The beach

Golden grains of sands
Feels hot under my feet
Sticking to my toes
In this summer heat

Gentle ebbing waters
Flowing to and fro
Movement of the tides
Changing from high to low

Tidal pools appearing
Exposing life to see
There for a short time
Near to the quay

Sunshine beating down
Shadows banished away
Creating memories
Of a wonderful day.


On holiday, we spent time on the beach, crabbing, paddling, walking along the tide line, exploring the pools.  It was a wonderful day in the sun.

Sheldon Retreat

Quiet, peaceful, tranquility, grace

Remoote, secluded, found God in this place

Our problems are bought here, and laid out bare

We`re replenished, restored, strengthened through prayer

Nature around us, time for reflection

The spirit within us, points a new direction

Enjoyment and laughter, we`re hearing the call

Kindness and friendship, supporting us all.

Time for departure, going onwards with Jesus

Secure in the knowledge, that God`s all around us.

I went on a retreat quite a few years ago at a place called Sheldon. It was very peaceful and remote, but had everything there on site that you needed. It was a very refreshing weekend and I got a lot out of it.

I wrote this poem on the last evening I was there.



I thought I knew you

I really thought I did

But now I find you are not the man I knew

What am I suppose to think or do?

I wanted to marry you

I needed to be loved

But now I find you are not that guy

I keep on asking myself, why?

I knew you had a past

I recognised that

But now I find there is much more to it

You and I, do we really fit?

I will let you be

I need to be free

But when I have worked it all out

You will know without a doubt.

Promises of happiness don`t always work out, they are a test of our strength and we learn from them, as we do all through our lives.

We grow stronger with every battle, until the right things all slot into place and the whole picture is seen in it`s entirety.



Emotions

Anger, rage and thunder
Is the order of the day
Stamping, yelling and tears
The pain won`t go away

Darkness all around us
No light for us to see
The noise just gets louder
Please, just let us be!

Everyone`s against us
Nothings going right
Little things seem so bad
The tunnel has no light

We take three steps forward
Then take two steps back
The battles always nears us
There`s never time to slack

If only we could rest now
Step off this round-about
Slow down for just a while
Let off a real good shout.

The stress, the strain and worry
Now what are we to do?
What ever we might try
Our solutions seem so few.


This poem came about when everything seemed to be going wrong,
I was at a real low point in my life after losing my husband and smashing up my wrist.  How times have changed now, thankfully.

Lillesden School

Dark gothic buildings with fire escapes
Stood looking over green luscious land
An education establishment
Found in the Garden of England

At the end of a long winding drive way
Appearing there, so proud and so strong
Turrets standing out against the skyline
There to remember, your whole life long

Laughter was heard through the corridors
Sounding like ghosts from a former time
Pupils from everywhere  through the years
When Lillesden was in it`s prime

Eerie silence now found throughout the school
Dust collecting on every surface
Echoeng footsteps on the wooden floors
Empty rooms without any purpose

Now thats it`s stripped of all it`s glory
Classrooms all choked with vegetation
Even the lead from the roof has gone
There`s nothing safe at this location

There`s one thing to be said for all this
Lillesden School was the best place to be
We may not have a school to visit
But we`ve memories and friends to see.



Lillesden School for Girls in Hawkhurst Kent, was my former school and I was there for five years and loved it.  I have recently been to a reunion and was saddened to see the old school derelict.  Its former glory days long since gone.  However, it was great to see all my friends and share our memories.

Warming by the fire

Sat there hunched in the cold of night
Trying to keep warm by the fire
Arms stretched towards the dancing flames
Bright coloured points flashing higher

Reds, oranges, yellows and white
Flames dance as he starts to thaw through
The glow is reflected in his face
Warmth begins to flow from head to toe

He continues to watch this fire
Each flame shimmers in the light
Like many veiled belly dancers
Swaying into the fiery night

Extremities tingling in to life
Flickering flames warming him now
Chattering teeth silenced from the cold
As deep within him, he starts to feel a glow.


I have always loved to watch a burning fire on a cold night and fould the sight of all those colours wonderfully calming and relaxing.  How you start to warm through and feel human again.

Colours of Bereavement

A quiet moment to ponder
To think things through and see
The kaleidoscope of life
Is bearing down on me

The colours that were first seen
After that dreadful day
Were all so foreboding
Like dark blacks and grey.

A shaft of light has started
To peep through stormy skies
Black begins to turn to blues
That`s what happens when someone dies.

As despair starts to slip away
The colours change again
Greens and reds begin to show
Does this also happen to men?

Anniversaries come and go
The light is getting stronger
Colours twist and change again
More brighter tones stay longer

Oranges and pinks now show
A smile upon my face
Whites and creams are appearing next
And a spring is in my step

If you could see me now, my love
You`d see a different person
Bright colours all around me now
As I know that I can carry on.



I know this poem has appeared on my blog before but my son Jon, has taken it and rearranged the words into lyrics for a song and has written music for it too.
I wanted to post these two pieces together.
Thank you Jon.


Colours of Bereavement


The skies around me darken
Blacks and greys surround me
Times stand still as I drown,
Drowning in my own grief.....

Living in this one moment
The colours change again
That`s what happens when someone dies
The light.....
The light is changing again
It`s bearing down on me...

Peeping through the stormy skies
The blacks fade into blues
Of the bruises on my heart
Will these ever heal in time????


Living in this one moment
The colours change again
That`s what happens when someone dies
The light.....
The light is changing again
It`s bearing down on me...

Green...Red...reflect on my eyes
As other colours come into view
Brighter tones shine upon my face
Shadows of the day fade away...

Once living in that moment
The colours now consume me.
Is this what happens when death is gone
The Light...
The light now blinds my eyes...
No longer will i fear you...

The white light...
Shining bright...
Bearing colours...
Colour of pain...
Colour of joy...
Colours of Bereavement...

The Pram

Chest out,
Shoulders back
Head up, and walk with pride.

March along
Cheerful mood
Walk tall, and see the world.

Look around
Lots to see
Stock up and enjoy the sights.

People smile
Say Hello
Bend low, and greet my child.

The pram
Very useful
Puch child and show the world.


This is another of my early poems,  I loved walking my baby brother in the pram, I was ten when he was born and really enjoyed playing the mother role.

Here we go again

Ring, ring, Ring, ring, there`s the telephone
 Ring, ring, Ring, ring, just when I`m alone

Hello, hello, Hello, hello, is any one there?
 Hello, hello, Hello, hello, Does any one care?

Tap, tap, Tap, tap, there`s someone at the door
 Tap, tap, Tap, tap, is it someone I adore?

Knock, knock, Knock, knock, disturbing me that way
 Knock, knock, Knock, knock, please now, just go away

Peep-po, Peep-po, do you want me out there?
 Peep-po, Peep-po. don`t you give me a scare

Welcome, Welcome, and a `how do you do!`
 Welcome, Welcome, it`s so good to see you !!


This was one of my first poems that I wrote around the age of ten.  I found it and a few others whilst going through some papers.   Its good to read them all again.

Speck in space

A tiny speck in an enormous space
Floating though the mists of time
There`s nothing drawing it to one place
For there`s no real reason or rhyme !

This little speck spins and dives
Charging through complete thin air
Nothing to stop it, so it survives
Why should it fret for it has no care

Gliding through some rock debris
Light reflected from the red hot sun
A speck out sailing on a space sea
Swooping, turning, having great fun

Soaring, floating round and round
No noise, just eternal peace
Will this speck ever be found ?
Will it`s journey ever cease ?


This poem was a result of a thought about space and the ever continuing journey of things ( how ever big or small ) floating around for eternity.  It is a question that made me wonder !!

Family strife.....

Why is it families hurt each other
I thought blood was thicker than water
How wrong could I be, why didn`t I see?
They just don`t treat me like a daughter

It`s hard enough in the world to live
Without meeting or a chat on the phone
Everyone should have someone to love
Not end up sitting at home alone.

Supporting the children as they move on
Play with the grand kids when they come by
Reminisce and put the world to rights
Then send them off with a kiss good bye. 

But out family seems set on destruct
Sad to watch as it crumbles away
What was so good is nothing now
There is no more for me to say..........



I was sad to see that some family life is lessening and each family is so different. To watch a family split and move away from each other, with little or no contact, is so sad. 

Now you`re gone...

sat here quietly

watching the world go by

thinking

meditating

I just want to know why....

you were my strong knight

protecting me from harm

shielding

guarding

by my side to calm

my lover, my friend

someone I could look to

holding

chatting

to the end, me and you!

now you are gone far away

who keeps my secrets now?

confiding

confessing

will I cope?  yes some how.

Times change, friendships, lovers all come and go, breaking up is hard, but it happens and we do get over it and become stronger people for it.