the journey is a challenge
minnows swimming
and darting in and out
amongst the sharks
performing an arpeggio
of survival techniques
yet all heading in the one direction
towards the ferryman
he beckons in the distance
more visible on the horizon
than before
some travellers have huge galleons
filled with gold bullion
not understanding the ferryman
cannot be bought
their understanding
of camels and needles is
of stock market commodities
they will have to jettison
the lot before boarding
others are just swimming
a slow breast stroke
their treasure -
a majestic dazzlement
in nimble fingers
the living joy hidden
in their ears eyes
hearts smiles and words
there are so many songs
written about the moon
she finds solace in the corny ones
escaping
into their chocolate smooth melodies
hoping that once in a blue moon
something special will come her way
and she will be granted
just a short time
of peace joy and kindness
freed from her tormentor
freed from her duty
trying to remember
what it was like
what she was like
before she unwittingly
like Mr Rochester
embarked on the road to hell
Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Closebosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiringwith him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bendwith apples the moss’d cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
Toswellthe gourd, and plumpthehazelshells
With asweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warmdays will never cease,
For summer has o’er-brimm’d theirclammy cells.
Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reap’d furrow sound asleep, Drowsed with the fume of poppies,while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers:
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cider-press, with patient look,Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours
Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,--
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choirthe small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinkingas the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambsloudbleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing;and nowwith treble soft
The redbreast whistles froma garden-croft,
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.