by Rolph David
No silver thread, no voice to name the way—
Just walls and warnings passed from tongue to tongue.
His first breath rose from two-thirds drawn from hell,
A fire dimmed by lessons never asked.
They caged him in with rules and screaming brats,
While puppets smiled through teeth of plastic gloss.
The parents barked like kings who'd lost their crowns;
He bore their bile and learned to taste ...
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Friday 25th July 2025 9:11 am
outsider blank verse poetic biography teacher disillusionment solitary life Shakespearean tone emotional resilience poetic realism defiance identity historical cities language love inner conflict anti-nostalgia European setting Bildungsdichtung tragic undertone minimalist style
by Rolph David
Beware, ye lords who preach of holy shame,
Who cage the heart with doctrines carved in stone.
Love answers not to dogma, law, or name—
Its realm is soul, not scripture, nor your throne.
No rite can ban what pulses in the skin,
No creed can curse the heat that makes us whole.
What blasphemy is love, if love is sin?
What god would strike the mercy from a soul?
Two hearts ignite beyond ...
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Thursday 29th May 2025 10:05 am
love defiance freedom LGBTQ+ anti-dogma rebellion spirituality identity passion equality
by Rolph David
Today, three years ago, Russia launched its brutal invasion of Ukraine, shattering peace and unleashing a wave of destruction. Towns were levelled, lives torn apart, and a nation thrust into an endless struggle for survival. Despite the relentless violence, Ukraine remains unyielding, its people refusing to surrender. The world has watched as the cost in blood and suffering continues to rise, and ...
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Monday 24th February 2025 1:27 pm
Ukraine war resistance resilience destruction freedom sacrifice loss defiance survival tragedy strength sovereignty unyielding war crimes resistance spirit brutality hope war anniversary courage suffering
by Rolph David
In Wang's Dīngzihù*, the poem explores the unyielding defiance of a man who refuses to let go of his home in the face of relentless urban development. Wang’s small "nail"house becomes a symbol of resistance, standing firm against powerful tycoons and the machinery of progress. As legal battles and societal pressures mount, Wang’s fight is not just for his land, but for his identity and legacy. It ...
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Monday 6th January 2025 9:15 am
resistance defiance legacy pride heritage nail house urban development resilience struggle
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