Dreams echo in the
winter of words. Catalysts
or chains? ...perception

Bravery comes in many forms
For some it is in battle in a foreign land
For others it is in battle with their body

One day a diagnosis out of the blue
Turns life on its head
Turfs plans out the window

What’s this?
Why me?
I don’t know what to do

Plaintive cries echo in the darkness
As you stand alone despite those around you
For you alone can fight this battle

There is advice of course
From the medics and others
There is treatment in various forms

Diagnosis turns to prognosis
At some point down the line
You always hope for the best

Against all odds you fight
Try this and that
Mainstream and sometimes out of the stream

You do whatever you need to do
It is the way
It is your fight

But life is such that death
- that word we are not meant to utter -
Is inevitable and so it arrives

Even when expected
Such as it can be
It knocks the living sideways

But we need to respect
It was your battle
You chose weapons that suited you

You fought so hard
It wasn't always easy
But fight you did

And now you have moved on from this life
But please know
My life is richer because of you

You will never be forgotten

gliding through unbroken water
night-cooled hands
caressing my body
unhindered sun baking my shoulders

myriad of rainbows
reflecting in ripples
on the bottom of the pool
on the surface of my consciousness

sliding
slicing
from light into shadow
shadow into light

until the sun rises high in the sky
until only the silhouette of a flickering palm
casts its mark
in the blueness beneath

muscles pumping
heart beating
blood charging
lightening in my veins

Phoenix

born of fire and water

soaring

egg boxes stacked
one atop the other
row upon row

metal gratings
stop the world
from entering

limp washing
prayer flags
in polluted air

humanity captive
deprived of light

unable
or
unwilling to escape?

Agung, Abang, Batur
sacred volcanoes
gateways to Gaia

standing silent
omnipresent
dawn’s light your only adornment

at your feet
paddy fields
emerald carpets
across which you stride

Cobalt night; threads of
jasmine woven with moonlight.
Earth and ether smile.

We stepped onto
each other’s paths,
you and I,
your journey and mine entwined.

Paths that crossed unexpectedly,
the hand of destiny
editing our scripts.
A magical moment.

Like flowers blossoming
in the warmth of spring,
we turned to face
into each other’s light.

And in that light
our souls dance,
to a sacred rhythm.
Beyond all time and space.

In your physical absence
your presence echoes
in my heart and soul.
Here… although you are there.