A couple of birthday poems and others written recently…

For one of my granddaughters

Alexa’s 14

And so another year has passed
It seems to have gone so fast
And now your 14th birthday does appear 
Marking yet a further year. 

Hope you have a lovely day
That’s really all I can say
And with friends you have a lot of fun
A joyful day in the sun. 

Each year new experiences abound
Both positives and negatives will be found
Your family, though, will be there 
Even when you despair. 

I do hope the year brings joy
At least that it does little to annoy
And that you can smile
As you travel each and every mile. 

Brian Matthews 13-5-24

A short one for my eldest son

Karl’s Birthday 

Another birthday comes around
Hopefully, with joy to be found. 

And another year rears its head
Mortgage and mouths to be fed. 

And, thus, goes every day
Seeking what we cannot say. 

But one thing is always sure
Love is what will always endure. 

And so it is for you and me
And all along the family tree. 

Universal is the need
Relationships to carefully feed. 

Brian Matthews 22-5-24

A weather poem…

And So It Goes

And so the clock ticks on
Clear skies replaced by gloom
Some rain but not enough 
Temperature lingers in single digits. 

And the days are so short 
And soon shorter still
As to the winter solstice we march 
The cycle unstoppable. 

Wherever we live
The weather follows closely 
Reminding us of time passing
A conversation piece for all. 

Hoping for good winter rains
To fill the dams and reservoirs 
And saturate the land
Recharging the Earth’s batteries. 

But the lack of autumn downpours 
Does not presage well
We all know another drought will come
And with this comes the fires. 

Humankind clings to the ground 
As weather events become more extreme 
And wars rage around the globe
Seeking a peaceful place to stand. 

And cycles come and go
Ignoring individuals and their travails 
Though impact we all do
Through our waste and neglect. 

And people lose their homes
Through natural disasters
Or corporate and individual greed
Huddling together for safety. 

Some cling strongly to their faith
Others decry the usurpers 
And others keep their heads down
Hoping for the tempests to pass. 

All at the mercy of nature
A fickle creature at best
But the source of all we have
The good, the bad, and everything in between. 

Brian Matthews 4-6-24

A grumpy old man poem

Exploring A Mood

Lugubrious, such a strange word
Looking or sounding sad or dismal
Applied to some breeds of dogs
Or the elderly withering in their dotage. 

Resonating with me now
As that is how I feel
Unmotivated and unimpressed by all
Feeling like I’m sinking in mire. 

Contributing little to conversations
Uninspired by attempts at humour 
What a strange creature I’ve become 
Failing to acknowledge the joy in life. 

For all seems so dark and glum
A world full of war and tragedy
So many people warped by fate
Or the violence that seems so prevalent. 

Waiting for the light to return
Knowing that I will not always feel so
Wanting what I am not sure
Hoping for the energy to return. 

We all have days like this
For some they come in waves
For others when chance intervenes
Bringing events that would fell anyone. 

Wallowing does little good
And brings little company 
People happy to listen
But unwilling to be consumed. 

And so it should be
We all can change our lives
Even if only in small ways 
A smile bequeathed to a stranger. 

Brian Matthews 7-6-24

And finally, for this post, one about a holiday

Halls Gap

A lovely place here 
Surrounded by nature
Kangaroos abound
Emus stroll around. 

The birds are relaxed
Familiar with tourist attention 
They light nearby
Looking for a stray fry. 

A stroll down the path
Looking left and right
The kookaburras take it all in
Did those scraps miss the bin?

The sulphur crested cockatoos strut
The crimson rosellas display their plumage
The little dogs sniff around
Hoping something they’ll find on the ground. 

And so this holiday starts
Weeks of little to do
Apart from whatever does appeal
As from the humdrum of life we steal. 

Brian Matthews 19-6-24