I wander my dreams seeking it, I need to flush away all my pain and fear, to be cleansed

The moss-covered craggy edge, illuminated by the forest light slicing through the trees

The musty aroma of alga overwhelms, matching the turmoil invading my mind

Ancient stones, ice cold to the touch, as is my heart that hasn’t warmed since the pain and memories of tragic times passed.

My tears erupt into a cascade of salt ladened sadness, falling silently into the abyss

Twinkling light followed by darkness, silent and mournful reminds me of the dreams I hold and the past darkness I must banish

Fall, fall into the dark cold and murky waters, plunged deep, silence as my soul’s rebirth begins

The rope of enlightenment lashes the pail of hope, pulling me back from the depths of despair

The well, now sealed by serenity’s cover, darkness banished, my soul reborn, relit

I wander my dreams, future paths drenched in cosmic light before me, I am complete again

Published by Wise Owl Magazine
Copyright 2024

Look up to the sky, through sunlight, wind, rain and snow
Look down at the earth and your cherished trodden paths
Look in to the mirror and smile
Be grateful for your life, however tough
One day, brighter light will find you

Published by Spillwords Press

Having personally being affected by suicide of my son, I am extremely grateful for the help and support from Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide.  I was delighted to have some of my poetry published. POETRY FOR MENTAL HEALTH promotes and publishes poetry for mental health!
Please buy a copy, they are not expensive, and every sale goes towards keeping
www.poetryformentalhealth.org/suicide—vol-2

The Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide exists to meet the needs and break the isolation of those who have been impacted by a loss through suicide. They offer emotional support, help and information through our telephone helpline, information, peer led support group meetings around the country, online forum and virtual group meetings.

National Support Line 0300 111 5065
Monday and Tuesday 9am – 5pm
www.uksobs.org

ADORATUR IN POPULO

Wrapped warm and safe under the Royal blanket, you are the golden
thread, woven through the eyes of nations
A blanket of red petals falls from upon high, heads bowed, the bugler
sounds the last post.
I look up and gaze for a moment, I glance at the gleaming sparkle of
royal tears weeping for those that fell, lest we forget
Emotions are deep and heartfelt, yet, you are stoically strong and
proud, the heart of nations beat as one.
Proud, so proud to have given you my oath tenderly young, my
allegiance to Queen and Country, like yours, never wavered
Per Ardua ad Astra, Ma’am, you are amongst the stars shining
brightly, your spirit once again entwined with your love eternal.

“At the age of 17 in 1985, I swore on the bible along with 20 other young men and women, to serve my Queen and Country after I had been accepted to join Her Majesty’s Royal Air Force. The most memorable night when I gazed upon the Queen was at the Remembrance Day parade in the Royal Albert Hall in London in the late 1980s. The emotions were very high on this very special televised tribute to those fallen in WWI and WWII, and was graced by the Queen and other members of the Royal Family.”

Published in:
Poetry celebrating the life of Queen Elizabeth II
From poets around the world
Published by THE POET

I gaze in your eyes, your soul is broken

I nudge your hand touching you with my cold wet nose

We need to walk, I’m by your side, one foot, one paw together, following the path of hope

Unconditional love and support, I’ll pull you up when you’re down, I lay by your side when your mind is clouded and your body aches

We need to walk, I’m by your side, one foot, one paw together, following the path of hope

Come rain, sun, wind, frost, or snow, we shall cherish the moment, reflect on happy pasts, and mourn our losses

But you have me, and my paws and I have you and your feet.

Inseparable, loyal and loving

We walk together, following the path of hope.

Published by Spillwords Press

40 years have passed, when tears flowed, goosebumps chilled and life in the moment was poetic perfection.
A thousand smiles on the faces of strangers, as the first chord played, notes sung, shared innocent and beautiful connections are born.
Now kindred spirits join, spanning the ages, immersed in song, dance, and unique personal emotion.

Those feelings have returned, after decades aways, and once again my poetic muse takes centre stage.

Your words inspired by childhood, teenage and adult life, shaped by the land of your birth, by the language of your kin.
Shadow cast aside, light weaving all as one, passion and pride radiate through your songs.

The uniqueness of the landscape, remote, harsh, ever-changing, dramatic.
Rugged, untouched, beauty abounds, soul enriching for those it touches.

The memories of those sadly departed, shall be our heroes, as they have shaped the culture we cherish.

My muse, shaped in Dunfermline but sadly passed, his legacy lives on in his lyrics, their music, bring joy, yet heartbreak, a felt loss for many.
My muse rekindled in Aberdeen, renewed inspiration to write while I listen and reflect on elements.

We are the elements, your musical talent, our following, devotion to you and your music.
Together we are kindred connections, expressing the passion and love we all feel in the moment and its shared beauty.
Auld makars and bards’ traditions of the past, living today and forever converged as lines in the tide.
We all pass the endless flow of the Lochy, Spey, Dee, and Don. Homeward bound, apart, but forever connected, our dreams of reunion never lost.

Published by Spillwords Press

Warming pink glow, sky obscured, icy blast, cascading drifts, hearts, and souls’ smile.

Memories hoarded in chilled complexity, emotions fall as individual moments of joy and lament.
Uniquely beautiful crystalline water, woven by chill, falling like angels,

Memories wrap us in blankets of wind laced comfort, white layers momentarily silence unbearable thoughts, pathways undefined, following questions never answered.

Hands reaching out to catch a single heavenly flake.
Hold you, feel you, understand you, before you melt away.
Loss envelopes, you disappear, replaced by solace of mind, knowing we’ll meet again.

For we are beauty, never defined by our losses, but by our uniqueness, strength, and fortitude.
Beacons of hope shine, prisms of grace hold the hand of others, different but the same.

Hold my snow-covered hands, follow paths together and gaze on the wonderment and warmth as precious flakes abound.

Published by Spillwords Press

Meet me under the Bonnie Tree

Meet me under the scented bloom
Meet me under the frost-bitten branches
Meet me in dreams filled with hopes of reunion

Set aside all the questions, embrace the gifts of wisdom, and empathy for others, celestial and mortal gifts through pain, grief, hope, and awakening.

Tragedy may have found us, but won’t define us as kindred souls, reach out for each other and connect.

Human emotions laid bare, private, personal, beautifully heart-warming, and natural. Recognition of our vulnerability, celebration of inner strength.

Look skywards through entwined branches touching kindred aching souls.

Breathe deep the sweetest perfume of cherished memories
Reach out for the branches of strength that bind one another.

For you and I will join hands under the Bonnie Tree and dream reuniting with dearly departed souls, celebrating their immortal legacies until our mortal end of days.

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:

This is a poem dedicated to SoBS (Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide), a UK charity set out to support all of those that have lost loved ones to suicide.

Published by Spillwords Press

We leave no written memory, just our pagan souls, carved in stone
Millenia pass, our hopes and fears reflected in the spectral beauty illuminating our lochs
Our past and future dreams of nation change, like the light that glistens above the mountain tops
The cross travels East from Dal Riata, myths and legends will forever be spoken, and soon Alba will be born.

Published by Spillwords Press

The whispers of calm
The whispers of peace
The whispers of the briefest inner serenity
They are calling me, the sea calls to me
The distance calls of seals, the cries of the birds, nature’s sweetest symphony, plays its soul-enriching music
It calls to me, they call to me
Apathy fades through the light of ever changing shades
Banish the dark for the shortest of moments.
Call to me, keep calling me
Beautiful whispers of the sea.

Published by Spillwords Press

Jack Frost is waiting to weave his mischievous magic
Amongst the changing flora lays an endless carpet of vibrant purple heather, its sweet note sings in the cool air
Brown and yellow paint flecks adorn the smallest leaves
Multi-coloured toadstools and mushrooms spark vivid memories of magical childhood dreams
Pixies and fairies will soon come out to play!
Autumn fall, nights come alive with a waltz of neon blue and red
Tiny creatures play impish games in their nocturnal fungal playground
Olive, lime, emerald colours paint the forest floor in vibrant shades of green
I walk bare footed, feeling the cool moist spring of moss massaging my soul
The air is damp and chilled, full of the familiar scent of the Earth’s musty aroma
Birds sing, piping a Highland symphony welcoming another seasonal chapter
I feel so alive, ready to embrace more of nature’s ever changing, breathtakingly beautiful wonders.

Published by Spillwords Press

Oceanic Mistress
You are enticing, you are alluring
You are my mistress
I walk your soft shores today, feeling your calmness and serenity
You gently caress me with the lapping of your warm waves
I am at one with you, and one with nature

But I am wary and respectful of your unbridled power, so easily unleashed
Dare to venture into misguided waters and your hidden, dark and menacing tide, could rip me and drag me beneath.
Suffering Poseidon’s fury, smashed into the dark abyss

This is your world, your domain since time immemorial
Neither conquered or controlled by any force or entity
You give life and nurture existence, but spare no grace when you take them away

It’s Man’s greatest folly thinking we can subdue you
You are the one who has tamed us, and, in the passing of a heartbeat, our co-existence will end forever
Humanity will disappear, yet the all-powerful oceanic mistress and her tidal beauty will remain,

Published by Spillwords Press