Most Commented Family Poems (502)

there was a girl in china
but the radio signal died
I told her we were hundred
to keep her spirit but I lied

people started dropping
in the spring of seventeen
the white coat fellas called it
it was nothing they had seen

I am a collection of bones
my heart is hollowed out
every molecule migrated
to the continent of doubt

bones be best of me
drum like on my skin
if my loving folk could see me
they would not call me kin

infection steals my lungs
my spirit now wiped clean
alive thanks to seaweed
the root of food and iodine

I trip along a promise
to the wife I left behind
a shuffled wreck upon the deck
a birthday wish to save my mind

she told me to honour
the day that she was born
to mark that day in a special way
before she slept beneath the corn

this old abandoned airfield
it took me years to try
there ain't no practical virtue
I don't know how to fly

alone in this maelstrom
I hunt a haunted 'why'?
but do it still I know I will
write her name across the sky

With horse chestnut leaf wings,
and the softest light steps;
by old willows still pond,
came the granting of dreams.

To a secret walled garden,
they danced with raised knees;
fair sylvan fairies,
following soft summer seeds.

Around old verdant paths,
to the bearded moss bench;
skipped the winged dyad daughters,
under a sky without tears.

'To Pooh-stick Bridge',
one young daughter then cried;
with a twirl of her hem
and wave of her wand.

Down the woods sun dappled path,
alongside the chuckling stream;
guided by the small hand,
of the fairest fairy queen,

Journeyed three searching
for the pixie-up-sticks,
A small one; and a short one;
and a knobbly one still on the tree.

With horse chestnut leaves still,
and the softest lights stepped;
from their own Pooh-stick bridge,
came the descending until,

To the other side all excited,
they whirled round to see;
All shinny faced fairies,
until winners counted three.

Around pine cones and acorns,
over blades of lighted grass;
flew the leafing winged sisters,
under a sky without loss.

But someone old and summer passing
broke the enchantment that day;
and their wands went in the rubbish;
and cried for wings dried away.


Keith Chapman 2011

?????

friends hear me now and hear my plea
I've wintered long in fields of sea
I've fought and fight against the wind
I've seen both poles and seen them twinned

yet all things to come and those before
are just footfalls outside the door
and though each heart has a promised land
the strongest castle is made of sand

I saw her first in a time of toil
when the path to peace fell away to soil
and her blue eyes did call me home
before I knew that word I used to roam

over half built streets of the mind and soul
when the blackest hearts did mine for coal
yet hear me now I must command
the tallest walls are made of sand

and so we move from port to port
finding love and trial and work and sport
and the grains that are part of the whole
are but a sprat amongst the shoal

so live with more than sums of part
and build a new and fearsome heart
yet be aware of where you stand
that every castle is made of sand

Out of nowhere suddenly this beautiful chubby baby boy climbed into my lap, put his little hand around my neck and just looked at me.

As I watched he grew into a young Man.
Smiled into my eyes and kissed my cheek.

"Hello Granny".,
Wiped my eye's,
held me tight then faided away.

Thank you my angel child.

Am good to go a bit longer.

So where did you find Jesus? Hiding in a tree? away from you and me? Until you tracked him down, and then,,, what? The rain stopped?, the sun came out?, you won the lottery?,your car turned into a new mercedes? your bank account found new zeros?,,,, in the right direction, and all was right in the world? Imagine he died for our sins,, a long time ago, why, oh why are we then not sin free? It's obvious God made a mistake, he sent his son to die, for nothing, bad bad mistake! Ok, nothing rhymes, its just we live in different times, and what made sense two years ago, dont work today with what we know, our world has changed, like it or not, close your eyes and memorize, its not what you've forget, It's how you will live and what you will let,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,impede on your being, on what you are seeing, on how you create, just remember, its never too late, to be you!!!!!

summer goodbye
next year we'll fly
she told me...
when leaves turn to gold
and the whole world gets cold
and snows be..

there's a scar in my mind
to kindness I'm blind
I told her..
but her warmth is a tile
on the roof of her smile
and shoulder..

on a dripping bathroom
a bathing costume
that holds her..
in a sea made of tears
and turbulent years
that scold her...

so come on home
come on home
you don't have to
blindly roam

just come on home.

I saw you today
in the usual way
by sleeping..
your two eyes did glow
from a stain glass window
just.. peeping

and your stare was bridge
transversing a ridge
that froze me..
and you called my heart on
telling me to be strong
like you'd be..

so come on home
come on home
you don't have to
blindly roam

just come on home.

Love is the thing that keeps you up all......

Night because you would rather talk to that person than sleep....

*W*hen children are born it's a wonderous thing.
*H*earing it's cry opens mothering love.
*E*very new heartbeat reminds us of spring.
*N*ew life, new hope from creator above.

*A*nyone being there, around this place

*C*herishes memories, stores more to last.
*H*oarding the smile of an innocent face,
*I*nter-relating with memories past.
*L*earning to know a wind-grin from a smile
*D*eepens the contact and makes us feel great.

*I*n these deep moments we all have a while
*S*miling and cooing to try and translate.

*B*ut all the laughter and joy that we know
*O*pens in us 'cause a child made it so.
*R*ight at the start when it made our heart sing,
*N*obody questioned this feeling of love

*I*f we looked closer it would make our heads ring
*T*o know what a treasure we've got from above.

*I*n wiser moments, that sweet little face
*S*orts our soul-searching, erases our past.

*A*ll of our failings will go to a place,

*M*ended by one little smile that is vast.
*I*n one split second they cure us of bile,
*R*ages are buried and anger can wait.
*A*fter a while we just echo that smile,
*C*ured and forgetting all thought that was hate.
*L*et us give thanks for this wonder, and know
*E*very miracle child helps us grow.

Heading north
time to leave this place behind
our memories are rich
no words can define
we're not saying goodbye
because it isn't the end
just saying hello
to unknown friends
our roots are buried deep
within this ground
so returning here
i'm sure we'll be found
but for now we seek
the sun and the beach
and connect with family
who've been out of reach
a new addition
a grandson too
made things easier
'twas our point of view
we packed our tunes
and our instruments too
squeezed the kids in
to experience something new
headed to Qld
the sunshine state
to open our eyes
and seal our fate..........