self
to create confusion
by distorting the perception
of reality.
The little “if”
is elevated
to an improbable certainty
and results in projection
of a most dangerous kind.

fortunately recognition
is the first step
on a path to recovery

Friday 2 March 2012

Saved by Compost


by John Butterfield

a crate built of wooden slats
frames the detritus of the kitchen
and lets it sit the winter through, turning brown,
organically regenerating:carrot tops and beans

once I was disturbed and full of angst
roaring waves:  inner storm bound raged
and intuition and emotion clouded over
and I was hopelessly adrift and lost

I found new life and was reborn
when I committed to the compost heap
to rot with cabbage stalks and rotten apples
those destructive demons that raged within

Composting takes time
as enzymes break down
and smell so sweet that
organic matter of all sorts

compost now is a source of nurture
a source to bring food to living things
coming from the dead and destroyed
but it has to die before it can rot and be purified