Such is the fate of the timid
That chance will be denied
Scenes of what might have been
Are painted on eyelids, inside
….
Memories that have no past
Faces and places never seen
Hands wanting for the holding
The other side of time’s screen
…
Dreamers know such losses
On nights that last all day
Things that would be different
Had they taken the other way
A freighter ploughs through heavy seas
Navigating oceans by degrees
Racing to bring precious cargo back
Convoyed to reduce the chance of attack
….
The war effort needs these crucial supplies
Ferried to Britain under pewter skies
Below in the cold and merciless deep
Lies a deadly enemy that does not sleep
….
U boats silently stalk their prey
Alert and watching night and day
Silent, merciless cylinders of steel
Torpedoes armed, aimed at the ship’s keel
….
In the freighter’s bowels, ‘neath bulkhead light
Stokers swing shovels in constant night
Sweat, coal dust, crippling heat, endured
Power for the engines must be assured
….
In the stern, the propeller churns
Boiling the sea, the ship tacks and turns
On the bridge the look-out is slack
Failing to spot the moon-silvered track
….
Hell is let loose near the water line
Two explosions rock the ship’s spine
Salt seas pour in with torrent strength
Alarms ring out along the ship’s length
….
The stokers know the emergency drill
But the deluged furnaces are quick to kill
“98 hands lost”, the official post
“Ship sunk within sight of the British coast”
A field mouse once sat at the foot of a tall cornstalk and started a conversation. He shouted loudly so that the ears of corn high above could hear him. The cornstalk listened intently to the mouse’s account of its travels to the far-flung corners of the fields, its near escape when pursued by a combine harvester, and its woes about the size of its family and how difficult it was to feed all those hungry mouths.
In turn the cornstalk explained about meditation and how this helped the cornstalk to while away its days in the sun, waiting for harvest day, when its seeds would be taken to begin a new life as something called bread. It proudly said that its very best seeds would be saved by the farmer and planted next year to create the next generation of corn in these fields.
The mouse said it was impressed with the cornstalk’s patience and with the care it took of its seeds. He asked, “Might I climb your stalk to have a better look at the seeds?” “I would be able to tell you which of your seeds will be those chosen to be planted when the farmer comes with his scythe”, said the little mouse.
‘I think not’, said the cornstalk; ‘I can be patient a little longer to find out and, anyway, it would tickle if you were to climb up my stalk and that might shake some of my seeds loose. I can feel that they are almost fully ripe now.’
The mouse looked a little saddened by this, but he said “Perhaps you would care to dance to one of my songs? I have picked up many a fine tune on my travels and, in some quarters, I am well regarded for my voice”. The cornstalk replied saying, ‘I would love to hear some of your songs, but I would prefer gentle ones, so that I might only sway slightly and not shed any of my seeds’.
Once again, the mouse was slightly disappointed by this response, but he began to sing anyway. As requested, he sang songs with a slow beat, but he sang as loudly as possible so that the cornstalk might not fall asleep. The cornstalk seemed to appreciate the music and swayed as if moved by the gentlest of zephyrs.
However, little by little and note by note the mouse reduced the level of his voice. Intrigued, and not wanting to miss a note, the cornstalk bent over to better hear the mouse. Again, the mouse lowered its voice and the cornstalk was forced to bend over even further, until her ears were next to the field mouse. At this, the mouse leapt onto its head, bit off all the seeds and ran away to feed his hungry family.
A thirsty fox came to a well along the road. He was just about to lower a bucket down the well to get a refreshing drink of water when a large frog sitting on the well wall spoke to him. “Good day Mr Fox”, said the frog. “What is your business here today, if I may ask?”
“Well, I am not sure that it is any concern of yours,” said the fox, “but if you must know, I am thirsty and need a drink from this well”. “Ah!” said the frog, “then it is just as well that we have met, for I fear that you will be disappointed. This well is quite dry, but there is another further down the road and, fortunately, that one isn’t dry. In fact, it is absolutely full of the most refreshing water imaginable”.
“Well there must be at least a drop of water left in this one after the recent rains”, said the fox. He picked up a stone and threw it into the well. Almost immediately there was a loud plop, as the stone hit the water. “See!” said the fox, “All is well; there must be some water down there”.
“I fear I have misled you slightly”, said the frog, “but I was only thinking about your health. The truth is that the water that remains in this well is quite unsuitable for drinking. It has somehow become horribly tainted and I fear that, if you were to drink it, you might become quite unwell”.
“Oh, very well” said the fox.” Perhaps I should walk a little further down the road and take a drink at the next well. I just hope that well isn’t tainted as well.” “Oh no,” said the frog, “the water in that well is as cool and clear as crystal. If you are thirsty, you would do well to set off straight away.” “Well I may as well go and see”, said the fox, and he trotted off down the road to the next well.
When the fox was well out of sight the frog leapt back into the well and joined its little tadpoles who were playing and swimming about in the well water. “Well now”, said the frog. “I have fooled Mr Fox and convinced him not to drink from our well, so we’ll be safe for now.” “Well done, Mum”, said the tadpoles.
A farmer lived in a pleasant valley with his wife and three children. They usually had all they could eat from their own farm, which looked out at the mountains beyond. One year, however, the harvest was very poor and, after a while, the family had eaten most of the food. Only some hay was left in the barn. “Right!”, said the farmer, who liked to be decisive. “We cannot survive the winter by eating hay. I must load what hay we have and take it over the mountain to sell in the village. Then I can buy some food.” The farmer’s wife suggested that, because the snows had started to fall, it would be difficult to get over the mountain without some help. After some discussion the farmer decided to take child No 2 on the journey. This was because the horse was not very strong, and it would not be able to pull the haycart and the farmer and child No1, who was the oldest and the heaviest of the three children. Child No2 was just right for the job though, being a little less heavy than child No1.
Very early the next day the farmer loaded all the hay from the barn and, because it was snowing, he decided to cover the hay to keep it dry. Saying goodbye to the rest of the family, the farmer and child No2 set off toward the village. The snow was not very deep in the valley but, the higher they got on the mountain, the deeper was the snow. Every so often child No2 had to jump down from the cart and help the farmer to push the cart out of the deep snow. After a while child No2, said “Perhaps it would help if we put some of the dry hay under the cartwheels. Then the cart will not get stuck.” “That’s a decidedly good idea”, said the farmer. He gave child No2 his pitchfork to take some hay from the back of the cart and place it under the wheels, as child No2 had suggested. The hay did the trick and, as the horse pulled and the farmer and child No2 pushed, the cart rolled out of the snow. “I’ve decided that you can run back home now and send child No1 out instead”, said the farmer. “The cart isn’t so heavy anymore, so the horse will be able to pull child No1’s extra weight. Child No1 is a little stronger and will be able to help more if I become stuck again”. At this, child No2 ran off to send back child No1.
When child No1 arrived at the cart they all set off once more for the village. It wasn’t long however, before the cart became stuck again. The horse pulled and the farmer and child No1 pushed, but the cart was stuck fast. “I have an idea”, said child No1. “The horse must be exhausted by now, so let’s give him some hay to eat to make him stronger”. “That’s a decidedly grand idea”, said the farmer, “Take some hay from the cart and put it in the horse’s nosebag for it to eat”. After a while, when the horse had eaten and recovered its strength, they managed to free the cart from the deep snow and set off again up the mountain.
Before long, however, the cart became stuck yet again. No matter how hard the horse pulled and the farmer and child No1 pushed, the cart would not budge. “We must get over the top of the mountain, then it will be easy to roll down the other side to the village” said the farmer, in his decisive way. “Here, take the pitchfork to get more hay from the cart and put it under the cartwheels. Then give the horse another feed of hay for good measure”. Child No1 did as he was asked and then, after one last effort, with the horse pulling and the farmer and child No1 pushing, they managed to get over top of the mountain and roll down the other side to the village.
As soon as they arrived at the village, the farmer decided to go straight to the store to sell the hay for some food. When the store owner came out to decide how much to pay for the hay, they took off the cover, but no hay was left! “There is nothing for it”, said the farmer. “I’ve decided that we must sell the horse and cart”. So, they sold the horse and cart, just as the farmer had decided. Then they bought a supply of food and two rucksacks to carry it in. On the way back over the mountain, child No2 asked, “Dad, why haven’t any of us got a real name?” The farmer’s face became very thoughtful for a while and then he said, “I just haven’t decided which ones suit you best yet”.
Everyone sets and steers their own destiny, until acted on by external forces
Here it is; you have a new chance
To change your lifestyle and enhance
Your health and happiness, or something else
Take control and tighten your belts
A new resolution to greet the fresh year
Resolve to succeed and overcome fear
Grasp life by the horns; with both hands
Broaden your mind and visit new lands
The only thing that stands in your way…
…Strength and determination every day
But you can do it; yes you can!
Stick to you guns, just follow the plan
Come tomorrow, come quick
Bringing a vacuum to be filled
Minds open to new possibilities
Which today had denied us
Page turned to a clean sheet
Past mistakes put aside
Wiped, prejudices born of experience
Letting anything be possible
How do you hold a ray of light?
Like some precious gem kept locked up tight?
Or by setting it free to brighten the way?
Mum and I have done this last today
R…… embodies our hopes and dreams
Those who love her know she is more than she seems
A matchless soul with a bottomless heart
A courageous spirit she’s had from the start
In G….. she’s found such an awesome mate
And his family too are simply first rate
Now formally joined, a pair stronger than ever
With love, luck and care may they prosper together
So please raise a glass to the newly wed pair
I give you G….. and R…… , sitting just there!
A caller rang the doorbell
Straight way my heartbeat skipped
Who can this be a-ringing
With no visitors on the script
The house is so untidy
I haven’t combed my hair
Fish smells linger from the kitchen
The timing’s so unfair
No chance to try addressing
The mad jumble of concerns
Again the bell rings threatening
To open my can of worms
A moment’s hesitation
Safe this side of the door
Jumping with surprise as
A note flutters to the floor
Then footsteps gate-ward tread
As I guiltily scan the card
‘We tried to deliver a parcel today
You must collect it from our yard’
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