Music

To stir the soul
get the feet tapping

Music moves
not just the body
but the mind
& emotions

And allows
a person
to come alive
in more ways than one

Vaguely Procrastinating

Vaguely procrastinating
one wonders
if the day will ever end

Remotely encapsulating
our hopes and
dreams can we pretend

that desperately seeking
possibilities
might even portend

Something Democratic

Working together
Ignoring the limelight
Utilising the sunlight
The solar panels
Give a message
About co-operation
Respecting one another
Supporting one another
So that
The strength from
Nine together
Is much greater
Than the efforts of
Nine individuals.
Democracy in action.

Climate Change

(for my grandchildren)

As the world changes
will we change?
our habits of consumption
our disregard of nature’s cry
our neglect of the future

As the world warms
will we warm?
to ideas that seem foreign
to reducing our impact
to protecting your future

As the world cries out
will we cry out?
and protest the rape of the earth
and oppose the greed of corporations
and challenge the approach of individuals

As the world grows older
will we grow older?
forgetting those who come after
enjoying beyond our limits
abusing gifts that have become possessions

As the world softens
will we soften?
to your possibilities
to your opportunities
to your inheritance

Holy Tears

(thanks to Richard Rohr)

Have you ever cried holy tears?
You know, the ones
That express the inexpressible
The ones which reflect
Things we don’t understand
Which reflect quiet moments
Of despair and lost hope
Quiet moments leading to
A need to consider
Leading to realisation
That all is not well
Realisation that even so
All will be well
That even so we are able
To look beyond, to look forward
We are able and need to
See the bigger picture
And need to open our ears
And hear the different sounds
Open our ears which allow us
To feel the vibrating emotions
Which allow us to move beyond
Our tears and dry our cheeks
To move beyond into mystery
Which enfolds us in its arms
Into mystery gathered in holy tears

Butterfly

Butterfly
hovers
over the city
over the world
carrying hope
in its wings

But is the weight
too much?
Can it truly
carry all those
expectations
& desires?

And yet flight
seems
to suggest
we can overcome
the everyday
realities

That burden us
weigh us
down more than
we care to
admit, or even
begin to deal with

So fly, butterfly
hover
near me, my life,
my town, my world
all that means
something to me

And free me
to believe
a new beginning
is possible
is near, now
if only I will fly

Stopping

We stop
But do we really stop
Or are we fooling ourselves
That if
We remove ourselves from
Our normal occupational worries
That we
Can convince ourselves we are
Stopping when in reality
All we
Are doing is hiding from
The reality that we are not stopping
But we
Are continuing at a frenetic pace
Attempting to rescue the difficulties
That we
And others face in our everyday working life

Restless

Truly I am restless
Until I find my rest in you
In allowing your surprises
To appear in their own time
And own way replacing restlessness
With peace, with calm
With sounds of nature
With rest

Onkaparinga River 2

Red-browed finch
Happily plays
God, you can surprise
When we let go

Onkaparinga River

Water flowing gently
Leaves circle around
Dragonfly searching
Birds singing
Flitting from tree to tee
Nature bubbles along
Without distraction

I serve

I serve
In ways unknown
And only in letting go
Can I serve

Distractions

Distractions distract
That’s their nature & their purpose
But perhaps
They also help us focus
On what is important

On Death

Death comes sweetly
Except when it’s unexpected
Which I imagine
Is what happens
On most occasions

Will any of us
Manage this unexpected gift
Or interruption
To what might have been
A joyous occasion

The gift may be swift
If the pain has been long
But circumstance
Will determine
On this occasion

So I can wait, expect,
Even prepare
But I still don’t know
The exquisite timing
Of my occasion

Imagine (Good Friday)

Imagine
The colours, the sights, the sounds
The spectacle

Imagine
The yelling, the whispering, the crying
The chaos

Imagine
The blood, the sweat, the fear
The dying

Imagine
The words, the looks, the love
The forgiveness

Imagine
The finish, the surprise, the peace
The grace

Imagine
The moving on, repairing, beginning again
The life

Imagine

City Wakes

City wakes
Rowers megaphone
Echoes off heritage walls
Walkers, runners, cyclists
Exponentially increase
Trains roll in
Depositing commuters
To their daily toil
Hustle and bustle
Replaced quiet
Devotion of the economy
Kicks in after
Devotion of rest

Recognise Me

“Have the freedom to recognise me where you didn’t expect me; otherwise you aren’t free.” R. Rohr

You appear in so many amazing places;
in the eyes of the homeless young man;
in the culture celebrated on the riverbank;
in the relaxed greetings of friends;
in the students performing to their best ability;
in the listening ear of co-workers;
help me to recognise you in these
people, places, events
where I least expect you;
and in doing so, to be free,
to celebrate you, your existence,
your reality in this world.

Homeless Young Man

Some change for food?
No, I’m sorry
But am I really?
Distrust springs easily
but what about the value
I theoretically believe
is present in each human
Dismissed so easily?

Thought changes
in this case
may lead to
action changes.
Why not invite
him to share a meal?
Would it be such
an inconvenience?
Would it restore hope
& possibly change a life?
Lord, forgive me

Certainty and Possibility

Certainty closes down
Possibility
Possibility opens up
Uncertainty
Uncertainty allows for
Creativity
Creativity challenges
Certainty

Innocence

Preserving innocence
in the young
requires time
and energy.
Will we invest in
their lives, their
present & future
instead of
allowing
the demands of the world
to compete & drain us
of these
precious resources?

Disappointment

Disappointment flows
Like sweat
On a hot humid day

Irritating & annoying
Little
Can be done

Except to wipe the trickles
Away
And wait for more

Eventually the droplets
Will cease
And character

Formed in the disappointment
Appears
As a strong stream of living water

Connection or collection?

We want to connect
but do we just collect
friends, acquaintances, those
whom we can claim some
connection to, but who really
are just part of our collection
of individuals, couples, families
to whom we don’t really connect?

It seems again that
“L” has entered our lives
rather than “N”!

Difficulty

The difficulty
is
in deciding
what is yours and
what is mine.
Time floats by,
or rushes,
depending on the situation.
And calls are made on
me
and life
and priorities.
Deciding to say no
is not simple or easy
yet sometimes
no
is the best answer.

Emotional Directions

Sadness turns to
Disappointment turns to
Frustration turns to
Anger turns to
Resentment.
Not a journey one wishes
to set out on, but inexorably
linked to events in the life
of loved ones.
Changing direction is a slow process
like an ocean liner following
a large curve – it can occur.

So, resentment needs to be recognised
and confessed
anger needs to be expressed
constructively
frustration exercised out
turning to energy
disappointment harnessed
with longing
sadness eased as possibilities
are considered.
A difficult journey
to undertake, with subtle
twists, & turns, incorporating
involvement and effort
Changing directions does occur
bringing life and hope
and a future yet to be seen.