Poem Number Two
Just one in the crop
But what a specimen!
This one is
Unique
Full of flavour
Has a kick and a colour
That cannot be repeated
Cannot be improved
Sure, it is
‘Different’
And one on its own but
This difference promises a
singular pleasure
As it
alone grew from a general cluster of flowers
Singular does not always mean less
It does not always mean inferior or
‘What a pity there are no more duplicates’
One on its own is
Spectacular
It deserves our applause
because
It survived
And triumphed
It kept on
Struggling to grow
Met obstructions head on and thrived
when others fell by the wayside
One on its own
Raises its head
Because it is the witness and survivor from struggles
And its taste is unparallel
Phenomenal
Because it alone
Survived.
Claimed this time
In which to fully live
As its own.
Why write ?
My blog of ‘ Poems for life ‘
contains and reflect the complex theme of growth and conflict in which we are all engaged
Who has not experienced a struggle to ultimately achieve a celebration
At some juncture in their own lives?
Who amongst us has had a life of complete plain sailing ?
Humanity makes us equal
This blog
Will highlight some of the poems written for” Searching for an Oasis “
This is the title that l chose to describe my first collection of poems
They were written during the past four years
In an attempt to navigate my own way through life experiences of travel work wellbeing conflict and growth
I believe that my experiences draws parallels that are evident in many of our lives
Comparatives with others resonate and a companion along the way can help us to make sense of it all
Can help us to:
Laugh and celebrate it all
Just by taking a moment out of our day to reflect and to learn and to love our experiences more fully in the moment
Life is a learning curve but how quickly it passes
As my mama would say:
“Enjoy it now because before you know it
Poof ….its gone”
Connecting with others is what helps us through
It is so much more engaging when we choose to share….
| l chose Just saying as the title for my blog as a tribute to the memory of my mother in law Mary Margaret Who was Born on Christmas day When l met her -nearly forty years ago, she commented to her son about our initial introduction that “Even when she is leaving you sense that she still has things to say” (I guess nothing has changed there Mary !) During the last month of her 91 st year, Mary would emphasize her conversation which was opinionated informative and knowledgeable. With ” I’m just saying” We miss her words of wisdom as well as the accounts from her generation and the historical references that were always easily made and that were always on the tip of her tongue. She was a quiz master who retained all of the answers in her head. She would often question her family about historical facts and she absolutely knew them first She always won. She was one of those rare team members that you would instinctively grab for your own side if you were lucky enough to be granted ‘ first pick’ in a general knowledge competition Her brain was akin to a computerized reference library As with the voices of so many from older generations All of her knowledge is now so much more difficult to encounter And when we are lucky enough to source it- catalogued by researchers, the content cannot possibly compete with that personal touch. I remember an all-day party that l arranged for a Lady called Lily It was her 103rd (When her 105th came along she stated that she had celebrated enough birthdays) Her 103rd began with Karaoke ( She had been a seamstress sewing Scottish kilts and incredibly had completed her own highland fling on her 100th birthday ) On her 103rd birthday, she was content to watch and to listen to her carers performances as they were keen to serenade her with past tunes that she loved. The highlight of the day’s celebrations was the primary school choir who following their performance sat and listened to lily’s detailed true accounts of both world wars. l can still see and remember the expressions of surprise on their faces when they asked her ” were you alive in the war?” and she smiled and proudly stated with a smirk answering ” l was alive for BOTH ( world) wars” . The stories of these generations need recording Certainly, l regret that that we had not written down the spontaneous responses to our questions from my own mother- in – law I can hear Mary chiding us as we falter and stumble in our response to what would be for her a simple general knowledge question Punctuated with her characteristic frown She continues to scold us with an unbelieving resignation “What…. you DIDN’T know THAT” It is clear that what is common knowledge to one generation quickly becomes lost in their descendant’s lives When in order to understand ourselves Where we are Who we are We greatly enhance this experience by recognising and celebrating the impact on our own lives by our ancestors And perhaps we can enjoy sharing our journeys through life all the more. I hope that you can enjoy taking time out of your busy day to stop, relax reflect and share some recorded moments with me …..  |
