Ruary's Poems

You are! Blue sky after rain Green leaves after Winter A warm embrace after tears A smile from a stranger A fire on a Winter's day A tall tree on flat ground A kiss after absence A drink after thirst Dry land after stormy seas A glass of wine at the end of the day Rest after work Earth after Space Sunrise after black night

Maybe "Maybe it's for the best!" If it was for the best The best would be much better than this - Sitting here writing thoughts. It doesn't pay To think about the best! Can't remember what gave rise to this!

For Fergus Wherever you are I hope that You get to Feel: the sun at your back the wind in your face and a warm kiss from someone who loves you See: the golden leaves of Autumn fall the yellow flowers of Spring, blossom and a big silent full Moon rise in the East Hear the green waves crash on the sun-bright sand black Tuis chortle in the Kowhai trees and a distant pibroch played on a castle wall 14th June 2014 On the death of James and Julia's first child before it was born.

Calling On the edge of sleep, I thought that I heard Someone calling me! 28th August 1999

Space When you go into Space on a fine day, When does the blue become black?

Presence Dianne Murdoch felt the presence Of the old people who had died in her house (...), Especially in the passage at night. Eventually she told them "It's time to go!" At one time she thought that someone had tapped her on the shoulder!

Frost In the night The silent frost Deals out death Quietly, To frail things That creep and grow. Its deadly power Stretches far. The living Die Soundlessly And the world Sleeps on. Yet You can pick up A frosted leaf And melt The crystals With The touch of a Warm finger! 26th July 1993

Room Tomb My thoughts drift in Not invited with smiles and greetings But just when the air is dim And the house is still. I ache for this place Dug deep down In the cold and clammy clay The once warm ashes of the fair Lie behind a chain mesh curtain. I finger the dust That shrouds The polished wood shelves and tables "This should be mine" I mourn. The eyelid blinds Are shut Drawn down Against the black night. Only the soft plumped cushions Scattered along the window bay Tell of a place Where some souls sat Soaking up the warm sun. I feel myself Fading But, I shall return I shall haunt this place Until it is mine! And I can stay! And I can stay! Johnson's house, on Lighthouse Road, Napier

Struggle It was all water Once! But the land managed to Heave itself free Of the sea's crushing weight. Now it Spreads its weight Against the sea Seeking revenge For its long suffering Under! Torn, Pohutukawa bleeding edges Rising up From the horizon While the sea Mumbles and gurgles Chews and slobbers The bare old bones Of the land At the water's edge! 8th September 1993 Looking at Waiormu Bay, Thames

Bumble Bees Bumble bees Fumble their way Among the flowers. Bumble bee blue Cornflowers.

Colours Black cows On a green hill Against the blue sky. Watching Black Angus beasts on a hillside - not sure where.

Autumn Autumn Is the time of year I love th most The weather, Although turning cold With frost On the grass In the mornings, Grows calm With warm fine days No wind And I can still find some place In the sun And remember Summer.

Autumn Leaves The last leaves Of the Silver Poplars Perch Like birds On the topmost twigs Poised to fly When Winter comes. 1986 Riding my bike back up Chael Road to Ngaere School.

Eternity Life is not eternal in an individual sense. It is more like a shoal of fishes that moves and shimmers all in unison, as though it were one being. Each individual contributes to the whole. The whole needs the individuals to give it life. So, although the individual is insignificant in relation to the whole, there has to be a sense of agreement between the individuals as to the direction to be taken. Whether it results good or bad, does depend on each of the individuals own choices. The direction of the whole is determined by each individual's choice. When an individual dies it is no more, but the whole lives on!

Beauty and Ugliness Beauty and ugliness Live together Like Ying and Yang Like feeling terrible On a beautiful day Like thorns on a Rose Like thorns On a Rose.

Wood I like To put my hand On wood Warmed by the Sun. 9th April 1989 The wooden shed next to Pellow's house up Te Kawa School Road

The Old House The old house Shades its eyes Against the golden glow Of the afternoon sun. 27th February 1989

Burning Rubbish Waliking back from burning rubbish, I stop, taken by the quiet beauty of the country side round about Te Kawa Mountain, and in the stillness of the moment I catch again - a memory of something that teases my memory, but stays away! 7th May 1988 Te Kawa School

Dandelions An acre of round heads Of the dandelions Glowing in the sun Waiting for the wind To shatter them And start again 7th May 1988 Anderson's farm - Te Kawa

The Plane Tree The leaves hang heavy Waiting for the rain After the dry The big leaves of The Plane Tree Talk to each other In the rain. 7th February 1988

Thistledown A thousand thistledowns Driftinf against the blue. 5th February 1988

Pohutukawa The blood flows From the wounded land's edge Where the sea bites! 10th January 1987

Gulls Gulls gathered on the shore Wings clapped against the cold, Watching the eye of the wind. 9th January 1987 Gulls on a cold blustery beach in Kaikoura

A Page A page Of words Is like A tattered flag 30th October 1987 On looking at "Desiderata"

Leaves Down the leaves come, Shivering In the cold air. 26th October 1987

Cherries Cherry petals Falling Like snow In the sun. 18th October 1987

The Whole We are all part of the The Whole - individually we suffer and enjoy life, but our woes, pleasures and death do not affect The Whole that our individual lives make up. The Whole has its own directions and tendencies of which we are unaware - It also is alive and has its own energy apart from ours! It is like a shoal of fish! 22nd January 1992

The Countryside The countryside Sprinkled With showers and sunlight. 13th September 1987

The Camelia The Camelia Has spilt its blood On the ground below! 16th August 1987

The Thrush The Thrush knows Of no hope Where-oft you and I are unaware. He merely manifests That despair and hope Go hand in hand In answer to:- Thomas Hardy's "Darkling Thrush"

Life! There is no God! Only Life! And Life is blind, To the rights and wrongs It merely is!

Dead Leaves Dead leaves Like dead birds Dead leaves Like dying birds Dead leaves Tumbling Like dying birds In the wind. 16th August 1987

Her  Fingers Her fingers played the piano Like a spider's legs, Plucking its web.

My Father What if I were to die today? I dreamt I saw my father Tall and gaunt Wearing his old MacKinlay kilt Too long for him A shroud maybe? He looked at me at first, But when I moved forward He wouldn't come near me Or Look at me!

The Irish Why is the Devil always an Irishman? The Irish know more about the Devil than anyone else! "Go to the Devil" - You might as well go to Ireland.

The Priest Today I saw the priest dressed in black ,head down, walk over the grass to his house like a Black bird looking for worms! August the 2nd 1999