Tag: Trees

One Hundred Thousand Welcomes

Irish Lake

Memories,
Floating, drifting,
Pouring through meditation,
Clamouring for acknowledgment,
Savouring this opportunity
To impose themselves on mindful thoughts.

Remembering the lake;
A vast expanse
Of clear, blue water
Reflecting a cloudless sky
Now sepia-toned
With ages past.

Remembering the trees;
Clinging to life
In barren, rocky land
Where legends grew
And mysteries spawned
To prey upon unwary minds.

Remembering walking
Over moor and hill
Past crofts and villages
Shrouded in mists
That hid their beauty
Behind its translucency.

This time
When we were young
And unaffected
By life’s pains and troubles;
When all roads
Rose to meet us.

This land,
Mysterious, yet familiar,
That taught us patience,
Peace, and solitude’s pleasures;
And showed us how
To live.

What difference is there
‘Tween youth and age?
Only time. Yes, time;
And memories of life
That now impose themselves
On mindful meditation.

Memories
That come flooding back
Despite our best endeavours
In trying to clear
Our cluttered minds
Of pain.

Memories
That seem so useless
When trying to forget;
And yet so precious
In guiding lives that have lost their way;
If only we would listen.

Caed mile failte;
The ancient blessings cry.
One hundred thousand welcomes
To all the weary travellers
Who search so far
Along the road within.

Silent Sentinels

Lone Tree, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire

Standing proudly,
Watching o’er the weathered landscape,
Silent sentinel
Waving in the breeze,
Monitoring shifting winds;
Observing ragged mountain tops.

Calm descends,
Like gentle waters softly flowing
Over polished rocks
In upland streams,
Washing cares and worries
Down cascading waterfalls.

Clouds come, clouds go;
Blue skies, white skies, some of reddish hue;
Changing by the moment;
Suspended oceans float on by,
Altering landscapes
With subtle, moody shadows.

Coruscating light
Paints sparkling veils
On moorland landscapes;
Gently folding thoughts and feelings
Into origami animals
To be tamed and nurtured.

Gorse bushes
With their thousand yellow eyes
Twinkling in the darkness,
Warning frightened children
To stay away from heath and heather
While clinging to Daddy’s hand.

Silent sentinels, all;
Guiding ways to safe environs;
Leading gently homeward;
Watching o’er the land;
Protecting weary souls
From themselves.

And here we are,
Silent sentinels
Holding on to love’s bright flame;
Which guides our way through cares and darkness;
Shields our love from harm and worry;
Standing brave, despite our fears.

Troubles come, troubles go;
Blue skies, white skies, some of reddish hue;
Changing by the moment;
Suspended worries float on by,
Altering our landscapes
With subtle, moody terrors.

Silent sentinels
Protecting names and faces
Of family and friends;
Though wrong motives be imputed
By those who do not know,
Or do not really care.

Silent sentinels
Accepting life as is,
With all its ups and downs;
Maintaining dignity, keeping integrity;
Despite the winds of change
Passing swiftly through our lives.

Yes, here we stand;
No wrangling; no complaining;
No seeking of sympathy
From those who do not really care;
Silent sentinels,
Bonded by love.

This is a tribute to all those couples who maintain their dignity and integrity in the face of sometimes cruel slander; who protect their family’s and friends’ reputations, despite the cost to themselves. Faced with what many would view as impossible positions, they find, buy, or even create seemingly impossible solutions. And still, through all of this, they know that someone, somewhere, is casting doubt on their integrity, trying to rob them of their dignity; qualities that allow them to face the realities of life with quiet fortitude and magnanimity.

They deserve our support.

As the Seasons Change

Pen y Fan

She looks just the same.
Or do I imagine it?
Are we getting old?

Many years have passed.
Still surprising each other,
Ev’ry now and then.

Love that once was new,
Strengthened through each day and year,
Knows each other’s thoughts.

Eyesight may grow dim,
Hearing faded more each day.
Still a sense of awe.

Radiant is her smile,
Though the years have taken toll
On her aching limbs.

What, then, have I done
To deserve such blessed joy?
Worthy of her care?

Flame of love grows strong.
Waters cannot put it out.
She and I still here.

Though they said we’d fail;
Though we struggled now and then;
Still our thoughts are one.

As the years go by,
Love will guide our troubled lives,
As the seasons change.