Any advice to give

 

One time I met a man

Who only had a month to live

And I asked him if he had

Any advice that he could give

He said “I wake each morning

Knowing I am going to die

So each day must remind me

I am blessed to be alive

You see, my life’s on countdown

As each hour is unfurled

I know the clock is ticking

On my time here in this world

But what you’re overlooking

Is that it’s the same for you -

You know that I am dying

But forget that you are too

So make the most of sunshine

And go dancing in the rain

And sing a little louder

When your favourite music plays

Notice nature’s colours,

Savour everything you taste

Stop waiting for tomorrow

‘Cause you’ve got no time to waste

And could you say convincingly

That you’d have no regrets?

If just the next few days or weeks

Were all that you had left?”

And then my breath caught quickly

When he turned to me and asked

“Could you say that you died happy

If this day had been your last?”

*****

Becky Hemsley 2023

Artwork by Sebastian Bauer Art

This poem is from Letters from Life

Source: Becky Hemsley Poetry on Facebook

Don’t put the key in someone else’s pocket

 

As you walk the road of life

You’ll find it lined with doors

Some that look familiar,

Some you’ve never seen before

One will lead to nowhere

Whilst another leads to growth

One will lead to happiness,

To healing and to hope

Some will lead to sorrow,

Some to roads of discontent

One might lead you to the life

Of which you’ve always dreamt

And as you keep on walking,

You’ll meet people on the way

Some who’ll walk for miles with you

And some who cannot stay

And all along, you’ll have a key

Ornate and rough and old

And there’ll be times you’ll think

It’s meant for someone else to hold

But this key knows your story

One that they don’t truly know

And they won’t understand the way

It must be turned just so

They won’t hear it whispering

The way you often do

And they won’t know by heart

Each little dent and rusted groove

So though it may be tempting,

When life feels a little hard,

Don’t hand over your key to them:

It isn’t theirs to guard

Because one day you’ll find yourself

Standing before a door

That might just lead to all the things

That you’ve been hoping for

But only you can turn that key

To realise what’s behind it

The happiness you’re seeking

Waits for you to come and find it

So trust that you’re enough,

Believe in all that you can do

Remember you have everything

You need inside of you

And when you reach that door

To happiness, you can unlock it

Just as long as you don’t put the key

In someone else’s pocket

*****

Becky Hemsley 2024

This is from her collection, Words to Remember

Source: Becky Hemsley Poetry on Facebook

Artwork: The Doors of Dublin - Public Domain

Tyler Childers‬ + Del McCoury + ‪Ricky Skaggs – Old Country Church LIVE

 

Colour My World - Chicago - Vocals by Terry Kath

 

Things Work Out ~ Edgar Albert Guest

 

Things Work Out

Because it rains when we wish it wouldn't,
Because men do what they often shouldn't,
Because crops fail, and plans go wrong-
Some of us grumble all day long.
But somehow, in spite of the care and doubt,
It seems at last that things work out.

Because we lose where we hoped to gain,
Because we suffer a little pain,
Because we must work when we'd like to play-
Some of us whimper along life's way.
But somehow, as day always follows the night,
Most of our troubles work out all right.

Because we cannot forever smile,
Because we must trudge in the dust awhile,
Because we think that the way is long-
Some of us whimper that life's all wrong.
But somehow we live and our sky grows bright,
And everything seems to work out all right.

So bend to your trouble and meet your care,
For the clouds must break, and the sky grow fair.
Let the rain come down, as it must and will,
But keep on working and hoping still.
For in spite of the grumblers who stand about,
Somehow, it seems, all things work out.

by Edgar Albert Guest

ai art by me

Gone Fishing ~ Chris Rea

 

I'm gone fishing
I got me a line
Nothing I do is gonna make the difference
So I'm taking the time

And you ain't never gonna be happy
Anyhow, anyway
So I'm gone fishing
And I'm going today

I'm gone fishing
Sounds crazy I know
I know nothing about fishing
But just watch me go

And when my time has come
I will look back and see
Peace on the shoreline
That could have been me

You can waste a whole lifetime
Trying to be
What you think is expected of you
But you'll never be free

May as well go fishing

Ode 314

Ode 314   

Those who don't feel this 

Love pulling them like a river,   

those who don't drink dawn 

like a cup of spring water 

or take in sunset like supper, 

those who don't want to change, 

let them sleep.

~ Rumi

ai art by me