Tuesday Poem: "Reasons to be Cheerful Parts 1-3"

For Deb Eastwood

I.          You are like those swallows

            that migrate across vast oceans,

            brave, resilient, tiny birds,

            heavy with the scented mystery of Africa

            and winging towards some European eaves.

II.         “I like them. I love their vibrancy,”

            said the woman in the cafe

            where your paintings hung.

            “I know the artist,” I said,

            “she's a lovely person.”

            As if my excitement at seeing your work

            out in the world

            could hope to capture the complexity

            of your art and life.

            Vibrancy, I couldn't have said it better myself.

            To feel joy for your joy

            was a tantalising glimpse of nirvana.

III.         You showed me your photos.

             “That's my ex,” you said

             without a vestige of discomfort.

             I felt honoured to be admitted

             to the celebration of who you are.

The poet wishes to acknowledge Valley Micropress in whose pages this poem first appeared.

Tuesday Poem: "Twin Sorrows"

For Mere

Beneath your quiet grace

I’ve always sensed a power

of purpose

and peaceful strength

but here a chance encounter

a chance enquiry

on Courtenay Place

finds it is more than the wind buffets you

there is fragility shimmering in your smiling eyes

shards of sorrow

twined

loss of a life anticipated

loss of a love separated

we explore all the permutations

torture ourselves with all the possibilities

all the “what if”s

pour down that ever-darkening funnel

to emerge as a single drop of pain

crystallised as “why?”

and I reach out the hand of support

offer some words of consolation

but in the face of your twin sorrows

these well-intentioned gestures feel ineffectual

tossed away in the wind

howling through your heart