Gently

 

 

By the water's edge today
a little bird came out to play.

I watched him as he was watching me.
And I smiled as I began to see

that I want to walk gently upon the Earth,
to inhale deeply and feel her breath.

To go through life at my own pace.
It's not meant to be a race.

To watch a spider weave her web,
to feel the rhythm of flow and ebb.

To hear chuckling water flow down a stream,
speaking a language I know from a dream.

To taste the rich, clear water's flow,
and carry her with me wherever I go.

To feel the wind blow as he plays with my hair,
to breathe in deep, without a care. 

To see Dandelion seeds float up to the sky
and my heart soars along! I smile and I sigh.

To stroll through the woods, and notice the light,
to savour my food, and enjoy every bite.

To play the long game, I'll be here for a while,
to let go of grudges and practice a smile.

 As I walk gently upon the ground,
I stop and take a look around.

I breathe in deep and then I say,
"There's so much magic here today,
it simply takes my breath away!"

Ode to Autumn

Where gold-crested tree tops 

meet crisp Autumn blue sky,

the wind, in all her grandeur

awakens my soul, delights my eye

 as myriad leaves swirl
and dance to the ground.

The last summer's crickets 

display a sweet sound

telling of long, hot days gone,

cooler ones to come.

"The turn of seasons"

beats like a drum!

 

Though change now comes swiftly, 

there's nothing to fear.

But it's hard to let go 

of the things I hold dear.

Yet, I do so love Autumn,

her sweet smells and colours!

I can trust in the process of

long-wilted flowers

who once, filled with fragrance,

delighted my days

on long Summer evenings

with late Summer rays.

Though now dead and gone, 

their scents still survive.
Death is never final.
New life will revive

 

what once lie in slumber,
a soul tucked away,
waiting to feel safe
and embrace the warmth of day.

 

Though Spring is still a long way off,

and I miss her bright, new ways,
I'm glad for rest and coziness
on Autumn's colder days.

This ancient rhythm of death and life,
Autumn's magic spell,
puts my soul at quiet ease,
reminds me, all is well.

Head Space

 

 

The space in my head,
it bursts at the seams,
it wants to be fed
with all kinds of dreams.

The dark, scary thoughts
driven by fear
take more than their share.
Get back to the rear!

My head space is precious.
I won't just allow
every thought to run wild
while my heart's forced to bow.

No, my head space is dear
and I'll fill it with things,
with beauty and joy
and dreams that take wings.

The space in my head,
loud as can be,
though often quite noisy
has helped me to see

that I can decide
which thoughts fill my head
at the end of the day
when I'm lying in bed.

Yes, I have the power
to think of the ways
my life can bring joy
for all of my days.

My life is my own
to shape and to hold
and to decide
just how I'll grow old.

So I'll make a vow
that springs from my heart:
To stay true to myself
and remain young at heart,

To teach my mind
that there's plenty of space
for so much good
in this life to embrace.

One Step

Just one step
out into the unknown
on a bridge we cannot see,
where the path has not been shown.

Just one step,
we do not see the rest.
This next leap of faith
really puts us to the test.

Just one step,
no, we cannot turn around.
We take one step ahead
both feet firmly on the ground.

It feels as though we're balancing.
But time will surely tell
that we have remained standing,
or look back and see we fell.

And, stand or fall, we'll carry on
for then we'll surely find
that the chasm we were scared of
was all within our mind. 

The next step is the hardest.
Though we want the outcome now,
with time we will grow stronger
and this is the way how. 

A Moment of Bliss

 

A moment of bliss
in ev'ry day life,

so easy to miss

when caught in the strife.

A quick, fleeting breeze,

we'll miss if we blink,

a subtle reminder,

eternity's wink

 

to see the small things
and follow the voice,
the child deep within us.
We all have a choice.

Though storms and clouds
may be all that we see,

our inner child's calling
for us to be free.

So what if we stop,

make time and breathe deep

though days are so busy 

and nights lack real sleep?

 It will not come easy,

that much is for sure.

But a price is being paid.

What can we endure?

 

What life is about
can quickly get lost
when we just carry on
and forget the true cost.

Remember that we
are not here to survive

but to enjoy and
to share and to thrive.

A moment of bliss,

freedom sublime,

this fragment so fleeting,

a treasure in time.

Guilt

 "Guilt don't live here no more!"

I said, "good bye" to her

and promptly shut the door!

And so I thought
I'd say those words
and she would go away.

But she came back
with all her friends
and said, they're here to stay.

First, Doubt crept in
with shaky hands and
tapped me on the back.

Then, icy fingers
slipped in next as
Fear wrapped 'round my neck.

Anxiety and Worry
were the next to swiftly follow.
I exhaled deeply and told them,
"I'll deal with you tomorrow.

 Please, just leave me alone!
I don't like your absurd game."
But someone else had slithered in,
my old nemesis, Shame.

I felt so small,
my heart beat fast,
and now I seemed so weak.

I knew this wasn't
who I am,
my voice sounded so meek.

How did they all have
such a hold on my heart
and my mind?

To find the answer,
I would have to
think back and rewind.

Was there a time
I let them in and
listened to their lies?

Why, yes, and
not so long ago,
I came to realise.

Their lies became the rhythm
to which my fooled heart beat,
their words became the chorus
ringing in my own defeat.

I allowed
their toxic speech to
poison my true voice.

I had chosen
to believe
I had no other choice.

Then life became survival,
Creativity blew away.
My soul's song had been silenced,
in this sad game I would play.

But maybe there was still a chance,
the whispering of hope...
Somehow, I would find myself,
not just merely cope.

For dreams and visions
guided me
and kept my soul alive,

reminding me
that one day I'd do more
than just survive.

And now I stand
 with my feet firmly
planted on the ground.

Those toxic words,
they have no grasp,
they're merely noise and sound.

They only had a hold on me
when I believed their lies.
I'd dedicate my life to live in love,
with them break ties.

I still hear the echoes
of the poison lies they spew.
But I say they are powerless.
I know that they aren't true.

And though my heart is fragile
and my mind can be so loud,
my soul is strong and beautiful
and I stand tall and proud.

Far over the Pacific

Five years had passed,
now five more have gone.
It's time to reflect
before moving on.

Somewhere far away
a dream once came alive
to live a life fulfilled,
not merely just survive.

  It became quite clear that
the dream which then took hold
would come at a high price,
we needed to be bold.

We'd leave behind our loved ones,
risk all for the unknown.
The four of us together,
we were not alone.

From conception to the journey
our dream would lead us on,
our plan evolved and became real.
Soon five years had gone.

Then, tangible before us,
we said our last good byes,
sad to leave our loved ones,
our eyes turned to the skies.

Far over the Pacific
we woke to a new day,
our lovely destination
bathed in golden ray:

A place where clear blue waters
meet never-ending sky,
wild birds glide over forests
and mountains rise up high.

At night, the stars all new
the evening air a treat,
exotic birds to wake us,
their morning music sweet.

 

We set out to explore, 
both islands free to roam,
searching for the spot
we'd call our forever home.

 

Hills, lakes, forests, beaches,
we traveled far and near 

 Waterfalls, refreshing!
We really love it here!

In the Bay of Plenty,
thriving from the ground,
life here in abundance,
a lovely place we've found.

Now the time has passed
as our journey carries on.
This place becomes our home.
Five more years have gone.

When we look back and see,
we let it all sink in,
the new friends we have made,
the places we have been,

we will not take for granted
all the blessings we've received,
remind ourselves we got this far
because we have believed.

New dreams have now been spun,
we've changed and we have grown.
Through the seeds we're planting
new adventures have been sown.

Our feet firmly planted,
our hearts and minds in unity,
from here, we'll shape new worlds,
a strong thriving community.

Not just passing through,
this place we build to thrive.
All are welcome here
and dreams can come alive!