The Otherwise

they disturb, deep behind my sleeping eyes ...... retune my tautened strings, replay my frets vignette movies spin reels of dreams discovering fresh slants on shadowy delight the foreboding, ominous, looming threats discordant chords distort a distant hollering the leaping ledge, prophetic flight flash of brilliance, blink, my mind resets the sum of me awakens full of colouring recalibrated by the night ...... others in me, they are the otherwise they are homo-sapiens, hope belies ...... altruistic fun lovers on the make hominid species, evolutionary genes climate driven, global scatter tribal conflict, holocausts in their wake controlled by force of arms, trade and cultural means yellow, white and black lives matter unless vested interest deemed at stake then knees on neck soon revealed from behind the screens the dullard thumps skull and batter ...... others in me, they are the otherwise they are states like people with lows and highs ...... nations surround citizens, sense of place fenced in by empire, lebensraum and principle step right up 'your country needs you' envious delinquents fear loss of face right of might, right up to the god invincible while monied elite speed on through discarded dominion shipped without trace refugees on sinking boats, inconvincible oligarchs, the guaranteed few ...... others in me, they are the otherwise they are communities which galvanise ...... celebrate their homeland, their common cause around the corner, down the road, in fields abroad grief and joy, however imposed those broken promises, never-ending pause distrust of those out in front, their far-away fraud local demands under-exposed incomers favoured by enabling laws perceived betrayal by a biased system flawed truth and blatant lies juxtaposed ...... others in me, they are the otherwise they play their cards, ready to mobilise ...... shoot the stars beyond incapacity share onward journeys toward forever winning their world is our world, comprehend persevering stubborn audacity dignified departure, transformed beginning wings lift off as bold thoughts transcend skyward bound, untethered tenacity when and how to be, deliberation brimming with self-esteem the dividend ...... others in me, they are the otherwise they are expectant youth, no compromise ...... instinctive moves, impetuous vision impatient with the slow ponderous beat of sage uninspired by moot glories past unimpressed by fat cheeks of derision anger speaks to power with well-organised rage elders dither and flabbergast corpses drift by, bloated indecision new hands grab the helm while tipping points engage trim the sails, realign at last ...... others in me, they are the otherwise they are womankind, genders in disguise ...... intelligence and persona pondered agenda pulled from under the weary weight of man torn from those squalid men of old fabulous beings, potential squandered squeezed but not squashed as they dance the can-can thorns underpin secrets untold strut their stuff, fine regalia laundered prance and pirouette across the outer floor plan hints of inner beauty unfold ...... others in me, they are the otherwise