THE MOONBEAMS

As the moon rose over the mountains
And the shadows mourned their loss
The silvery sheen of the moon beams
Reached deep into the river's dross

Coming alive in the rippling water
Like a million stars in the night
It played upon the fishes sleeping
In the hidden crevices and rocks

It reached across the meadows dark
Where it dressed the trees in white
A silvery sheen played on the dreams
Of all lovers and those they had lost

Chasing the shadows across the ridge
To where the vast sandy desert began
It slowly etched its way in red gold
Upon the shifting whispering sands

It found the beach and danced with glee
On the waves that rippled and rolled
Then headed out fast into the infinity
Of the moonlit deepest silvery sea

THE OLD HAG

She stood on the corner with shoulders hunched
Cigarette in her mouth, with belly hanging out
Her face was all wrinkled, hadn't seen any cream
It was many years since she had any dreams

Dreams were something she used to live on
But the wishes and hopes of one out of luck
Had finally, inevitably, worn themselves out
Now she stand there and thinks, "life really *****"

She shuffles along in slippers so careworn
Her dress is quite ***** and terribly torn
The look in her eyes says "I don't give a toss"
"If you don't like me, then just get lost"

Inside there used to be a lovely young girl
Soft and shining, as sweet as a new pearl
Now all that is left is the hard stinking shell
The husk of a woman, living in a kind of hell

"I wonder where her dreams went?"

NIGHT RAIDERS

To plant a seed and watch it grow
Is one of life's sweetest moments
You water it in and keep it wet
Until it peeps above the ground

Last thing at night you take a look
Pumkins and peas, nice and green
Why think about all the hard work
You think about things you'll eat

Wake in the morning full of hope
Pick up the hose the veg to soak
But Alas!!! what do we have here?
Only stalks are left, Oh dear!!!

What is it sneaking around at night?
Leaving no trace except in it's mouth
Dashing all my hopes to the ground
Not a sign of my veg to be found

HE'S A LOVE CHILD

He was a love child, an only child
It's the one thing holding him back
He was a love child, an only child
And he's moving on down the track

His mother was so young when left with a child
She couldn't settle down and just ran wild
He never knew a father or any loving care
And grew up thinking life was unfair

He's a love child a lonely child
How could he miss what he never had
He's a love child a lonely child
It's the one thing holding him back

There's a chip on his shoulder and he hates the law
He's a red hot rebel but he can't find a cause
His social graces they just don't exist
If he disappeared he wouldn't be missed

He is a love child, an only child
And he's moving on down the track
He is a love child, an only child
And there aint no turning back

There's more of him out there and it takes all kinds
A product of society, just a sign of the times
Look around I am sure you'll find him there
Or he's moving on and there's no one to care

NEVER LOOK BACK

Some advice I gave my children
Right from their early years
Never regret the life you led
But look to your  life ahead

Never go back after moving on
Because things are not the same
For whatever the reason it ended
You must take some of the blame

I have seen some people return
To the life that they once claimed
But once again it ends in disaster
With feeling crippled and maimed

So open your minds and hearts
To a life that needs to move on
With all the emotions we lacked
And you will never look back

THE SILVER BUGLE

HE CAME FROM OUT OF NOWHERE, IN THE DARKNESS OF THE NIGHT
WITH A SILVER BUGLE IN HIS HAND HE STEPPED INTO THE LIGHT
HE STOOD FOR A MOMENT IN SILENCE, THEN IN A VOICE SO DEEP AND CALM
HE SAID "IVE COME TO PLAY FOR MY MATES WHO DIED IN VIETNAM"

SOME HEADS WERE BOWED AND WAITING AS THE BUGLER TOLD HIS TALE
BUT WHAT THEY HEARD WERE THE EERIE STRAINS OF A 'WHITER SHADE OF PALE'
HE PLAYED THE SONGS FROM DAYS GONE BY AND THE BUGLE FOUND ITS HOME
AMONG THE FIELDS OF SORROW WHERE HIS MATES HAD FLOWN

THE SINGLE NOTES UPON THE AIR WERE LIKE AN EPITAPH
AS HE TOOK US ALL THE WAY WITH HIM, BACK INTO THE PAST
HE BLEW THAT BUGLE LIKE A HORN AND THE SOUND WAS PURE AND CLEAN
AS HE PLAYED THE HAUNTING MELODY  'I'LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS'

WE COULD HEAR THE GHOSTLY VOICES CALLING IN THE NIGHT
AND SEE THE FLAMES AROUND THEM, IN THE JUNGLE BURNING BRIGHT
BUT MOST OF ALL WE FELT THE PAIN OF THE MAN LEFT TO REMIND
THE WORLD THAT BACK IN VIETNAM HIS MATES WERE LEFT BEHIND

AS THE BUGLER CALLED FOR HIS LAST AND FINAL NOTE
WE COULD HEAR THE ECHO OF A GHOST
AS ANOTHER BUGLE PLAYED 'THE LAST POST'

BROKEN VOWS

Do we reach a point of no return
Where things must change as the seasons do?
Or do we live on the dreams we knew
In the past to dwell upon our youth?

Some forget that middle line
When we may be neither here nor there
Torn between the need to care
And a life ahead that we might share

To push aside what we once had
Yet still to love the seeds we've sown
We must let go the love that flowed
Yet hold on with all out strength

Caught up with the need to go
And the tie that binds in what we reap
Where the past and future meet
We stand between so undecided and incomplete

MONEY

Money burns a hole in your pocket
Money burns a hole in your soul
It's the devil if you've got it
And some have nothing at all

There's a man up in Sydney
And he had plenty to burn
But he cheated on every rival
And now a hard lesson he learns
He's spending his time in prison
And his only thought is survival

There's a lady from Coburn
And she had nothing at all
So she married a man who was wealthy
But he wasn't on the ball
She ran off with a traveling salesman
Cos he was handsome and tall

You'd think we'd learn something
About the heartache money can bring
But we never stop trying to win it
On X Lotto and pokies and things
If we saved every penny we gambled
We'd be living like kings

Yes money burns a hole in your pocket
Money burns a hole in you soul
I know it's the root of all evil
But I'd still like a thousand or so.

TO BE YOUNG AND FOOLISH

They say there's a reason for everything
I'm not sure there's a reason why
Youth is so wasted upon the young
And wisdom we can't gain
Not unless we have lived a full life

To be young is to be foolish
We all make mistakes as we grow
But would we change one single thing
To go back and know what we know

Touch the sunlight on your shoulder
Or listen to the clouds overhead
Feel the wind as it whispers by
Hear the sound of a child's heartbeat
Like the soft wings of a butterfly

I've never been more true to myself
I've been through the heartache and tears
No life wasn't meant to be easy
But I've finally found a reason to smile
At the lessons in life I've been dealt

I don't need more time for heartache
And I don't need more time for tears
I take each day as it comes now
And I'm ready to face the years

Alas I live so far away
But I would like you to see where I live
It is a beautiful part of this land
And will show you the places
The ocean and land
That are all a part of me
lj

I just decided that I would leave my website here for anyone who would like to visit.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/illouragallery/

TRUE FRIENDS

True friends can be so hard to find
Coming along only once in a while
This is the one that will withstand time
Through all your trauma and trials

There may only be that once in your life
That you find a friend so loyal and true
But it matters not if there's only the one
That person will always be there for you

You may be lucky to count on one hand
The friends you rely on to make a stand
All through your life you will find the others
It's with dread that you hate to discover

So take this friendship and handle with care
The one who stand so strong for you there
There will come a day when you will find
True friendship is very hard to find

To Hello Poetry room
I am so glad you allowed me to post in here. This is when my real work begins and I will not be back in here very often.
I did see that something runs out on the 8th September and I am not sure if this is all the time I am allowed on this site.
If that is the case then alas I must bid you farewell as I open the gallery on the 1st of September.
Once again, thank you
lj

MY SON

He was born early with a will to survive
It hurt like hell but then I was still alive
All wrinkled and hairy with a frown on his face
He ****** his thumb and kept up with the pace

The nights were easy and the days were fun
Til he got to his feet and learnt  how to run
We went through the grazes the cuts and stitches
The well worn holes in the knees of his britches

From a shy little boy he turned into a tyrant
Stamping his feet and demanding attention
He chucked those wobblies and copped the strap
The next thing you knew he was up on the lap

He tried every mean trick to get his own way
And always had too much to say for his age
He was up front and honest as far as that goes
But whinging and whining and full of the woes

He reached his teens with a quiet sort of rumble
Loved his football and the rough and tumble
He'd never once given me any real grief or pain
But then he turned sixteen and I near went insane

As from then he learnt how to drive a car
Taking out girls and fronting up to the bars
The sleepless nights then were never ending
The rules I set he was forever bending

He's left home now, grown into a man
Holds down a job and sings with a band
There are times I still see the little boy
When I ask him to sing and he goes all coy

If I dare to question a decision he makes
Or pry into personal steps he may take
So I take a back seat and wait till he calls
And hope he doesn't take any hard falls

I'LL GET RIGHT BACK TO YOU

Have you ever dialed a number many miles away
Knowing when the bill comes in your the one to pay
Sometimes a voice will come with a dull and caring sound
"You must dial this number if you want some public hound"

Then another voice will ask if your wanting some fat cat
So dial another number, well, we won't go into that
Then in a place of business you'll get a voice that says
"We're busy now but hold the line, we'll get back to you"

With a firm hand on the phone, you sit and grit your teeth
You curse and yell and count to ten so no one else can tell
When suddenly the phone goes dead and a tinny silence greets you
Now some buggers cut you off and the air turns thick and blue

I have a lovely daughter who's turned that yuppy corner
I'm calling her tomorrow with all my woes and sorrow
And if I find she's out, I'll talk to her machine
Oh how I hate that awful man made thing that says:

"Well hello how are you, right now I'm not at home
But if you leave a message after the beep, I will ring you later"
Now I don't mind if no one's home, cos I'll just try again
But if I get another machine I think I'll go insane

I stepped into my kitchen, there's a grin on hubby's face
And from this thing that sat there I heard to my disgrace
"Well hello how are you, right now I'm not at home
But leave a message after the beep, I'll get right back to you"

Did you guess I'm leaving home and heading for the hills
No machine or telephones, someone else can pay the bill.

UNDISCLOSED

You have no name
You have no face
It's hard to connect
When there is no place

I hear the laughter
There in your voice
I feel the sadness
There is  no choice

Where  are going?
What will you do?
There is no status
No connection to you

I fear so to touch
Such a fragile place
My hand reaches out
And yet I hesitate

If only I could say
It will be all right
Please don't be afraid
Step into the night

I don't want to hurt
But I cannot go there
This is the one place
I just cannot share

WINDOW TO YOUR SOUL

Behind the sweetly smiling eyes
Their lies a tiger in disguise
He bares his teeth so sparkly while
And sharpens his claws all through the night

"Come follow me, the path is safe
I'll take you through the pearly gates
I'm the one who comes in righteousness
All knowing I will listen to you confess"

"I'll be the one to give you succor
If you don't listen to any other
Can't you see I walk so softly
I am the one who sees the world eternal"

Tiger, tiger, eyes so bright
Step out here now into the light
Let me see the windows to your soul
Do I see a crack - a smudge - a hole?

As I look at the shattered glass
I know something strange has come to pass
As the broken windows of your soul
Cannot be mended until you are humbled and whole

AS I WALK AND DREAM

I may walk among the Lilly of the valley
And see the roses growing by the stream
It's so strange to watch the weeping willow as it droops
I wonder what are its thoughts and dreams?

I hear the birds call to each other
As they build their nests and prepare  the young to feed
It is sad to know there are those that don't live on
Their feathers the only thing left to see

I watch the bees around the pond
And I wonder how they survived before I placed it there
They flock to the water and drink their fill
I see a need that I am glad to fulfill

I feel the things that surround me
And I sense the life of every plant and tree
I hear the sounds of  people passing as the world goes by
But they are distant and lost to me

Their human nature holds no virtue
The time lapses into seconds and minutes as they pursue
Those worldly things so filled with importance
I think the time for reflection is overdue

HAGITA

His name for his fame was Hagita
He leapt from the box like the wind
As he set sail with a flash of his tail
He's headed for home on the rail

Now comes the test, to see who's the best
They're bred from the best sires around
Their owners and trainers are holding their breath
And the greyhounds are stretched to the ground

With sleek head all down, they're pounding around
The last bend and heading for home
Bumping and pushing for room on the rail
Their long noses all flecked with foam

Here's his black muzzle, he's free from the hustle
His heart is pounding his chest
He's stretched to the full, and he'll pull and he'll pull
For winning is what he knows best

The crowd cheer him on in one hollering throng
It's a fever they just cannot quit
And he'll come again, for he knows he's found fame
And he just loves the fun of the game

Hagita Hagita Hagita, he was the best dog around
His race is run but we will never forget
The heart of this racing greyhound.

STEP BACK

Do you remember the innocent eyes
Of the child that used to be?
Pleasures that were found every day
The simple things in life were free

I've see a girl with golden hair
She looks like the angel fair
But if you looked into her soul
It's no child that lingers there

The ugly space that used to be
Filled with light and love
Is now a void a never ending pit
Of sorrow, pain, despair - unloved

Where are the dreams that we had
As children running free?
When parents were protectors
And watched over you and me

Step back in time to find yourself
How is life supposed to be?
Is the innocent life of a child
Sacrificed for the things we need?

THE CREATOR SMILES

"Come" said the sun "take my hand
Walk and talk with me a while
Isn't this a beautiful land
I love to see you smile"

The wind whispered in the trees
Rustling the leaves of green
Dappling on the grass below
Dancing just for me

"Here" said the brook as it rippled
Cooling the red earth below
"Come wriggle your toes in water"
Giggling "you must follow"

The clouds above hovered a while
To listen to the song of love
Where the hillside kissed the sea
It sang come to me

"Come said the sun", as the wind whispered by
"Here said the brook", as the clouds hovered high
Follow as far as you can, to hear the song
Where the hillsides meet to kiss the sea

TWO LOVERS LOVE

Wrapped up in contented bliss
In this way two lovers kiss
Like a never ending vine
Round each others hearts entwine

In a non-confusing light
Two such flames are burning bright
Shut thyselves away from life
No time to dwell on worldly strife

Be each other then as one
From honesty you will never run
Letting in the light of day
And your love will stay this way

Hold each other to be dear
Make sure that you are always near
Cherished as others would a jewel
This treasure is your only fuel

SOLO

'Now take it away', says the man
He waves his hand and stills the band
Now he's alone and the beat goes on
His timing sure and the rhythm strong

The air moves out and sends you reeling
Ripples out and plays across the ceiling
He loses himself in a beat of his own
And rolls with the drums into time unknown

He plucks the notes from anywhere
Tossing them back to the echo there
Now the room is filled with his sound
His drums are alive and freedom bound

Rolling, descending, crashing to bass
Moving up and increasing the pace
Wave upon wave vibrating down
He's finished but still the silence has sound

THE GHOST OF A MAN

There's a ghost of a man who walks the road, near an old homestead I know
I hear his voice a calling as he stops and puts down his load.
Then he leans across the gate there and I hear him so loud and clear, as he calls through the rain swept gardens, in a voice that's full of tear.

"Emma did you wait for me, I know it's been a long fight"
"Too many men have died there and the flames were burning bright"
"Oh Emma can you hear me, I know I'm long overdue and I've walked for many a mile now, trying to get back to you"

I can see the wings on his shoulders and the medals on his chest.
His face is filled with hope and pain, as he steps into the rain.
He turns and walks back down the road and stops at the old graveyard.
I hear his voice across the wind, and it sound so bleak and hard

I want to place my hand on his shoulder and try to understand his pain
But he doesn't see or sense me and if he could I would try to explain.
My mothers' tombstone rests there and had for half my life
Inscribed it says quite simply, Emma loving mother and wife

He will be here the same time tomorrow, he's never failed to appear
From the moment I first saw him, I knew he would always be near
He stands for one moment of silence, then continues on down the lane
As he fades into the distance I can still hear that ghostly refrain

"Emma did you wait for, I know it's been a long fight"
"Too many men have died there and the flames were burning bright"
"Oh Emma, can you hear me, I know I'm long overdue and I've walked for many a mile now, trying to get back to you"

Love And The Lonely

Love is something beautiful to behold
For the lonely in this world a Godsend
If I may say this  to be so bold

So many people who want to reach out
To touch on the heart of another
This is what life is all about

We all call out in so many different ways
We see the love of our parents
And feel love from sisters and brothers

Man was not meant to live all alone
But some are mistaken about life
Which others do not condone

Each of us must make our own mistakes
We must decide for ourselves
Which direction our footsteps take

We cannot learn from another tale
Or be pulled in every direction
The quest for love then will fail

So judge not others on this quest for love
Who find a way to express to another
A message of love in their hearts

When your juices are flowing your alive
The glow of your love you cannot hide
Oh My Goodness
Be still my heart, you will survive

WHERE FOOTSTEPS FALL

Walk in softly to this room
Turn the pages with extra care
Lest they crumble beneath your touch
Tis fragile paper laying there

For one who blunders through this world
No thought of despair, hope or fear
Be aware how you tread; the mark you make
Will be the footsteps you leave here

Be careful when you open the door
Look for pages that lay upon the floor
Pick them up gently then, one by one
And take note of how the pages run

The fingerprints you leave in here
Indent on parchment fine forever
When you leave please keep in mind
To close the door quietly behind

There's so many lessons we must learn
And for many they will go unheard
For to go where angels fear to tread
The road stretches out too far ahead

THIS WILL BE OUR ISLAND

Take me to a mountain high, tell me when we reach the sky
Hold my hand and we will fly, It's so good to be with you

Take me to a stretch of sand, a lonely beach not in this land
Sun bleached hair and bare feet tanned, It's so good to walk with you

Take me to a field of flowers, lay with me for many hours
Watch the clouds above like towers, It feels so good to lay with you

You can take my anywhere, all our thoughts we seem to share
Hold me now with loving care, I'll hold you and we'll go there

It's just a simple fireplace, of others you will find no trace
And like the art of tatting lace, we weave our own dreams

This is our island

BE TRUE TO YOURSELF

Never give all of yourself
Just keep a little bit back
Find a way to give & share
But keep your soul intact

Close personal freedoms
The very need to express
A thought a feeling a wish
Holding close to your chest

Many times we know it's right
And many times we will find
We were wrong, sad thoughts
The past will come to mind

We must be brave they say
And step into life unafraid
But from the past we learn
From the mistakes we made

Some would take our lives
And live it for themselves
In their shadow we walk
And from their lips we talk

So please be true to yourself
Let your light shine through
Tis nothing wrong with loving
But is this kind of love for you

To become the other person
Then you will disappear
Nothing left of your own self
Or things you held so dear

So stand up and be counted
Don't follow in this trend
Be true to the person you are
Or to their will you bend

IF I COULD I WOULD

The mind is such a tender thing
With fear of what tomorrow brings

It stores the memories one by one
Lets us imagine that our day will come

Far into the darkness of the night
It's only our dreams that feel so right

For with the brightness of the day
All our demons will come back to play

If I could teach you to cope I would
It's something in me I never understood

That with the darkness of each day
The light at night is what shows the way

SEEING THROUGH YOUR EYES

Although I didn't get to say I love you
I feel there will never be goodbyes
From my own flesh you came and I'm not ashamed
There's nothing in this world as real, as the love of a child

Now I'm seeing through your eyes for the first time
I know you will be with me forever more
Yes you've given me the gift of sight
Taken me from darkness into light

I'm looking through a window into sunlight
And the love you gave is washing over me
I know it's not the same and I cannot blame your life or mine
I'll find peace of mind, knowing you loved me as I love you

Now I can feel you walking in the shadows
I'm sure I hear you singing in the rain
You touch my heart anew when I'm feeling sad and blue
That's when I hear the sound of music on the air

Yes I'm seeing through your eyes for the first time
And you will be with me forever more
I thank you for the gift of sight
And taking me from darkness into light

SHADOWS

I HATE TO BE THE ONE TO TELL YOU
I CAN'T WALK IN THE SUNLIGHT OF YOUR WORLD
WITH CLOSED MINDS ALL AROUND
AND SOMETHING NOT QUITE FREE
I'D RATHER WALK THROUGH THE SHADES OF HELL
THAN CITY STREETS WHERE STRANGERS DWELL

I'M MOVING INTO SHADOWS WITH NO FEAR
WALKING THROUGH THE BLACKEST TUNNELS
SILENCE IS A BLIND COMPANION TO ME
I COULD WALK ALONE FOREVER IN THIS LAND
AS LONELINESS REACHES OUT TO TAKE MY HAND

THERE'S SOMETHING MOVING IN THE SHADOWS
A MIND THAT'S SEARCHING WITH THE FORCE OF HABIT
PLEASE DON'T SHINE YOUR LIGHT MY WAY,
THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO - WHY DON'T YOU STEP ASIDE
AS I'M SEARCHING FOR THE THINGS YOU CAN'T ABIDE

I'M JUST WAITING FOR THE BREAK OF DAWN
I'M MOVING ON, DON'T TELL ME THAT I'M WRONG
THERE'S ONE THING TO BE SAID -  KNOWING WHEN IT'S TIME
TO MOVE ON DOWN THE PATHWAYS OF THE MIND
THROUGH THE DARKNESS OF THE SHADOWS