Dear Dad
I wish upon a magic star
That I knew where you are?
I wish upon the cobble stone beach
That I knew how far your love now reaches
I wish upon a silver fern leaf
That I knew why you always had so much belief
I wish upon a shallow forest stream
That I knew when you joined the other side's better life dream
I wish upon the moonlight tonight
That I knew how to just for one moment make you hold me again tight
Understated
Subtle is what you have to say
Delicate but precice without delay
My reaction hide the miriad of suppressed angst
Your expression shine a mirror of accept
....and walk-on without a backward glance
Jelly Bean Moment in time...
three jelly beans
is what we had left
as we perched
on the edge
of the Henley-on-Klip bridge
one for you
and one for me
one for the dream man
we just decribed
and imagined made three
as we chew
we both realise
we're at the end of this era
at the end of the jumping off bridges
at the end of imaginary switches
years later in my minds' eye
i remember our determined looks
our knowing smiles
and our candid acceptance of
what the future must surely hold in store
three jelly beans I chew for you today
one for your friendship
one for your kindness
one for where-ever you are
and one for where-ever the river did and will flow
Gutter Stick
I know you survived the rains
that poured down in the city yesterday
I know you may have not thought
you could reach the gravel side
I know you drank from the sun water
as it broke through the ominous after-cloud
I know you embrace the gutter
as the place where your hope and stength kept you afloat
I know you have taught me to let the waters of storms wash and cleanse
and therefore I now lay in the after of the next of the tomorrow of the strengthening storm
Arm Fold
Our heads thrown back
as we lay on the grassy patch
as we hear the reeds russtle round the dripping fish pond
as the water lilies giggle
as your arm fold around my head in a caring cradle-hold
Our smiles understated
as we lick the morning sun
as we smell the sounds of the forest in the valley below
as the past of this place
nestles into the sunbeams of what lays abreast
Our hearts rythmically steady
as your arm fold sends me yearned-for-signals
of protection against the scars of old
as the hope of this minute dances circles
with the second of the pulse in the nook of your arm fold
Water Air
when I breathe now
the air rivers through my body-being
sometimes hot
sometimes cold
sometimes hesitant
sometimes just slow and old
but never again will I let my breath just hold
Pass me a shadow please....
It's right here
It's everywhere
shadows from my long ago past
shadows from my yesterday past
shadows waiting to become the past
It's inside me
It's part of my ever soul
shadows that made me realise
shadows that taunted me so
shadows that wanted me to know
It's forever part
It's part of my understanding my heart
shadows that I cannot pass by
shadows that never lie
shadows that I have to face and lift to the sky
traintrack hack
it must have gone wrong
the rythm did not come strong
the train was on its tracks
but the sound did not hack the track
no beating of my african drum
no regular succession of meaning to strum
no sound to sooth my obsession
pure flashing of sites with nothing none passion
pure smudging of sounds testimony to the farce
it must have gone wrong
the rythm of my life struggling to remain strong
Rowing Oar
The paddle was right there
next to pier pillar
under the blue water jetty
I took it with both hands
and held it real tight
as I settled into the orange keen kayak
The paddle sliced into the water
and assumed a power of its own
as it propelled towards the beginning of the sun
I felt the water spray
as my new life was formed in my mind eye clay
and my oar held a future from pure hope born
