Frog Song Haiku

evening chorus,
ecstatic cacophony
of frogs praising rain.

I Know the Renewal in the East

I see renewal in the east,
the water rising from the sea,
the rain that falls from tumbling cloud,
the bright new flush from seed.

I see the momentary eastern blaze,
the transient dew of dawn,
the setting sun's fading glow
reflected in the morn.

I watch the river's rush and flow,
the rapids running free,
the current and the torpor,
the dispersal into sea.

I feel the dapple and the dark,
the sunshine and the shadow,
slanting columns, backlit clouds,
laughter, love and sorrow.

I sense the weight of night,
its embroidered velvet mystery,
the trek of stars across the sky,
the incomprehensible eternity.

Come, Hold Me

Come, hold me,
for the world is so mingle mixed,
so contrastingly, proportionally fixed-
pain flooded, beauty buoyant,
achingly sad, fleetingly joyous,
poignantly littered, pathos strewn,
touchingly tender, savagely hewn-
for under this blue, beauty-laden sky
we laugh, labour, mourn and sigh,
seek answers to an unknowable why,
see much to make the tender heart cry-
so hold me. Make all seem bright.
Tenderly grant me your sweet respite.
Bathe me in your wonder and light.
Momentarily wash away the night.

The Gossamer Heft

Love is the chart for this twisting track:
the weight we carry upon our back,
a burden and a source of pain,
a leaden load within our pack.
Love is buoyant lightness and gain:
a zephyr touch, eyes that adore,
a torch to guide through darkest night,
feather wings to rise, glide and soar,
the gossamer heft of transforming light.

I Hear the Music

When these limbs were strong,
when ears were young and clear,
when each day was unblinkingly bright,
much grand music I could not hear.

Now they hear a vast symphony
from stars traversing the night,
and these declining ears hear "alleluia"
from vast pinpricks of cosmic light.

They hear it too from a drop of dew,
hear it from the falling rain,
hear it swell and hear it fade,
hear those motifs return again.

They hear it from a falling leaf,
hear it from the forest floor.
from soaring tree and fallen log
sound melodies that I adore.

They hear it too in baby's cry,
from rosy cheeks and shining hair,
hear from love's deep bond and union
songs with harmonies bright and fair.

They hear this beautiful, symphonic world
filled with the magic of sound.
Hear it swell, rise, crescendo, fall,
echo, harmonise and resound.

They hear it too within my chest,
they hear it from each tiny cell,
hear in the twisted helix of DNA
a great song rise and swell

and though these limbs no longer spring
these fading ears hear the throng
and raising my voice I cry aloud
"I hear the music! I sing the song!"

Come Closer, Child.

Your clothes are meadow fragrant.
the smell of sunshine is in your hair.
Your voice is music, your laughter young.
The song you sing is bright and fair.

Come closer, child. My eyes are dim.
Feeble the light left in the day.
My ears are weak. My heart is full.
So much I wish that I could say.

Take my hand. Kiss my cheek.
Run your hand over my hair.
I feel your love. I see your tears.
I know and feel your tender care.

Weep not for the dying light.
Look how the stars trek the sky,
How with each passing night
The slither moon does magnify.

We all must pass. Imagine the horror
This glorious earth would be
if these mixed and complex minds,
Untransformed, lived for eternity.

I have watched the stars,
Grasped at life from within the womb,
Smelt green shoots from warm wet ground,
Danced to earth's relentless tune,

Sensed some great directing spirit
Great beyond the power of mind,
Behind, within and through everything,
Felt it to be merciful, loving and kind

But now, right now, darkness closes,
Thick, complete, more total than night,
My eyes have shut, my heart has stopped.
O look, look, the light! the light...

Prayer for Help.

In this mire I sink and drown,
in this mire are only frowns.
     Each step a threat,
         for all around
             the mud is thick
                 and bears you down.
                    You feel its grip,
                     its downward suck,
                and finally admit
            the power and pull
       of this bottomless pit.
O let your hand reach down.
Please pull me out to solid ground.