Beacons

Bell Rock Lighthouse

There stands a beacon where a bell proved weak,

Voice to the voyagers in luminous speak,

Identity unique by pulse precise,

Guidance given where the sea hides vice,

Ragged rock with a tidal view

Dwelt below the surface, steered untrue

Were the vessels in their passing, as they hoped to pass,

Made safe in the knowledge cast by coloured glass.

Fires on the hillsides, pillars by the ports,

Candle flames for safe escort,

Antiquity to modern, lighthouse gave

Synonymous, eponymous, strobes to save.

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Man-child

By habit and repute and daring cunning

By never minding who or what was hurt,

By creeping, checking, doing worst and running,

Never caught though, always after, cursed.

By being stealth and venom in one moulding,

By wrapping it with subterfuge and sly,

By revelations, once perceived, revolting,

Never sought and always wond’ring why.

By hands that first turned fists to malice mischief,

By feet that rarely led but to astray,

By numbing all the sense he once was born with,

Never cared and always went own way.

Antithesis to good, I knew the boy then,

No one could get round or through or near,

Sixteen years have flown, I still recall him,

Man-child nurtured, natured in all fear.

 

Quirinus

Go quietly now,

rest

on ancient hill,

oaken spear

by side,

duality still.

 

Go gently now,

God and man

divine,

temple to

empire,

fruits of Sabine.

 

Go wisely now,

from state

to ruin,

once seven hills

from lupine

bloomed.

 

Seek counsel now,

imperious

oblations,

no mastery,

twinned stars

guide nations.

 

Go bravely now,

new knowledge

understand,

with hope we sow

wonders from

godly hands.

Myths and Gifts

Mercury, Minerva,

Melampus, Megaera,

Medusa, Morpheus and Mars.

Marsyas, Minos,

Melicertes, Menelaus,

Metempsychosis: rebirth from the stars.

 

Midway to view

Odes to untrue,

Mendacious legend and myth.

Or lights from all lore,

Truths from before,

Muses or magpies the gift.

Messengers

Sexless, these angels

Guiding we spirits,

Steering a course,

If but asked.

Communion

Of souls,

Messages convey,

This, their god-given task.

A guide to the left, to the right

Or straight on,

Eyes closed

To see them in splendour.

Heavenly heralds,

Musical muse,

Their bugles blast,

Restore to sender.

Perfect Disparity

Where he goes she follows still.

Quo vadis? This her way,

Though guidance lacks illumination,

Direction gone astray.

Dimly lit the forest path,

Crescent slits dark blue,

Myriad beacons lost in night,

Light years unfiltered through.

Stars above cannot conceive

Of empty hollow space.

Should she now lead where he may go?

Alternate human race.

Or side by side,

In step, in tune,

Guided by

Night’s brightest moon

And daylight’s orb;

Disparate norm.

Day and night,

In perfect form.

This Child

This child who looks so deeply

And intently into my eyes

Is lent to me for a brief time.

A life spent loving her will never be enough

But I will try

In the time I have

To love and guide her

And set her path.

She will stray

And I will wrong

But I’ll try.

We will grow together

And fall apart together

But we’ll try.

Strength is required and guidance and grace.

I will harness all sources and shower her with God’s gifts.

He will bless her and keep her in His cares when mine fail.

But I’ll try.

(3-3-05)