Sail Away

She waits as dawn approaches... tales of the sea, and the gale winds approaching. Gently tossed to and fro, she cools her heels in the folk lore of the morning. They will come, of that she is sure. Yea, she hangs her hat on it.

And when she has been spent for the day, as the gloaming looms in the distance, tis there she scatters her pinings to the wind. The morrow has quickly cast her into the dusky shadows ahead, where she will rock, gently tossed to and fro, awaiting her next venture out to sea...

For Wyatt

nayberg.org

Your hands smell of fish

Little man

I can barely keep up

Places where you once ran

"He's just a boy"

I sing to the world

"Offer up your praises

Your affections, where he began"

He's just a boy

Sweet thing

Soon he'll reach for the stars

And defy everything

He'll climb and fall

He'll scrape his knee

And I'll smile and I'll

Feign umbrage,

Because you see

He's just a boy...

Red on Gray

Red on Gray

Tapping on my window pane

It's cold, do I even care?

The windows all covered in frost

Do you think you're bringing hope?

 

Red on Gray

Like a Soviet banner

Love, on cold pavement

The barreness of Russia

What do you think your love is?

 

Bright red tendrils

Unfurling in the wind

Don't force love on me

Should I bow to you?

 

Well I won't.....

 

As a Child

 

As a child

Gazing out my window

In the blue black of night

I regarded you

 

You were all… white lights

And royal navy sky

Champagne flutes

And sparkles

 

As a child

You held brilliance In your hand

Peals of laughter

A vision of grandeur

 

If only I could wipe
those stars from my eyes
If only I could remain

… As a child

Death at Sea

Walfrido Garcia

Black sea at midnight
Your waves are so inviting
Swirling stillness all around
Where dark thoughts are hiding.

Ensconced in royal velvet
Whispers in the night
Drink the cup of painless death
And it will be alright.

Oh my beautiful dark sea
And diamond studded sky
Your quiet strength reminds me
What, oh God, am I?


Sadness of the soul....we've all been there. I wrote this poem one night at the beach, with all of these thoughts swirling around in my head. I wanted to walk out into the black sea and never come back. But as the dark waves splashed on my feet, it felt like God had just poured Himself over me. And I knew then that walking out into the waves could only engulf me in God's love. God was the water. God was the smathering of stars in the sky, and God was the big bright moon rippling stoically along the capped waves. All I needed the whole time, the answer to my angst, was more of God. Are you in that lonely place? Let God wash you in His Love...

"Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
If I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
If I settle on the far side of the sea,

Even there your hand will guide me,
Your right hand will hold me fast." (Ps 139:7-10)

The Beach

White clouds and seagulls

Soaring high and lofty
Teal colored waters
Dancing wild and frothy

Cinnamon sugar beaches
Leave a dusting on my toes
And where the Spirit leads
Like crashing waves I'll flow

Follow

Let the river rock you like a cradle
Climb to the treetops, child, if you're able
Let your hands tie a knot across the table.
Come and touch the things you cannot feel.

And close your fingertips and fly where I can't hold you
Let the sun-rain fall and let the dewy clouds enfold you
And maybe you can sing to me the words I just told you,
If all the things you feel ain't what they seem.
And don't mind me 'cos I ain't nothin' but a dream.

The mocking bird sings each different song
Each song has wings - they won't stay long.
Do those who hear think he's doing wrong?
While the church bell tolls its one-note song
And the school bell is tinkling to the throng.
Come here where your ears cannot hear.

And close your eyes, child, and listen to what I'll tell you
Follow in the darkest night the sounds that may impel you
And the song that I am singing may disturb or serve to quell you
If all the sounds you hear ain't what they seem,
Then don't mind me 'cos I ain't nothin' but a dream

The rising smell of fresh-cut grass
Smothered cities choke and yell with fuming gas
I hold some grapes up to the sun
And their flavour breaks upon my tongue.
With eager tongues we taste our strife
And fill our lungs with seas of life.
Come taste and smell the waters of our time.

And close your lips, child, so softly I might kiss you,
Let your flower perfume out and let the winds caress you.
As I walk on through the garden, I am hoping I don't miss you
If all the things you taste ain't what they seem,
Then don't mind me 'cos I ain't nothin' but a dream .

The sun and moon both arise
And we'll see them soon through days and nights
But now silver leaves are mirrors, bring delights.
And the colours of your eyes are fiery bright,
While darkness blinds the skies with all its light.
Come see where your eyes cannot see.

And close your eyes, child, and look at what I'll show you;
Let your mind go reeling out and let the breezes blow you,
And maybe when we meet then suddenly I will know you.
If all the things you see ain't
quite what they seem,
Then don't mind me 'cos I ain't nothin' but a dream .
And you can follow; And you can follow; follow...

As far as I'm concerned, this is one of the most beautiful poems ever written.
It's sung by Richie Havens.

Campfire

Cracklin' fire
Neath' a canopy of trees
Big bright moon
Shining in between the leaves

Pitch black sky
'Cept a smathering of stars
Break out the bubbly
And the Cuban cigars

Breathe in deep
All that smoky cedar wood
This is nature at its finest

Life has never been so good!

The Cormorant

Curious teal blue eyes

With tufts of hair above

Will you bite my outstretched hand,

Or can you accept love?

Forlornly on the shore

You sit in solitude

Your hour is fast approaching

And I understand your mood.

Non-chalant cormorant

What am I to do?

Last week at the beach, I saw this cormorant sitting in the sand. He must have been sick or wounded. I asked the park ranger to help him, but he said since the cormorant isn't an endangered species, there was nothing he could do. The cormorant died an hour later.

The Journey

The long and winding road
Stretches out before us
With heartache or happiness
At every turn.
You have one wing
For the journey
And I have the other.
Together we will reach new heights
And we will soar over the timeless
Journey of life
On the wings of love...

Prettify

Prettify the sky

Streaming hazel and ginger

In the sweet by and by

Cotton candy clouds linger

Prettify the sea

Azure ripples set sail

In the dusky orange breeze

The sweet nectar of ale

Prettify my love

Let it linger and grow

Like a gift from above

To the earth's depths below

Prettify...

Trail of Tears

The haunting flute of the Indian
Whispers and weaves through The reeds
And there The Great Spirit Travails
For all of the white man's Misdeeds.Where the natives have Languished and lingered
Before their great trail of tears
You can still hear their voices Cry out
From the earth, lo, for all of These years.Bang the drum where their Voices now carry
Light a fire to signal on high
The Great Spirit still grieves For the red man
If you listen you might hear Him cry.

"If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that he gets justice."

(2 Sam 15:4)

New Life

Springing green
In this new season
When there is no
Rhyme or Reason.

New life comes
As buds unfurl
Each new leaf
A Priceless Pearl.

Silent Snowfall

When the storms of life weigh heavily on your shoulders, and you grow weary in holding up your branches, it is then you must look within. In the dead of winter, new life is sprouting tender seeds, and that which appears to be withered and dead on the outside is sputtering and stretching with life-giving promises within. Only God could grow this kind of love...

Vines

Tender clinging vines hanging idly in the wood
I secretly peer, daring to DREAM

What temptations will I fall into
when I fall into your arms ?

You yaw and sprawl, sprouting into delicate tendrils
I spy through the window pane

DUSK falls and turns to cimmerian shades
And you change, you change...

Safe behind my window pane
Apprehension grips my Heart

No! you tempting, clinging vines
It is cold in your world And I would be lost in your arms

FOR there is only one Tree and One Vine
And HE is my refuge

WAR

In Silence
They witnessed injustice
In anger
They followed its course
The whole earth in labor
Gives birth to despair
And wallows in fields of remorse.

No longer to dream
Of the future
Or hang all their hopes
On tomorrow
Lo, death and despair
Have followed them there
And wrapped all their
Promise in sorrow.

Yellow Leaf

The sky all grey and smokyA lonely autumn dayI gingerly step outUnsure of how to pray.

A single yellow leaf

Floats across the sky
In quiet desperation

I watch it sailing by.

My heart, in scattered pieces

Soars with the yellow leaf
Though sorrow is my comfort

Its stay here is but brief.

Nowhere

Feels like I’m floating with no ground to stand on

I’m not here nor there and there's nothing to land on.

Feels like I’m drifting with no hope of landing

So God I just pray you give me understanding.

Where I’ll go next is a big question mark

Don’t know what’s coming or where I will park.

But suffice it to say I'll just trust you to know

Where I have come from and where I will go.

Until then I’ll keep flying and searching the sky

For signs of my future and faith just to try.

Fireflies

Fireflies leaping on the waters

Like Mother Nature's dancing daughters

Oh fireflies that shine by day

You're dancing now but you won't stay

For in the dark and brooding sky

Your flicker lights will shine on high

Midnight

Midnight blue in the black of night
Star studded sky, moon shining bright
Waters come rushing, stirring my soul
To heavenly skies, I must now go