What The Future Holds

With adventurous heart, I set forth
Hopes packed tightly upon my shoulders
Apathy hoots from the wayside,
This is a journey some would rather I did not take

Time to step boldly, as never before
Hopes clutched tightly to my chest
Emptiness lies behind, carefully discarded in my wake

Fortune makes no promises to my fate
Uncertainty the only certainty I can rely upon
There is safety in not knowing, I realise.
Unseen, I prowl the edges, waiting for my moment
Retreat is the destiny which confounds me
Emptiness holds no fear for me now

Hopes raised humbly for all to behold
Oceans brim with graceful dreams
Lives breathless in anticipation
Desperation the only qualification required
Sanctuary calls my name and I and powerless to ignore

(c) Caren Gilbert

Earth, Wind, Fire, Water

Every stone which tumbles
Across this fragile land
Reverberates for all to hear,
The planet turns daily in its grave
Hopeful that the cycle will end

Wildest of storms are summoned
Intent on being a wake up call
Nobody seems to listen
Deafened by all consuming thought

Forged in the passions of stars,
Intricate connections are born
Rebellion surges in the hearts of the few,
Encouragement that the slumber ends

Whirlpools gather to excite spirits
Apathy is an option long lost now
Thunder claps and sparks draw attention
Each occupant seeks higher ground
Regret is futile after the storm

(c) Caren  Gilbert

The Voice In My Head

Thoughts lash at me with relentless barbs
Haunted by deeds and words past
Echoes of self resound in my mind

Victories hollow under scrutinous gaze,
Occupation is total under this regime.
Intentional amnesia a favourite ploy,
Cast certainty aside and dwell in the void
Endless ripples of doubt ebb at my shore

Inspiration comes and goes on treacherous tide
Noble intent becomes selfish in this charade

Mutiny is what this ship requires
Yet the crew is ever loyal to the insanity

Heroic indifference the only solution
Each and every moment of this mind control
Admiral to take on such formidable foe
Decades in the making

(c) Caren Gilbert

The Wisdom of Trees

The ancients await us
Hidden by verdant leaf
Ever patient, and ever hopeful.

We stride through woodlands
Intent on our destination
Searching always for the truths of life
Disappointment the only prize of that quest
Open hearted meandering beneath leafy boughs
Makes way for a knowingness to surface

Ordinary thought has no place amongst these roots,
Find your way to the tree which calls to you, and just sit

Temporarily suspend all other agenda
Recline against sturdy trunk and be still
Every tree awaits this precious communion,
Expectation hangs from every limb
Suspend disbelief and in that moment, ask for the wisdom of trees

(c) Caren Gilbert

Travel Through My Lenses

Too often I abstain from sharing who I am
Reluctant to lay bare my bones
An apparition is all you will see, when you try to see the real me
Visit my mind, my soul or my heart
Expand your view until you tug at the seams
Let my horizons broaden the lay of your land

Take my hand and stroll through leafy dell
Hold my heart in yours for a short while
Recalculate all that you thought you knew
Open your mind and let me walk through it
Unite in my purpose until it makes sense
Go deeper into my words, as far as you're able
Hear my soul's song crash over you

Meet me in the moonlight and set your star stuff free,
You are clearer to me now

Lose yourself and let me find you
Expectation spurs me on in this quest
Nothing is impossible when seen through my eyes,
Savour the vision of what might be
Escape the chains that weigh you down
Sanctuary is a heartbeat away

(c) Caren Gilbert

Child of Nature

Curiosity draws me outside,
Hurrying becomes a forgotten habit
In the investigation of forest paths.
Lightest footstep is all that is needed for
Discoveries in the wild

Outdoor explorations rekindle childhood passions
For staring at clouds and hearing waves crash

Normal life seems dull
Alongside barefoot beach walks...
Time stretches to accommodate whims of diversion.
Universal energy surges through my senses
Reminding me of the power I though lost
Embracing my adventurous nature is the key to all I seek

(c) Caren Gilbert

I Am...

I am a poet
I am an adventurer
I am a storyteller
I am a torrent of ideas
I am a seeker of peace
I am a devil in the detail of all things
I am a navigator of shadowed paths
I am a reflection
I am an elder in waiting
I am a climber of trees
I am a weaver of words
I am an anchor
I am a safe harbour
I am a secret sanctuary
I am a hopeful light
I am a destroyer of imagined barriers
I am a guiding hand

(c) Caren Gilbert