THE MURMURING SEA

THE MURMURING SEA

I walked today on a bleak seashore

And felt the blowing sand ~

My heart found release there

And I longed for the touch of a hand.

The salt sea spray touched my face

And was mixed with my salty tears,

The plaintive cry of the seabirds near,

Gave voice to my secret fears.

The waves rolled in and foam was blown

By the waves of a grey grey sea,

I walked and I cried and I thought

And I found some peace for me.

I took some time and it became clear

That this is how life must be 

None of us know when the day will dawn

When we must we face eternity.

I gave thanks for the lives of my special friends

And the joy they found in living

I recalled the donors who gave them life

Who's great gift was in the giving.

I turned, I smiled and I walked away

With a promise to do my best

To live my life to the fullest

No matter what the test.

I will walk by the river and watch the tides

And dance with the daffodils.

I will enjoy the beauty of all my life

And stand on the green green hills.

I'll endeavour to be compassionate

And caring and kind to all.

I know I have friends and family

Who will lift me should I fall.

I'll not sweat the small stuff, as yes indeed

It's all small stuff to me

I will write and laugh and love

And let my spirit fly free.

I'll care for my friends and family

And always an advocate be

I will remember the emotion I felt 

As I stood by the cold cold sea.

I'll not whinge and whine 

 And not be the "liver girl"

I'll rest and take care of myself

When my life gets in a whirl.

I will live my gifted life to the full

And ever thankful be,

I'll go back to the beach for comfort

In the arms of a murmuring sea.

©  Linda J. Vaughan 

 August 24th. 2012

MY JOURNEY

MY JOURNEY 

I have seen the stars at night

In a black and velvet sky

I have watched the moonbeams dance

And heard the river sigh.

I have stood in wonder

By the ocean as she heaves

I have splashed in puddles

And kicked through autumn leaves.

I have felt the love of family

Of  friends who care so much,

Who reach out to me in kindness

With loving tender touch.

I have faced my own mortality

With icy chill and fears,

And held the hand of someone

Who wiped away my tears.

I have faced the morning

When night shadows were all gone,

Made again the promise to myself

That I would steadily go on.

Gentle nursing hands have held me

And catered to my need

A friend's love has held me sway

And I am blessed indeed.

I've walked a stony pathway

With brambles and with thorns,

Dark nights have been upon me

Followed by the dawns.

Yet there is joy within my journey

And my days have been so sweet

For there were stars above me

And petals beneath my feet.

I have been tried and tested

And yet I journey on

With hope and with great courage

To see the battle won.

The joy is in the journey

And happy are my days

And I'm blessed with you beside me

With your sweet and winning ways.

©  Linda J. Vaughan

July 12th. 2012

I AM WITH YOU

I AM WITH YOU 

I am with you in the morning

In the birds first song,

I am with you in the sun’s first light ~

I am with you all day long.

I am with you as you travel

In the haste of every day,

You will feel my very presence

In the sun’s last ray.

I am with you in the sparkle

Of a diamond studded sky,

I hear your every wish,

And I see you cry.

I watch you as you try to sleep,

Then when exhaustion takes control

I am there to shelter you,

To heal your wounded soul.

I am in the winter wind,

The leaves of autumn’s chill,

In the daffodils in springtime ~

The blossoms on the hill.

My presence will be with you

In the cool of a summer breeze,

I am watching over you

On days such as these.

I am with you as the ocean

Laps against the shore,

As the Seabirds soar and fly

Then land again once more.

I shall reach out to you

In the words of a much loved song ~

A stirring piece of music,

As you hurry right along.

A fragrance will keep me close,

And you shall feel me near,

I am with you now and always

Because I hold you dear.

© Linda J. Vaughan

August 27 2006

SUMMER DAYS AT PEACE

SUMMER DAYS AT PEACE

A letter tells me of your dreams

Of long summer days ahead ~ 

"It's going to be a wonderful summer,'

At least that's what the letter said.

An oak tree for shelter and shade

From the damaging heat of the sun,

"My special place" you call it ~ 

Reward for a battle won.

I see you now in mottled shadow

In the warmth of summer days,

Your glasses and your book on the table

Taking time to read and to laze.

In my mind I picture your rattan chair

With comfortable pillows galore ~ 

Iced tea right there beside you

You could not ask for more.

I sense in you a comfort and ease

A longing for days of peace,

Sunset walks beside the ocean

And joys that never cease.

I see your summer hat on the table

And the dog asleep at your side,

I feel the gentle summer breeze

And I hear the ocean tide.

Oh to walk beside you at the end of day

To share just how you feel,

To sit and read together

To share conversation real.

I see you now in summer days,

Sitting in your special place,

I see the easing of the tension

And the lines gone from your face.

If I close my eyes up really tight

And allow my thoughts to roam,

I can see me sitting beside you

In this place that you call "home".

If I had the wings of an angel

I would be right there at your side

We would spend a special summer 

Sharing joy we could not hide.

I don't have the wings of an angel

So in thought I travel to you

And spend time in your specal place

Just like good friends should do.

Often in my mind I'll visit you

And spend hours reading too,

We'll share a sweet companionship

And friendship ever true.

© Linda J. Vaughan

April 24th. 2012

OCEAN WHISPERS

OCEAN WHISPERS

I can hear the whispers

Across the space and time

I can hear the water rippling

And the Ancient Mariner's Rhyme

I can hear the seabirds calling

As they rise and again they swoop,

On the distant horizon 

I see an ancient sailing sloop.

I can hear the wind that whistles

As it comes around the Bay

I hear the waves as they crash

I see the salt sea spray.

I hear the roar of an angry sea

And feel the mist at end of day

I see the multitude of shells

On the edge of a sandy bay.

As I press the shell close to my ear

I hear the same things that you do.

In time I am transported to sailing days

And a horizon of deep deep blue.

I see the gnarled old fishermen

And the wives who bid them farewell,

I see their wooden sailing boats

Rise and fall on the ocean swell.

As we stroll the sandy stretches

With water around our feet,

A smile and a cheery wave 

For the others that we meet.

Ours is the shell and ours the dreams

And ours the ocean voice

As we listen very carefully

With hearts that can't help rejoice.

We talk about the things we dream

That are there on the ocean floor

The treasures lost to other men

And days as they were before.

The Mermaids and King Neptune

And the Sirens who issued the call,

The story of  Sailors who went away

And were gone for the longest haul.

As the shell is pressed up to my ear

I can hear the widows wail,

No more will they come to the shoreline

To watch their men folk sail.

Their nets will be empty and idle

Their boats will not sail on the tide

A small town on the Cape 

Sharing grief it cannot hide.

The shell is passed to you my love

And you tell me the scene is changed

It is summer now and people play

Their lives are rearranged.

They tack their way through the quiet bay

And the  sun glistens on the water

White sails and a strong sea breeze

That carries the sound of laughter.

We sit for a while near the water's edge

And are quiet for a little while,

You ask me the question you have asked before,

And I answer with a smile.

"Can you hear our ocean whisper?"

"Yes my Darling I surely can"

We hear the secrets of the ocean

Just a woman and a man.

As evening falls and the mist rolls in

And wraps itself around us

We know that it's time to leave the shore

And we do so without a fuss.

I will take the shell that told the story

And dust off all the sand.

I will entrust it to your care

And place it gently in your hand.

Dreamers we are and romantics too

But time and distance keep us apart

Still the dreams we dream are very real

And live within out heart.

A silver shell on a silver chain

And worn with very great pride,

Tells the story of the dream

And the love we cannot hide.

© Linda J. Vaughan

March 26th. 2012

"Can you hear our Ocean Whispers ?"

A GENTLE BREEZE

GENTLE BREEZE

May a gentle breeze caress you

And cool your fevered brow,

May there be a light to guide you

Wherever you may go.

May the fragrance of rose envelope you

As you gently brush past,

May there be for you sweet music

And memories that last.

May a birdsong fill your morning

With the joy of a spirit free,

May the gentle waves splash upon you

As you stand beside the sea.

May you see the dewdrop on a rose

And the leaves as they toss and quiver,

May you see the ducklings play

As you stand beside the river.

May the shadows of a full moon

Fall gently on your way,

May you see the morning star

As you start another day.

May you walk through autumn leaves

As the seasons once more pass,

May you bravely walk barefoot

Through the frost upon the grass.

May you splash in puddles

And remember childhood days,

May joy and love surround you

In friendship’s special ways.

© Linda J. Vaughan

WAVES OF TRANQUILITY

WAVES OF TRANQUILITY

Waves of tranquility

Please wash over me

Hold me close

So that I may see

The peace and the calm

That you bring to my days,

Changing my life

In such special ways.

Waves of tranquillity

Let me drift on your tide,

Knowing at last

I am safe on your side.

Give me your peace

As I rest where I land

 With trickling water

And grains of rough sand.

Waves of tranquillity

Anchor me fast

Shelter me safely

Until the storm is past.

Let me see clear skies;

Feel days without pain,

Let the comfort you give me

Always remain.

Waves of tranquillity

Let me travel with you,

Until the safe harbour

Comes into view.

Waves of tranquillity

A haven for me,

Carry me safe

Over life’s troubled sea.

© Linda J. Vaughan

May 2011