Author: poetryfest

Birthday by Linda O’Connell
for Libby

Imagine I say happy,
and write the word ‘birthday’
and put it in an envelope along with
a pink peony, and run it down to
the post office.
When you open the letter all the
beautiful petals will fall and cling to you,
and you will understand how much–
just how much we love you.

©LRO 2022

Performed by Val Cole

SEA OF MAN, by Yorick Niess

Remember the time when we were swimming together in the water
Our molecules waited millions of years to combine in this way
It took millions of attempts for us to find each other
We swam together in the swarm
Sometimes at the front, at the back, on the top, or at the bottom

Remember the time when we wanted to go ashore together
It took millions of attempts for us to be able to breathe together
We shared life in different ways and drifted with continents

Remember the many attempts to walk upright
It took millions of lives for us to be able to walk together

Remember the time when we wanted to be bigger and stronger
We crowned our willful heads
And conquered the most remote corners of the world
How many times have we lost our peoples because our heads lost their way?

Remember the time when our unity between good and evil fell apart
We attacked each other and did not recognize ourselves
We had to wage countless wars to find peace
You have fought for your values, too
We took each other’s lives out
Of fear of losing our own

Remember the age of Enlightenment – when we became mature
How many attempts did it take for us to share the crown?
How many cruel mistakes did we endure so we could trust each other?
How long did we have to wait until everyone could adopt their own nature?
How many lives did it take until we could love each other?
And swim peacefully together – in the sea of man
Sometimes at the front, at the back, on the top or at the bottom

Your genes remember all of this
If the right spirit leads them

Performed by Val Cole

The Sadness of My Fathers Golf Bag

When he died, the bag was so sad.
All the days of witnessed joy
had gone. You try to explain to the bag
that he’s not coming back.
You tell the 4 iron to talk about it and
let out the grief like a crisp shot.
That sound that he loved so much.
You say to the glove in the zippered pocket-
who wrapped around the greatest lefty of all time,
you say, “you were so lucky.”
Trying to console the driver with
his deep sigh, you explain
he is gone and no one can tell us where.
You describe dying to the putter,
like a downhill 4 putt-
then you cry and say how much you miss him-
and the tiny knitted head cover.

© LRO 2020

Performed by Val Cole

What you see may not be true. by Daniel Goodland

The air is warm on the walk today
Scents of freshly blooming flowers
Trees and plants with colours of all sorts
Trail is well used by people and animals alike
It is hard to see though through half closed eyes
Each step laboured by pains
Every breath feels harder to take
Slowly and with great effort another step is taken
You see someone enjoying the park
On the inside MS is tearing me apart.

It’s a sad little train,
on a sad little track.
Near a dirty strip mall,
down in Hackensack.

The “Garden State”.
It ain’t so great.
A broken heart,
is a heavy weight.
The sunshine stings,
she’s Newark bound.
Round the curve,
then you’re downtown.

A bluebird screams,
startled by me.
A polluted river.
Sick Sycamore tree.
You broke my heart,
on the outbound track.
Deep down I know,
this one sad fact.

The train arrives,
always on time.
A round trip, completed.
You’ve circled my mind.

It’s sad little train,
on a sad little track.
And she’s never coming back,
to Hackensack.

(inspiration)

What if I could fly high like a bird in the sky ?

What if I could float up above on a cloud filled with love?

What if I could survive a lightening storm or reach out and touch the dawn ?

What if I could flow with ease on a summer breeze?

Or manifest a rainbow over sparkling seas?

What if I could paint the morning sun, each day and every day just for fun?

What if i could reach the highest peak
Or finally find the answers that I seek?

What if I could ride the largest wave or be brave when things start to change?

What if I could cry a bay full of tears
Or swim in the sea whilst releasing my fears?

What if I took one step back to make a connection?
I may we’ll see direction within my reflection.

What if I had the courage to set myself free?
I maybe one step closer to a possible dream.

So if I take a chance to believe in me would I then see the future as I wish it to be?