Lost, within the vast expanse of time and space,
in the never ending story that is life.
Lost, with no sense of direction, and no star to guide,
haunted by fear, and blinded by pride.
Lost, in the darkness forever searching
for a time that will never come.
Lost, in false friendships, don't know who to trust,
open your secrets, then left in the dust.
Lost, with many decisions still left unmade,
things long forgotten that lead you astray.
Lost, in your thoughts unable to bare,
adrift in confusion found unaware.
Lost, amid the sea of lies and clouds of deceit,
endlessly drifting into the unknown.
Lost, in the carefree world of the past,
not sure of your future, unclear of your path.
Lost, yet your flame still burns,
just wait, the tables will turn.

And the wind will keep blowing
And the trees will keep growing
And the birds will keep singing
And the vine will keep clinging

And the cold will keep biting
And the storm will keep fighting
And the days will keep passing
Because nothing waits for anybody

I miss summer
I miss all its apparent infinities
Possibilities like pebbles on a shingle beach
I drowned in them
The infinite skies
The infinite ocean
And clouds strung up like garments on a washing line
Time was like bubble-gum
And my freedom could be stretched by just breathing into it

I miss summer
I miss wading in blue rather than grey
Or brown
Or orange
Because the trees played
Ring-a-ring-o-roses
And the wind sang the refrain
The sunsets used to suspend themselves just for me
Like a child was commissioned to paint all over
That great big blue tarpaulin

I miss summer
I miss procrastinating minus guilt
I miss flicking through my life
Like the weeks were library shelves
I miss sitting by the fountain in town
Until the word ‘Deadline’ had no meaning
I miss catching busses and the sun dust on the windows
I miss the fact that we had forever
To lick windows and ice-creams
I miss flip-flop days
And catching-rain-in-T-shirts days
And pretending to be limitless

I’ve lived about a decade and a half
So The Time Of My Life is just about due
But I walk home from school
Via the swing sets and roundabouts in the park
And watch the kids who’ve not yet learned
Why trees scrape back their leaves
And strangle themselves with gossamer nooses
In autumn
They fling like drunken spinning tops
And down their hysteria like shots
And I can’t help feeling old
I’m not a young and beautiful love affair
I’m a cast-aside leaf
Who’s only too aware that she’s thin as paper
Shrivelled as morning bed sheets
Grey as the cigarettes God’s smoking
I’ve started to wonder
Why these aren’t known as my Autumn Years
Because breathe me out
And watch me fall

Slowly, slowly they change
From alive to barely living.

A short puff of wind
And they break away from their siblings.
They descend.
They dance as though freedom is worth it.

If only I could warn them
That things will change.

But I can't bring myself to speak,
To utter such obscenities.
There's no one else.
There's only you.

Shiver as the winds change.
My breath is white before my face.
You'd lend me your coat if you could.

You kiss me gently,
Urgently,
And beg.
I shan't say a word.

I still have your gift heart.
It beats softly beside mine,
Keeping me warm as winter approaches.

Honestly, I can't tell you
That it's not enough.
Love could never be so cruel.

Autumn leaves litter the ground
And soften our footfalls.
It's only a matter of time.

Lord: Your summer has gone and your springs’ have passed before.
Relieve your leaves of their duty
and pass on the colours of seasons gone.

Grant the winds of May
the chance to blow such sadness away.
Press onto your children the gift of beauty;
of hope, of love, of cold wind fury.

Those who relish in frivolous daydreams
will stay up to the hour;
reading, writing, watching and waiting
for theirs is the time of the daydreaming.
Where they will wander those littered streets
and dance among those fallen leaves.

Yes Lord the world has fallen asleep,
with those leaves that you don’t keep.
By Jacinda Norman