Peter Radley
(photo credit: Teresa Ann Lee)
POEMS
​
Beach Compassion
lifted a shell from the
beach today sun bright
hardly a wave fish dive
crying gulls held up by
a whisper that air gave
stones glass shells meld
sun rays hard not
reaching for another
to place on a dust touched shelf
to die with a sister
better still a polished box
empty of sand that defines
a coffin as good as any
glass once pretty will shatter
shells decay stones flounder
gather the dead make
procession with flag song
roll from city street across
an ocean onto their shore
open box reveal dull remnants
swoop gulls fly waves lap
glass shells stones
returning so long away
i sit on the empty box
pondering the error of my ways
​
​
woven loosely together
​
quietly living following
internal images settling
upon wall shelf abstractions
come readily into my
hand
a company of sounds
emanate from passing
others visiting from time
to time not always
welcome
my sound of turning
pages keep others away
sound hard to understand
theirs rejected not so a different
form
we weft and warp
separate but essential
ever to survive this
changing life its
ways
yet still we tarry
afraid to let go of what
things we were told
but never in this life
seen
does anyone really believe
we can be free from
the comfort of lies
arms open ready to
embrace
a tentative moment
tension eases eyes open
the blue sky hangs
on what side do we both
stand
perhaps a time will come
when we can turn away
from the lies so simple
to drop well easy to
say
•
peter radley