I carried a scarlet cross for her
Dark as His blood
I held it high for the sake of my
Own dearest love
I heard the men I’d never marry
Judge with words in haste
Waiting for His tender mercy
As tears melt on my face
The witness of a cowering woman
Weighs nothing in this prose
The blood of the martyrs
Feeds the field as it grows
You with your hands
held high in the air
Blank stare on your face
Your words said with flair
Still, we both pray for Karen.
You with your bells
and your smells in the air
With robes and peak caps
And ceremonial fare
Still, we both pray for Karen.
You with your book
and your words fill the air
Nods all around
Words just and fair
Still, we both pray for Karen.
Me with my morning
and evening, night air
Hands closed to my head
Soul emptied of cares
Lying still, we all pray for Karen.
Them with their sun
and full moon on the rise
Empty words in the air
Suspicions of lies
Still, we all care for Karen.
It just occurred to me
When I resurrected
The dead talk topic
You said ok..
I have no clue
What to say.
We both know this –
All the days past
Are covered in grace.
But if you had
Something to say
I would hear you
To your face
I’ve only had a handful
Of friendships last for years
Few of these are true brothers
The handful are held
In an open hand
In case they wanted to leave.
But I’ll set about trying
To kick every elephant
Out of here.
Because there’s no more
Room for friends.
“Can-do person”
less and less soon
just a person
will that do?
will I lose all
but the real ones
the few and far between?
who call the very minute
and hour of need
no matter how long it’s been..
so long
A word collage of quotes from my reading today…
“Blessed be the man who took notice of me
Relative, Guardian, Redeemer of my family
Removed his sandal as a vow
to renew her life.”*
“We don’t talk much but I believe
we have a more complete communion
with one another than even lovers have.
We are two minute sparks of life
what does he know of I or I of him?
Formerly we should not have
A single thought in common
now we sit with a goose between us
and feel in unison
are so intimate
that we do not even speak.”**
*The Book of Ruth- NRSV Bible
**”All Quiet on the Western Front” by Erich Maria Remarque, p.85. (HEB London, 1986)
Seems the things that make us happy, haven’t changed much since we were in nappies – love food, stimulation, mother nature’s inspiration – rap lyrics to ‘The Favourite’ (author unknown)
I caught myself
On a cold wet night
Mesmerised by
That same sight
On the winding lane
I laid eyes on
the lighted way
That holds my own
Heart’s recipe
It makes me see in
Rear view clearly
When I could be
What I dared to be
I’d speak out loud
When I want to speak
Do whatever I cared to
I’d feel much more than
I ought to feel
Because there’s none
But you
The night sky is dark and heavy
Like my love
a nod at James Shelton’s famous song Lilac Wine (1950)
Like swimming
In a stagnant pond
Tiresome
But can’t put it
Beautifully
Your face serene
Tender note
Telephoned her
To imagine
Climbing onto her roof
I smelt your hair
On the east wind
Guesses are in store
With innumerable tins
Or else all likely places
Electric fire ends
Whimsical fondness
We should meet again
Dark & grubby
See hear if you wish
Stop. Love. R
Erasure poem from ‘Dying with Henry’ p.135 from ‘Romancing: The Life and Work of Henry Green,’ by Jeremy Treglown
Sky image from ‘Composer in the Garden’
There are some who hold the notion
that they owe their very lives
to another one’s devotion
their compassion helps them thrive
So an endless lifelong debt
is paid out every day
in prayers and thoughts and dreams
and acts of kindness to repay
Count the stars of heaven 
