[Byzantine Bindings]

Monday 3 December 2018

Euphoria*

today
like yesterday
everything is changing
walking forwards looking backwards
smiling.


euphoria (n.)
1727, a physician's term for "condition of feeling healthy and comfortable (especially when sick),"

Thursday 29 November 2018

Morning

Sitting
searching for mind
attending to the breath
marvelling at the dancing leaves
smiling.


Wednesday 14 November 2018

Bank Statement

Autumn
teaching for me
yellow leaf bud green leaf
naming distorts reality
always.

Tuesday 6 November 2018

How cinquains generate themselves

Silence
nothing to say
stillness gets easier
something comes to rest in my soul
gently

Gently
give it all up
in order to gain all
nothing to gain or to give up
easy

Easy
let it all go
release all cherishing
breathing sunlight in the morning
softly

Softly
early winter
morning whispers greeting
making glad the life within me
smiling

Smiling
accept it all
generate compassion
everything is as it should be
wonder




Silence
give it all up
release all cherishing
making glad the life within me
wonder






Monday 5 November 2018

State of the art

Sitting
asking the mind
what are you thinking now
silence in the pure light of bliss
clearness.

I take refuge in the wise ones of all traditions
I take refuge in their teachings and in the paths they have followed
I take refuge in the communities which seek to embody them even to this day
May all beings be free from suffering and creating the causes of suffering
May all beings be happy and create the causes of happiness
May all beings be impartially compassionate towards each other

What seemed like an end
was merely a beginning
the smallest step along the path
at once away from
at once towards
going nowhere
standing still
vast as the cosmos
full of everything
empty of self
impossible to explain
only gratitude remains
here  made manifest
spontaneously
breathing in and out.











Sunday 21 October 2018

Busy

Busy
passing on skills
making a difference
providing opportunities
who knows.


Wednesday 10 October 2018

Cinquain

Morning
another day
what shall I do with it
spend it as if it was the last
happily.

Monday 8 October 2018

Here I am

Reading
takes me so far
practice takes me further
entering the stream makes me wet
freedom.


Saturday 29 September 2018

Views

Stirrings
watching the mind
can I live without views
without them the world goes so fast
settle.

Tuesday 25 September 2018

Last Tuesday

Today is Tuesday
I awoke after a long sleep
brimming with secrets about life.

The secret of happiness
is the middle path,
breathing, and mindfulness.

Taking refuge is important, it’s about direction,
navigation and intention.
Impermanence comes first
really seeing it for yourself,
everything is in a constant state of flux.
I am not what I was yesterday an hour ago or even a second ago.

All this will pass away.
Good bad or indifferent.
Nothing lasts.

Fragile and precious
this one life is a gift
possibility to change one’s mind
to tame the elephant
for the sake of myself and others.

Seeing the truth of things
even through a glass darkly
is a step
perhaps the only step
one takes in life

Not to have an intention
to wander in the mindless valley
is to be prey to that which always lies in wait
constant vigilance
every moment counted

Breathing in and letting go
only this
constantly considering the plight of myself
and others
is all that matters

The world can offer nothing substantial
all foundations are creaking under
the weight of skyscraper theories
built on the shifting desert sand
constantly threatened by angry tides

Beyond all this lies sublime
the truth of things
indescribable true nature
brimming with bright light
welcoming home the weary traveler

The only necessary thing is to
see the truth of things
in the stillness and the silence
when the madness stops
and the fairground lights go out

Nothing outside
only awakening the that which is known
that seed of truth which can only be experienced
watered with constant attention
sunlit with compassion and wisdom
brought to fruition in perfect time.

Prayer
Taking Refuge
I take refuge in the Wise Ones of all traditions
I take refuge in their teachings and the paths they have followed
I take refuge in the communities in which they are embodied even unto this day

Dedication
May all beings be happy and create the causes of happiness.
Free from suffering and from creating the causes of suffering.
Find that blissful happiness.
Attain compassion towards friends and enemies.

Meditation
Spend whatever time in letting go, relaxing, being.

Gratitude
Express gratitude and repeat the Dedication.

or if you like:

Our Father
remind us who we are
give us bread for today
forgive us as we forgive
for we are fragile
but not alone.


Thursday 13 September 2018

Crow in the Red Sky Morning



waking
portents
learning
living

morning red sky
tales from old times
converting things
in the stillness

warning from the shepherds
something in the telling
suffering into joy
soaking in the silence

perhaps there’s something more to it
passed from parents to their children
working with the seeds inside you
giving in to relaxation

wonder
wisdom
breathing
smiling



cawing
raucous sounding
letting the others know
crowing about your achievements
futile

Friday 7 September 2018

Today's Gift...

Walking by the River Yesterday *

Walking
river
silence
flowing
today

by the river
one word too much
thousands of years
needing to talk

considering who dies
teaching me the way home
return to the centre
constant companion
knowing you will hear me

belonging to the universe
bringing me back to the present
many words are never enough
always changing always the same
even after all these years

always
always
silence
true friend
speaking.





* A new way of working was gifted me today. There is a crown cinquain here, it seems it can be all about the layout. Probably hundreds of cinquains can be composed from these lines. I need to do the maths.
Fortunately an email to the kind owner of the site http://www.askamathematician.com revealed the answer is to be 120 or 5 factorial (5!).

Wednesday 5 September 2018

Same Path - New every day...

Three jewels
new day unfolding
where did yesterday go
certainty melts with the morning
renew.

Friday 31 August 2018

Practice - nothing new here...

thirsty
seeking water
sitting by the river
wondering how to slake my thirst
easy

easy
who is thirsty
where does thirsty reside
drinking water no attachment
simply

simply
looking deeply
into the river’s heart
everything revealed in water
in time

in time
all is revealed
practice is the dharma
everything reveals the sangha
buddha

buddha
deep within me
positive seeds of love
meditation gently waters
growing

thirsty
who is thirsty
into the river’s heart
everything reveals the sangha
growing


Commentary.

thirsty
The cinquain opens with the word thirsty which indicates the senses and needs of a person a sentient being.

who is thirsty
The second line asks the question who is it that experiences thirst? Where does thirst reside?

into the river’s heart
The heart of the river is water, the essence of everything is its true source; its true nature. The true nature of all things is interdependent co-arising. Without this, no that, without that, no this. Because of that, this, because of this, that. The heart of the river is the experience of unsatisfactoriness, the human condition. 
The cause of unsatisfactoriness; false self-identification. The idea of an independent I.
I want what I haven’t got; attraction. 
I don’t like what I have got; aversion. 
When I get what I want I fear I will lose it. Realising change is inevitable fear arises as I imagine losing that which I have; impermanence. 
I lose what I have, things don’t go my way, people upset me; anger.
All this stems from views. When this I separates itself from the rest of the world using terms like ‘me’ ‘mine’ and so on, the idea of an independent self  becomes consolidated. It’s fragility causes it to become defensive; it is a concept based on sand and doesn’t bear scrutiny.
Where is the I? Where does it reside? Looking deeply, which means meditating, which means relaxing and letting go reveals only  non - I  elements. A list of elements which are not I; blood, bones, skin, hair, memories, history, genes, etc. The list is endless. Of course it is, because I am timeless, endless. There was no time before these elements were not abiding in the universe there will be no time beyond which these elements will not exist. These elements always existed, I didn’t come from nowhere, I was not born and cannot die. This does not mean that I am insubstantial, it means that when the conditions necessary for me to be here arose  - here I am! When these same conditions withdraw, there I go. But nothing comes and nothing goes.

everything reveals the sangha
Looking into my breakfast bowl I am constantly amazed and reminded of the whole universe being present there, every body and everything is there. My mind boggles when I start the journey of thanksgiving to all the people involved in it appearing on the table. Eventually it encompasses every living being, every person who ever lived every thing that ever existed, I can truly see the sacredness in this little bowl of food. It encourages me to eat it mindfully, remembering the preciousness of this human life and those for whom this luxury is a dream. 

growing
In the garden I watch the seed emerge from the deep darkness of the soil. As a seedling it is vulnerable, with water and protection it grows into a young plant. It flourishes into a beautiful plant fulfilling its potential and gifting the world with its good grace. After a while it produces seed itself which falls to the earth. Later its own body ages and collapses into the ground. Broken down it becomes what it always was the earth which provides the conditions for future life. Only water and a little heat are required, necessary conditions, for the whole process to keep going.
Practice; sitting, resting, calm abiding are the the necessary conditions for realisation to grow and manifest.


Nothing new here…

The Buddha said.

“When the Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths he repeated them three times, expanding them successively.

First he said, 
“There is suffering in this world. 
There are causes of this suffering. 
There is cessation of suffering, and there are ways to reach the cessation of suffering.”

Then he said, 
“There is suffering in this world, one has to understand it. 
There are causes of this suffering, and one has to eliminate them. 
There is cessation of suffering, and one has to attain it. 
There are ways to reach the cessation of suffering, and one has to work upon them.” 

The third time he said,
 “There is suffering in this world, one has to understand it, but actually there is nothing to understand. 
There are causes of this suffering, and one has to eliminate them, but actually there is nothing to eliminate. 
There is cessation of suffering, and one has to attain it, but actually there is nothing to attain. 
There are ways to reach the cessation of suffering, and one has to work upon them, but actually there is nothing to work upon.”

This was the first teaching of the Buddha, which he gave at Sarnath to his first five disciples: Kaundinya, Bhaddiya, Vappa, Mahanama, and Asvajit.” *



*Tulku, R. and Fuchs, R. (2005). Daring Steps Toward Fearlessness: The Three Vehicles of Buddhism. Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca, N.Y.

Tuesday 28 August 2018

And on into the sunset...

Making
in the morning
happiness comes to me
ocean knows it’s really water
sharing.

Yesterday
I saw the land
across the miles
golden sunny valley
smiling
up early
yoga
meditation
breakfast
working on the allotted space
tea ceremony slowing down
returning to the long term plans
lunch
short term plans
reading
resting
reflecting
tea
resting
bed by ten pm
it’s a plan at least.

Saturday 25 August 2018

Perspective

Pencils

It's interesting how I made a plan to collect all the pencils I could find before I went out and bought more that I couldn't possibly start botanical illustrations without. I'll probably try to get by with the 133 that I found. Same with the paper, the graphite, erasers; and don't get me started on the pens, paints and brushes. Always acquiring, frightened of succeeding at trying and failing. 




Tuesday 21 August 2018

First signs

Geese flying south
making their way to somewhere

I used to think romantically
they were flying miles and miles
south for winter

they were

about 4
four miles
as the goose flies

to a local park

called a moult migration
the urge to go
even though it's not that cold.

Monday 20 August 2018

And in the garden secretly...

Miracle
deep inside
knowing

sadly ignored
over the years
sought
solace of some sort

outside
now
inside the outside
it all begins to make sense

a feeling
grace or some-such
stayed by me
walked with me
smiling at the twists and turns

knowing only I could
walk the path of my life

absolutely no persuasion
freedom to, "Fail again. Fail better."

Failing better is turning to 
see yesterday smile back
at you with compassion.


Sunday 19 August 2018

Change

Ready
days grow shorter
easing out of summer
enough that the traces are felt
passing.


Out of:

ready
autumn morning
shortening day dawning
some things are becoming clearer
slowly

slowly
days grow shorter
time unfolding moments
nature of things gently revealed
autumn

autumn
gathers her clothes
easing out of summer
changes into something warmer
smiling

smiling
fond memories
but no need to hang on
enough that the traces are felt
kindly

kindly
look in the eye
watch the days grow cooler
loving each and every season
passing



Friday 17 August 2018

Eh?

What can't speak...
Today at least there's nothing on the bench. A good tidy up yesterday saw to that. Ready to finish off the latest Byzantine Book.

What's on the Bench?

Monday 13 August 2018

What's on the Bench? - Shreds of Evidence

Shreds of Evidence

You are invited to a public view of

Shreds of Evidence






Front


Inside
All

Sunday 12 August 2018

Time to let go of the hand rail and walk out into the deep water.

Maybe
it’s all a con
did you ever think it
what you do to keep things normal
daily.


Complexity overloading the system
requiring  dramatic solutions
seeking simplicity
rain falls
following ancient courses
gathering information
water memories return
bringing messages harvested from
the source
attempting to right the course
despite our best efforts
the planet is unsustainable
entropic forces prevail
taming the mind key
to how past is fixed.

Sunday 5 August 2018

Out of the dream

What’s that
heard on the wind
about salt losing taste
impossible you say let’s see
listen.

Sunday 15 July 2018

Right Views Dream-Sequence ii


face to face with students
gathered together 
some resources
books
mainly
said you sort it out
given little direction
I didn’t know either
just knew it was possible
a chance to grasp something
unknown
in came the light
eventually
deep feeling of gratitude

knowing about 
and knowing
there’s really only practice.

everything else is fluff

Friday 13 July 2018

Dream-Sequence i

On a course, lots of people, lots of energy, lots of sharing.
Really getting down to something -
from the beginning
In a church St Paul’s Chorley, Oxford, joined a service, Anglican, at least four services going on at the same time, lots of white vestments, lots of noise, lots of people in the congregation all following different services at the same time - confusion
Suddenly face to face
with a priest, asking hime if god truly forgives all sin, he turns aside and then, in a sermon quotes the bible: “Isaiah 43:25 "I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” -
somehow I am convinced.

Allotment Musing

Of course
no one is here
sitting in the garden
embracing the whole universe
smiling.

Tuesday 10 July 2018

Drowsy

On hold
wandering off
losing reality
imagining another world
dreaming.

Sometimes
all to frequently
getting sidetracked
railroaded
lure of bright lights
almost too late
timely intervention
messengers come to my aid
leaving no trace
no calling card
brushing my soul
reminding me
of who I am
graceful beings
of eternal goodness and light
swimming against the tide
to rescue me.








Sunday 24 June 2018

Paths Through the Forest


insight
mind’s true nature
revealed in silences
experienced when slowing down
daily

Asking my mind; 
‘Dear Mind, show me what you are thinking.’ 

Nothing is there, 
spotless mirror, 
still pond, 
clear light, 
peacefulness - 
emptiness.

thoughts arise
pebbles
disturb the pond
mind chases ripples 
leaping 
from
attachment 
to 
aversion
offering themselves
as possibilities
mind's true nature
sees the truth
and is set free.

Monday 18 June 2018

Mid Terms

solstice
year’s turning
looking forward or back
trying to stay in the moment
resting


disturbed by enthusiasm
surety
angry at the lack of good grace
envious perhaps
something comes
with advancing years 
catching me unawares
long silences
punctuated with 
insights revealing
jewels
glowing within

there is only none thing worse 
than wrestling with the notion of self
wrestling with the notion of no-self

and the people said,
“Amen!”






Wednesday 13 June 2018

Discovering

Always
seeking something
looking everywhere else
all the time it is in my heart
weeping.

Tuesday 12 June 2018

They said...

It was nothing like
they said
but they had to
say something
or say nothing

I still haven’t seen it
full face
empty mirrored
glimpses perhaps fragments -
YES!

now at least I know
it wasn’t what I was looking for
I can start again
as always
in the darkness.

Friday 8 June 2018

Not Knowing What to Say...

Sometimes
it's good
not knowing
what to say

letting the words
trickle out
of the fingers
one at a time

letter by letter
it seems to happen automatically when the springs-wheels-weights-pulleys-muscles-bones-nerves-sinew-internal-organs-brain-mind-ancestors-descendants
all seem to align

but really
it's all a matter

... it's best to say nothing
sit in the garden
waiting for the rain to stop.



Monday 4 June 2018

Soul Gardening

"Inside every one of us is a garden, and every
practitioner has to go back to their garden and take care
of it. Maybe in the past, you left it untended for a long
time. You should know exactly what is going on in 
your own garden, and try to put everything in order.
Restore the beauty; restore the harmony in your 
garden. If it is well tended, many people 
will enjoy your garden."*





*Hanh, T. N. (2005). Taming the Tiger within by Thich Nhat Hanh. The Berkley Publishing Group, New York. (p.93)

Saturday 2 June 2018

No Self


Today
a miracle
looking at the anger
trying to locate it within me
failing.

I said, “Hello anger, I recognise you my dear friend, thank you for coming to me today. 
I see your pain and suffering and I am sorry for any part I have played in it.
I will help transform you into endless compassion for the good of everything and everyone.

Breathing in I asked,
Dear toes is the anger in you?
Breathing out  they replied,
“There is no anger here.”
Dear toe nail is the anger in you
“There is no anger here.”
Dear ankles is the anger in you?
“There is no anger here.”
Dear shins is the anger in you?
“There is no anger here.”
Dear knees is the anger in you?
“There is no anger here.”
I worked through my skeletal system
my skin, muscles, organs, hair, teeth
no part of me was left out
and nowhere could I find the anger.

By now I was now calm.
Continuing to be aware of each in and out breath
I became peaceful
noticing the bee and the foxglove
the blue tit and the drainpipe.

For the first time
I put the teachings into practice
walked the path
towards Right Views
smiling as I asked my hairy beard,
"Dear hairy beard is the anger in you?"
“There is no anger here.”


I asked anger, “Dear anger where are you?’
There was no answer. 

Thursday 31 May 2018

...this apparently

Sadness
is a feeling
a feeling which fills me
emptiness beyond consoling.

Trinity
The dragon and the teapot come to play
"There's something you should know."
they say with one harmonious voice,
"For there to be emptiness there has to be a self
there is no independent self.”
Dragon pours tea
cup gives thanks and drinks
teapot isn't less
cup isn't more.

Looking deeply
seeing inter-is-ness
all is well
for all is one
separation and suffering occur
when notions of self arise.

Conditions
conditions arise
manifestation happens
conditions withdraw
manifestation ceases
because of that
this.

Sadness
is wanting things to be other
they aren't
they are as they are
momentary without moments
everything is as it should be
endlessly.


Words
frail words fail the task
unable to lend silence a voice
for which it never asked.

Silence
silence says it all.

Experience
there's experience
and there's explanation
acres of misunderstanding and confusion
between the two.

My guardian angel says I'd better do some weeding or bookbinding now.
I walk to the allotment; the bookbinding can wait until this afternoon's rain.















Monday 28 May 2018

Whatever next?

Wonder
technology
in the blink of an eye
printing out the wonderful words
simply.



Friday 18 May 2018

Dharma

Right views
all in the mind
this is because of that
neither the same nor different
clearing.

Sunday 13 May 2018

Plaiting through the Logjam of Doubt


Open
morning prayer speaks
tickled by the spirit
encouraged to revise the words
enriched.



Stuck
who knows why
everything aligned
motivation lacking
just get on
two hours should do it
make the fastenings
it’s the aversion to leather that’s doing it
even though it’s a by-product…


Stuckdom to Freedom


...breakthrough
activity frees the logjam of doubt
in the mind
just for it’s own sake 
progress
free.




Saturday 12 May 2018

In the Company of Angels

Early
in the morning
focusing on the breath
discovering more within me
at last.

Almost
imperceptibly
without fuss
something happens
like time
but smoother
without tick tock
of gears and wheels
to break the silence
deftly
making itself known
in the silence
relinquishing any
sense of self
openness
smiles in the morning sun
enshrining everything
enfolding birdsong
expanding soulspace
invokes the litany of saints.

Friday 11 May 2018

Dream-sequence (i)





Waking
Leda and the swan
but the head rises
above the green algae
nobly gliding across the lake
Clytemnestra’s cat
beloved of the muse
making a late entrance
on the lips of a stranger
whispering secret stories
forbidden urges
dangerous liaisons
and tea in the portacabin
whilst researching the myth.




Image. (n.d.). Retrieved May 10, 2018 from : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyra#/media/File:Sidney_Hall_-_Urania%27s_Mirror_-_Lacerta,_Cygnus,_Lyra,_Vulpecula_and_Anser.jpg



Thursday 10 May 2018

Listening to the Music

Thinking
is not doing
this is obvious but
it’s easier to think than do
why’s that?

two hours
gone by like that
oh what I could have done
what lesson will I learn from this
today

simple
trust myself more
become more disciplined
following the flow of my heart
gently

question
ugly voices
listen to the music
soaring in the depths of my soul
onward

focus
on the present
listening mindfully
dismissing that which smells of death
for now.

Wednesday 9 May 2018

The Great Anchor of Breath

Disease
comes from thinking
mind takes over control
always come back to the breathing
gently.





When I think it’s all over
salt is losing its taste
morning comes early to greet me
body tells me more sleep is needed
but mind races away through the day ahead
the past and the regrets
the more I try to stop it the more it races 
into this sea of raging chaos 
drop the anchor of breath
returning to the moment 
slowly a sense of proportion 
begins to establishes itself
calm begins to return
two hours pass
mind is calm
body refreshed
the process reveals itself
"nothing can thy power withstand
none shall pluck me from thy hand" 1



1 Loving Shepherd of Thy Sheep, Jane Eliza Leeson (1808 - 1881)

Saturday 5 May 2018

The Way Things Are

Right now
is all there is
to do the will of God
however you conceive that word
stay true


there is no way to pray
learning to pray is praying
praying is the way to prayer
being unable to pray is praying
love
freedom
happiness
peace
the same
there is no me here and happiness there
me here and peace there
me here and love there
me here and prayer there
me here and freedom there
all is one and one is all
simultaneously
timeless
only mind needs division
to produce ego
false sense of identity
the river the sea the cloud are all one
and the same
separated only by the mind
this I see
this I know

falling
nothing special
get up and walk again
forgive as you forgive others
gladly.

Friday 4 May 2018

Change in the Wind



Roots



Deep down
I know the truth
in ways which escape me
in stillness and silence revealed
gently.




It’s all getting a bit too much now
the dusting, sharpening, showing and making
even the allotment wants to look unkempt
but there are values
or ways
lines
along which
life can naturally run
left to it’s own devices
naturally
fulfilling potential
without expectation
or pressure
of any kind
flowing
the river completes its circuit
the cherry blossoms
the worm turns
birds nest
the sun rises and sets
leaving me to wonder about my part in it all
about fate and destiny
choice and discernment
action and inactivity
sitting with the questions
exploring interbeing
interconnectedness
how I interam
and interbe.



Thursday 3 May 2018

Futurity and the Present Moment

Today
is all I have
me the person I am
containing and contained in all
presence.

Things get harder
pile up
become trouble
effort
need planning
sorting
what once was effortless
now seems uphill
ideally there would be less plates
in the air
enabling focus
letting go isn’t easy
the drive is to do more not less
but how will it all be resolved before death?

Feeling the `shortness of the tether’1
straining on the lead is not perhaps
the most appropriate response
death’s inevitable wintry lead
worn loosely about the neck
becomes a familiar friend
rather than an adversary
ceases to be a restraint
more a fact of life
perhaps an elder
sister
brother
co-joined at conception
gently reminding us of
this one precious life
and how we might
bumble along together
learning from each other
in this late autumn
of wind and ever more
falling leaves.

and

"Happy work is best done by the man who takes his long-term plans somewhat lightly and works from moment to moment "as to the Lord". It is only our daily bread that we are encourage to ask for. The present is the only time in which any duty can be done or any grace received."1


1. C.S Lewis, Learning in War-Time http://bradleyggreen.com/attachments/Lewis.Learning%20in%20War-Time.pdf accesed 03/05/2018.
My 

Wednesday 2 May 2018

Ancestral Landscape.



River
gathering place
the family meet again
all life is here in this moment
precious.


Almost daily
walking to or from the city
passing the place where first
the river spoke to me
hearing my father in the rills
trills and permanently changing
scene
stopping a while seeking
neither consolation
or confirmation
being with more than enough
to remind me
recollection
centres
anchors the chaos.

You see,
the time is coming
when salt loses its taste
as predicted
all human life is there
the rants, raves, loves and desires
documented for all
nothing new under the sun
all is vanity
and in the end harvest
to be turned over
until like lifeless wheat
becomes the means of life
crushed grape
converts the mood.

At first we thought in straight lines
it made sense fitted the evidence
but then
upon further investigation
light bent
gravity won
and everything became relative
related in a joyful death
in which nothing could be lost
to a God who counted sparrows.

Returning again
and again
discovering new songs
along old paths
happiness these days
comes not so much
as a feeling
but as a deep knowing
no longer searched for
presents itself silently now
with generous grace
drawing up alongside life
and I at last belong
where I always did.

Sunday 29 April 2018

Something...


Something
walking the beach
hawk in the bush calls out
horses discussing the outcome
knowing.

Wednesday 25 April 2018

In need of a merry tune


Dreaming
reality
confusion waking up
wondering just where I have been

or am.



Complexity of life
solutions reveal
unintended outcomes
action breeds
inactivity
begets
entropic states
original mind
leave it alone
watch the continuous 
manifestation of spontaneity
interference 
in the flow
produces pools
of stagnation
mirages of tranquillity 
illusions of reality
other than truth
the gold
swam through our fingers
we missed it.





Tuesday 24 April 2018

Wondering in the World of In-between.

Didn’t we have a lovely time…
we being the operative word
as usual I was on my own as I always had been
the curse of the romantic…
hold it there a minute 
“The Curse of the Romantic”

It’s probably about living in a parallel world and missing out on the real world.

Real world
living close by
feeling your breath near me
aching to be in your presence
sunlight.

Meanwhile
walking long roads
in search of some meaning
listen to the skylark singing
echo.

Yes, there will be projects left unfinished
time will catch me out
and I’m not one to deprive death 
of her comforts
but in the time remaining
as sense of grace regaining
equilibrium maintaining
sailing to Byzantium.

Perhaps that’s me
unconsciously
sailing to Byzantium
binding myself
unaware
last chance
let go
enjoy it all
without any need
soon the show will be over
but before the final curtain
a reprise 
no encore 
not this time
but yes a reprise
surely
I won’t be denied that
walking along a familiar path
for the first time
hand in hand with Eliot
and those who went before
no evidence
presented 
standing in the dock
neither for prosecution 
or
in defence
just going for the sake of it
to wander
flaneur with Yeats
ABABABCC.




Don’t push it
trying to make it into something that it’s not
the big eyed unlikeliness of it all
that is the wonder
there is all
keep at it
listening to the music
try to keep in step
but
don’t worry about the toes of others
or how 
with seeming gifted other
muse
they wheel and whorl 
about the dance floor
this is it
and it is shorter than it was
before
soar and drink the air
love it all
and more
let it love you back
embracing you
the way you dreamed
it would 
somewhere forgotten 
but not lost.




Monday 23 April 2018

Opening the gates...

Morning
disappointing
breathing in the sunshine
dreams are clinging onto nighttime 
tightly.

Sometimes
waking up feels like leaving a reality
to which I belong more than here
something clings alright
more than imagination
feeling like sheol
everything has a half life
passing that moment 
realising that broken mornings
promises
dreams
run in and out of each other's houses
laughing as they go.

That’s the way
let something like intuition
queen of the senses
meet with reason
let there be communion 
commingling 
let substances flow
uninhibited 
leave the birth to genetic chance
upbring the child
with current social mores
think nothing of the future
or past
only the present moment
see the wonder in its eyes
at licking the spoon
stirring the mixture 
laughing in the face of certainty
now who wins
in this game of life
no one
still
the lesson learned
applied to all
freely given 
in ways now understood by all
go and find out for yourself
answer to no one 
answer to all
in the small parts 
see the whole
as it was in the beginning 
is now
and will be forever
water gathered in a child’s fishing net
little pool
little song
away in a manger
time to go
dip your finger in the stoop
and bless yourself
against
all possibilities 
of ever needing to
be led into temptation
mother calls
time to wash your hands and come for tea
another day sinks into the sunset
wonder and awe settle down again
as night clouds draw the curtain
on another day
is that it
survival shelter food
sex.



Warmed up
ready to go
climb aboard the express
see the other eager faces
waiting.