A Glimpse Beyond... Read online

A Glimpse Beyond...

  by Phil Gibson

  Copyright Phil Gibson, 2011

  Illustrations copyright Caroline Quin, 2011

  Phil Gibson Poetry

  Phil's Blog: The Garret

  Table of Contents

  Forward

  A Glimmer of Light

  No Compost Mennis

  Paper Dreams

  The Jumper

  The Treatment

  Beyond the Mask

  Also by Phil Gibson

  About the Author

  Connect with me online

  Forward

  A Glimpse Beyond... is an introduction to my work and more specifically to my anthology of dark poetry, Beyond the Mask. By its very nature poetry is a subjective medium and as such one person's taste is no guarantee of another's. Therefore this short collection is presented as a representative sample to allow the reader to form their own opinion rather than rely on the views of others.

  A Glimmer of Light

  My eyes slip out of focus

  As my sight is drawn within

  Now my concious mind is sinking

  As the images begin

  My thoughts like liquid lightning

  Slip elusive through my mind

  Kaleidoscopic visions

  Leave me stumbling and blind

  Embryonic inspirations

  Glitter briefly out of sight

  As my mind tries to embrace them

  They just fade into the light

  In a torment of frustration

  At deficiencies of soul

  Imperfections of pure reason

  Leave me clutching for my goal

  I have glimpsed a true illusion

  That surpassed my simple thought

  I have tried to scratch the surface

  But my efforts came to nought

  No Compost Mennis

  There are toys in my attic

  But the marbles have gone

  There is no-body up there

  But the light is still on

  Though the lift is still working

  It won’t go to the top

  A screw has worked itself loose

  And it made the lift stop

  There are bats in my belfry

  And their chatter has no end

  So I climbed off my rocker

  Up the pole and round the bend

  Now I’m free, out to lunch

  All the fairies are there

  We’re dining with the Hatter

  And the rabid March Hare

  Paper Dreams

  Two headed horses climb the walls

  The panther stalks the bubbled balls

  Dead flowers grow across my bed

  Ten fingers crossed by hand that bled

  Glass tigers gamble in the stream

  The unicorn rides through a dream

  Blue thunder clouds roll cross the sky

  Beneath the watchful wizard`s eye

  The bottled gold, unwanted stands

  Untouched by mortal human hands

  And silent standing all around

  Toxic tubes rise from the ground

  The light above will soon grow dim

  The time will come to sink or swim

  The dolphin smiled, the angel cried

  Certificates for those who died

  In crystal castles on the hill

  They’re blind to all the blood they spill

  In pidgeon holes, in shadowed rows

  Where heroes hide between Death’s toes

  And china lemmings on the edge

  Stand in line to take the pledge

  The infant smiling on the dead

  The Devil bearing words unsaid

  And on the moon the sleeping clown

  Dreams of stars and falling down

  Picture formed in empty air

  Fades above the empty chair

  White coat drifting through the door

  Floating two feet from the floor

  A fleeting pain beneath the skull

  And once again the world grows dull

  The face behind the glass looks on

  Until this paper dream is gone

  The Jumper

  I have out-lived my usefulness

  Rejected to my loneliness

  Discarded here upon the shelf

  My only company, myself

  It is a dreadful truth to see

  To know that no-body wants me

  Of this sad fact there is no doubt

  Who’d want me now, I’m too worn out

  Before me now my life is played

  As I sit here with edges frayed

  Each fibre of my being stretched

  My misery in creases etched

  Unravelling, I wonder why

  It came to this, I start to cry

  I long for peace in endless sleep

  With eyes closed, off the cliff I leap

  The Treatment

  Alone I sit within my room

  So small and painted white

  Walls padded like my mother’s womb

  And lit by blinding light

  Some-one behind, I don’t know whom

  Then draws my jacket tight

  Into my view strange faces loom

  And tell me it’s alright

  A needle’s jab brings torpid doom

  It does not help to fight

  They lock me in my sterile tomb

  You think this soothes my plight?

  Beyond the Mask

  This collection offers a peek beyond the mask of the author. The glimpse is brief and partial; sometimes sad, sometimes funny, sometimes serious, sometimes whimsical but always candid. Look into my eye, it’s time to see what hides down that rabbit hole...

  Reviews

  A few reviews from Fanstory.com, a review website where writers gather to critique each other’s work (listed by fanstory.com username):

  Cjvaugn – 5 stars

  You caught me from the first line to the last. Compelling and riveting emotion, I liked how you draw us in and take us on the experience...

  Take care, CJ

  mamonia – 5 stars

  Wow! This is some kind of powerful. You really got a rise out of me with the description and imagery of words. Fantastic poetry showing the depth of your feelings and creating a major impact on the reader.

  Great

  Snowbound – 5 stars

  WOW

  Dark, demented, delicious. I love the imagery. You take us right into the straight jacket...

  SnowBound

  Table of contents

  A Glimmer of Light

  Another Lonely Day

  Brainstorm

  Circular Road

  Emerald Flame

  Ever Moor

  How Do You Know..?

  Inspiration

  Labyrinth

  Lamented Youth

  No Compost Mennis

  Paper Dreams

  Pressure Valve

  Prisoner

  Puzzle of Tears

  Rabbits!

  Rollercoaster

  Runaway Train

  Running Scared

  Something Missing

  The Jumper

  The Mirror

  The Return of the Rabbit

  The Treatment

  The Voice

  Visions

  Waiting

  White Rabbit, Black Heart

  Who am I?

  Who's Mad?

  Also by Phil Gibson

  A collection of Dark Poetry exploring the shadowy side of human nature. If you have ever looked at the world around you and thought there was some-thing terribly wrong then you may connect with these poems. Written by one who is still an optimist despite knowing some-th
ing awful is going to happen!

  Reviews

  5 stars, Inspiring, 22 May 2011

  By Miss E Formby

  I am not one who normally enjoys mainstream poetry, but I absolutely love these poems. The way the author uses plays on words and descriptions allowed me to really imagine the concepts portrayed in the book. I really would take a chance on these poems I don't think you will be disappointed! My favourite poem of the set has to be 'Parasite' which I find haunting, thought provoking and thoroughly enjoyable all in equal measure.

  Reviews from Fanstory.com (a poetry review site), listed by Fanstory username:

  Donandvicki- 5 stars

  This would do well in the book of Revelations, Dark, ominous and bone cold chilling. Don

  Dustychange- 5 stars

  Woah. What a beautiful vision~! Well, it's talking about something morbid and apocalyptic, but the way it's being expressed is beautiful.The cool thing about this work seems to be that it's sensually appealing. Besides that, the language used is also direct and thoughtful.Excellent work.

  Magic Wand- 5 stars

  Your writing is very dark and sometimes disturbing. But mostly, it is honest. Not what we always see today. You have a natural talent to tell it like it is, no matter what.

  Poetic Friend- 5 stars

  Wow, this is haunting. Definitley makes the reader want to continue reading the others. I will take a peep at your book synopsis after reviewing. I like your writing style.

  Xylok- 5 stars

  dude, killer poem with killer imagery and a killer ending; that's like a triple homicide via quill. the whole things full of vivid description and the internal word play and rhymes sound awesome when orated. nuclear scythe rocks. glimpsing a truth you cannot abide, intense! profound. this poem is awesome.

  Morbidity

  I have a dream, a fantasy

  Where all men live in harmony

  An end to pain and enmity

  A new birth for humanity

  Each day I wake reluctantly

  And come back to reality

  I look around in misery

  And see the true insanity

  A world ruled by brutality

  Supported by complacency

  We’re in the grip of tyranny

  Choked by our own misanthropy

  The masses in obscurity

  Condemned to live in poverty

  A life of harsh severity

  The cruellest immorality

  Each day a new atrocity

  Will reach new depths of cruelty

  We’re sinking into savagery

  A slow death for humanity

  About the author

  Born and raised in Devon, Phil has been an avid reader from a young age, developing an early taste for the writing of Edgar Alan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, Stephen King, John Wyndham and Tolkien. Began to dream of becoming a writer and first attempted to write a book at the age of 10.

  After a 'satisfactory' but uneventful school career left him with no clear sense of direction Phil retreated into self-imposed exile at the southern tip of Cornwall where he spent a number of years living in the attic of an isolated bungalow. It was here that he first began to write poetry, inspired by political upheavals and environmental concerns.

  A few years later Phil attempted to re-enter mainstream society, moving back to the city and starting a family. A decade later, after raising 2 awesome kids as a single father, he returned to education, studying Earth Sciences at Plymouth University.

  Connect with me online

  Twitter:

  https://twitter.com/#!/PhilG_Poetry

  Facebook author page:

  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Phil-Gibson-Poetry

  Facebook book pages:

  Apocalyptic Visions - https://www.facebook.com/ApocalypticVisions

  Beyond the Mask - https://www.facebook.com/Beyond.the.Mask

  Phil Gibson Poetry:

  https://philgibsonpoetry.co.uk/

  Phil’s blog:

  https://philgibsonpoetrythegarret.blogspot.com/