Homespun

Homespun robe and sandaled feet
These dear Lord are the things I see.
Rocky road, when two, who knew
On Emmaus way did speak with you.
How saddened were their hearts that day
When dear Lord you came their way;
Conversations enriched by you....
Something familiar..... not you?
As you went to journey on
Something prompted them to say
Please dear stranger we beg you stay.
As they listened to your word
Something deep inside them stirred.
Then you broketh bread in two.
Instantly they knew twas you......

Invasion

A proud and colourful dancing people..
both Kurd and Turkeman..
Can we ever atone for our ignorance in walking away
A people tortured and in despair..
Can all the hate and bombs somehow atone for our guilt?
A grotesque pit was opened up in that horrendous time.
A holy land in this arrid desert of our soul..
Innocent blood cries out for all the rape and pillage
for justice and mercy born anew...
tears of mercy, drench the land.
Babylon you are fallen from your place of high esteem.
How awesome are your works Oh Lord...
for the mighty are fallen their deeds are brought to naught
by an awesome God.......

Desert Storm ( written during Kuwait)

Desert storm had been going for quite a while.

The skud rockets were temporarily deafening

to his ears.

Corperal Joe marshall gazed yet again across the desert.

Although no breeze was apparent in the distance the signs of a sandstorm appeared to be brewing.

Usualy the skies were darkened; they were however clear blue.

He began to wonder how much longer they would be in Iraq.

How many more lives would be lost/

He was in sandaled feet, had taken off his well worn work boots;

off duty for a while. If you could call it that, in this no mans land.

Unacustomed to the sand, it was hot between his toes...

As he shook off the sand, something was there in the sand...

He bent to pick it up glinting brightly in the sun.

As he dusted off the sand he saw to his amazement it was a compass

It was really quite a handsomme piece..

He saw the makers name was his very home town...

He wondered how it had ever got there...

No ships in this sea of sand.

Half buried memories came flooding in...

His father showing him the Naval museum in Hull.

All the family had somehow been connected with the sea.

Tried to encourage him in a naval career..

They weren't too thrilled when he chose the army instead.

'Never been any in the ARMY in our family 'boy oh'

Well it kind of found him really..

He had gone to a job and trade fair. He just sort of got pushed

hand on shoulder in the general direction of an army display

including a tank....

Sat him down and before he knew it was signing up!

One of his mates who had been on the dole for what seemed years

said how envious he was that he had made it to the army!

After a stint in Northern Ireland he had got on quite quickly.

Now here in the battle for Kuwait.....

Now, how much he wished he could jump on a bus any bus

really head for the familiar sights, sounds.. hoardings advertising

the luxouries of life now tumbling in!

He carefully placed the little compass in his flak jacket..

Knowing that soon he would be on another round of duty with his men....

Sometimes

Sometimes in quiet moments I think of you...

Sometimes in the colour of the day for a moment

you are there...

Locked in some small corner of my heart...

Fleeting glimpses still.. of what has gone..

Momentarily the years are swept away and we

are young again...

Still in my memory, seasons come, seasons go...

Autumal colours are a backdrop of the miles

between us and the hastening years....

Gracefully they are it seems kinder now...

Looking back to a time more gentle when love

was young vibrant Golden and oh so bright..

Vermont

I shall remember when dusk is ore' and
dimmed the lamp and tight the latch...
I shall remember Vermont...
When golden leaves begin to fall then I
shall think of you....
When all the land in Gold glows with a russet hue...
A September moon lights the way and fields
are wet with dew.....

A traveller returns to Glimpse again at your
Ever Golden beauty and timelessness......

Childhood

We stopped by the bridge overstrung with greenery
sunlight dappled between the branches, casting mottled shadows
upon the ground.... thinking all was silence, listening we heard
the screech of peewee and in the background, summer birds
sang summer songs.... part of nature full of childhood innocence
remembering, was in itself, enough to picture times past the
memories, oh sweet memories of yesteryear......

Pebble Beach

Today the girls and I went down to the sea.
As we got to the shingle beach, the tide coming in brought
with it huge tidal waves in unison....
Looking... we found small rock pools;
Dipping our toes the water icy cold.
Suddenly we saw them, hundreds of tiny shrimps pink..
Around us seaweed clumping from the rocks...
The girls darted off piling pebbles one on top of another
making small gullies in the sand; where the water seeping
past, stones formed bridges and tunnels 'fortified'..
'Look mother, they called 'our castles in the rock'.

Longings

The clock on the wall is somehow silent
since you left.
The dying embers no longer dance
into flame anymore..
Now that you are gone
frost laden branches on panes of glass
cast dappled shadows upon stone floors
Reflections in a symphony of dance:
to your memory.....

Were you different in your acceptence of me?
Pliable, human bestowing those gifts
that only you could understand...
Abruptly, the rain fell small droplets
then larger, hitting the panes in short, sharp shocks......