Winter Solstice - Shadows

Shadows


Sometimes, it seems the light is too bright to bear

Sometimes, it seems  the dark has worries of it's own 

Sometimes, it seems the stars are the only ones watching

Sometimes, it seems the world turns without you

Sometimes, the best way to face your fears 
is to sit down and eat with them.

And know that God is in the shadows

Blessed be


wordinthehand2013

Antiphon of Advent - Wisdom

O Wisdom, 

flowing from the mouth of the Most High; 

reaching far and wide, 

disposing of all things sweetly and mightily. 

Come teach us the way of prudence.

Sofia,  beautiful -  skin deep; 

heart deep; blood deep; gut deep.

The beauty of a crone; shining wisdom; 

flowing compassion; crafting prudence.

Sofia, midwife of hope; knowing beyond; seeing within. 

Tasting the humours on her tongue; 

ferric blood; salty tears.

Sofia, counting the quickening in her heartbeat;

Holding the moon in her embrace;

Calling Hope in her song.

O, Come...O, Come.

wordinthehand2013

Sticks and Stones

Sticks and stones 
may break bones
but 'Nothing'
can break hearts

wordinthehand2013

Remembering

Bright day, 
remembering
re-member-ing 
the lost

Chaos clears,
formation
them and us
remembering

Last Post
remembering
last breath's 
farewell

Shot fires,
silence
remembering 
120 seconds

Gulls cry
re-member-ing
death's wail
fallen

Poppy's fall 
re-member-ing
grieving hearts
remembering

Lest we
ever 
forget


wordinthehand 2013 

Yes

Why not just say 'Yes'

To the thought of being free

To the end of all the wondering

From the bitterness of 'if'

To the mending and the healing

From the sorrow and the grief

Can 'Yes', be such a hardship

In a life already hard

Why not sink into resting

Why not the better road

If the story still needs telling

Why not a change of mood

In the 'Yes' there is a promise

The gift of what may be

The longing of belonging 

The divine that calls us 'Come'

In the fellowship of knowing

In the 'Yes' of being home

wordinthehand2013

Now

I am 
no more than
Now

Now 
is more than
I am







(what happens when you read Karl Rahner) wordinthehand2013

Autumn Falls

Autumn falls
failing light
closes in
remembering











wordinthehand2013

Distraction - Elfie

Distraction
only works
for so long
eventually something has to 
change




wordinthehand2013

Feather, beak and claw - Pantoum

Celtic knot of summer flight
Buzzard, crow and calling gull
Meanings writ on whirling skies
For those with eyes to see

Buzzard, crow and calling gull

Spirit speaks in circling flight

For those with eyes to see

Messengers ride the summer air

Spirit speaks in circling flight

Black, brown and white on blue

Messengers ride the summer air
Wrapped in feather, beak and claw

Black, brown and white on blue

Sacred knowing, balance, word

Wrapped in feather, beak and claw

Outstretched wings draw skeins of light

Sacred knowing, balance, word

Celtic knot of summer flight

Outstretched wings draw skeins of light

Meanings writ on whirling skies

For those with eyes to see

wordinthehand2013

I saw these three birds circling above my prayer corner. 

Impossible to ignore

Love

I give you all that I have of me
You give me what you have left of you
And we both call it
Love





wordinthehand2013

Melangell - Haiku

Melangell's hare flies
Chasing the haven of stars
leaps the hollow moon












wordinthehand2013

Heavenward

Day breaks at sunset
Bedazzling farewell
Flaring heavenward










wordinthehand2013

Clouded Wolf - Haiku

                                         Sliver of Moon calls

From fading skies, clouded Wolf

Leaps the horizon in pursuit

wordinthehand2013

(This was the view I saw from the motorway this evening)

Rain

The rain always has time for tears

wordinthehand2013

Hope -Haiku

O, treat her kindly

This tiny, fledgling Hope

And one day she will fly

wordinthehand2013

Dream - Villanelle

The dreams I have are not to be

Scattered moments, here and gone

As grains of sand thrown in the sea

Meandering maze of reverie

Rooms where sun has never shone

The dreams I have are not to be

Woven hope becomes undone

The gathering lost eternally

As grains of sand thrown in the sea

The dreams I have are not to be

wordinthehand2013

Fulsome Moon - Haiku

Voluptuous Lady 

Fulsome Moon - so becoming

She keeps me from sleep

wordinthehand2013

How True

How true love is 
in how it lies












wordinthehand2013

Voyage - Elfje

Sailing

tall ships

iron and timber

tacked together with rope

Voyage

wordinthehand2013

Do you really not know - Pantoum

Do you really not know who I am

Is your heart not ablaze at my voice

Lift your eyes from their mirror of fear

Let the promise I made you be true

Is your heart not ablaze at my voice

Love seeks to be truly embraced

Let the promise I made you be true

And the song of the heavens ring out

Love seeks to be truly embraced

In the silence, the soul touches soul

And the song of the heavens ring out

Star speaks to star in bright silvered light

In the silence, the soul touches soul

In the longing you don't know you know

Star speaks to star in bright, silvered light

O come and be part of the making

In the longing you don't know you know

Lift your eyes from their mirror of fear

O come and be part of the making

Do you really not know who I am

wordinthehand2013

The Way - Triolet

To walk the way unmakes the road

In the journey back from hopelessness

Tears fall silent, Grace bestowed

To walk the way unmakes the road

Tender words with kindness flowed

Heart's embrace with healing blest

To walk the way unmakes the road

In the journey back from hopelessness.

Wordinthehand2013

Never meant - triolet

I didn't mean to leave my heart

You weren't supposed to find it there

Decisions made; I'd played my part

I didn't mean to leave my heart

Your words had hit their scalded mark

I couldn't stay; you didn't care
I didn't mean to leave my heart

You weren't supposed to find it there

Now all of me's become undone

Defeated by the loss of you

Too tired to stay; afraid to run

Now all of me's become undone

My life's unravelling has begun

The woeful wondering - what to do

Now all of me's become undone

Defeated by the loss of you

wordinthehand2013

Raven - Pantoum

All revealed in a raven's eye 

The way the world would come undone

Reflections of a darkened sky

The swollen moon outweighed the sun

The way the world would come undone

T'was written in the boiling sea

The swollen moon outweighed the sun

The ravens danced from tree to tree

T'was written in the boiling sea

And all creation roared in pain

The ravens danced from tree to tree

New life would never come again

Reflections of a darkened sky

All revealed in a raven's eye

wordinthehand2013

Garage of Treasures - Triolet

Everything that paints my world 

is behind my garage door

boxes packed and hangings furled

Everything that paints my world

Books and candles, glasses swirled

Tiered treasures map the floor

Everything that paints my world

is behind my garage door

wordinthehand2013

Internet - Elfje

Internet

on silent

Chat-less rooms

press 'esc' to close

Off-line

wordinthehand2013

Tribute to Jenny Joseph

Jenny - I got your 'Warning'
I saw her today.

                           In a winter, woollen coat of richest purple 

and a red Sunday best hat that didn't go.

                           A yellow daffodil pinned in her left lapel 

and a sailor's gait to her walk.

                             A picked-up stick for rattling railings, 

alongside - a white bull terrier that surely loves sausages

                             and a no-nonsense twinkle in her eye 

    that said - with a smile.

                                          

'Now I am old.'

(but sorry - no photo)

wordinthehand2013

The Message - Bookspine Poem

 

The Message -
with - Holy Listening
through -Dark Night of the Soul
and - Cloud of Unknowing.

The End of Silence
is - A Journey to the Heart
seeking - Signs of Life
in - Care for Creation
with - Faith for the Future
A Community of Love

wordithehand2013