The bridge, well worn, with slipping wood, crossing over
with secrets hidden, nearly fully under,
rainy days so long.

Her head - a flutter of lily moths, emerging, searching for air,
from a stifling room she fled, dark the forest bled
whispers, wings of white clouds through trees
swirl, drifting amidst dancing fields
on this day, learning
to be free.

The Harvest Bow

As you plaited the harvest bow
You implicated the mellowed silence in you
In wheat that does not rust
But brightens as it tightens twist by twist
Into a knowable corona,
A throwaway love-knot of straw.

Hands that aged round ashplants and cane sticks
And lapped the spurs on a lifetime of game *****
Harked to their gift and worked with fine intent
Until your fingers moved somnambulant:
I tell and finger it like braille,
Gleaning the unsaid off the palpable,

And if I spy into its golden loops
I see us walk between the railway slopes
Into an evening of long grass and midges,
Blue smoke straight up, old beds and ploughs in hedges,
An auction notice on an outhouse wall—
You with a harvest bow in your lapel,

Me with the fishing rod, already homesick
For the big lift of these evenings, as your stick
Whacking the tips off weeds and bushes
Beats out of time, and beats, but flushes
Nothing: that original townland
Still tongue-tied in the straw tied by your hand.

The end of art is peace
Could be the motto of this frail device
That I have pinned up on our deal dresser—
Like a drawn snare
Slipped lately by the spirit of the corn
Yet burnished by its passage, and still warm.

by Seamus Heaney

There are moments, sacred places
where the heart dwells beyond words, no language
only silence, brilliance of clarity shines through the vastness of time
connection to the divine, so soon the mind
will flicker and change, thoughts blow away
nothing will remain

Winds cannot whittle away this morning, blowing through my waking window
sweet, they only sing me from sleep and bring to me, birds I've heard in other dreamy dawns.
Joyful, thinking of friends to meet, along the streets or on soft summer lawns,
watching - like a magic trick, waiting for surprise,
now orange, pink, red upon my bed,
a world of dazzling skies!

Cool winds circling round, deep emerald ocean pond,
in dancing waves you play salty summer songs
of weathered boats and rustic harbor homes.
Seagulls perched about the lawns, some on rooftops peering down
flower baskets overfilled, spilling mad their colors on the ground.
A vacant nest amid the vines so twisty, Springtime birds have all flown
leaving remnant feathers of shell and bone.
Seaweed floats, it clings, wrapped to posts and rings
ocean otters sleeping sound at bay
in a sky of blue, changing hues
soon drifts away the day.

She said it was wisteria, florets draped
framing her windows
vines climbed overreaching the rooftop
swallows flew by, just before night skies
twilight flashed orange, pink in lavender blues
fading into black
a vision soon of sparkling
starry moon
jasmine flowers to float upon
evening's scented pond

Twisted, sharp the words pierced, echoing in strange rooms
looking for escape or transformation, and flew from death's lips,
cruel shifting sounds cutting steel traps and cages,
still a wingless bird cannot fly in mad fits and rages,
sits alone devising plans for freedom and does not see,
all the bluest skies lie deep within him

It's like an Arctic wind, a bitter cold hovering
piercing, icy lunged we breathe the hollows in
A dense fog surrounding time, trapping
moments like hours, waiting the days like years
spilling over one another, waiting like a flower
to open in the sun.

I could no longer see the sky, stars all blackly veiled, senses numbed
in the gathering storm, a smokey room void of living breath
choked the night air, gasping
consternation of a dark wilderness
a sad vanishing note, played
unrecognizable

Dark, brooding storm swirling overhead
clouds, charcoal black looming
dagger piercing eyes in greyest skies
feathers fly in pelting rains
be not afraid, 'tis but
a losing game

In sunshine or in shadow how rich the loamy soil
light of earth, dream of rebirth greening
lilac buds and bluebells ring
magenta hills, aubretia spring
of burning fire
A mossy path of violets, soft my feet to wander
muscari blue the garden dew
birds to drink of leafy puddles
bluest skies go grey, drifts so swift a rain cloud by
to water quick the daffodil, silk umbrellas yellow
and comes alas the greening grass
robins hopping, weaving
Spring unfurls in flowery births
tiny violets upon the earth

Drops - reddish rain on skins
slid dripping, pooled the leaves curled
steps on stems break, gold the dawn awakes
windy wrecks of nests unhinge
needles, twine thru twigs

Ladders leaned
steps for splintered fingers
blossomy buds plucked thru rungs
gone the breezy days we've sung

Apple worms burrow
dig the beaking birds
bees have flown homeward

In September's slanted sun
we gather sweetest reds
crisp the air in branches overhead

I came to know that all is borrowed,
even time
One day I bought a property, thinking it mine
as if I could somehow claim it - that which is truly wild,
perhaps appears temporarily tamed
shall one day be reclaimed,
swallowed by time
no memory,
no name

The hills tumbling, daisy stemmed, a floating sea of wild flowers,
white petaled, beaches and waves in rolling summer meadows.
Clouds come, caressing long summer grasses,
blowing sweetly fields, scented warm
before the rain

Thistle crowned flowers cracked, a tiny finch, splitting seeds
swift before the storm, soon flies afar to leafy trees
awaits again the golden summer
of the sun

So early in the morning, bluest skies of birdsong
they sang like laughter, singing for summer, the dawn
flying to heaven, making their way toward home
Awakened from dreaming, wings unfolding, reach out for love
early in the morning with the sun.
Waiting, gazing into a silent green lily pond
no words, no secrets, only seeking reflection deep within
early in the morning with the sun.

Pillow, soft nest of dreams, she slept upon
gorgeous birds embroidered flew
across lakes, blue water fields

swells of seas break, calling swans home
willowy winds sigh, whispers, feathers fly

willow tree shadows alight her slumbering walls
as northern summer fades to Fall

On old world wings you've come
through ages gracing wilds
In gardens you hover, humming hawk moth
seemingly like a bird
With beating wings you sing to honeyed flower stalks
a proboscis long for drinking up
phlox and penstemon

Days were like honey, even sweeter than golden suns
you were laughing in rainbows - colorfully ever undone
dancing in meadows, and mornings
to bloom again

Your eyes of silver spun light, did shine
flashes of soul, glowing pieces of amber nights
Voices of angels sang you to sleep in peace

Remembering all the places you've ever felt love
with letters in boxes you've looked upon

Days are just pages, they burn into ashes that blow in the wind
all of these days, where do they
begin and end?

I could only see with dreaming eyes a place so vast within
impossible waters to cross, if only to fly to other side
blue water to turn to ice, and full of joy
I could go skating by, twirling to the sky
when all the meadow flowers would fully bloom
and turn to starry showers
of petals raining
in my room

Oh green I sing, of wings and birds across blue morning sky
with summer sounds, willows round the floating pond
dipping gently by.

Warm winds play music soft
through leaves and reeds, they sing
gathering in the transient breeze.

Under leafy trees of sunlight and shadows
all the day I rest my head
breathe sweet the flowering fields
never shall I leave this place
nor want for any sweeter heaven.

Over the rooftops, windows and treetops - came sun
summer magenta, morning of skies will come.
Singing in silvery shadows, hummingbird drinking in penstemons
a day dappled in sun and sun, til evening late in brightest moon to light this earthly dome.
All the yesterdays sailing on, beyond the dark and stars.
How fast and far to roam, all the days
that come and come.

Today all the linden trees shrouded in black, no flowers only death, so quiet crept
killing summer bees, that can no longer sing - of honey flowers afield
death crying at the door, their silence praying to be heard
and still unthinking man poisons our fragile world

A stand of oaks, ringing round in summer leaves of grassy greens
twisty branches quivering light in wind's of dusky breeze
Beyond this sky of crimson day, far awaits a starry field to bloom
and melts the sun into black
swift before the moon

Paintings, closets buried deep - she cannot escape
rustic paint peels from long forgotten faces
in faded works, her tears of tattered pages
that silent sleep, with wings they weep
and long to fly, far from
lonesome cages

In summer, a valley so green, thick in veridian
a pond looking on, sits atop the world - waiting for no one
The sun through an open window, so soon to be gone
hills above, some days ago
covered in whitest snow

When the music of summer dawns
with silent songs, drinking in blue water's calm,
far is a place where northern geese have flown.

Here flowers and shooting stars twinkle heavenly upon the lawn,
we lay in daydreams deep, sinking into the sweet
of being so far gone

It was a lilac day, a dream of scented heaven  
what world sings of this blue, green summer?
Early morning raindrops splash giant maples,
droplets of sun, above far hills
alighting flowering fields, with flashing wings
of tiny sparrows

Cormorant swoops, the falling sky, far beyond
clouds of pink edge the bluest sky
silvery fish, below in cooling waves
blue herons stalk long where
seaweed sways

Sunlight poured, warming mossy woods
tallest trees breathing steam - spectrally
lichen blooms, tiny flowers in the sun
before the dawn of washing rain
a silent ancient forest

Sailing on the star streams reaching past the trees
looking for reflection in moons of lily seas

Crossing wild oceans of tumbling rocky waves
that toss me in the air, with no direction leading, spinning me away

Til in a dream I find you, last night so calm the water, smoothed my fever
lovely kisses rang, fragrant music ever sweetly sang

Until I wake to find, morning brings a crashing wave
you've sailed, swiftly fading from a silken dream

I cannot remember, only I can feel the empty chill of steel
sometimes, colored ghosts of autumn whisper in the shadows
that I follow, to take me far from home

Today with sun or clouds and all the bluest skies
a truth revealed, and I awakened to a madness of lakes and rivers,
spilling over - to flood, a place
within

So swift the night will come, soon to leave this home
darkness winds a long road on
and still the sun will come

From the high cliffs a rugged landscape swept, dropping to the sea
windy clouds, gray rain soaking tiny flowers, waiting for the sun
smokey town so far off, walking farther on

A weathered, rocky place high above this world, climbs a path to stars
with twinkling eyes of sky, where night collides with sea
a traveler, seeking refuge from the shallows
rests her head, soft upon a grassy pillow

A warm wind to caress, sails away the day
drifts quietly her dreams - slipping underwater
where seaweed clings, to pearly rings of sleepy siren's bells
in echoing shells no darkness dwells
in the heart of forgiveness

When after stars burn out, with glowing dust falling far to earth
colored sparks and charges mingle in the trees
forest faeries come to gather tiny stars
from green summer leaves

With jars of light, they taking flight
little lanterns flitting through the woods
sprinkling starry heavens

Before the dawn they've
traveled long, blanketing the forest
now hide from sight they must
their wooded world born anew
sparkling with stardust

Soon the desolate sun peeked above table mesa road
mourning dove awoke the nomadic dawn
cloudless day,  blue in all directions
lizards, little flashes emerged from earth in green iridescence
horned beetles crawled in blue shimmering suns
orange petals, monarch wings warmed
with tiny birds, did flit before
the red desert dawn.

In your tiny room, of paper flowered blue
with stains - brown rains the wall
a picture of light shining, eyes golden through
watched over, long nights - of dreams and moon
a restless ghost will follow
leave you deeply hollow
in your home

Morning ferns, no words to speak aloud
no language, only fragrant mossy earth
Oxalis a blanket, the hour blooms white
with lilies of perfection
dreams linger real
and never forget

Rain you came splashing all the morning
awakened, still dreamy on my pillow
you wash my days away
with peace you came
after the storm, listening for birds
silence in this world

Ancient oaks so swiftly you fell
no silence wherein cruel, unthinking men dwell
your echoing woods now lay upon the ground
with birds and tears, the ripping down
now where shall they go to shelter
safe from the storm?

Cold the world of choking cities we build
barren and stripped, the land we conquer, ****
dark this greed of men I deplore
and where shall we go to shelter
safe from the storm?

To get lost
when all the earth goes black, sinking into silence
stars tumble into darkest seas, hidden from love's moon
that cannot shine alone

many the deserts of dust covered roads
with wind to blow a path
toward home

rains will come in washing waves
gathering lonely lovers
dreams of love, pouring down
in heavenly
waters

Then I think when I was young, I didn't stop to ponder
only went to gather - days of sun and flowers
little feet to storm the street of puddles
splashing ever homeward, popsicles
my tiny toes, to warm again
my love like a fire

Why must our love, a desert be?
- Kisses a mirage

For me it is full and hollow, rings of tree
seas of dream, waves awash my sleepy meadow
skies will sing, nights will go
music, deepest dark of cello
and when will come - the sun?
I wait, the day that it will shine
once again for me

I was a cherry tree - I dreamed
with evening birds, their words, singing home to me
The light of moon did come, and cool the sun went sleeping
trees and blades of grass, so green the Spring
void of willows weeping
Beyond the hills, fragrance fills
night's sultry air
awakes me

Moon winds pretend to know me
clouds steal the sky away
never knowing my name
Remove the veil
what game            
night stars
play

Soon came horizontal rain, leaving green music
willowy fingers played the Spring, white explosion
dogwoods on the lawn, to sail salt rivers of ocean
blossomy boats, float puddles
petals returning home

After some desolate years, a strange reign came
and played your voice of cello tones deeply wild  
a resonance, I drank - my soul to follow
when my feet could no longer walk
fast my heartbeat swallowed
songs of you, haunted
hallowed

With chords that played silvery golds
in silken threads we wove
dreams and days of sun
that followed

Now sinks the sun dark below
and finds a place, a home
built for no one

The sun sprung from blackest clouds
tears and stars were raining, little meteors
red before the dawn
I seek to sing asleep
troubles, phantoms deep
my sleepy ghosts still awake
have stayed much too late

Bird

It was passed from one bird to another,
the whole gift of the day.
The day went from flute to flute,
went dressed in vegetation,
in flights which opened a tunnel
through the wind would pass
to where birds were breaking open
the dense blue air -
and there, night came in.

When I returned from so many journeys,
I stayed suspended and green
between sun and geography -
I saw how wings worked,
how perfumes are transmitted
by feathery telegraph,
and from above I saw the path,
the springs and the roof tiles,
the fishermen at their trades,
the trousers of the foam;
I saw it all from my green sky.
I had no more alphabet
than the swallows in their courses,
the tiny, shining water
of the small bird on fire
which dances out of the pollen.

Pablo Neruda

I was reminded of this poem today and felt compelled to post it here, no words do I have, except thank you Pablo!

Sudden rush, so windy
a golden bird is flying
wings unfold, you want to hold
some kind of love undying
soon lands your head
in flowery clouds
and disappears
some sorrow
in skies of sun
layers of love
bled into
gradient
color

I walked the wooded path, remembering
sunlight flitted about the trees of early spring
I could taste the smokey woods, steaming in the sun
a fragrant dawn, a lily fawn hidden by the flowers
still as winter's pond

When little was left of looping thoughts and troubles
silence was a river bright and swift, floating as a feather
and I could not remember, but a song playing
softly over

"go out in the morning now,
a crown of maple leaves, a crown of flowers
circling your sweet head"

a mantra
pulled me in - forever
and there,  I lived on

Cool moss of spring so live in verdant green,
with cherry flowers - petals falling
our footsteps pressing in
dissolve the snowy lands
in the heart of sun
love, born of fire
unfolding

amber jeweled room
mountain mist of curtain lifts
sunlight drinks the day

When at night green seas touch the moon
pulling toward the shore, shiny creatures crawl the sands
in shells of watery homes, soon to drift away
swaying seaweed clings to metal rings of wooden boats and oars
Moon tides, ever pushing, pulling
transient sandy shores, and sings the light to follow
worlds emerge from dark of night, water filling up
the hollows