Sunlight and Shadows

Finding poetry in star dust, sunbeams, and passing clouds

  • Await

    Let me hold this flower in my hand

    No words, no judgement, only let it be

    Give it time to live, to grow, to bloom

    To show its colors strong and true and free

    Let me stay within this sunshine beam

    And do not rush it as it lights the way

    Until I do not fear the shadows cast

    And see the dark of night turn into day

    Let me hold this little child’s hand

    While she learns how to walk out on her own

    To guide, protect, to be there by her side

    Until she knows she’ll never be alone

    ,

  • Drive

    Whatever you want, you want it so badly

    You pour in your heart so deeply, completely

    You hold on so tight, there is no room to breathe

    And keep your eyes shut so you can believe

    Whatever you want, you will not let go

    Or step back or look up or even walk slow

    Instead you dive in head first off the brink

    Need only to feel, never stopping to think

    Just look through that feeling, it colors your world

    A fantasy glamorized, glittered, and pearled

    Until life steals the rose glasses away

    Then every color that you see is gray

    Whatever you want, you better be sure

    For fancies fly quickly and failures endure

    But do not let go of hope that is real

    For faith lives beyond whatever you feel

    ,

  • Time

    Time moves like the rising tide

    Slow but unstoppable force

    Time spreads like the ocean wide

    Subtly ever changing course

    Time creeps like a stalking cat

    Sneaking up when no one sees

    Time frays like an old straw hat

    Losing pieces to the breeze

    Time comes like a doorbell’s ring

    Paths converging now and here

    Time goes like a northern spring

    Slips away until next year

    Time always marked and measured

    Synchronizing rhythm, rhyme

    Time can’t touch moments treasured

    Experiences not bound by time

    ,

  • One More Try

    Asking, seeking, looking, knocking

    Rising, plodding, stepping, walking

    Holding hopes and crying tears

    Keeping dreams and having fears

    Rising up to step once more

    Asking for an open door

    Doubting, lacking, missing, stalling

    Failing, sinking, losing, falling,

    Taking hits and ending dreams

    Dropping hopes and tearing seams

    Failing every time I try

    Doubting if I’ll ever fly

    Finding, staying, being, knowing,

    Reaching, healing, loving, growing

    Gaining trust and forging ties

    Healing wounds and changing lies

    Reaching for a better place

    Finding safety, peace, and grace

    ,

  • Stuck

    I hurt inside, I try to hide

    The pain in here – I can’t get near

    It seems to say, just go away

    And do not let your guard down yet

    I cannot tell quite how I fell

    Into this hole, this frozen role

    Or where it goes, or if one knows

    If I can see how to get free

    You say to me, you have the key

    And I reply, but what if I

    Can’t reach across the hurt and loss?

    The gulf of pain leaps up again

    Yet I step out through all the doubt

    And there you stand to take my hand

    And help me move to trust and love

    A lifeline rope of hard-fought hope

    ,

  • Embers

    The blazing sparks of friendship grow

    From kindled flame to warming glow

    People come and go in turn

    Flames start up then lower burn

    But always for that warmth will yearn

    Where blazing sparks of friendship grow

    Each piece of wood burns on its own

    Uniquely makes its nature known

    Slowly morph and meld until

    Flames unite the space to fill

    Though sharing heat and kindling, still

    Each piece of wood burns on its own

    At last the embers burning bright

    Spread solid heat into the night

    Differences unite to form

    Common goals, to light and warm

    A base to weather any storm

    Within the embers burning bright

    ,