you sit observe the calm pond
wood ducks guard their latest brood
this Spring morning
guarding their little balls of fluff
twinkling in our pond.....
Nature delights in renewing itself
for our enjoyment and edification.....
in a peaceful country
how can we share this peace
when up against a people
so full of hate
they cannot see the good
in the hands offering solace......
is soul like an onion
layer upon layer of decaying
acceptances without discernment
dampening the joy of life
till stripped down to
the lovely green shoot
which starts the new life
of humility and love
where is the kitchen knife......
courtesy that union of courage, thoughtfulness and heart
it does not flee in the face of total destruction
or mindless attack
it manifests itself in selfless volunteers
rescuing all creatures
under appalling conditions
war, natural disasters
it manifests itself
in those who gently bind up the wounded
ferry the almost drowning
lifting them up high to safety
dowsing fires in unbelievable heat
comforting those in utter distress
perhaps we need these contrasts
for courtesy to manifest
and redeem the human race......
tonight i went to bed
a tight wound ball of thread
with no beginning to find
the end right in the middle
sleep came sat on the edge
took the ball as sleep will
found the beginning, knitted
quietly all night into
a new hot water bottle cover
pink with the rising sun
early morning kookaburras
laughing, laughing saying such a joke
and so it is.......
a brand new day
Autumn
the golden raintree
is slowly dying to the season
lighting up the dull day
with golden leaves
it is not afraid to drop its cargo
for come spring it will shine forth
with joyous green life
shading birds on hot days
my oldest friend died yesterday
yet she shines forth in children
and children's children
is life an endless death
and resurrection?
you miss the flowering gumtree
looking down on footsteps
long gone yet repeating
the same old same old
you miss the tawnies
looking down on yesterdays
detritus hoping to find
what you are missing
that which is staring you
in the face
hear the magpies,rosellas
a thousand corellas
making snow upon the ground
spoke his first true words
when in my arms I fed him
uh uh, thank you, so melted my heart
yet later ran a devious circle
round my trusting heart
and paid for it with life
cut short upon his motorbike
so deep the grave
upon the Skilly hill.....
never falters no matter what
humans do to disrupt
the rhythm of life
with destructive wars
the heartbeat never falters
nor laying waste the land
with mono cultures causing
landslides in heavy rain
polluting rivers
nets scraping ocean beds
the heartbeat never falters
paint lilies appear in autumn
lorikeets screech their praises
to the flowering gumtrees
footsteps noiseless on the forest floor
the heartbeat never falters to bring hope...
that spills over the floor
at seven each evening
watching the russian pharisee
light a candle, cross himself
while thousands suffer
bleed to death or maimed for life
at his command
still others bomb and starve
whole nations scapegoating
till it makes one puke
oh give me the sheep and dog
bringing light relief afterwards
to restore the heart to an easy beat
and let us be forgiven for our
inability to stop the raging infernos....
a light on our path
showing the way into the day
tall trees with fulsome branches
hanging clumps of leaves
lightly rustling in the morning breeze
a horse standing quietly
listening to the murmurings
of hens slowly waking to the day
oh let us rejoice and go forth.....
I have been pondering whether to post this piece I wrote this morning with the last line...
There is so much horror and sadness in various parts of the world and we are so fortunate to live in a reasonably organized and peaceful country.
I have been reading some of the histories of the Middle East and India and China, those peoples seem not to have learned a thing, slaughtering each other with ever increasing effective weapons since history was first recorded.......
Well, this bit of poetry may well bring some joy to someone somewhere....
to go beyond ourselves
to recognize their loyalty
is constant their trust
in us absolute their joyous
expression in life unbounded
their love for us untainted
( except at feeding times )
and their acceptance of how life is
a lesson for us all.....
eucalyptus leaves, bark like grey silk
melaleuca paper bark smooth soft
a delight to touch, little twigs
redgum flowers like night caps
insects hide make nests
play hide and seek
tumble down deep cracks
in the black soil crickets
ibis feed on them
patrolling morning and night
silence .......
Dear Readers
It isn't always easy to leave a comment but if you can do so
perhaps use the Anonymous, I'd love to have your comment, Tineke
hear the booming
of the bronzewing in tune
with the beating of your heart
the energy flowing
through the fibres of your being
and the day bringing forth
the beauty which you long for....
or did we swim against it
did we hope for goodness
or did we manifest it by our
ordinary acts of bravery
in standing still to abide
thereby growing strong
because we dared stand still facing
whatever we had to face.....
hope is forever a constant
Dear Readers.....it may be difficult to put a comment on my blogs, but please do and it may have to be anon for a reason I cannot fathom.....I would love to hear what you may think of my writings..Tineke