Elephant Small Vol 2

By Stanski

Welcome to Elephant Small Vol 2.
This is the second in a series of five ebooks that cover five years of original verse previously published on my weblog 'Elephant Small'.
Vol 2 covers edited highlights from the years 2008-2010

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stanski
• Release date: Feb 15, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301228829

Stanski

A one... A two... A one, two, three, four...! How’s that then, for a classic intro...? But wait a minute... That’s more of a song intro, innit...? And this is more of a story, innit...? So, let’s start again, shall we...? Hi... How are you...? I’m Stanski... Now, don’t worry, I’m not as bad as I seem... I’m a strugling author... Not a tortured artist...! The thing is, I’ve written these books...For people to read... Do you like reading...? Everyone loves a good read, don’t they..? Anyway, I’ve got these books... That I’ve written... I know, you don’t know which books... I’m just getting round to telling you about them, aren’t I...? The thing is... If you want something doing... You might as well do it for yourself... So... I wrote these books myself... Now... These books... Y’know... The ones I’ve written... But haven’t got round to telling you about yet... These books that I’ve written... That I’m telling you about now... Will be available, very soon, for you to download... From Smashwords... To your PC, Tablet, or Mobile Phone...! In fact, pretty much anything connected to the internet...! Thanks to the miracle of modern technology...! It never ceases to amaze... Does it...? A Bit Of Background Stanski is the kind of guy who doesn’t do things by half measures. For example, he’s the guy who went to Thailand in 1999, to see in the New Millennium. He enjoyed it there so much that he decided to stay on for a while. He didn’t return to the UK until October... October 2010...! Stanski began writing in earnest in 2005 while recovering from a motorcycle accident, in the northern city of Chiangmai, in which he sustained serious head injuries. Since then, he has completed four novels, and is currently writing a fifth. Examples of verse by Stanski can be found on his Blog, ‘Elephant Small’ www.says-sir-ten.blogspot.com

Book preview

Once the life and soul, now visibly weakened

Reduced to a shadow of his former self

Comforted by the intimacy of friends

Intimidated by confusion, conflict

But no stranger to the bloody battlefields

Fatigued by the frequency of Friendly Fire

And misadventure of misguided missiles

Sustaining the shots, he still soldiered on

To epic encounters with the enemy

Erosion, attrition, have taken their toll

He lives – after a fashion – to tell the tale

And serve as a warning; unheeded, ignored

By those who believe in the Greater Glory

Who bear not the scars, the constant reminder

That every single life is expendable

In years to come, when the family gather

To bid their farewell’s, as they lay him to rest

A message, etched forever in stone, will read

"Here lies a hero, in need of a cure

Unbeaten in battle, yet losing the war"

2. Vital

The precious gift of life is a heartbeat

Each moment is defined by a heartbeat

From cradle to grave, first round to final

Thoughts, words and actions hang on a heartbeat

Unscheduled pace of youth; now fast, now slow

Reflecting the rhythm of a heartbeat

Maturity mellows me to the core

Choices no longer take but a heartbeat

Age slows my mind as time accelerates

Existence condenses to a heartbeat

Preparing to meet the maker of hearts

A tribute is expressed through a heartbeat

As vital signs fade, one thought remains strong

I long for that throb; yearn for a heartbeat

To feel the pulse just one more time, I’d give

Everything I possess in a heartbeat

3. New Horizons

Road signs; no help

Their hieroglyph markings

Display a language you can’t understand

Traffic signals

Familiar warning

A universal colour-code command

Through the red light

To a head-on collision

In your haste to reach the point of no return

Through the green light

A twisting path to freedom

A tortured course to everything you yearn

But if you keep your eyes on the road

If you keep your hands on the wheel

Just a matter of time before you learn

Read the signs in the eyes of your mind

Keep a safe distance

And don’t get too close to arrogance

Pride will cause distraction

Each and