My poetry has faltered in recent times but trips away provide grist for the mill:

Holiday Spot 

A chorus of galahs
Fill the skies with cries
And then all is calm
Bar the odd squawk. 

A pleasant breeze blows
Diminishing the heat a little 
All quiet except the sounds
Of nature all around us. 

Dogs snapping at flies 
It’s not Australia without them
Every pleasant spot
Has its downside. 

Time to relax
And leave behind 
All the little worries 
Most of the minor chores. 

Brian Matthews 27-2-24

Spear Creek 

Summer’s almost over
Creeping toward March
But nobody told Spear Creek SA. 

Over 40 at times yesterday 
Didn’t get below 30 overnight 
And today hotter still. 

At the bottom of the Flinders Ranges
Usually dry and warmer than down South
Until the skies intermittently open. 

Long spells between the deluges
Officially desert country really 
Wet weather both wanted and feared. 

The birds chatter cheerfully 
Dogs and people lounge in the shade
Activity kept to a minimum. 

Such a beautiful setting 
Huge gum trees crowded around
Hinting at the water source below. 

Hills crouching behind the campsite 
Looking toward the distant sea
Remembering when it covered all around. 

Brian Matthews 28-2-24

Many people struggle with depression, something almost everyone experiences from time to time, but for some it can become a heavy and constant burden.

Thinking about this in the context of people I love and my own experience, I wrote a poem. I am fine, by the way, but my heart grieves for those who aren’t

Depression 

Depression, a fearful beast
That takes away the joy in life
And makes you feel your least. 

No simple solution does exist
For each and everyone 
As our lives it does twist. 

For some a feeling that does fade
With each passing day
Overcome by little steps made. 

But others struggle mightily to keep it at bay
And no matter the turns they take
The illness makes them pay. 

As one of these I struggled long
With one strategy, then another 
Finally choosing a little tablet to help make me strong. 

Other things are needed too
Choices to engage with life
Friends and family to help you through. 

But there is no shame in this
A little orange tablet for some
To help recapture life’s bliss. 

And get out there resolutely 
To see what you may find
All those who love you absolutely. 

And the joy in each smile
And the laughter that you hear
Helping you to go that extra mile. 

Brian Matthews 15-1-24

And a little poem I found that resonated with me:

A hot day

The weather finally warms
Or so it seems 
Though forecasts still mild. 

Knowing as we all do
A week is a long time
In politics and foretelling climate. 

But, for now, we seek shade
In a manner very familiar 
To Australians across the land. 

For when the sun shines 
In our big broad country 
Cover is the only solution. 

A lesson learned early
By many fair skinned forebears 
Then forgotten by many. 

Now part of the culture 
‘Slip, slop, slap’ the jingle goes 
And, mainly, people heed this. 

But, still, it is so easy
To underestimate the power
Of the orb we rotate around. 

Newcomers at most risk
Though all can fall foul
Of the blazing life giver. 

Brian Matthews 12-1-24

But, by the time I posted the first poem, the weather cooled and the wind picked up, ruining a potential sailing day.

A change 

Oh damn,
The temperature has dropped,
The fresh wind blows
No sailing again!

A mild day if inside 
Or, at least, in a sheltered place 
So, washing the dogs I did
Such an explosion of hair. 

Cleaning up the mess
I ponder on the nearby dog wash 
Maybe a better idea
Than the bathroom battle zone. 

And they have a drier, I’m told
More effective than our puny job
Meant for less salubrious hair
Sported by puny humans. 

Ah well, the dogs glare at me
Yet again their torturer
A treat does help
Maybe I’m not so bad after all. 

Hopefully, the weather Gods
Will smile on us next week,
Providing usable breezes
With a little sun to warm our souls. 

Thus it is for sailors 
Goldilocks weather sought after
Knowing that this is so rare
On days when we can sail. 

But hope springs eternal 
In the breasts of old ones
Remembering the lovely days
Cruising amongst the dolphins. 

Brian Matthews 14-1-24

Cycles 

Such heavy rain
For our dry state
And then the downpour ceases. 

Sun shining again 
The birds revel in the change
Insects and other things to forage. 

Life is about cycles 
Some are very dour
Others unrepentantly pleasant. 

And we wait to see
What the next wave might be
Repetition the common theme. 

Brian Matthews 7-1-24

First a birthday poem for my youngest son…

Ben’s 38

38 years since you were born
As with all
From a womb you were torn. 

A feisty child from the start
Weaving your way in
To many a heart. 

Life for you has been up and down
And too often 
You wear a frown. 

A sensitive soul I have found
Too often in life
Knocked to the ground. 

But deep within I can see
The resources you have 
To set yourself free. 

And I will remain 
A steadfast supporter 
An advocate for all you gain. 

Rolling with the punches life will throw
For with each challenge met,
All will watch you grow. 

Brian Matthews 1-1-24

For Ben’s birthday on 4-1-24

And then some Haiku

Unusual Times

The rain falls again 
Not like our normal summer -
And what comes next?

Brian Matthews 6-1-24

Petrichor 

The rain has just stopped
The streets and land now washed clean -
Such rich smells abound

Brian Matthews 6-1-24

And a poem that, I think, will resonate with many

Guilt 

Such an evil master 
Is guilt when we’ve erred
But to err is only human. 

And guilt a reflection 
Of our empathy for others 
Knowing how our actions hurt. 

But the main pain
Is to ourselves
Regret gnawing at our core. 

But lessons are learned
About the need for change 
Before we are overwhelmed. 

Steps taken in calm times
Inoculating against the fever
Of emotions spilling over. 

Knowing that there are those
Who have our backs
And can see past the troubled waters. 

Brian Matthews 6-1-24

Ryder’s 11

So, 11 today!
What can I say?
Have lots of fun
Out in the sun. 

Or, maybe, inside
With friends you’ll hide
Hope you have a joyful time
So my poem can rhyme 😀

Have a great one mate
Eat plenty of cake
Or not, if you like
Maybe ride a bike?

Brian Matthews 20-12-23

New Year

The first day of the new year
The sun shines brightly 
The chorus of birds sounds. 

What will this year bring?
I wonder sitting here
Hoping for the best, of course. 

Knowing no certainty can there be
The good mixing with the bad
Joyful moments interlaced with pain. 

One step after the other
Pausing for breaks
Resting when needed. 

Then forging ahead
Finding the next ‘sparkling moment’
Examining it carefully. 

For in the peaks
Evidence of the troughs appear
All of life connected. 

Uncertainty an element of life
That most of us would miss
If all became too bland. 

And yet, at times predictably 
Is a strong desire 
A need for order common. 

One thing is certain, though
Surprises there will be
As, again, the curtain lifts. 

Brian Matthews, 1-1-24

Sometimes, when I feel helpless, playing with words help me accept that, at times, there is little I can do to help a loved one, other than being there when needed.

Helplessness 

I feel so sad
And it won’t go away
Worrying about a loved one
Feeling my stomach lurch. 

It happens sometimes 
When there’s nothing you can do
To alleviate the pain of another 
Steer them to a clearer path. 

My heart is so sore
The cut feels so deep
And yet life goes on
Those unaffected cruising. 

As they should, of course,
One person’s pain cannot taint
The world for all around 
The sun rises then sets. 

Looking around at all to see
Knowing that for some life ends
While for others it just begins
From loss new growth emerges. 

Into the light leaving the dark behind
A glimmer can be seen
The signs of new hope
But never certainty. 

Brian Matthews 26-12-23

Walking the Dog

Off we go 
Down the street
Seeing the other dogs
Lots to greet. 

My grandson counting 
Your many wees 
And poos as well
Amongst the trees. 

The questions come
As they always do
About so many things
I have no clue. 

But there’s so much joy
In each little thing
Dogs and little children 
Such joy they bring. 

Brian Matthews 24-12-23

Limerence

Limerence, a word new to me
Apparently, coined in the 1970s
Describing an infatuated state. 

It captured my imagination 
Resonated in my heart 
Made me both sad and happy. 

Sadness from a random thought 
Wondering what it would be like
Never to have experienced this. 

When another person grips you
Seizing your imagination 
Preoccupying your thoughts. 

Happiness that I’ve had this pleasure 
The boundaries seeming limitless 
The hope that all will gell. 

Knowing as we all do
That such a state is finite 
Infatuation morphing as it will. 

Sometimes leading to a crest
And then a plummeting fall
Hopes dashed on sharp rocks. 

At others leading to firmer ground
A plateau gradually rising
A firmness in the shape of things. 

The sparkle in life
An ephemeral thing
Sought after by all. 

But solidity is also craved 
Certainty in what will be
Depth in shared experience. 

Brian Matthews 21-12-23