all images © richard pilnick
all poems © eric standop
In shadows cast by solitary toil, she stood,
A builder, forging futures from the wood,
Yearning to etch her mark upon the earth,
Yet solitude eclipsed her soul's true worth.
No hands to share the weight, no voice to guide,
A lone creator in a ceaseless tide,
With dreams unmoored, she sought a guiding star,
A muse to light the path, to travel far.
Within, a symphony of passions dwelled,
A chorus silent, waiting to be swelled,
Yet in the quiet hours, it lay confined,
Awaiting resonance, a world enshrined.
Each brick, each beam, a testament of might,
Yet burdened, she endured the endless fight,
For in the giving, she found no reprieve,
No solace for the soul, no respite brief.
Harmony flowed from her nurturing hand,
Bestowing peace upon a grateful land,
Yet in this act, a paradox profound,
For solace to her own heart was not found.
A builder, yes, but also a lone soul,
Seeking connection to make her heart whole,
In shadows, yearning for a guiding hand,
To share the load, to help her understand.
So let us see this builder in her grace,
A testament to strength in every space,
A call for hands to lift her from the fray,
And let her find her muse, her guiding ray.
Ceasefire
I stretch my weapon
I bend over
I pause.
No sign of weakness
No change of mood
No change of attitude.
I rest to please
I rest to honour life
I rest to bow to the power of the mighty subconscious.
Just for a moment.
In shadows she dwells, a soul bound by fear,
A heart full of doubts, yet she holds them near.
A fortress she builds, her walls standing tall,
To shield her true self, she's built quite a wall.
Invisible, she longs to remain,
Avoiding the spotlight, escaping the pain.
"Why focus on me?" she silently cries,
"I'm just a surface, a thin, fragile guise."
A whisper of worthlessness, echoing loud,
A soul filled with longing, yet feeling unbowed.
In the depths of her heart, a secret resides,
A yearning for purpose, where meaning abides.
The path to the peak, the journey so long,
For her, it's a burden, aching and strong.
The weight of her world, she carries it all,
In silence, she stumbles, and sometimes may fall.
When duties release their demanding hold,
A journey within, a story untold.
A quest for identity, a search for the core,
A soul awakening, longing for more.
Unfamiliar questions, they dance in her mind,
Who is she truly? What does she find?
Accustomed to service, to giving her all,
Discovering self, seems an insurmountable call.
Yet deep down inside, a glimmer remains,
A spark of potential, a light that sustains.
She may not know now, but she'll find her way,
Unveiling her truth, come what may.
In every venture, I chart a course,
A man of his word, a driving force.
Reliable, steadfast, I stand tall,
Responsibility, my guiding call.
A toiler of sweat, a worker's creed,
No moment idle, no pause to heed.
Purpose in every action I take,
A reason, a goal, in every step I make.
Restless, but with focus, you'll find,
In my heart, a purpose well-defined.
Interests sparked when time permits,
Patience, a virtue, my spirit commits.
Moral fiber, traditions held dear,
Values that echo through every year.
Yet life dealt its blows, a bitter strife,
A toll on health, a heavy price.
Still, I rise, though scars may show,
Shouldering burdens, letting strength grow.
Responsibility, tradition, my guide,
In their embrace, I'll forever abide.
For what I start, I bring to an end,
A testament to the strength I lend.
In trials faced and battles won,
I'll stand firm till my race is run.
Why hiding
No reason for hiding
Expect for the hunt
Believe in your values
No need to deny
Colours may hide
A fool to believe
Colours uncover
Passion and soul
Hide and seek
A nowadays game
Dignity to present
An old fashioned show
Crosses
My world
A place of hard work a place of responsibilities
A place of endless thoughts and doubts a world where you have to Listen, not speak.
I'll get through this.
My faith
A place of prayers
A place of hopes and dreams a place of deep certainty and solace a World where you want to listen, not speak.
I'll give myself to my faith.
In the depths of his soul, emotions entwine,
A challenge to fathom, a complex design.
A daydreamer's mind, where fantasies roam,
Seeking solace in fog, a place he calls home.
Lost in the mist, he discovers his truth,
In the veiled and the vague, he finds his own booth.
Curiosity drives him, an explorer of mist,
In the heart of the unknown, he insists to persist.
Life's disappointments, they’re etched on his heart,
A multitude of interests, a universe to impart.
Self-realisation, a quest deep and wide,
In the realm of creation, he sought to confide.
Dreamland, his refuge, where visions take flight,
In slumbers, he'd wander, untethered by sight.
A canvas of dreams, where he painted his world,
With colours of wonder, in dreams, he unfurled.
Creativity pulses, it flows through his veins,
A meditation, a sanctuary from chains.
To act and to live in the world of his mind,
Where meaning and purpose, intertwined.
He breathes life to dreams, lets his spirit unfurl,
In the dance of creation, he finds his own pearl.
For it's in being creative, he truly exists,
In the symphony of art, his soul coexists.
In the labyrinth of life, he struggles to close,
Each chapter and verse, a burden he knows.
Underestimated in youth, Silenced and small.
Yet within, there's a strength, a spirit that calls
As years pass by, a yearning takes hold,
A purpose awakening, a story untold.
A longing to offer, to serve and to give,
A man with a heart that's compelled to truly live.
The weight on his shoulders, so vast,
A mantle of service, a duty steadfast.
Yet, in shadows he lingers, reluctant to stand,
A man of restrictions, in borders he's banned.
Order and control, his fortress and creed,
In the chaos of life, it's his anchor, indeed.
Starting, not finishing, a cycle well-worn,
For his own aspirations, he's sometimes torn.
When tasked by others, a spark does ignite,
He flourishes then, in the service he's bright.
A contradiction, perhaps, in the tale that he weaves,
More successful in doing as others believe.
In the quiet of night, in the stillness within,
A longing persists, a new chapter begins.
To unravel the layers, the man behind the facade,
To break free from constraints, to be truly awed.
For within him lies wisdom, untapped and unseen,
A potential awaiting, like rivers uncleaned.
May he find his own path, his voice, his song,
And discover his purpose, where he truly belongs.
Untamed hunter
Fight for life ends with a final breath
No earlier
Survival is a task
Not self-evident
Seek for glory in every day
Faint-hearted loser will vanish away
Pick up your weapon
Connect to the brave
Believe in your chances
Not become a slave
No rules to play by
No angel, no fool
A hunter, a savage
Still alive
Hands tied
Every now and then
Giving hands are tied
Love unleashes
Love binds
An open heart
So much to give
With bound hands
Heart hurts
Heart cries
Every now and then
A buried heart
To escape the pain
