Poetry – Ian Rand McKenzie https://ianrandmckenzie.com Mon, 22 May 2023 05:16:50 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://ianrandmckenzie.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/cropped-irm-logo-32x32.png Poetry – Ian Rand McKenzie https://ianrandmckenzie.com 32 32 “Leaders” (Haiku) https://ianrandmckenzie.com/2023/05/22/leaders-haiku/ Mon, 22 May 2023 05:16:43 +0000 https://ianrandmckenzie.com/?p=5803 Children with handshakes
Turning their people into
Pawns sent to slaughter
]]> Children with handshakes Turning their people into Pawns sent to slaughter ]]> Giraffe Market https://ianrandmckenzie.com/2023/05/11/giraffe-market/ Thu, 11 May 2023 06:14:23 +0000 https://ianrandmckenzie.com/?p=5785 State and business sitting in a treeC—O—L—L—U-D-I–N—GFirst came the bullThen came the apeThen came the giraffe now there’s no escape!
]]> State and business sitting in a tree
C—O—L—L—U-D-I–N—G
First came the bull
Then came the ape
Then came the giraffe now there’s no escape!

]]> Oliver Skies https://ianrandmckenzie.com/2023/05/11/oliver-skies/ Thu, 11 May 2023 06:09:57 +0000 https://ianrandmckenzie.com/?p=5783 Big blue skiesFluffy white clouds



Waiting for rainsFrom dark grey shrouds



To feed the vinesFor boozy good times



And feed the ditch‘Cause droughts are a real damn bitch
]]> Big blue skies
Fluffy white clouds

Waiting for rains
From dark grey shrouds

To feed the vines
For boozy good times

And feed the ditch
‘Cause droughts are a real damn bitch

]]> Pleasant Things https://ianrandmckenzie.com/2023/05/11/pleasant-things/ Thu, 11 May 2023 06:08:06 +0000 https://ianrandmckenzie.com/?p=5781 Old white womenThe few, the proudDefending us all whenThere’s a hateful crowd



O, the venerable old white womenThey like pleasant thingsSold with old white man’s acumenA painting, a potting, a poem to sing



They fill up the galleries and boards,the gardens, the place of their choiceThey fill all the platforms in hoardsTo […]]]> Old white women
The few, the proud
Defending us all when
There’s a hateful crowd

O, the venerable old white women
They like pleasant things
Sold with old white man’s acumen
A painting, a potting, a poem to sing

They fill up the galleries and boards,
the gardens, the place of their choice
They fill all the platforms in hoards
To give the voiceless a voice

With old white man money, shrewdness, power
We herald in now, the old white woman’s hour
To defend the down-trodden and sour
The beaten, battered, those without dower

I, too, am a white woman
For I’m not the villain
How could that be?
I defend against such villainy!

So step aside, savage
Coloured, queer, crazy, the rest
You should know now that I know the best

No one wants to be
The big bad guy
Or to shed resplendency
From things that we buy

So instead of admit
We do evil shit
Ourselves, we’ll acquit
Say I’m complicit?
HAH! Nuh-uh, we’ll buy it

Because when I put my manicured feet
On the chaos of the street
I cannot compete
With reality of defeat

Helped the worst off
But I exhale in a huff
They shoot themselves in the foot
‘They deserve where they’re put’

That’s what I have to say
Because to my dismay
Lingering under my mental fray
My comforts made them this way

Those thoughts I can’t reconcile
To the idea I could I be so vile
So I ignore the trial of my amorality
And make pleasant things for inside a gallery

]]> Ms. Harrington https://ianrandmckenzie.com/2023/04/20/ms-harrington/ Thu, 20 Apr 2023 19:17:02 +0000 https://ianrandmckenzie.com/?p=5666 Blessings to this home
Long may she roam
And all the paths to be shown

Blessings to the pixie queen
Long may she reign
And for all the songs that will be sang

Blessings to the servant
Long may he lament
For all the lessons pursued fervent

Blessings to the pain
A privilege made mundane

And to how it drives us
And drives us insane

To […]]]> Blessings to this home Long may she roam And all the paths to be shown Blessings to the pixie queen Long may she reign And for all the songs that will be sang Blessings to the servant Long may he lament For all the lessons pursued fervent Blessings to the pain A privilege made mundane And to how it drives us And drives us insane To a mind sane To a world asleep. ]]> Spot’y Bugatti https://ianrandmckenzie.com/2023/04/20/spoty-bugatti/ Thu, 20 Apr 2023 19:01:29 +0000 https://ianrandmckenzie.com/?p=5662 Barkin' with my Rottie
Got Spot'y in my Bugatti
and I'm feelin' kinda naughty

Why?

'Cause the diamonds in — my hands
Are from blood in — the sands
Way off out in — far lands

Shit.

But I don't give two fucks
My daddy gave me 'mil bucks
Call it skill, hard work, and some luck

Aw, shucks.

I'm just a humble man with some […]]]> Barkin' with my Rottie Got Spot'y in my Bugatti and I'm feelin' kinda naughty Why? 'Cause the diamonds in — my hands Are from blood in — the sands Way off out in — far lands Shit. But I don't give two fucks My daddy gave me 'mil bucks Call it skill, hard work, and some luck Aw, shucks. I'm just a humble man with some quirks Had thieves surround me with dirks Behind me, my shadow lurks Not my fault! Fuck your blood Drain it more, make red mud With all my money, I will do good. ]]> Authentic Curse (Haiku) https://ianrandmckenzie.com/2023/04/18/authentic-curse-haiku/ Tue, 18 Apr 2023 00:58:09 +0000 https://ianrandmckenzie.com/?p=5657 Frozen like the stone
Blind to the throne, ebb and flow
Chaos, tidal roam
]]> Frozen like the stone Blind to the throne, ebb and flow Chaos, tidal roam ]]> Far Horizons (fanfic lyrics) https://ianrandmckenzie.com/2023/04/13/far-horizons-fanfic-lyrics/ Thu, 13 Apr 2023 17:17:15 +0000 https://ianrandmckenzie.com/?p=5626 trekking through the snowno more paths i know skies to black from greyfalter on my way all that’s dry now shorncords now dust, i morn through the hills i climba lonely light does shine ascending through the snowwarmth beckoning in glow upon the outcasts’ crestale and fire and rest (swell) ~1:30-1:34 (tenor harmonizing), ~1:34-2:00 […]]]>

trekking through the snow
no more paths i know

skies to black from grey
falter on my way

all that’s dry now shorn
cords now dust, i morn

through the hills i climb
a lonely light does shine

ascending through the snow
warmth beckoning in glow

upon the outcasts’ crest
ale and fire and rest

(swell)

~1:30-1:34 (tenor harmonizing), ~1:34-2:00 (vocals harmonizing)

2:00-2:30 (instrument solo)

2:30-3:00 (vocals harmonizing)

trekking through the snow
no more paths i know

skies to black from grey
falter on my way

all that’s dry now shorn
cords now dust, i morn

through the hills i climb
a lonely light does shine

ascending through the snow
warmth beckoning in glow

upon the outcasts’ crest
ale and fire and rest

(swell)

4:30-5:00 (no vocals harmonizing)

5:30 (instruments playing out)

]]> cold waters https://ianrandmckenzie.com/2023/04/13/cold-waters/ Thu, 13 Apr 2023 17:13:25 +0000 https://ianrandmckenzie.com/?p=5624 shrouded by healing waters
corpses wailing in falters

a fountain of youth for thee
others lost fighting the sea

its cold touch soothes furious soul
those pacified, instead swallowed whole

float into a world minted new
rubble everywhere, soon few

in the days of children seldom birthed
soon madness once again unearthed

and in the fires borne fresh insanity
new bodies wait for calamity

the flood […]]]> shrouded by healing waters corpses wailing in falters a fountain of youth for thee others lost fighting the sea its cold touch soothes furious soul those pacified, instead swallowed whole float into a world minted new rubble everywhere, soon few in the days of children seldom birthed soon madness once again unearthed and in the fires borne fresh insanity new bodies wait for calamity the flood whispering death and serenity fearing each breath toward inevitability acceptance turns and locks bound to un-pickable paradox ]]> Thinking Corner https://ianrandmckenzie.com/2023/03/13/thinking-corner/ Mon, 13 Mar 2023 01:24:35 +0000 https://ianrandmckenzie.com/?p=5516 Thought myself into a corner
Bold and brazen synapse adorner

Logic tells me I gotta fix
Only answer? More mind tricks

A self-constructed illusion
For this skull-noodle diffusion

To find every reason
A lie for every season

Because no matter what I do
For all the facts I find true

To get out of position stationary
Find commotion that motivates me

Keep seeking, find what’s true
Neural […]]]> Thought myself into a corner Bold and brazen synapse adorner Logic tells me I gotta fix Only answer? More mind tricks A self-constructed illusion For this skull-noodle diffusion To find every reason A lie for every season Because no matter what I do For all the facts I find true To get out of position stationary Find commotion that motivates me Keep seeking, find what’s true Neural pathways winding through And they all lead me back to you ]]> Money Maker https://ianrandmckenzie.com/2023/03/13/money-maker/ Mon, 13 Mar 2023 01:23:37 +0000 https://ianrandmckenzie.com/?p=5514 When I’m movin
I travel
On foot
On gravel

When I’m weary
Make a clearing
Spark fire
Retire

Wake up
Check for ticks
Neck cricks
Hair slicks

Hit the river
Get a shiver
Brrrr! Quiver

Wash my pits
My pooper
My pecker
Money maker *wink*
]]> When I’m movin I travel On foot On gravel When I’m weary Make a clearing Spark fire Retire Wake up Check for ticks Neck cricks Hair slicks Hit the river Get a shiver Brrrr! Quiver Wash my pits My pooper My pecker Money maker *wink* ]]> Too Many Screws https://ianrandmckenzie.com/2023/03/03/too-many-screws/ Fri, 03 Mar 2023 22:15:05 +0000 https://ianrandmckenzie.com/?p=5469 I've got a few too many screws that are loose
Too scared to live, too scared of the noose
They say I'm silly, just like a goose
'cause
I've got a few too many screws that are loose

Look at me go
Put on a show
Sun, rain, or snow
This brain won't slow

No, it won't stop
Skibbity bop bop
Pulled by a cop
Eat […]]]> I've got a few too many screws that are loose Too scared to live, too scared of the noose They say I'm silly, just like a goose 'cause I've got a few too many screws that are loose Look at me go Put on a show Sun, rain, or snow This brain won't slow No, it won't stop Skibbity bop bop Pulled by a cop Eat jail slop Call a truce Cut me loose Any excuse Pump the pill use Yeah I've got a few too many screws that are loose Too scared to live, too scared of the noose They say I'm silly, just like a goose 'cause I've got a few too many screws that are loose March right on Sing a song Play along Marathon No, I can't stop Race to the top Open a shop Brains go plop On the floor Mop, mop, mop Say no to juice No to misuse Become recluse Among the spruce Yeah I've got a few too many screws that are loose Too scared to live, too scared of the noose They say I'm silly, just like a goose 'cause I've got a few too many screws that are loose Drag my feet Bound by seat Strangle in sheet Scrolling sweet In full stop Cut from the op Life gone flop Everything, drop Gone, reduce Everyone, obtuse Crippled, produce Seduce, reproduce Pain, profuse Vomit, induce Deus, introduce Yeah I've got a few too many screws that are loose Too scared to live, too scared of the noose They say I'm silly, just like a goose 'cause I've got a few too many screws that are loose ]]> Living Bubbly https://ianrandmckenzie.com/2023/03/03/living-bubbly/ Fri, 03 Mar 2023 22:11:35 +0000 https://ianrandmckenzie.com/?p=5467 Grew myself in a bubble
Yet never get in trouble
Once before, the bubble popped
Once again, it won't be stopped

From my words, so duplicitous
From your ears, full of hubris
Oh, dear bubble, how you shame us all
Inside the bubble, industrial

We grew like a tree
It made us so free
Yet like starved carnivore
We feast evermore

Our belly like a bubble
Ignore […]]]> Grew myself in a bubble Yet never get in trouble Once before, the bubble popped Once again, it won't be stopped From my words, so duplicitous From your ears, full of hubris Oh, dear bubble, how you shame us all Inside the bubble, industrial We grew like a tree It made us so free Yet like starved carnivore We feast evermore Our belly like a bubble Ignore the coming trouble So we sit here and wait For the belly to sate ]]> Pastor Perry’s Poverty Provisions https://ianrandmckenzie.com/2023/02/19/pastor-perrys-poverty-provisions/ Sun, 19 Feb 2023 23:01:04 +0000 https://ianrandmckenzie.com/?p=5438 Peter Piper picked a pickled pepper
from Pastor Perry's poverty provisions
the town prospered, yet lacked proper vision
leaving Peter in his precarity, resorting reliance on the rarity of charity
despite his capability to bring levity to his municipality's nobility
Peter ponders his predicament, preparing plans after some lament
So he brings his case to his party's base running their […]]]> Peter Piper picked a pickled pepper from Pastor Perry's poverty provisions the town prospered, yet lacked proper vision leaving Peter in his precarity, resorting reliance on the rarity of charity despite his capability to bring levity to his municipality's nobility Peter ponders his predicament, preparing plans after some lament So he brings his case to his party's base running their race But they call Peter pompous and poor, a pilferer evermore Purporting Peter's positing of his peering into the pool of perfection Revealing racers' as ravagers, rapists, and raiders in their complexion of its reflection Passing Peter's case as poor taste as they race to save face from perfections' mace Peter Piper picked a pickled pepper from Pastor Perry's poverty provisions Humbled by our self-sabotaging divisions A curious precarity of our fear bringing disparity Our proclivity to pass powerful punches for brevity in accessibility of nobility Peter pondered our predicament, a punitive prohibition of their privilege to lament So we save face, sew sly safety in a sorrowful race Kings who conquer caustic cowering claim purity preventing Peter's proscription to devour They worked so hard, how dare Peter bard, pulling a card to show the shard Of a soul sacked by salacious sabotage sewn by our own souls cracked So we send some silver to Pastor Perry's poverty provisions Absolving eyes blind to the perfect pool's vision of eternity's provision ]]> Dead Mens’ Words https://ianrandmckenzie.com/2023/02/19/dead-mens-words/ Sun, 19 Feb 2023 22:40:11 +0000 https://ianrandmckenzie.com/?p=5435 Some of these words are true
Some of them are a lie
Is the truth in my intent?
Or in your mind's eye?

I mean not to be terse
But, what of the reverse?
My truth spoken in humble verse
For you to boast, harm, and curse?

Some of these words are true
Some of them are a lie
The truth is, frankly, up […]]]> Some of these words are true Some of them are a lie Is the truth in my intent? Or in your mind's eye? I mean not to be terse But, what of the reverse? My truth spoken in humble verse For you to boast, harm, and curse? Some of these words are true Some of them are a lie The truth is, frankly, up to you Long after this speaker will die. ]]> Uranian Titbirds https://ianrandmckenzie.com/2023/01/17/uranian-titbirds/ Tue, 17 Jan 2023 03:35:34 +0000 https://ianrandmckenzie.com/?p=5414 Oversimplify
De-contextualize
Obfuscate
See only with your eyes
Blind them to nuance
Text is not made by humans
Get high on self-righteousness
Believe you are sober

Let your tongue be pulled by strings
Volunteer your syrinx their song
Grow evermore these cancerous things
No one here thinks they're wrong

]]> Oversimplify De-contextualize Obfuscate See only with your eyes Blind them to nuance Text is not made by humans Get high on self-righteousness Believe you are sober Let your tongue be pulled by strings Volunteer your syrinx their song Grow evermore these cancerous things No one here thinks they're wrong ]]> The Indignant Existence https://ianrandmckenzie.com/2022/12/31/the-indignant-existence/ Sat, 31 Dec 2022 14:46:48 +0000 https://ianrandmckenzie.com/?p=5336 Who dare tame the river
Or bleed the ocean blue
Who dare conquer shiver
Or claim what is true

Who dare drink the waters
And say it’s not for me
Who dare my life they shutter
And say it is not free

Who dare partition the past
And build on top a lie
Who let this happen so fast?
Why, ‘twas […]]]> Who dare tame the river Or bleed the ocean blue Who dare conquer shiver Or claim what is true Who dare drink the waters And say it’s not for me Who dare my life they shutter And say it is not free Who dare partition the past And build on top a lie Who let this happen so fast? Why, ‘twas no one but I. Who dare claim arcana And say that I am wrong When they possess no mana Empty spells charged by throng Who dare rebuke the deceiver And deliver utterances of ‘god’ Who dare use word to deliver When lexicon, constant, amounting fraud Who let these conmen win And gouge me with their fear? Who dare proclaim I sin When their sins fill my ear Who dare claim the bed When sand upon they rest Their beach stained blood red With order as their quest Who dare lock this stone While, too, shackle every womb Who dare claim a throne When all thrones turn tomb Who dare scribe this ‘sage’ Upon this very page When written from a cage Locked by indignant rage ]]> Darkness’ Surrender https://ianrandmckenzie.com/2022/10/27/darkness-surrender/ Thu, 27 Oct 2022 21:55:11 +0000 https://ianrandmckenzie.com/?p=5060 Salt the earth
& drain the sea
Lock it in darkness for eternity

Whether an hour or a year
Tortured with entropy and fear
Light will always be here

Dank and dreary, dragging down
Longing and waiting in endless drown
Darkness reigns over with its resplendent crown

Whether an hour or a year
Tortured with entropy and fear
Light will always be here

I will be […]]]> Salt the earth & drain the sea Lock it in darkness for eternity Whether an hour or a year Tortured with entropy and fear Light will always be here Dank and dreary, dragging down Longing and waiting in endless drown Darkness reigns over with its resplendent crown Whether an hour or a year Tortured with entropy and fear Light will always be here I will be the darkest of all Bring down the monarch, rallying call Return us to nothing, we must fall Whether an hour or a year Tortured with entropy and fear Light will always be here Millions of years felt so momentary Shrinking and growing every eternity I surrendered to myself and now the light is me Whether an hour or a year Tortured with entropy and fear Light will always be here Whether an hour or a year Tortured with entropy and fear Light will always be here ]]> Time Kine https://ianrandmckenzie.com/2022/10/27/time-kine/ Thu, 27 Oct 2022 21:48:05 +0000 https://ianrandmckenzie.com/?p=5057 If our blood was time
Ticking, pumping, beat and chime
Is your droplet a diamond or dime?

As we watch it fly
Every week, a litre goes by
How soon before you would die?

Precious minutes on roads,
filled with your rage
travelling alone to accelerated old age

Listen to the vampire, guised as a sage?
Build up his castle
earning minimum wage?

All around me […]]]> If our blood was time Ticking, pumping, beat and chime Is your droplet a diamond or dime? As we watch it fly Every week, a litre goes by How soon before you would die? Precious minutes on roads, filled with your rage travelling alone to accelerated old age Listen to the vampire, guised as a sage? Build up his castle earning minimum wage? All around me I see and hear Our time spent on money and fear Who of us would outlast a year? If your blood was time Billionaires are bosses of crime The corporate Tenochtitlan, most sublime Like rivers flowing sanguine down the pyramid Their HQ towers hemorrhage time in myriad This is our invisible menstrual period I will bloat and cramp no more Shed for our cannibal chronovore I bleed for life evermore ]]> The Holy Pickle https://ianrandmckenzie.com/2022/10/05/the-holy-pickle/ Wed, 05 Oct 2022 03:29:57 +0000 https://ianrandmckenzie.com/?p=4990 Cool as a cucumber
Cruisin' 'round the cul-de-sac
Lost my years picklin'
I don't even want 'em back

I've got

Dill in my jar
Brine to the bar
Anise like a star
Feelin' like a Tzar

Go ahead

Pop my roof
Catch me aloof
Turned a sleuth
and found the truth

See,

I look out the jar no further
Know I'm the pickle for the burger
Kill, maim, or capture
Already know […]]]> Cool as a cucumber Cruisin' 'round the cul-de-sac Lost my years picklin' I don't even want 'em back I've got Dill in my jar Brine to the bar Anise like a star Feelin' like a Tzar Go ahead Pop my roof Catch me aloof Turned a sleuth and found the truth See, I look out the jar no further Know I'm the pickle for the burger Kill, maim, or capture Already know my rapture I know I can writhe in this water and salt Scream that it's your fault Succumb to our occultism And submit to Botulism Nah I love my buns and beef The human drawn from smokey reef Wedge me on the side Squeeze me on the fries Q sauce on the left Hunger soon bereft Salad on the right Bring me into the light ]]>