This is the tale
of the hunter and hunted.
Night gathers and winter is here.
We find any fire to warm us.
We travel
seeking a home
a place away from the cold.
We settle, we live,
we move on, to return
We meet in eternal dance,
patterns change yet stay the same.
In time we meet again
As the stars appear
in the midnight sky
I see the light that shines
in your widening eyes
those well known eyes
I have seen before
When all journeys
are over and done
this beacon we lit
will guide us home
Hours pass by with dragging feet,
the time runs slow, the hour glass damp
and all because I just don’t know
how and where you are today
and did I say a word that hurt?
Unwitting, blind, and stupid,
a fool will always maim himself.
The snow outside seems less white
the moon by clouds is hidden.
I search for light and find none.
I build a fire, a beacon,
and hope that, whatever I did,
I may be forgiven.
A fool will always blame himself.
i set the table squarely
on four firm legs for strength
covered with a sky blue cloth
a cloth of embroidered dreams
i place a plate of wholesome rice
the grain that will sustain you
and fish for all the secret of the unknown deep
a side salad of green leaves for growth
and olives for endless peace
all dresses in lifes rich herbs
in the centre stands a vase
a red rose for passion, a white for purity
a sprig of honesty, lovingly preserved
and the dark leaves of rosemary
for times remembrance
above the table, light shines
the light of open grace
a light to fill your days
and shine upon your face
you will bring the wine
it sparkles and shines in your eyes
shadows dancing on the wall in firelight
music heard far off, the shade behind the waterfall,
a leaf turning in light, falling, landing rots to dust
the echo of a voice across a valley far away, sun sinking,
frost that silvers the hilltops, the cocks crow at dawn,
a sense that all is born to die, overpowered, as it must
light reflected in a lake, rainbows over cornfields,
swallows gliding on the high still air, above the wood,
the dark smell of mud, these are things i trust
bring what life gives or go as it will
night into day, day into night,
underneath all this one dazzling beauty,
shining bright,
burning light,
conquering fruitless fear
the sun, the shine,
the shadows fall beneath the trees,
tranquil trance of leaves, triumphant,
leaning, lofty, lovely, light
the love, the lost, the found, the learning,
light of love, looping flight
flight to night, the moon, the stars,
stars that lead the navigator
star of wonder, star of hope
tent of sky, singing songs
sounds of battle, lullaby and funeral marches
swords and strangers, the strong, the mighty
might have been, may be still, morning comes,
comes with chimes, chime of bell,
bells of silver, shiver, shatter, shards,
sentinels of silence, stone
stones in water, stones in sea,
the rivers rush, rolling, waters rising into cloud,
rain and rainbow. what of us?
What of us? we were. we are.
walking, wandering, wondering why,
where and when, will it, wont it come again
the sun, the shine and is this all?
are we really all so small?
the sun, the shine, a burst of light,
burgeons, blossoms, blooms and grows,
glows and gladdens, glancing eyes,
eyes that see, the world, the life unfold,
enfold, enshrine, delightful,
dancing, woven in delicious dream,
the globe, the glow, eternal, bright,
entrances me – this glorious world
Out walking in the woods after midnight
I carelessly stumbled upon a gathering
I sat down behind a gnarled oak and listened.
”I remember,” one said ”when the moon was closer
to earth. Our magic was far stronger then”
Above me the stars twinkled, in grass starlight glistened.
The gathering let out a collective sigh.
I shifted, leaves rustled, they were quickly alert.
A Fae whispered, close to my ear, ”Why are you here?”
”I can’t sleep, so I walk, the moon leads my path.”
”You must sleep with the moonlight upon your face” she said,
”All creatures dream deeper when the moon is near.”
”Throw open your curtains let the moon in.
Your dreams will come quickly, your sleep will be longer.
Sleep in the moonlight, this light will escort you.”
‘Your father slept with the moon flooding his face.
Did you forget all your people ever taught?
This is an old knowledge we granted. It’s true.”
I heard my father speak from afar in his grave
Deep in the earth beneath the dead leaves
”Ah yes the moon, bathe in its grace, follow the moon.”
I thanked the Faerie and stood up to leave
My father’s voice and moonlight shone in my heart
”Sleep well mortal,” said the Fae, ”Night will end soon.”
in springtime we wandered into the wood
walking through carpets of bluebells
their deep throated scent filled the air
we spoke of golden dreams, hopes shared,
tenderness, beauty, love
the air seemed to change, birds silenced,
a shift in the wind carried a chill
leaves rustled, foretelling a storm,
we drew closer together, light faded,
the wood grew still, night fell
owls hooted, trees shivered
off in the distance a twig snapped
shadows shifted, moving closer
limbs crashed down in the wood
we sought the forgotten way out
in a world full of shadows and light
lighting fires, frightened of witches,
huddled like Hansel and Gretel
holding on to each other tight
hoping to find the trail
cursed from the start
curses piling upon us
doomed by darkness and gloom
demons and traps closing in
too fast for any escape
in a world full of shadows and light
sunlight flashed through the trees as we ran
black bars pierced by illumination, too brief
we couldn’t see where we were going
how could we find our way?
finally we found a door, too narrow,
i went through it alone
‘Go!’ you said, ‘I’ll be here.’
but you became lost in there
while i wandered on in the world
the paths never took me back
it was all so long ago
i forgot
how will i ever find you now?
i have no key for that door
when i was small and nothing was named
triangles rounded, appealing yet strange,
pink pastel , green, powder blue, cream,
on a chain of balls hung by my hand
in the space now named kitchen, mundane,
a wondrous light gleamed on the taps
a window shaped shadow shone on the wall
sunspots and dazzle in dust motes that danced
the magical, mystical weave of the world
daydreams later, music, rhythms and words,
hidden companions jumped out of books
words that told astonishing thing, they flew
black wings, deep blue, a momentary flash,
crystalline visions, a jewel shone in a beak,
a message from angels that sheltered the bed.
morning left on the walk to the school
to the room of the witch, her ice cold eyes
held nightmares, inaccessible stars,
barred windows where birds sang outside
a world full of things not understood
diving inward, escaping
curled up tight in a ball
eternally quiet
eternally small
emerging from a night that’s almost gone
my mother moved about the kitchen slowly
such quiet grace should herald in the holy
brush strokes of light burst forth and shone
what shadows will the evening bring
when light is low behind the window blind?
if i look out what comfort will i find?
a choir of angels, distant, softly sing
The Dreaming Path 