so strange this feeling of separation
locked in a bottle gazing out
floating on a shelf where you placed me
fixed in time, preserved perfection
can’t grow, explore or breath
uncork me, pour me out
a river will flow around you
an ocean of endless love
where the surf rises high
on the evening tide
swim with me
home at last
I am
Granite
Moss
Grain
Ocean
River
Rain
Hacked and carved
from blue grey granite
cloaked and cushioned in moss
the deep dug roots of twisted trees
reach down in the dark of my bones
ocean air bends branches down
clutching at my hair,
but still, I am not there.
Aware of the flow of rivers,
the wide slow curve of the river,
through green and rolling hills,
I am swept away to another place
to rest in fields of grain.
My spirit wanders far from home.
I fall in summer rain
there is nothing to lose here
and nothing to win
out here by the ocean
cast up on the shore
grains of salt
in damp sand
fragments of shell
bubbles keep rising
to break in the air
nothing more
nothing more
nothing more
nothing more
briefly cupped in a hand
the water of life
soaks back to sand
we go and we go
and we go and we go
we go, we go
we go into the flow
spiral and helix constantly spin
it’s part of a vision
too vast to explore
I’ve seen this before
and before and before
here are we
curled and contained
in this room
high above the breathable sea
bathed in a shaft of moonlight
drifting in dreams
holding on tight as the world turns
our breath swells and sinks with the waves
sea shells follow the tide line below
left behind at the turning
bleached and beached on the white sand
time wears the solid rock to small grains
energy moves from this place to that
nothing is ever the same
but remains
and repeats
and remains
eternal
curled and contained
These instructions come with a warning.
Beware! She might capture you.
The first thing to do is convince yourself
That mermaid tales are true,
Then take a trip to the ocean,
But some inland lakes will do,
And go alone.
Mermaids are very shy.
Never go unprepared.
You will need to take a supply
Of gifts and music and stories.
Some that the sailors knew.
You can’t deceive a mermaid
A mermaid looks right though you
Mermaids love flowers and spices
But go with a heart that’s true
Scatter the beach with spices
Cover the water with flowers
Play to her on a lute
And wait for hours and hours
She will seduce you if she can
She has powers to hypnotise
She sees your soul in an instant
Never look into her eyes
To capture a mermaid don’t use a net
Never use bindings or ropes
You must sing to her very sweetly
Sing of your dreams and your hopes
Trail your hand in the water
Sing yourself to sleep
As you drift between worlds she will come to you
Rising up from the deep
She will want to hold and touch you
She will love you, if you are wise
Never be overbearing
Just take the mermaids hand
When you walk in your sleep, still dreaming,
She will follow you to the land.
watching the sea
as it rises and falls
always awaiting the seventh
the rock pools are flooded
deep water drums
as each wave hits them again
the green at the heart of the wave
as it curls in the sun
and comes crashing down
fading, dying, it washes the shore
white frothing bubbles of foam
leaving smooth darkened sand in its wake
the line of white shells and pebbles
defines and records the retreat
and, for a time, holds the imprint
of my feet as i walk away
love, like the ocean, is endless
life and death on the tide
makes the cycle complete
and the loving more sweet
drops of honey
whispered in my ear
drop from a precipice
landing on my feet
‘drop it’ she said
‘i can’t take more of this’
tear drop twinkle
shining on her cheek
a drop in the ocean
with a thirty fathom splash
**********************************
In response to the days prompt at
https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/
if dreams were liquid we’d all be oceans
notions of fish would swim in our depths
the tides are tirelessly churning the sand
the weeds below sway in the flow
in time the ocean will swallow the land
our silvered skins flicker and shine
I feel your slick side stroke against mine
circling back I seek you again
we swim through life escaping the nets
dreaming of shipwrecks
ragged rocks
pounding surf
wind turning fast
this ship rides the waves
as we aim for the Pole star
leading us homeward
watching for lights
and the beacons that blaze
no more cross currents
no undertow darkness
we are sailing for land
on a swell and wave
cutting through sea spray
the boom and the crash
of the thundering breakers
as we cross o’er the bar
from sweet tidal ocean
the moonlit path reaches
the beautiful river
and harbours embrace
bringing us back
where we are remembered
for just who we are
drop anchor
make fast
and sing of the sea
The stars of the heavens are clear and bright.
I stand here alone, looking up tonight.
The song of the nightingale fills my heart
Ecstatic soloist, brings sweet delight
A softened light shines from the crescent moon,
At dawn it lips the ocean in a swoon.
All night I watched awake, we are apart.
The treasured morning cannot come to soon.
The scent of roses fills the dawning air
As I walk out in peace without a care
Amidst this new-born darling of a day
Where all the fields are newly fresh and fair.
You bring a smile, a word, a tender glance.
Tomorrow’s here and all the world’s a dance.
The sky is blue, the clouds have cleared away
And I am dreaming in a golden trance
The Dreaming Path 