Proposal.

I have not much in terms of gold

But my head is full of dreams.

I search for truth and beauty

And not money making schemes.

But come, my love, and take this hand.

Let us not waste this treasure life

In narrow scurrying after gold and gain,

Or in a carping, petty, struggling strife.

The world in its wonder lies before us,

It is ours to possess and hold.

Let us dance and sing together

And watch the world in beauty unfold.

So come, take a risk and love me.

Our tomorrows can be filled with light.

I will shower you with most tender care,

And hold you through the dark and night.

O sir what you say is very sweet

Dreams are fine and pure I know

But I rather think we cannot live on such

And hunger will make their promise hollow.

Words are fine and beautiful things

But words without deeds mean almost naught

And life lived on such insubstantial things

Is challenging, difficult and sadly fraught.

For poverty is the thief of love

And disappointment will bring grief.

In the difficulties and struggles of life

 I rather think that money brings some relief

But if, as you say, you truly love me

Then put your shoulder to the wheel

And in diligence and application

Prove to me that your love is real.

Then you can my partner be,

Then we may commune face to face.

Then we may in beauty dwell.

Then you may lie in my embrace.

North of Somewhere.

It’s lovely going cycling. Try it and see.

Your legs get strong, your lungs fill with air

And your heart works a treat.

Then the k’s slip by as easily as a caress.

Before you know it you’re on your bike,

North of somewhere, turning a corner

And there’s rainforest cascading down the mountain

In a tangled profusion of vine and tree

Right to the very edge of the sea.

There’s little, thickly wooded, steep islands

Not too far offshore, and in their lee

The sea just quietly laps the low rocky shore.

Beautiful! If you’re very lucky

A cassowary might cross the road,

Or you find yourself at about 8 A.M.

Cycling beside a morning-touched river

With clouds and sky floating in the green stillness.

Up a little rise and around a corner

A cow looks up from her grazing,

Moos quietly and stares with dewy soft eyes.

You pass fields of sugar-cane, bananas,

Paw-paws, pineapples and rich, ploughed, red earth.

You notice the distant mountains

All clear, green and mottled with sunlight.

Maybe tomorrow you’ll grind your way up them,

But then you’ll see incredible things-

Crater lakes as lyrical as you could ever imagine;

Little turtles swimming in the clear water;

Pelicans gliding in so gracefully

And then floating in regal stateliness;

Strangler figs like something out of a fantasy story,

Huge and wide with an impenetrable mass of columns

Descending like some wooden waterfall,

Or maybe a monster pipe organ for forest nymphs;

Buttress roots from the forest giants,

Twisting and turning in elegant serpentine curves;

Columns of light descending in ethereal slant

Through the green tangled canopy to the forest floor;

Cascade of waterfalls into clear cool pond,

Reed-filled swamps where eagles nest in long dead trees.

You pass slowly through little heritage villages,

Once timber towns for kauri pine and cedar-

Wide streets, sprawling corner pubs, little wooden cottages

And there you’ll stop for a cool drink.

Oh yeah, it’s lovely going cycling,

The purr of tyres of the road, the whizz of chain,

Your body enjoying the exercise,

All those endorphins making you feel good,

A sense of being a bit more connected to things,

Like you’re part of something big and grand,

Not just rushing through it in a metal cocoon.

Yeah, it’s really lovely going cycling,

So go on, get off the seat, stand on the pedals,

Climb this little rise and taking a risk,

Turn the corner into the delicious unknown.

Spring Day.

O thank you, thank you for this day,

Thank you for life, for one more day-

For this blue sky, cloud scudded, leaf swaying day,

This glistening, sparkling, sun filled day,

This dappled, shade strewn and patterned day,

This magnolia blooming, freesia littered, plum blossoming day,

This bud swelling, bird singing, spring cool fresh day,

This day that turns its back on winter’s cold,

This day of growth, colour and coming warmth,

This day of birth and laughter and song,

This tender day, this day of beginnings,

This lung filling, mind uplifting, joyous day,

This day when the heart swells and hope, like sap, rises,

This day when the world seems bright and light-

O thank you, thank you for this day,

Thank you for life, for one more day-

Let me join in its joyous song and praise.

Let this mind too blossom and grow.

Help me to walk worthily in it and through it.

Take my hand. Lead me. Show me the way.

Glow

The night is bleak and full of sounds-

I feel the blackness, I feel the pain

and in the dark and deepening void

hear words cry out in vain-

children’s tears, ravaging hunger,

bitterness, anguish, and defeat,

heart’s disappointment, love’s sorrow,

lies, injustice, crippling deceit.

Strange then to see an incandescent glow,

Feel despair displaced by compassion,

Bitterness swallowed by gentle sorrow,

Empathy consume anger and indignation.

O grasp that glow and hold it tight.

Only love can restrain the night.

Treasure

We struggle and strive for so many things,

For knowledge, power, wealth or pleasure

But five for which the full heart sings

Are the source and foundation of real treasure-

Someone to love, to hold in the night,

Children for joy, laughter and caring,

Faith and hope for guidance and light,

Shelter from storm, friendship for sharing-

These are bread, wine and oil beyond price-

For joy and for sorrow these will suffice.