Heather Pound

i would have never wished 

for you to go through

the waters that you did. 

i wish i could have been

stronger than the wind, 

more forceful than the

waves. that i could have 

calmed the storm with

a single powerful word. 

but you have made it

to the shore, you have 

crawled up on the sand

and while you may need 

to rest there for some time

that is fine. for while you 

are tired now the onslaught 

has shaped you in spectacular

ways that you would not have 

been before. you have 

had edges smoothed 

and a new shape formed 

that would have taken years, 

if ever, without the storm. 

~~~~

©Heather Pound 2022

to be accepted, to be included

to be loved for who we are

this, the deepest longing of 

souls that are human

~~~~

and yet we spend most 

of our time distracted, busy

getting on to the next thing

the next task

the next entertainment

ignoring that inner call 

towards connection

and we wilt

and we wither away 

alone in a crowd.

~~~~

throw off the bonds 

that society has fabricated

of how we must conform, fit in

and go for a walk in the meadow

sit under a tree, look up into leaves 

and see the light that filters there.

the quiet humming of air

the gentle way it nuzzles skin

and contemplate for a while.

~~~~

there, within creation 

you will find connection

in the rhythms of nature

and remember that you 

are also linked to Holy.

a balm for your heart 

freedom for you mind

and a clarion reminder 

that you are already 

known 

and loved.

~~~~

when you can breathe free again 

reenter humanity and remember 

that connection is best found 

within simplicity.

not through who you think 

is wanted, but by being genuine  

with who you truly are. 

you cannot find real connection 

without this.

~~~~

©Heather Pound 2022

there you stand, dipping in your 

toe to test the temperature.

is it too hot or too cold

too challenging or too tame

too tiring or worth the effort 

or are you just afraid.

and meanwhile life is passing

you by, so just jump right in

the water is fine. 

~~~~

©Heather Pound 2022

i wish that i could kiss away 

your sorrows and tears 

like i could when you were small 

and a mother’s hug 

made everything better. 

and the fact that i believed in you 

was all the consolation

that you needed.

~~~~

but you are older now

life is more involved.

and while experience 

has taught me that you

will make it in the end 

i cannot just make you

believe the same. 

hardship comes and 

this hurt is more palpable 

than just a skinned knee.

~~~~~

if i could carry your pain, i would. 

if i could make your heartache 

my own, this is something that

i would walk a thousand miles to do. 

but now that you are grown

you must carry it alone

and i must watch—and let you go.

~~~~

but when and if you wish 

i am always here 

to be your shelter in the storm. 

~~~~

©Heather Pound 2022

you used to wear anger like 

amour protective, cinched in

and impossibly tight. but now 

you are clothed with a banner

of kindness instead. 

~~~~

eyes unveiled to see others’ 

needs and hands free to lend 

a helping hand. and I must say 

that while you underrate the gift 

you have to give and think that 

~~~~

‘others must just do it too,’ i can 

remind you that they don’t. and this 

is due to the choices you have made

and that path you have embraced

because it could have been different.

~~~~

and while i used to often worry, now 

i don’t because you have all the 

character that you need gathered 

in close to live a life full and free 

as you drink the cup of kindness.

~~~~

©Heather Pound 2022

i am grieving a little, lovely poem 

that was in my head three days ago, 

but at the time of inspiration

i was much too busy to record.

~~~~

alas i can still see her frame 

but her essence now is sadly gone. 

her sister may visit in days to come 

but will never look just like she was. 

~~~~

this is not a terrible thing compared 

to major tragedies, of course,

but i think that it is still a shame as 

of her i was quite fond. 

~~~~

—busyness, while sometimes necessary, is the killer of creativity. 

©Heather Pound 2022

i pulled weary eyes away from the screen

to peer out the window, refocus, sighing

then because the day was joyless and grey 

~~~~

until i saw a tui, my favorite bringer of song, 

perched just outside, and unaware of my gaze. 

a quiet moment for him to preen, 

cloud-like plume at neck bobbed.

~~~~

tui’s feathers in sunlight are glossy, coal-black, 

and often not noticed unless they sing or the 

‘pffft pffft pffft’ of wings announce their flight.

~~~~

but due to the dullness of the day, i saw his costume 

closer than ever before, and glimpsed his 

colors true: teal, blue, bronze, iridescent swirls,

and intricately painted with finest brush.

~~~~

and i mused that absence of sun can be beautiful too, 

and turned back to task, but with a welcoming of the day

and a soul that was filled with light.

~~~~

—sometimes words just can’t quite capture a moment……but i tried, and this is a lovely photo, but still doesn’t capture what i saw!

©Heather Pound 2022

i picked up a habit along the way

of spending too much time worrying 

about things completely out of my control.

this i found to be rather tiring, to say the least,

until a very smart lady told me to 

write down my fears on a piece of paper,

one at a time. just get them out.

then slip them in a special box and put that

on a shelf. and when the same 

worry comes up again, look at the 

box and know that the worry 

doesn’t live inside you anymore,

you have put it in the box, paper prayers.

then every once in a while, open the box

and read of your fears. more often than not

those nagging worries were insignificant 

and have worked out just fine on their own

but definitely without my ‘expert’ involvement,

and i have lived lighter and slept a lot better, too.

~~~~

©Heather Pound 2022

the fog rolls in soft and comforting.

tendrils of mist whisper, “this is okay. 

you are safe, protected. you do not need 

to venture out of my embrace. that time 

will come, but not just yet. so, curl up 

on cushion soft and wait for me to leave. 

take the gift i offer now–of rest. 

~~~~

©Heather Pound 2022