TAKE MY HAND:

“Take my hand,” you said, “I´ll walk you through childhood,”

So I looked into your lovely eyes & then I fully understood,

We walked through the giggles, the laughter & silly games,

And then into adolescence, where nothing stayed the same.

 

“Take my hand,” you said, “then, I shall woo you into love,”

I looked into your lovely eyes & saw the gentleness of doves,

So we wended through wonderland, of lover´s many firsts,

And then into being adults, where teenage bubbles burst.

 

“Take my hand,” you said, “and I shall take you for my wife,”

I looked into your lovely eyes, then, I knew you were my life,

So we ambled through our loving & shared it with our babies,

And into our ageing dotage, to the place of no more maybe´s.

 

“Take my hand,” you said, “and I shall waltz you to the end,”

I looked into your lovely eyes & saw my life´s best friend,

So we danced so very slowly & into God´s sweet breath,

And we had always held hands, from birth until our death.

 

 

 

I HAVE KNOWN:

My time has come, but don´t weep for me,

I have walked, run, flown & sailed upon seas,

I´ve known many lovers & laughed with them all,

Gave my heart to just one & not once did we fall.

 

I´ve waltzed with the wind & tangoed with birds,

Whispered to moonbeams, in words no one´s heard,

I´ve swam naked in rivers, with old bullfrogs & sprites,

And I´ve chanted with Druids, around fires at midnight.

 

I have never known hunger, neither hatred & nor war,

I´m blessed on this earth & couldn’t ask for much more,

I´ve loved deeply & been loved, by the only one I adore,

And sons I have raised, until they found their own door.

 

It is no time for weeping, for I have lived full & so well,

I see heaven now beckons & I´ve no time for told hell,

My roots were deeply planted, well watered & sown,

I am blessed truly, for I know, in this life, I have known.

 

THE WHITE FEATHER:

From warm blooded avian, tossed & soft drifting,

Turning within silence, upon silken breeze, shifting,

Messages gently swirling, from the Angels up above,

And presented by messengers, of gull, tern & dove.

 

Letters from loved ones, who now sleep in death,

Blown down to earth, upon breezes of their breath,

Cradled with love & sent, by thermal´s loose fingers,

Delivered to my heart, where your presence still lingers.

 

FOUR RAVENS FLYING:

Four ravens, flying over sun mantled hills,

Close, tight & together, light on ebony quills,

Dipping in dapples of their summer-time glee,

Just warm sunny silence, the four ravens & me.

 

Season changes as it must, to grey & murky coat,

Upon yonder thermals, just two black specks afloat,

Only two ravens now above, left sad & softly flying,

Other Two, mere shade, with sunshine, went off dying.

 

Then winter blankets all the land, in crisp & snowy white,

Reflected upon bright snow, I see four ravens now in flight,

Welcome back four ravens, though two of you are shadows,

Joyous reflections in sunshine & over white & snowy meadows.

 

 

RAIMENTS OF HONOUR:

Cloth of soutane, toga, black gown & red robe,

Worn by men of intelligence, all over the globe,

In courts of law, classrooms, cathedrals & church,

In high seats of learning & wherever we search.

 

Dons of prestige, imparting unknown knowledge,

Gowned in knowing, of university & old college,

The Lords, judges & lawyers, accusing & defending,

All sentencing on whims & alibis, ever depending.

 

Priests, bishops & Pope, preaching, forgiving & saving,

Garbed in Lord´s words & to sinners, eternity waving,

New souls now solely blessed & the dying safely saved,

Clergy, clearing the path & road to heaven now paved.

 

Raiments of honour & of men steeped in old learning,

Of ancient lore & letters, their entitlements earning,

In serious senates, edifices & church with cold walls,

 Rustle of raiments, passing through history´s long halls.