The Poems read in this ‘Words to Share’ segment
The Narrow Path
We all walk the narrow wire,
Do we live or do we die?
No answers appear
Until one fateful day.
It is the natural course
That we all know
But when the curtain closes
Regrets litter the ground.
What could have been said?
What could have been done?
Questions left unasked
Never to be answered.
Rejoice we must
In what the person gave
The love they shared
Their acts of kindness.
Put aside perceived faults
Things that might have been neglected
We all have one life
A journey not a race to achieve.
Listen to the tales of others
Of words and deeds unheard
Learn about the life
Parts to you formerly unknown.
Brian Mathews, 27/7/21
Excuses
We all do this
Make excuses for this
More excuses for that
Reasons why things weren’t done.
Knowing that, if important enough,
A thing would be done
But justifying our actions
Explaining away our oversights.
Life demands are always there
And this maintains our interest
Our need to do and be
Particularly for those we love.
That there must be priorities
We all understand
As with the guilt we feel
When important things are left undone.
But guilt needs to be
A trigger for action
Not a club wielded
In endless self flagellation.
If tasks are not completed
This helps us to decide
What is really important
And what is just a maybe.
This too speaks to others
Actions do talk louder than words
We show our feelings through our doings
Words are powerful but not enough.
Brian Matthews, 24/8/21
Blindsided
Blindsided once can be devastating
But twice in such a short time
Can leave a pool of despair.
We look for reasons
That don’t exist
As the story unfolds.
Lashing out at others
A common response
Leading to pain for all.
Using our mutual strengths
We can stand on the rocky road
And even carve a path ahead.
Supporting each other critical
Avoiding blame and detraction
The pettiness that lives in us all.
Embracing warmth and love
Demonstrating genuine concern
Creating a way to be in this new reality.
Brian Matthews, 23/8/21
The Presence
The touch, the presence
Social stroking so important
Words are important
But rarely enough.
We long to feel
The aura of another
Not always the physical
The vibrations satisfy.
The comfort of a shared activity
Words that may seem trite
The Earth not shaking
The comfort in each other.
Brian Matthews 13/8/21
We shared a bedroom
We shared a bedroom
Just him and me
A world in which we talked and played
And fought and plotted.
Down by the bridge over the railway
Sliding its slopes on rusty corrugated iron
Probably the odd asbestos sheet
Tadpoled in pools where poorly drained.
The old coal tower a dangerous magnet
Never talked of to parents
Climbing the ladders
Exploring abandoned, silted bins
So many adventures and memories
Into my adult years and now
Saying goodbye to him a slow process
In my heart he will always have residence.
Brian Matthews, 12/8/21
New Neighbours
A block of land bought
A simple step at first
Soon with trouble fraught.
As Covid soon hits
Building planning starts
But schedules are the pits.
Promises, promises they hear
Timelines gently extending
How did everything become so dear?
Time heals all, so they say
Inching forth until complete
And finally there comes the day.
All is finally in its place
Though massaging still needed
Just watch this space.
So welcome you both we will
To our friendly community
New neighbours, Disa and Bill.
Friends for many years past
Living just around the corner
In Normanville at last.
Brian Matthews, 11/8/21
Brian’s Reflections 