Wild Geese

The wild geese are

Alighting on a lake

We watch them

From our nest

Where we are settled

We see their wings

Arcing and gliding 

Over the water

Making ripples

Drifting in and out of the currents

Our thoughts drift away

With every flap and splash

For a moment we wish we could

Land too 

We are high up in the sky

But composed

No parts surfacing

Disturbing the moment 

This day is nearing its end

The geese will rest

We will return to our room

Perhaps we are a little cold

And hungry

Time for tea

She says

Standing up

The birds are oblivious to us

Busy at their work 

I wonder what they have seen

On their journey

If they see at all

Perhaps they are only

Following the compass

Revisiting old routes

And rituals 

A bit like us

She claps her hands with delight 

And as we walk home 

I wonder how much we have seen too. 

Frozen

We wash our hands in the stream

Frozen

Fingers and water stirring up

Stories

We ate sugar for tea now it is

Quiet

We are lying silently full

Dreaming

That is the best way to be she whispers

Calmly.

Housekeeping

We work the soap

Into our broken skin 

Chipped nails

A catalogue of hours

Time spent drumming 

Our fingers

Fumbling along the threadbare

Edges of clothes

It would be good to drive

To the place of our mourning 

But we are still

Stuck

Burnt out

Mourning the loss

Of our face 

If only we could mend it

Polish it up 

Draw a line over the chipped edges

Marks come in the mail

Letters and sentences 

We tidy them away

Housekeeping 

She calls it

Pushing away old dust

Shining up the new

Our hands are always busy

Our heads too

We long for emptiness

Space

As it is we stand alone

In the confines of our home

Tidying and scrubbing

Keeping house

Collecting words. 

Crush

She crushes the flower

Between her thumb and fingers

Little drops of sap

Fall onto the floor

There is a sweet smell

And a bleed

She smiles

It is like a game

Pretend

Brewing perfumes

Making colours

To draw pictures

Leaving patterns

Creating paths

Breadcrumbs

Except we would never go into the house

We survive by moving

Working our way through the puzzles

The flower is drying up

She washes it away

A rainbow falling through the sink

It will be a while before

We pick another one

Too many days spent indoors

I think

We could use a bigger adventure

Something new to see

And feel

For now the flower is enough

Tomorrow we will see

What the sun brings. 

Home Front

We open the lock 

On the front door

We believe it is our own home

Sometimes we dream

We have no home

A silent tragedy

Fading into the stars 

A place we have

Almost come near to

Many a time 

We switch on the blue light

Blue makes us calm

Like her dress

Soft as clouds

Cool as raindrops

Our head dizzy

Full of stories

Father told us 

So far away

Yet tucked in our blood cells

The very heart of who we are

We look out of the window

There are birds nesting in the trees

Flowers waiting to bloom

The wind speaks in whispers

You are home

You are home

It is a prayer we believe 

A place we can trust. 

Punch

Mother said you have to learn

To pull your punches

And how to stop them

I think

Just play dead

Do not fight back

Do not object

If you do the punches

Will be harder

And longer

I stroke Alice's hand

It is soft

I curl her fingers around mine

They are far too gentle 

To make a fist

It is far better that we fight

With words now

Not quite peaceful

Not quite safe

Better perhaps

We whisper together 

We both have scars

Mine visible

Hers inside

You never really leave underground

Behind you

There is always a memory

A clue

Reminding you of the adventure

The fight

The journey

I kiss her gently on the cheek

I am glad there are no punches today.

Snowfall

On the night of the snowfall

Moths and fireflies

Dissolve into dawn

The sky is blue

With pink streaks

They glow in the sluggish sky

Little beacons of hope

And light

The clouds are like smoke

She squeals 

We can hide in them 

Until morning

And the return of the sun 

Blades alight

Hearts refusing to fail

In the dark

We watch on

The silver blanket

Hugging the earth

I remember the last snow

Boots leaving trails in the powder

Thoughts weighed down 

Like blankets

Wrapped tight about our shoulders

It feels like a fairy tale

Soft and sweet

But with a biting end

It feels as if we have walked 

Through a thousand winters

There is peace in stopping

Letting the cool flakes

Brush our cheeks

Coat our hair

Like sugar

If we shake

Little flurries

Fall to the ground

I think perhaps 

We are very glad

To be in the night

Of the snowfall. 

Mothering

I'll be mother 

She says

Holding up the tiny

Porcelain teapot

She pours 

And a golden liquor

Splashes neatly

Into a china cup

We look at each other

Smile

I think about all the things

She has taught me

All the things they did not

How to mother

Love

Trust

And respect

Be kind to each other

And wish one another well

All the good things

She mutters

All the things that should come naturally

Or at least be learnt along the way

We slowly sip our tea

Just the jangle of porcelain 

Keeps us together 

It is strange to think

How being young forever

Makes you wise

Older than years can account for

Perhaps after all

You have to learn to mother yourself

Perhaps that has been our adventure

One with much more left

To discover and treasure.