Escape

Laid bare upon the grass
this tiny thing,
already viewed as prey
though not yet equipped
for fight or flight,
too much demanded to soon
of a newly formed heart
still rehearsing its beat.

I form a cradle,
makeshift nest
in the palm of my hand
where it sits motionless,
stunned by an overwhelming
iceberg of fear.
How can anything this small
be so complete?
I feel privileged for the
closeness of the moment,
this timeless piece of time,
caress the silky back of
miniscule speckles,
underbelly a mass of fluffy down,
frantic pulse of new life
determined not to quit.
A powerful silence
as we both wait;
I could burst with love.

Minutes pass;
fear finally abates,
a cue to unfold my hand.
A nearby buddleia bush
sways in the evening breeze,
protective arms open wide,
a bivouac of branches
for a small handful of life
waiting to soar.
The world is a big place.

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A Good Place

 

Mostly I find myself
meandering through the days
foot-loose in a cool forest of time.
I wave goodbye to the running
always in circles till dizzy
with exhaustion, too tired
to simply be,

too tired to stop and smell roses
or watch a bird bathe in a puddle,
shaking itself dry just like my dog;
maybe we could all shake ourselves dry.

 Today I find myself in love all over again,
every moment a passionate kiss,
for one at a time, they’re all we have.
I don’t even care how the weather behaves;
no more chastising clouds or
chasing elusive sun;
they have no hold over me anymore,
all ropes are untied;
it feels a good place to be.

NOW

Now

Life changed when
illness arrived;
it seemed like
I had stalled,
quite out of the blue
in the middle of a busy road,
traffic all around me,
this way and that,
impatient, hurried.
And a black cloud of sadness
overwhelmed me;
a total eclipse.

Until I realised where I was.
it was simple;
I was right here in the now,
where clouds will never look the same again,
and with all the time I wanted just to be;
to rejoice in the depth of animal eyes
and be swept off my feet by the
colour of a bird’s tail.
Freedom, and a second chance
to notice all I had missed.

 

 

 

 

When We are Ready

Life can be full of challenges,
some of them towering exclamation marks.
I call them hurdles,
not in negativity, but because I believe
we clear them when we are ready
and not a moment before.

Like a young horse being asked
to jump for the first time,
tentative, doubtful, afraid;
a few firm refusals,
perhaps kindly led by hand
for a while, encouraged gently
though with persistence.
But when he is ready to go
he knows,
and oh, how he flies!

And so will I.

This poem was written when I finally
purchased a mobility scooter last week;
not a decision reached with ease.

Dancing in the Dark

In my mind I am still Dancing
(with Bruce Springsteen)
in the Dark;
those kind, moonlit hours
that shower me with freedom
to feel like me again,
till daylight beckons when
I leave him to his Glory Days
and I to mine.
And they can be glorious
if I let them.
But I will dance again tonight;
I’m told there’s a new moon.

Bruce Springsteen – Album – Born in the USA. Released 1984

Dancing in the Dark
Glory Days

 

Trapped

Acceptance just flew away.

Accompanied two magpies as
they took off over gardens,
into distant fields now green again,
able to breath from welcome thaw.

I opened the door,
saw the grass,
sensed a sharp edged wind
as loving as it was harsh,
brush against a pale
complaisant sun.

And I wanted to run again.

Trapped

Acceptance just flew away.

Accompanied two magpies as
they took off over gardens,
into distant fields now green again,
able to breath from welcome thaw.

I opened the door,
saw the grass,
sensed a sharp edged wind
as loving as it was harsh,
brush against a pale
complaisant sun.

And I wanted to run again.