In Memory Of Jane Fraser

by Geoffrey Hill (b. 1932)
When snow like sheep lay in the fold
And wind went begging at the door,
And the far hills were blue with cold,
And a cloud shroud lay on the moor,

She kept the siege. And every day
We watched her brooding over death
Like a strong bird above its prey.
The room filled with the kettle's breath.

Damp curtains glued against the pane
Sealed time away. Her body froze
As if to freeze us all, and chain
Creation to a stunned repose.

She died before the world could stir,
In March the ice unloosed the brook
And water ruffled the sun's hair.
Dead cones upon the alder shook.

Aberfan

by Owain Glyn
The sky was grey and sullen
Shrapnel rain struck window pane.
Inside sat fresh scrubbed faces
Pink with expectation.

Hair, filled with mischief
Notes passed, with intention.
Teachers with vocation
Intent on revelation.

Unearthly sounds reverberated
Silent breaths were held.
Death's hounds were near, and convocated
Close upon this ground.

Suddenly, the valley, silent
Not a sound was heard.
We looked in shock, in total awe
Could God be this absurd?

We tried with bloody fingers
But to no avail.
The filth that took these poor young souls
Had handed us no trail.

So, where were you upon this day?
And where was our sweet lord? 
When these young souls should meet their end
Could this be his accord?

So, this I ask each one of you,
I ask it too, of me,
Is each soul that died that day
Nearer God  to thee?

Sorrow

by Li Qingzhao (1084‐1155)
I pine and peak
And questless seek
Groping and moping to linger and languish
Anon to wander and wonder, glare, stare and start
Flesh chill'd
Ghost thrilled
With grim dart
And keen canker of rankling anguish. 

Sudden a gleam
Of fair weather felt
But fled as fast - and the ice-cold season stays.
How hard to have these days
In rest or respite, peace or truce.
Sip upon sip of tasteless wine
Is of slight use
To counter or quell
The fierce lash of the evening blast.

The wild geese - see -
Fly overhead
Ah, there's the grief
That's chief - grief beyond bearing,
Wild fowl far faring
In days of old you sped
Bearing my true love's tender thoughts to me.
Lo, how my lawn is rife with golden blooms
Of bunched chrysanthemums -
Weary their heads they bow.
Who cares to pluck them now?
While I the casement keep
Lone, waiting, waiting for night
And, as the shades fall
Upon broad leaves, sparse rain-drops drip.
Ah, such a plight
Of grief - grief unbearable, unthinkable.

Life

by Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855)
Life, believe, is not a dream
So dark as sages say;
Oft a little morning rain
Foretells a pleasant day.
Sometimes there are clouds of gloom,
But these are transient all;
If the shower will make the roses bloom,
O why lament its fall?

Rapidly, merrily,
Life's sunny hours flit by,
Gratefully, cheerily,
Enjoy them as they fly.

What though Death at times steps in
And calls our Best away?
What though sorrow seems to win,
O'er hope, a heavy sway?
Yet hope again elastic springs, 
Unconquered, though she fell;
Still buoyant are her golden wings,
Still strong to bear us well.
Manfully, fearlessly,
The day of trial bear,
For gloriously, victoriously,
Can courage quell despair.

Becoming The Man My Father Always Was

by Dónall Dempsey (b: 1956 in the Curragh of Kildare, Ireland) 
Each night
I would follow you

through the rituals
of what you had to do

being Daddy.

I wanted to be Daddy too.

Mimicking your gait
becoming an exact

copy
of you

trailing along
in your footsteps

like a lone seagull
following in the wake

of some great ship
of state

watching the water
burn

'til it was all bubbles

then letting it
calm down

before filling my mother's
hot water bottle

carrying it to her side
like a lover's gift.

I was
your little shadow.

She'd always smile:
'Thank you Danny!'

That's alright love
was always the answer.

These the ritualistic words
in the hot water bottle ceremony.

Then he'd teach the clock
to bong

adjusting it with his hands
and wind up Time

so that it spit tick & tocks
all through the night

then go lock doors
turn keys
draw bolts

'That's it son!'

I used to imagine
being you

and now I am
my own man

winding up Time

bringing my missus
the gift of a hot water bottle

(the gift of me)

'Thank you Donall!'
she always smiles

'That's all right love!'
I always answer.

Me the man
I am

because of you.

Parents

by Bernard Shaw
Parents are you both so blind,
That childish being is but yours to mind.
Give care, give love, give guidance well ,
For that baby of man, is but a shell.
Deep within lies a Godly love,
Entrusted to you by him above.
Such eyes of innocence, shining bright,
Those tiny hands that hold you tight.
Yes that is your own flesh and blood,
So let love flow like a rushing flood.
A childhood composed of loving Joys,
Kindness and compassion shall be its toys.
Parents heed my words of warning,
The awareness of your child is dawning.
What reports of you will it give above,
When it is called by that Heavenly love.
Will it say that you were blind,
Or were you of that loving kind.

Weep You No More, Sad Fountains

by Anonymous Olde English
Weep you no more, sad fountains;
What need you flow so fast?
Look how the snowy mountains
Heaven's sun doth gently waste.
But my sun's heavenly eyes
View not your weeping,
That now lies sleeping
Softly, now softly lies
Sleeping.

Sleep is reconciling,
A rest that peace begets:
Doth not the sun rise smiling
When fair at even he sets?
Rest you then, rest, sad eyes,
Melt not in weeping,
While she lies sleeping
Softly, now softly lies
Sleeping.

Sorrow

by David Herbert Lawrence (1885-1930)
Why does the thin grey strand
Floating up from the forgotten
Cigarette between my fingers,
Why does it trouble me?

Ah, you will understand;
When I carried my mothr downstairs,
A few times only, at the beginning
Of her soft-foot malady.

I should find, for a reprimand
To my gaiety, a few long grey hairs
On the breast of my coat and one by one
I let them float up the dark chimney.

Abandoned Dog

by Robert W Service (1874-1958)
They dumped it on a lonely road,
Then like a streak they sped;
And as along the way I strode 
I thought that it was dead:
And then I saw that yelping pup
Rise, race to catch them up.

You know how silly wee dogs are.
It thought they were in fun.
Trying to overtake their car
I saw it run and run:
But as they faster, faster went,
It stumbled, sore and spent.

I found it prone upon the way;
Of life was little token,
As limply in the dust it lay
I thought its heart was broken:
Then one dim eye it opened and
It sought to lick my hand.

Of corse I took it gently up
And brought it to my wife
Who loves all dogs, and now that pup
Shares in our happy life:
Yet how I curse the bastard who
Its good luck never knew.

Volcano that sleeps

by Emmanuel George Cefai (b. 1955)
When the volcano sleeps
The clouds gather round
like hawks on the face
Of a frowning heaven.

The volcano sleeps
And dreams
Of lava red and scalding
And smokes from vents
All spurting.

And it was night
And above circled high
The night-stars
Frightened
The bats flew, now and
Then
A solitary owl wisely
Sped herself
Opened full her wings
To by-pass high
The nether hell of red
To trees of safety.

History behind a rock
Near yet safe
Hides
Waiting.
Then when the feast of the
Volcano's wrath subsides
In hieroglyphic hands
And characters
Writes down
For discoverers to come
Decades after, see
Discuss and wonder
What happened on the night
The fateful night
Of the Volcano.