Tag: The Red Hand Files

In Silence – 14th October 2025

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 12 Comments

Maybe not a helpful admission,
I’m not sure where I stand these days;
as the ground shifts
exposing each other’s rifts,
it hardens without permission
and uncertainty sings its praise.

The world, beautiful but broken;
my temperament wishes no further harm;
no left or right
or centre might
have, to me, truly spoken
and guided me towards a calm.

My reason searches for the true
to ease the burden of each other’s sorrow;
how easy it is to break,
to forget to give and take;
cautious and careful in what I do
when nothing is certain tomorrow.

Not knowing what I’m talking about;
does the world need to hear that voice?
Listening to all divergent views
makes me ever more confused
so that when still filled with doubt
silence is my choice.

So maybe I just stand with my art,
valuing the deed over the word;
to the fragile flickering spirit bring
a striving for such praise to sing;
At least, it’s a place to start
so that the silence will still be heard.

Inspired and paraphrased from the Red Hand Files (again!) #337 and for the GloProWriMo Day 20 prompt:
write a poem informed by musical phrasing or melody that employs some form of soundplay (rhyme, meter, assonance, alliteration). Also, the poem ‘In Evening Air by Theodore Roethke was suggested as an example, and I used the rhyming form, which I found quite pleasant and I think worked very well.

18th Dec 2025 – shared with What’s Going On – Silence

Charlie Zero The Poet Music picks & Reviews #24 and my quick thoughts:

MockART – Some nice noise here that is keeping my brain active whilst trying to download an upload for my computer so that I can practice guitar again, since something has messed up one of the apps I like to use.  Not sure that I would listen to this at any other time though!

Wet Nurse – Fractured and somewhat scary energy here.  It’s interesting for sure but a bit too disturbing for me these days.  About 20 years ago I would’ve been all over this.

Meira Asher – Interesting punk hip hop that reminds me of some similar weird freaks I met from Japan in the 00s.  I like the more rhythmic tracks over the atmospheric ones.

Half Empty Glasshouse – I have their albums already but had forgotten about them.  Lots of time changes and genre warping.  This is my kinda jam for sure.

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum – ditto

Faith, Hope and Courage – 24th May 2025

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Constant communiqués of despair
The end of times always kept in mind
The hollow rings of Happy New Year
Distracting us from our daily grind
We become living embodiments
Of the catastrophes we’ve foretold
Trapped within these dark environments
Hopes are fading for the dreams we’re sold

Embolden the heart! Be courageous!
Inspire action to defend the world
Sell, not be sold to, is contagious
Flags of faith, hope and courage unfurled
Hope becomes the energy of change
A radical audacious duty
With optimism, we can arrange
Our thoughts towards a life of beauty

Inspired and paraphrased (one more time) by Nick Cave at The Red Hand Files #308. The title is also a play on words of Nick Cave’s album Faith, Hope and Carnage.

One Man’s Lunch – 10th May 2025

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

With all our faculties,
some stronger and more keen;
employ these abilities
to stand up and be seen.

Mould our worlds by hand,
all of it fundamental;
so precious and planned,
all our matters are vital.

Whether poison or beauty,
to build or to destroy;
it’s our control of duty,
our reason to employ.

With our imagination,
to enjoy collaboration
for our world’s construction
and sanity’s preservation.

Inspired and paraphrased from the Red Hand Files #315

Cave And Ferry – 19th September 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 19 Comments

Wet with privilege, a subtle sorrow
No more songs will come
A tuneful whistle on a country drive
All that’s left of the genius one

There is always something
And always nothing too
With little air in between
The difference is the work to do

A satisfied melancholy
A poetic drama ends
Left to wander the grounds
Bumping into friends

Inspired and pilfered from The Red Hand Files #286
12th Dec 2025 – Shared with Poets and Storytellers United #207 – in between

Broken Poetry – 31st August 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 2 Comments

Is this matrix worthwhile?
I miss her, I miss her so
Broken hearts will mend in time
I know, I know, yes, I know

Inside broken poetry
Made a home from a dead heart
We are creatures made to love
And duty-bound, play our part

She has gone and I’m still here
The cosmic universe chose
She’s shown me that I’m worth it
Back to the matrix she goes

Inspired, borrowed and paraphrased into seven-syllable lines from the question and answer at The Red Hand Files #293

The Decline and Fall of the British Empire, 1781-1997 by Piers Brendon
(reviewed at Goodreads.com)

I love the language used in this book though it did make it a little bit of a slog but, as an Englishman myself, this was a fascinating journey. Somehow, in my youth, I was aware of the way things were going in Britain and got myself out just before the end of this book, the handover of Hong Kong.

I was appalled at the lies and deceit of the Empire and thoroughly enjoyed following its decline. I also noted how the USA was (hypocritically) critical of Britain’s colonialism before they stepped into the breach after WW2. And it fills me with warmth to see the USA making the same mistakes since then, and being able to watch their own empire’s decline in real time.