Heather Pound

we wander through grass to table cement

and we sit on the same side

watching seagulls whirl on wind

above green-green hills and sparkling sea

 

and you talk—and i listen

soaking in your thoughts

and later we philosophize

until you walk around to other side

and lay long-tall frame down on bench

with sighs

 

and all i can see is nose and eyes shut face

peering above table between

and you talk—and i listen

and i smell the grass and feel the breeze

 

and at this time there is no place else

on God’s green earth that i would choose to be

breathing soft in moment fully present

moving little lest you young colt

should startle and bolt spirited

 

and you talk—and i listen

the treasure of mothering grown-up son

and you talk—and i listen thankful

and my heart fills brim-full to running over

with peace

 

Heather Pound 2024

you must

[notice this please–i did not say should but must]

you must offer understanding to all of the versions of you

all the various you’s that you recall

 

stop holding them to that standard

that you expect of the one today

judging them now with older and wiser eyes

blaming them for what they did and did not do

the places they failed or caused you pain

when they were only young

 

instead be the kindest of kind

offer them a seat on the sofa comfy

pillow plumped behind back

feet raised

hot cocoa cup in hand

 

thank them one by one for all the adventures

you have journeyed together—and the things

that they practiced long and taught

 

perhaps you will be inspired again

by their youthful flair

by feet that used to twirl

costume sorted audience or not

 

celebrate their innocence and naiveite

that allowed them to believe the best

of everyone they met

you have things to learn from them

they have wisdom too

 

be especially kind to the mother of children young

doing the best that she knew how with no knowledge

of roads and curves that lay ahead

 

offer tenderness to the version that hurt

that absorbed and held much pain

she did this to allow the rest of you

to function

carry on

 

this one

that one

and all the ones in-between

 

they are important

they matter

they have led to who you are

they are welcome here one and all

and are loved

 

Heather Pound 2024

Photo by Scott Higdon on Unsplash

i always imagined that i would one day be

cool, calm and collected, serene,

with my self-consciousness completely

expired—and sometimes i am

 

but more often than not i find myself

a little bit restless, a little bit frazzled,

the one who trips over the crack

in sidewalk known or drops a fork

on the floor loud in the middle of the

wedding speech

 

but now when all eyes turn towards me,

i find i am not as bothered as back

when i was younger still

 

because i remember things like

how much my children belly laugh

and smile at the memory of me

falling face first on soft turf,

thankfully unharmed–but

unable to get up for a moment

on account of laughter

ringing raucous and free

 

i have learned that it really does not matter

that i am seldom calm, cool and collected

because life is unpredictable and

it’s better to embrace me

 

the genuine version that usually fidgets

too much when everyone else sits still

because genuine i respect in others

and is all i can authentically be.

 

—there is a deep and lasting freedom that comes with authenticity and your authenticity encourages others to relax as well

Heather Pound 2024

Photo by Jez Timms on Unsplash

do you ever look in the mirror and wonder

wonder about where you’ve come from

from which ancestor did you inherit

that exact tilt of nose

the mischievous glint in eye

that aversion to sauerkraut strong

 

a tapestry of possibilities

that narrowed down, down, down

to become–you

 

there might be nothing new under the sun

in general

but there has never before been this exact

combination of you

 

the way you walk and talk

your particular set of talents or weakness

your formative history, relationships that

have influenced

 

lifelong stories collected that dance around

and intertwine as your opinions form

what makes you laugh or smile

what interests hold your mind

 

there has never before been

and will never ever be again–

a more you version of you

 

please recognise that you, my friend

are one of a kind, the rarest of rare

an undeniable original signed

 

take yourself out into the world

and treat yourself with all the  

respect, tenderness and care

that you require

 

and remember to appreciate

the details of other

masterpieces too

 

Heather Pound 2024

Photo by AARN GIRI on Unsplash

roll down the windows of life

and let the sun stream in

who cares if it tangles your hair

if it makes eyes water even

 

let freedom barge in with the breeze

allow eyes to gleam as they soak in the view

face to face rather than behind glass protective

 

live your life, experience it, cherish the day

chase meaning and purpose absolutely

but do not forget to also have fun

–a balance of the two is a flavourful recipe

to life

 

live your life as a series of today

one day of focus at a time

and gather in close all of the produce that

your tended garden of choice has to offer

 

for there is beauty breath-taking

belly-laughter to participate in

moments of peace to enjoy

and love beyond comprehension

 

this is the offering, the feast available

the nourishment for a soul who

desires to live well

 

and if you have survived on crumbs

for far, far too long

then muster all of your courage

and roll down the windows wide

 

Heather Pound 2024

Photo by frank mckenna on Unsplash

all those niggling worries and deeply felt fears

that you have carried for far, far too long

have mostly come to nothing

 

i remind you gently of this

there are things in your grasp and

things that are not and most of your worries

fall into the latter

 

perhaps this is because they are beyond

your control

things you cannot foresee

 

you are strong but it is okay

to lay these things down

unlike atlas the world entire

is just too much to bear

 

so let it go

be free

take back only what is yours

and then instead of worrying

foster them gently

 

hold them up to the Light and wisdom for them seek

they are there to help you grow in ways needed

like the basil in my garden flourishing tall

 

but all the rest—they will just tear you down

squash you into something small

shatter your wellbeing

 

i wish i had known this eons ago

but you are a single cup

just a small thing really

and all you need to do

is to keep your cup filled

running over even

 

this cup that is you

is all you need to be

and worry has no place

within your porcelain frame

 

Heather Pound 2024

Photo by Michael Gusev on Unsplash

the image comes of the days that the

monsoons would arrive, welcome after

the intense heat of the months previous

but muggy all the same

 

this would invariably occur when it was

time to transport children to and from

school—and our crocs we would don

because they gave better protection

than our usual sandals

 

as we waded through waters

at least ankle deep but often

reaching my youngest ones’ knees

 

and i would try to make light of it all

and have fun to distract us from thinking

what the water might carry as rats nearly

the size of cats flushed out of pipes and

drains along the paths

 

we would make it through the lanes

that led to the metro and climb

up the steps before going down

and down

 

and once we had finally trundled

aboard our train, uncomfortably

wet and undoubtedly splattered by

things left better unknown

 

it was always as if the passage

was lighter and people were more

willing to smile even if just to say

‘khuba bristi’ [a lot of rain]

 

i suspect that was because of the

collective adversity experienced

that tore down barriers of wealth

culture and cast and gender

and reminded us that we were all

simply human

and vulnerable

together

 

–life in calcutta  

Heather Pound 2024

Photo by Abhinav Srivastava on Unsplash

what will you do when love comes to call

knocking on the door of your sombre heart

are you comfortable

too comfortable

in the place that you have been

or will you open the sash up wide

to let love’s sunshine in

 

it’s really up to you

you get to choose

 

pay attention to your heart when the cobwebs come in

what little spiders have busily started their webs

name them by name then invite them to leave

because you have something else you would rather

build there instead

 

you may have been living the only way you know how

but if you open your heart to new ways of being

of living

of doing

you might be surprised by what is already

waiting at your door impatient

 

what would it be like to invite love in

would you sit by the fire

socks on

coffee in hand

or would you kick off your shoes

and together dance

 

once again you get to choose

no one will make you do this

there is a lot in this world well beyond your control

but not this

this is yours

this is your gift

 

 

Heather Pound 2024

Photo by Inspa Makers on Unsplash

open your heart, my love, to the possibility

that hope might burst forth again

that even though the journey is long

and your current path is full

of thorns and stones and bandits that steal

 

and even if you are convinced that nothing in this

big broad world will ever change—at least for you

that perhaps it will

 

perhaps it will

and perhaps your future will hold

all the things that you ever wanted

 

and even though today the meal that is served

is crumbs

that is enough to sustain you through

 

and even if your eyes are dry

because all your tears are shed

you just might smile again

 

i see it there

the glimmer on the horizon

naught but a speck right now

but open your eyes once again to see

that although it may be far, far in the distance

do not be dismayed for this is proof that

hope exists

 

and that  you have the vision to see

that change can come

and you can take a breath in slow and remember

that there is always something ahead to look

forward to

 

open your heart to see

 

Heather Pound 2024

Photo by Mike Marrah on Unsplash

i do not need to put on my best dress

wash my face or even change my attitude

in order to come to you

 

i don’t need to clear my jumbled mind

or speak coherently

–you just say ‘come’

 

the invitation is there and free

and all i need to do

is to bring

me

 

Heather Pound 2024