One loyal friend…

If a man’s neither friend nor foe
Just another so-and-so
If you can’t get past his shell
Whether for good or for bad –
Take him up a high mount with you
Not letting him slip away
Now he’s stuck in a bind with you
Now you’ll see who he is –

If the fellow up there ain’t there
If he’s bitter and tears his hair
If he falls on the ice and feels
He’d rather drop you than freeze –
Then this can’t be the man for you
Don’t waste words on him but shoo
Just another one of the throng
Not a man for a song –

If he kept his rage in a shell
As he pulled through without a sound
Grabbed out for your hand when you fell
May have groaned but he held!
If he marched through with you to fight
To a summit which stole his might
It means you’ve found a friend
You can keep to the end…

Credits:

• Song by Vladimir Vysotsky (1938-1980)
• Translation by David Vinnikov
• Image from me.me

Hard times…

Through broken glass and faded dreams,
I find a place where I can scream,
This pain is huge and takes me over,
I cannot smell the scent of clover,
I kneel down and count my blessings,
For sometimes life is distressing,
I make my way through each raw minute,
Feeling blessed that I’m still in it,
This life is hard but I go on,
It’s my soul journey to walk upon,
I look out from my mind’s eye,
Never questioning or asking why,
I know that whatever happens to me,
Is to teach and set me free,
A life taken for granted is not good cause,
Take a breath to think and pause,
I am strong and intelligent,
I know I live with good intent,
The shackles that I once wore,
Can’t contain me anymore,
I am free and fly my wings,
Appreciating every thing,
Being true to who I am,
Upon my bravery I do stand.

By Victoria Gauci

Credits:

• Image 1 from Pinterest
• Image 2 from PickTheBrain

Death…

Tonight I held you,
As I fought back the tears.
And grieved for your family,
That have loved you for years.

You became unwell,
There was nothing to do,
We watched through the window,
And increased your O2.

I called your family,
To see if anyone could attend.
Your family needed to know,
That this was the end.

But this virus is terrifying,
And people are shielding,
How can they be there,
When Covid is so unyielding.

I held your hand,
I wiped your face,
My gloved hand on skin,
As your breathing slows pace.

You’d still smile behind your mask,
And I’d try smile back.
To comfort and reassure you,
Is now my one and only task.

Your family called,
To say their goodbyes,
We stood with the phone,
And listened to their cries.

With tears rolling down our faces,
Into the masks we all wear.
We really wanted to help them,
And show them we care.

We woke you up,
So you could hear their voice.
We described your actions.
We had no other choice.

Their words filled with sorrow,
Their hearts played bare.
They wanted the time,
To show you, they care.

You looked peaceful,
And smiled at their call,
I hope it brought you comfort,
Standing there took my all.

We deal with death,
But not like this,
No family allowed,
To give you one last kiss.

But the next family will need us,
We will need to do the same.
But I hope I gave you good care.
And I will always remember your name.

By Sarah Pirie

Tribute to the health workers who have lost their lives fighting Covid-19

Desiderata: Words for Life

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Words for Life by Max Enhrmann

Image by kamalpreet singh from Pixabay

You are the universe in motion…

“Stop acting so small.
You are the universe in ecstatic motion.”

Rumi (1207 – 1273)

You think you can define me,
That I’m a tick in just one box,
Like my being is a door,
That a single key unlocks,
But let me tell you something,
I have the universe inside,
I hold an untamed ocean,
With a constant changing tide,
I’m home to endless mountains,
With tips that touch the sky,
Flocks of grand migrating birds,
And deserts harsh and dry,
I house the wildest rivers,
And a host of sweeping plains,
I feel in waves of sunshine,
Or in unrelenting rains,
Don’t tell me that you know me,
That “this right here is what you are”,
I am the universe in motion,
For I was born from stars. 

by Erin Hanson

Credits: Image from wordpress.com

The golden cage

Sing little bird in your golden cage
Do you sing cause your happy, or sing out of rage.
Flutter around singing your songs,
Telling the story of sorrows and wrongs.

What would you do if you were set free
Would you cower in a corner, or instantly flee,
How long have you been in your prison alone
How long has the golden cage been your home?

The happiness your song brings to those who hear,
Hides all the sadness your breast has no cheer.
Oh beautiful song bird, my heart bleeds for you
Were I to release you what would you do?

Inside of your prison you flutter around
Singing your songs and making your sounds
Your prison is golden, your prison a stage,
No matter how beautiful it’s still a cage.

In the morning you’ll fly, be free, on your own,
And I pray that from happiness you’ll sing your songs.
No birds should be caged, all songs should be free.
Go live out your life singing in the trees.

Poem by Juan Olivarez

Credits:
Image from Little Birdie and Golden Cage

Smiles and tears…

Build for yourself a strong box
Fashion each part with care
When it’s as strong as your hand can make it
Put all your troubles there.

Hide there all thought of your failures
And each bitter cup that you quaff
Lock all your heartaches within it
Then sit on the lid and laugh.

Tell no one else its contents
Never its secrets tell
When you’ve dropped in your care and worry
Keep them forever there.

Hide them from sight so completely
That the world will never dream half;
Fasten the strong box securely
Then sit on the lid and laugh.

by Bertha Adams Backus

Photo by Kat Jayne on Pexels.com

Credits:

• Image 1 from Pinterest
• Image 2 from Pexels.com

A song only you can hear…

They say silence is Golden,
I believe it is true,
Because in that Golden silence,
my thoughts occur of you.

You are the flame in my candle
that lights the darkness of my room,
You are the scented flowers
that makes my heart full bloom.

You are the butterflies
that flicker in my stomach all day long,
When I know I will be holding you
before my day is done.

You are the stars that shimmer and shine,
You light up the skies above
In this Golden silence
it’s truly you I love.

You are the thunder of the night,
your lightning strikes whenever,
Into my soul that makes me whole,
and excites my heart forever.

You are my paradise, my oceans wide,
My mountains standing tall,
So in this Golden Silence
I love you most of all.

By Shelagh Bullman

Credits: Image from https://eduardklein.com/inspirational-quotes-about-love/

Hold fast to your dreams…

Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow. 

By Langston Hughes

 

THE END

Credits: Image from https://www.myhappybirthdays.com

A wish upon the moon

“I wish, I wish, upon the moon,
That my wishes will be granted soon,
These are the things I ask of you –
A happy home, and good health too,
a wealth of friends and peace of mind,
and that special love that’s hard to find.
Dispel my worries, allay my fears,
protect my loved ones and keep them near.
Please keep me safe, with those I love
and bless my life from up above…”

by Mary Jac

And whatever you wish for on this supermoon night, I hope it comes true 🙂

THE END

Credits:

• Image 1 from Best Moon Quotes
• Image 2 from pinterest