Les Merton- Two Poems

Apocalypse

Four whipped horses foam

at the mouth, tear at the bit,

charge with blinkered vision

urged on mercilessly by riders

determined to initiate prophecy

with primed nuclear warheads.

         Earth Supreme Command orders

         everyone to prepare themselves

         at 23.10 for the apocalypse.

        

                   Rebels are proclaiming

                   do everything you’ve always wanted

                   to do in the remaining  hours -

         Rebels Must Be Ignored - Repeat -

         Rebels Must Be Ignored - Repeat... .

                   Ignored!

                   Ignored? The only thing to be ignored

                   is every government order ever issued!

                   From now on, anarchy rules, rebel, make love,

                   smoke, drink, eat, step outside of the system,

                   enjoy the remaining hours, most of all have fun.

                   They can’t tell us what to do any more!

                  

                   It is all over... .

Everything was obliterated by the nuclear destruction of earth

at 23.10 as predicted. Warnings on Earth for civil disobedience

were ignored. There are no survivors - Repeat - There are no survivors... .

   

Jonny

Jonny Quiet - Quiet Jonny

whatever way the name,

everyone knew Jonny

was so unpretentious.

Jonny loved tranquil

walks in the country

where he would meditate

on recent events.

Jonny especially enjoyed

the serenity of being alone

when his inner self adjusted

to respect his line of work.

The still of night was great

for Jonny’s work - soundless

dark - in noiseless shadow

he was unobtrusive.

Jonny appreciated the faint

plop from the definitive silencer:

the almost unheard penetration

of flesh by a precise bullet.

Most of all Jonny loved

the way his victim’s body

embraced deathly peace

as it crumbled to the floor

Before walking away he would

put a finger to his lips to mouth

hush to his motionless victim

and the surrounding silence.

Les Merton is the founder / editor of Poetry Cornwall and he is a poet, author, playwright and publisher.

His poetry has been published in over 100 UK magazines and in 16 different countries around the world. Recently he’s been getting published on the www. He finds the outlets on line very satisfying.

In 2004 he was made a Bard of Gorsedh Kernow for services to Cornish Literature and he has won many writing and publishing awards.