Heather Pound

the daylight slips away 

and songbirds sweetly sing

the day to close

~~

and i, who used to 

fear the dark, breathe deep

and relish in the hush

~~

joining nature in her rhythms

tranquil, for all must

slumber and refresh

~~

and tomorrow’s troubles

are not today’s and need 

to keep their place

~~

and night is nothing to be 

feared when a heart chooses

peaceful and content

~~

©Heather Pound 2022

image:Carson Arias/Unsplash

i heard a song i used to sing

back when living on knife’s

edge, never knowing 

one minute to the next

if peace or cyclone 

would billow ‘round.

~~

the melody speaks hope 

of shelter safe even 

within the tempest, 

and i would belt this loud

back then in faith that 

joy in morning comes.

~~

and i paused and let tears

come, grateful. incredibly,

astonishingly so, because i

never knew back then just

how far i would leave that 

space, how wide the chasm

would become, how much

healing i would gain.

~~

and how fragrant fresh 

life would now be. and 

I am humbled by grace 

and its power to recreate, 

and that it was gifted me.

~~

©Heather Pound 2022

image:Barnabas Hertelendy/Unsplash

a plump little song thrush perched on top of the apple tree

where dewy leaves had appeared only just this week 

it sat nonchalant as if to say, “no need to look.

i am just watching the day pass by.” but the worm 

waving in its beak when its head flicked back and forth

told a somewhat different tale.

~~

the charade continued until the other birds in the garden flitted away 

and the seagull overhead soared on past, wings outstretched wide

then purpose, intentionally hidden, struck sudden and sure

leaping into the air, like an arrow towards a target

the thrush shot into the hedge. 

hopefully high enough where my inquisitive cat

will not find the babies most certainly nestled there.

~~

©Heather Pound 2022

image:Christine Kozak/Unspalsh

i am not sure which is more difficult,

not accepting the pressure to be more than we are

or being careful to not be less,

because all we really need to be is ‘me.’

~~

not trying to stuff in talents where they just don’t fit

angles not right, curves too severe,

shrinking who we really are in the process just to make space

because one container can only hold so much

and is designed for specific things.

~~

using the design well, operating within those strengths,

feeding them, nurturing with care,

those things bring fulfillment and even expand.

stretching and growing, pregnant with purpose

giving birth to joy.

~~

but when something just doesn’t fit, 

isn’t within our makeup

even if we admire it from afar,

will only give birth to misery

when we try to force it in.

~~

©Heather Pound 2022

image: Unsplash/Noah Butcher

i know that feeling nothing

has been your saving grace,

~~

protecting you and allowing

you to keep on existing.

~~

but now, waking within

your soul–is joy. 

~~

a bud that longs to flower, 

to spread petals at long last.

~~

to feel the misty dew, 

the warmth of sun upon its face,

~~

and you do your diligent best

to invite this blossoming.

~~

and i am in awe of your courage 

because you also wholly recognize 

~~

that this stirring of emotion requires 

you to likewise feel the burning, 

~~

the ache buried long and deep beneath 

the surface; raw, bleeding and inflamed. 

~~

you face the injury as a dragon that must 

be slayed, and i am inspired 

~~

by your tenacity, how you continue to 

fight and find the strength.

~~

©Heather Pound 2022

image:Flavio Gasperini/Unsplash

when the hard things come

fast and heavy we may become 

afraid to hope for better

things, living on a diet of 

starved, bare minimum,

unsatisfied, safe. 

~~~

unlike a child on christmas morn,

afraid lest we are disappointed

once again.

~~~

we forget that there is magic

to be found, unexpected delights, 

everyday joys and that anticipation

of these makes life worth savoring.

so, do not snuff out the hope that is 

yours to embrace, do not waste 

her shine.

~~~

she is a diamond to be cherished,

worn extravagantly, not wasted.

for when you neglect her presence

she might be stolen by ‘despondent’ 

whose grubby residence will 

spoil the household within, 

entire.

~~~

evict this freeloader before he settles

and clean out the space,

spotless. 

~~~

then sit under a tree or stare at the waves

and generously invite hope back into your 

mind and especially your heart,

brave.

~~~

©Heather Pound 2022

image:Ian Schneider/Unsplash

she sat, chin resting in hand 

and thought of days gone by,

dreamy-eyed

~~~

while her face spoke of a thousand

memories, unconscious smiles,

momentary sadness, joy

~~~

how can one heart hold so many

precious things without exploding, 

and reminiscing stirs the pot of them

bubbling, brewing, boiling over

~~~

it seems one can only remember

so long at one sitting before the simmer

overflows, messy

~~~

joy and sadness mixed, love, longing,

loss. all of these make us human

and she was one of these

~~~

©Heather Pound 2022

image:Sincerely Media/Unsplash

when i was a young, i wanted to

study the stars–until i discovered

that math would be required. 

~~~

but staring into the starry skies

has never waned, it is still just

as magical as when i was nine.

~~~

that pulling of the soul into

mystery, the unfathomable 

enormity of it all.

~~~

something that cannot be held

within two hands, like the wind, 

like the waves—

~~~

but even greater still. we think 

we are wise, but our minuscule

brains cannot contain the

~~~

vastness of space, billowing out

beyond our ability to explain.

inspiring stories eloquent, 

~~~

adventures in unknown. but when 

i stare into the starry night, i cannot

speak–and think about the face of God.

~~~

©Heather Pound 2022

image:Elliott Brennan/Unsplash

today

is not just

any other day.

it has never before

been and will never 

be again.

~~~~

whatever 

the day holds

ahead, routine 

tasks or adventure

extreme, there are

riches to be gathered

therein.

~~~~

so, do not begin

with heart asleep

and waste the day 

away. take space, even 

for a moment, to stir up 

the light that lives within

and intentionally shine on 

this potentially phenomenal day.

~~~~

©Heather Pound 2022

image:A.Z/Unsplash

today, if the space you are

in is restricted and the sun

does not shine, then just

sing a song anyway because

your story is still being written.

~~~~

if you see no way forward

or no way out, then smile anyhow

because even though you cannot 

yet see, the pathway does exist.

~~~~

if your heart is heavy and breath

burns your lungs, raise your head

even a little, a tiny rebellion 

against the dark, because light 

will always shine once again. 

~~~~

you see, i have occupied similar space 

before and i can promise you this.

~~~~

—sometimes we all need to hear that there is hope. 

©Heather Pound 2022

image:Dmitry Novikov/Unsplash