Life.

Ssssshhhhh.....just listen.
Hear that?
That is the sound of life.
Did you hear it?
Try again.
Ssssshhhh....try harder.
heard it ...?
No?.
Close your eyes.
Sit perfectly still.
Listen to the background.
Listen.
Heard it now?
Good.
Remember it.
For it is all around you.
It's the true story.
Not the fiction you make of it.
It's real.

I came upon a wishing tree.

Just for a little fun... !

I came upon a wishing tree
Whilst walking out one day
It spoke to me as i passed by
It had a lot to say

"Dear boy" says tree with deepest tone
"Your brow looks like my bark!
Such frown you wear upon your face
What thoughts think you so dark?"

Startled by a tree that talks
I stopped dead in my tracks
"How does a tree so talk to me?"
I needed all the facts.

"As i declare don't think me rude
That i must stop and stare,
For tree's that speak confuse me so,
In fact it's awfully rare !"

The tree just laughed as well he might
For i was stood aghast,
He chortled "I'm the first you'll see
And certainly the last !"

"Well" says I "if truth be told
My brow is very furrowed,
For life has taken me to task
My luck has all been borrowed"

"Well here's the thing" said wishing tree,
"Come hither and be jolly,
For I grant wishes one,two,three
Though lose them at your folly"

So wishes 3 i made for me
My life changed in a second
So take advice and be so nice
To wishing tree when beckoned !.

My friend The Bed...

There it sits in quiet state,
I'll never have a better mate

It tends my needs from night to morn
It holds me firm and keeps me warm

Oh my bed a pleasant place
To shelter from the human race

A quiet corner where i hide
leaves me feeling warm inside

I snuggle in this gorgeous place
The duvet just below my face

And worry not of things gone by
That made me laugh or made me cry

But simply while away the time
surfing life in sweet sublime...

For nothing can assault the senses
watching sheep as they jump fences

My bed is sanctuary unknown
A place to call my very own

I rest my head and float away
Another dream has come to play

So when I'm torn and hassled so
My friend the bed...the place to go

Don't miss out.

If you don't look you wont see
If you don't touch you wont feel
If you don't walk you wont get there
If you run you may trip
If you don't think.. it wont happen
If you don't fight you will stop
If you don't love you wont be loved
If you do you may not.
If you don't live you will die
If you don't laugh you will cry
If you don't listen you wont hear
If you don't read.... you missed this advice.

The Weapon of Solitude

A lonely walk to bedroom cold
Just lying there to grow so old
No warmth from heart entwined with mine
No special hugs my soul to dine,
Just sorry thoughts and empty silence
Hurt so bad, by lonely violence,
Alas such feelings cant be shown
For that would break a happy home
But lying here for one more night
Brings one less day that i can fight
To save whats left of who i am
And stop her crazy master plan
I'm almost lost for all to see
For underneath this all.. it's me
Will I survive and learn to live?
Pray God... for I have much to give.

It is but a pen.

In battle zone I met a man, all rags and face of pain
I stopped awhile and spoke his tongue, he never gave his name,
"What ails you sir i spoke with zest why does life treat you so?
Your face unshaven clothes all torn and nowhere left to go,"

He spoke in softest tone on life, surprised at what I'd said,
"I have but words to tell my tale a writer born and bred,
I dared to speak of right and wrong and stood for all that's right,
I spoke of men and guns and wars and warned all those who'd fight".

"Then lines of soldiers past my way and threw me to the floor
They tore my clothes and spat at me and cursed my writing more,
I was chained and maniculed, imprisoned for such views,
By men who yearn to kill and maim, we few who spread such news".

"So there i sat in prison cell, words came to my salvation,
My mind still active full of thoughts on how to save this nation,
Then time passed onwards, shooting stopped outside the silence came,
A key then heard in cell door lock saw freedom once again".

The writer glanced from where he lay one eye cocked to the sun
The warmth engulfed his tired limbs, from beatings he was numb,
"The truth i chant in verse and rhyme for all to choke and eat,
Such words not welcome hereabouts thrown down at general's feet ".

"I stood alone and faced the crowds with words my only gun
Above the cries of blood and hate their hearts i thought i'd won
But little did i guess you see how ignorance can spread,
And that my words were such a threat that they should want me dead".

I helped the writer to his feet his frame so weak and frail
A consequence of standing firm whilst locked away in jail
"One thing" said i "before you leave, pray tell what drives you then?"
Without a second thought he smiled and whispered ".. it's my pen"   

Daddy's girl...

For Dad's.


I lay beside my daddy as he spoke with softest tone
The words that I remembered well when i was far from home

He whispered soft and tenderly as we just cuddled tight
"Whenever you just need a friend in deepest darkest night,"

"Just close your eyes and lay your head and gently drift away
And take for granted I am there as promised, every day",

For Daddy's never far away, he never loses track
Of where his little girl may be, or when she's coming back

And as I gaze at tired eyes, the years have passed us by
That look of love's still burning there, enough to make me cry

But now he lays his tired head to rest a final time
I stroke his greying hair so soft as once he tended mine

I lay beside him one more time as we so often would
and whispered 'Dad I love you so" and "yes I will be good..."

Though Angels now protect his soul and lift it to on high
I know we'll cuddle once again, my Daddy wouldn't lie.

And yes the tears replace the smiles in each and every way,
But I just know he'll still be there, ..as promised.. every day.   

A light went out today.

For a very good friend of mine x


A light went out today
It's all that i can say
A light that shone so brightly
A light that held me tightly

A light went out today
Took part of me away,
Beside me on my every walk
An understanding without talk

A light went out today
No more for us to play,
A collar sits on single hook
No better friend God could have took

A light went out today
And no, I'm not ok,
Just give me time to grieve
As best friends shouldn't leave.

For giving love without exception
Coming home to your reception
Being there when hugs were due
For loyalty... and being you.

A light went out today,
That's all I want to say.

Speak? Not I.

You turn your back and walk away
Refuse to speak or even take the calls
A lonely existence ensues
Your mind convincing you it's right
Your heart locked down in cellar tight
A silence that can deafen it's call is so loud
Yet pride won't have it any other way,
A right of passage for your generation
How dare parents stop your celebration
You will show them.
But filter out the background noise
That pride can lift as if a veil on truth
Listen with all your might, listen,
For just a split second you may catch
A sobbing sound that you can match,
Another heart in cellar bound.
And so the madness of silence continues.
Pride has won the day.

Maketh the man.

"The wind is lazy, cold today"
"It cuts straight through you" Dad would say,

It took my breath and made me gasp,
As dad's huge hand I reached to grasp.

That reassurance seemed required,
As on we walked though I grew tired.

We stopped the odd time, caught our breath,
That heartless wind chilled us to death.

Though the walk seemed tough to bear,
We strode on fearless. Not a care.

For here we were amongst old friends,
That distant view that never ends.

Such beauty overwhelmed our being,
Our Shropshire hill's a sight for seeing

We stood there just my Dad and I,
No words were needed, ...by and by.
 
A timeless moment,  not a sound,
Just chilling breeze now all around.

A moment out, of lifetimes toil,
A memory no man could spoil.

For these are thoughts that make me so,
A life that I am blessed to know.