Edited

coolness

treads softly now

takes nothing for granted

walking into futures freely

wonder

❦

when watering

just water

❦

Magic!

The River

I forgot the river’s name

lagging behind the others

walking slowly now

unerring in step

grateful for every breath 

senses locked into automatic 

revealing something of the folly of it all

I forgot the river’s name

thankfully however it remembers mine 

and so I am enabled to gather fragments

memories of an uncertain past 

echoing down the years

tumbling into bed with myself

lost in the wonder of it all

I forgot the river’s name

faster flowing now

than is good for a body

but look 

the bank sustains the edges

holding up life in all its forms

gently now in darkened pools of light

I forgot the river's name

but dawn reflected light

sparkled clear as crystal 

bright as any sunlit dewdrop tear

on half forgotten pointed leaf

gently gathering 

mild morning magical mist

I forgot the river's name

was it childhood

walking back from school

paddling in new shoes

walking them dry home

wondering about transgressions 

even at that age of innocence

I forgot the river's name

sat upon the shore 

watching the others

splashing about all laughter

all light and connectedness

fearing nothing in those days

secure in her loving arms

I forgot the river's name

but not the blackberry redness

oozing in autumn’s loose grip

cobwebbed remembrances

never tasted so good back then

but then the world was younger

more disposed to smiling and laughter

Derwent

Book Review*

O’Rourke, B. (2010) Finding Your Hidden Treasure. London: Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd.

sometimes
books come along
taking you by the hand
magically lead you to water 
you drink

there is no coercion
in "Finding Your Hidden Treasure"
seamlessly
the royal red carpet unrolls
enabling a path you always knew
to be covered in thickets of chaotic
complexity
but
because of hard won stories
others brought back
curiosity kept you
hammering
and now
sitting by the river
the highway

now
becoming no easier
but generously illumined by
a voice of authenticity
becomes crystal clear
straightened
invitingly desert smoothed
walk hand in hand a page or two
find yourself
comfortably alone
peacefully connected to everything
at last
even wanton fragments
find their place
necessary faults
in the landscape of soul


^*Disclaimer:
The last time I did a book review was "The Collins Pocket Guide to British Birds." That was back in 1962/3 I was at school and won a prize for it. This is my first book review since then so have a care.

St Augustine

Your True Teacher

"Your true teacher 

will always be 

the teacher within. 

It is he who enables you to understand, 

in the depths of your being, 

the truth of what is said to you." ^*

^*O’Rourke, B. (2010) Finding Your Hidden Treasure. London: Darton,Longman & Todd Ltd p91

Serendipity

... prayer and the search for God

Waiting on Morning Prayer.

because
awareness dawned
just aware of being
hand in hand we walk together
gently

because
I looked for God
everywhere else but here
he waited patiently at home
for me

gentle
awareness dawned
coming home to myself
ceasing all the strife and longing
relief

nothing needed doing
just aware of being
is enough to see the picture
smiling

homeward
pilgrim father
greets the prodigal son
hand in hand we walk together
knowing

richly
rewarded soul
nothing to do but wait
opening to the mystery
gently

Three Masted Prayer

50 Words:
“Your mind is not your friend - God is.”

My mind is not my friend - God is.
these words do not come easy
yet they bring solace
mind is illusion
endless storehouse of past and present
attachment rejection
constant turmoil my mind is not my friend
God is
though I confess to little understanding
just now
it  rings true.

Second Mast:
Logic and reason
have been my friendly
rafts getting me thus far
round and round
nowhere substantial
simplicity abandoned
for certainty

I have made an island
of the raft
mistaking it for land
now it is time to erect
the sail of unknowing
driven by the breath of wind
to some other shore

compass in the hand of God
sailing the welcoming
wide eternal seascape
of my soul
sighting hope
in another story
exchanging sea for land.

Cinquain:
Confused
letting things be
mind was never helpful
living in the present moment
clearness.

I really need to stop trying

morning
no progress made (nowhere to go)
no progress to be made
nothing to do but to listen
daily

perhaps
one day
in mind’s busy silence
seeking
raging torrents threaten the bank
watching the soil crumble away
attempting regular diligent return
get away down stream
still  waters run deeply
just beyond
surface calmly reflecting sun
dazzling brightness
lost wonder
burning senses
shiny insights rippled
across soulscape
perhaps
one day

Resolving Paradoxes

Paradox

knowing
see what to do
reflecting on outcomes
somehow now in tune with rhythm
goodness


knowing
what do I do
having to make a choice
without access to all the facts
relax

relax
see what to do
walk into the future
reaching out into the darkness
hoping

hoping
doing something
reflecting on outcomes
seeing if it’s life enhancing
peaceful

peaceful
nothing changes
everything is different
somehow now in tune with rhythm
daily

daily
morning pages
opening windows wide
touched by something deep within me
goodness