Author: BenDQ

Poem 6 – To Boldy Go…

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No longer has no man been before
Because he, our childhood’s captain, finally went
Taking off whilst nearing his final frontier
That common countdown which all approach
Strapped secure, he faced the black abyss
Before briefly free from bodily constraint
Knowing perhaps a foretaste of future bliss
Until mass once more became weight
Returning back toward the blue planet
And terra firma firmly beneath his feet
Ecstatic smile described upon our screens
Captain Kirk’s come home

Inspired by the journey into near space by William Shatner, the actor who played the part of Captain James T Kirk of the Starship Enterprise in Star Trek, at the age of 90.
(13.10.21)

© Ben Quant 2021

Image by NBC Television – eBay itemphoto frontpublicity release, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16442606

Poem 5 – Sunrise

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All was dark the moment before
As if we were all that was
But somewhere a whisper awakens
Summoning workers to their chores

Stoke up the furnace ’til it’s ready to roar
Then open its door just a crack
So a halo of pink might outline the roofs
But once there, there’s no holding back

Its torrent boils over the floodgates
Pours into the heavens above
A writhing of rust, amber, vermillion
Persimmon and cadmium clash

It’s urgency rages in anger as
Blazing fiery fury erupts
It’s bright stallions charge onwards relentless
‘Gainst night’s shield wall defending its thrust

The darkness regrouping intensifies
Its blackness seems blacker than death
But nothing can hold back dawn’s progress
Triumphant its glories cascade!

As fast as the battle was opened
Dawn’s turmoil is over and done
Morning’s light is finally upon us
Its peace so violently won

Inspired by a dramatic sunrise that turned the night’s black to morning through a brief but vivid display that lit up the sky
(12.10.21)

© Ben Quant 2021

Poem 4 – Reconfiguring

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I’m reconfiguring, please wait
Change is required before it’s too late
To patch a weakness, catch a bug
Software constantly up to date

Was I not flawless at the start?
A babe born perfect for its part
Yet by miscreant code led astray
From that perfectly formed piece of art

So please be patient, give me time
Keep me plugged in, it will be fine
A work in progress, not finished yet
I’m reconfiguring through craft Divine

This poem was started after an ill-timed Windows update rendered our church laptop out of action just as it was needed to project song words and stream our service. It finally completed its reconfiguring an hour and a half later, just as we finished. This got me wondering what it would be like if we could download updates and Jesus’ words about being born from above… Took me a couple of days to get this how I wanted.
(11.10.21)

© Ben Quant 2021

Poem 3 – Here Be Dragons

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Here be dragons
And spaceships
Lost temples
With treasure
And quests
And beer

Here be laughter
And sorrow
Bewilderment
And longing
And hope
And fear

Here be dungeons
And dragons
And character sheets
With friends
And dice
And cheer

A lifelong hobby has been playing tabletop roleplaying games, a wonderfully social and imaginative pastime. This was written before heading out to a much anticipated day of gaming with friends after the Covid pandemic had kept us physically apart for 18 months.
(09.10.21)

© Ben Quant 2021

Poem 2 – Out Of Reach

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Through the window, the world’s a blur
Wet paint smudged, colours blended
Features distorted, faces unclear
Unknowable, seen through a glass darkly

These hints of a world unrealised
Create a painful tension
Taunting, teasing,
Near but not yet here

Finally all becomes clear
My reading glasses remained in place
When lifted from their nasal perch
The world reconfigured, made anew

I wonder though…
Do I still see through obscuring lenses
Which if similarly removed might reveal
A better world, as yet concealed

Today’s poem was inspired by a trip into the kitchen with my reading glasses on.
(08.10.21)

© Ben Quant 2021

Poem 1 – An Ode to National Poetry Day

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Today is National Poetry Day
So I guess I ought to write a line
Or two
To express what’s on my mind
Or in my chest
Nestled up beside that beating drum
That is my heart

I sit with pen poised above the page
In truth, fingers above the keys
And pause
Searching for a profound thought
To share
But truth be told, except for the decision to write
The cupboard is still bare

Inspired by a combination of Paul Cookson’s daily poems on Twitter and discovering it was National Poetry Day. Wondered if I could do something similar and write one a day for a month or maybe more…
(07.10.21)

© Ben Quant 2021