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Matthew Brackley  (email)

 

About the Poet:

Matthew was raised in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe and moved to the UK in 1983. He currently works for an aviation company.  He draws much of the inspiration for his poetry from his love of nature (especially the sea) and dreams.

 

 

Days end

Hot thermal envelopes me

Pushing me higher

Shards of light

Splinter over my wings

 

Dusty haze

Earthy smell

 

Temperature dropping as I climb higher

Sky darkens

Pure sweet air

Pure sweet sunlight

 

Wind buffets my body

I turn in to the light

 

Blazing golden light

Far on the horizon

 

Sun setting in blur of dust

Sky, fresh and clear

 

Me, released from earthly ties

The gentle dying sun

its outstretched hand covering me

with soft red and golden light

 

Changing me

 

sky darkening, I must descend

my flight is finishing

ending in fading light

 

In to the dust

Leaving my kingdom, my place

 

Sadness at end of light

darkness falls, I am earth bound

for a time

 

 

I wait patiently for dawn

Dawns fresh glow

to warm my cold stiff wings

 

Breathe its life in to me

pouring its liquid gold  in to me

giving me instinct to climb

to that sun

 

to fly in such bright  wondrous light

light holding me to its breast

 

a sparkling golden jewel

flashing its fire in to my eyes

as I leave this dusty earth

and pursue rarified air and clear light

 

In uninterrupted flight

 

 

The Passing

There is so little time,

this life running out

So many people to see,

no doubt

For life is leaving me

 

This new dimension

All to give

This new situation

Not long to live

 

This armour stripped day by day,

leaving the vulnerable you

You don't have time

and you know it too

The words you want to say

 

This anguish,

so little time,

every day,

an extra wish

 

This fragility,

like glass,

are shattered

Its finality,

only the love mattered

 

So little time to spare,

for the things to say

straight from the heart

For, you do care

You must say today

 

Furious anger

at your weakness

There is so little time,

you must say today

For there is no tomorrow

only sorrow

 

This thing eating you,

powerless to stop

Hurts too

The people left behind,

love is blind

 

This pain hard to take,

but you learn to fake

So little time

The things you want to say

 

This pain won't go away

Growing day by day

Agonizing so

The pain you face

You feel so low

The pain you bear with grace

 

This hope has gone

The family weep

The big "c" has won

Inwards they turn

In too deep

 

This final goodbye

This release from pain,

the family sigh

 

This pain borne for so long

with strength and fortitude

inspired us all

For you walk tall

You did no wrong

 

So little time to spare

So little time for words to say

but we knew you cared

Pain day by day

Your message sent

But I knew what you meant

 

When you went

Your message sent

I knew what you meant

Spirit to fly

The family cry

 

So little time

The family know

One day...

we all say

 

Our lives ...so short

So small,

yet dying affects us all

but we are caught,

for our time is short

These battles fought

 

So little time to spare

Live for the day

So many words to say

This hour glass,

running out fast

 

So little time

So much love

So much to give

Not long to live,

before you are taken,

you are not forsaken

 

The gentle passing

you have been taken

your soul taken into god's care

you are not forsaken

no time to spare

but the loved ones left behind

do care

 

No words are spoken

Your spirit awoken

Your spirit to fly

No pain

We will see you again

The gentle passing,

hourglass shattered,

only love mattered

On this passing

 

 

The Parting

The parting

Such loss

Such sorrow

These goodbyes

These cries

No tomorrow

 

Our needs so different,

Mine changed,

when you went

 

This choking up,

The words stuck in my throat

This day...

The words

I cannot say...

 

I wonder why

This day...

Why I try

Be it as it may,

it might go away

 

Spirit feels its' crush

The loss

The first meeting

Heart in full flush,

its gloss

 

The words you want to say...

but don't...

Not to wound deep,

keep thoughts at bay

But inwards,

so hard to keep

 

This impatience

So unworthy from me

I feel the crack

I am fighting hard,

to keep it back

 

Years have now passed

since that first flush

How long can it last?

Now that my spirit,

feels the crush

 

Chasm so wide,

not even I can glide,

Crossover

to the other side

 

To do something...

Out of the ordinary

Release this tension

Listen to the heart ring,

this I should mention

 

Funny how the littlest things,

make you snap

What it brings

 

The parting

The release

Ones' soul,

at peace

 

 

I Am By Your Side

I held you close...

For painful things you must bare

Painful things you must share

You cannot be alone...

Especially when the hurt cuts deep,

deep in to the bone

 

I cannot spare you this pain

This pain you feel inside

But I feel it too...

I am by your side

 

From the depths of despair

Never forget....

I am there

Pain can pass....

It takes time to heal,

all that you feel

 

I held you close...

These things will soon be past

They cannot last

The strength you have inside...

will overcome...

When all is said and done

Do not fear...

I will always be here

 

Love will shine through

I know it can

I feel it in you

What people say

What people think

Is not important

I cannot let you sink...

You know this is true

 

For, what they see...

Is only on the outside

If they only knew you

They would know...

The heart inside...

The heart glow

This is true

This is so

 

I cannot spare you...

This pain inside

I cannot make it go...

Only you know...

I am here

I am by your side

I feel it too

 

 

The Sorrow

When you have sorrow...

Let me take your hand...

When the heart is low...

All is not as it seems...

Half in the heart

Half in your dreams

All can change...

Especially the meaning

 

When you have sorrow...

When you fall...

I hear your heart, call

Your plight...

I will guide you in to the light

 

When you have sorrow...

I will take you close to me...

Painful things can go free

The heart cannot remain low...

For the sorrow, must go.....

 

It is hard, I know....

To let it go

The sorrow....

The breaking too

The heart will begin to glow

For love never left you

It never left me

I was always there, you see

Wanting to set you free

 

 

Heaven Is the Place

Heaven is the place,

Where everyone,

Knows your face

 

Gentle and kind

Are the ways

The ways you must find

 

If kindness were a flower

then the heart is a meadow

Purple and blue

Soft pinks too...

All for you

 

If gentleness were an ocean

Then the soul is the boat

Blue and green

Idyllic emotion...

Sailing serene

 

If love were a colour

Then the heart is pure gold

Shining through

Unspoiled...

For you to hold

 

If giving was a stream...

Then the heart is a waterfall

Bubbling flow...

For those who know

For those who hear it's call

 

Heaven is the place...

Where everyone

knows your face

Humility and grace

Garlanded like lace

 

If forgiving was a grain of sand...

Then the heart is a mountain

A rock to which...

all will flock

 

If patience was a slender reed...

Then the heart is a mighty tree

These qualities you need

You see...

In heaven...

The place to be