Poem Hunting - Falkland - 11/10/13

(a poem hunt with my mum!)

Paths laden with possibility,
Hidden trail - leading where?!!
To deer and to mystery
Travel on fox-feet
So many secrets here all around...
Trampling through fallen leaves
Acorns awaiting their destiny
Where are we going? Where have we been?
Over stumps and bracken,
Into mystery of mind.
Crunch, crunch, crunch,
go our footsteps,
In search of skeletons.
Burrow - hidden secrets inside
Dry riverbeds reveal mushrooms
Peer deeply to see
Blocked paths - which way to go?
We follow our instincts
to find our way.

(c) 2013

Time Marches On

Too often we are swept along,
Impulse driven, with little plan.
Mapless explorations yield few discernible discoveries;
Effort becomes a course well worth plotting.

Make the tiniest details a mindful measure of hours,
Awareness of place will anchor the days
Rambling explorations bring weeks to a meaningful crawl
Contemplate months without limits,
Hold seasons in the palm of your hand,
Emblazon wonder on every page of your journal,
See years fill the most weighty of tomes.

Overlap your decades with the decades of others,
Narrate your stories of a life well lived.

(c) Caren Gilbert

Superhero Me

Surging with power, I exist
Untouched by fear or angst
Purposeful in every action
Epic journeys my daily routine
Realisation of all dreams an effortless feat
Healing and creativity, my secret weapons
Every step would lead only to greatness
Rebellion and empowerment my lasting legacy
'Occupy everything' my battle call

My nemeses would be easily obliterated
Each time I wear my hero's cape

(c) Caren Gilbert

A Hero's Quest

Adventure into all that is unknown

Head into the forest of forbidden whys
Explore with playful curiosity
Retreat into the answers to be found
Observe nature until it speaks clearly
Stillness the only motion on this path

Quieten the drums in body and mind
Unknow all the things previously known
Explore with the wisest of unknowing
Silence the demons with brave heart
Travel until you hear your song

(c) Caren Gilbert

The Secret Lighthouse

Tidal depths call your name, over and over
Hope the only anchor in this storm of overwhelm
Each day brings waves of uncertainty, crashing anew

Shadows lurk in light and dark alike
Emptiness the only bounty of a solitary quest
Confidence ebbs low on hidden shores
Reassurance slips by in the shallows,
Effortlessly avoiding the seeker's cast
Time is needed to reflect in mirror-like stillness

Let silence be the sound which guides,
Intuition a beacon to illuminate the way
Gather your weariness and stride forth
Head always in the direction of your dreams,
Taking only the burdens you can carry
Hold fast when ill winds threaten to sway you
Open heart and mind to the bravest adventure
Unpack your troubles one by one, and stow them away
Sanctuary awaits all who journey
Every welcome arrival, a triumphant retreat

(c) Caren Gilbert

Let All Things Flow

Like fish, we swim in the stream of nature's laws,
Each day a reminder of the need for change.
The path we tread twists and turns to its own rhythm,

Agility of spirit is a skill for survival in this realm.
Lost and found will be neatly balanced in the final analysis,
Let truths spill freely from wounds of heart and mind.

Trust in letting go, in walking away, let release be.
Hope is the thing with feathers, not for clutching, but born to soar.
In the darkest hour, shine a light in the place where you cling, and believe;
Nets hang in the gloom, to catch any and all who fall.
Grief is the balm to soothe the knocks and dents of this life,
Sit with only tears for company until the melancholy is fully sated.

Find pleasure in the arrivals that follow every departure,
Let anchors steady you in the turmoil of existence.
Open your eyes, ears and heart to cosmic truths when they find you.
Wake up with questions and do not slumber until your answers are discovered.

(c) Caren Gilbert

Sorry Is The Hardest Word

Shadow-like, you hover at the edge of all things
Opportunities slip through your weary grasp, over and over
Repentance sticks in your throat, all things hard to swallow now.
Rehearsals fill your mind, for a performance unlikely to have an opening night
You search in vain for an understudy to take your mark.

I sit alone, front and centre, programme clutched to my heart
Shadow-like, I hover at the edge of all things.

Tomorrow would be better, awaiting some conjunction;
Heart, soul and mind must be in perfect alignment.
Echoes ebb at the shore, each tide eroding you.

Happiness is a game without rules to guide the players
Assembled in confusion, fate hanging on each roll of the dice
Repentance sticks in my throat, all things hard to swallow now.
Depression of all emotion becomes a black mask to fit any size
Emptiness, a chasm spectators fear to tread nearby.
Shadow-like, we hover at the edge of all things
Turbulence spews with each stone hurled into still waters.

Waiting for the heartfelt submission of the script our tears have drafted,
Opportunities slip through my weary grasp, over and over.
Repentance sticks in our throats, all things hard to swallow now.
Dusty curtains silently await this opening act.

Sorry is the hardest word.

(c) Caren Gilbert

Imagination

Impossible is the fuel for the grandest notions
Magnificence a worthy benchmark for the wildest dreams
Aspirations of the greatest adventures
Glorious endeavours await accomplishment
Incredible will be the theme for every day
No horizon or wisdom should go unexplored
Attention to beauty in each moment guides us onward
The path we tread will be mystery bound
Inspiration will be found at every turn
Opulence will be surplus to our needs
Normality shall forever elude our grasp

(c) Caren Gilbert

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

Adventure

Abstractions of possibility
Do nothing to deter my enthusiasm
Visions of fulfilment tantalise
Every direction calls my spirit
Nothing should disrupt the journey
Twists and turns add to the thrill,
Unicorns might graze around the bend!
Rejoice in the not knowing,
Each step brings us closer to our destiny

(c) Caren Gilbert

My Burdens

Many times I wonder,
Years of worry ahead

Baggage clutched so tightly
Unable to set them down for a moment
Ridiculous in their tenacity,
Determined limpets of woe
Each one clings to me, as I to them
Never rid of the habit, but with hope
Seeking the left luggage counter

(c) Caren Gilbert

Happiness

Horizons which seemed out of reach
Appear closer to me now
Paths illuminated by dreams
Possibilities woven by the wondering.
Impossible holds no fear for me
Now that my creative soul soars,
Expecting great things ahead.
Simplicity is the key, to
Sanctuary

(c) Caren Gilbert

Poem Hunting - A Journey Along the A1 - 24/08/13

The adventure into a new life begins,
blessed by hazy sunshine.

Let's be bold!

We sail south through purples and greens
to the piper's call.
And so the wheel turns,
a battle to widen perspectives,
while giants slumber.
The crows carry out their moorland inspections,
oblivious of our intent.

We each hold the key to other hearts
and delight in opening our arms
to embrace all lost and found.
A butterfly's blessing skims overhead
as we glimpse sanctuary.
We are not lost, recovery is within our grasp,
under the watchful gaze of the ancients.

Seeds are sown, questions dispersed
on the summer breeze...

Can we make more space in our living for time to play?
Be the best you can be, comes the reply.

Shadows cast on concrete;
ghosts of flowers long since gone.

Do we qualify for the life we seek?
It is for us to decide whether
the slightest slip will spell disaster;
or will we soar like angels on fearless wing?

Dream on, seek the poetry in changing landscapes.
Raise your hopes aloft and cradle your fears.
Bridge the gap of your existence with patient serenity
until your purpose reveals itself from your darkest moment.
We quench the thirst of our soul
with questions from our inner knowing.

Every once in a while, stop long enough
to feel the grass beneath your feet
and listen to the wisdom of  trees.
Be sure to rejoin the path,
but only take what you can carry.

We are all poets and this is our soul journey,
the destination is of our choosing.

Are we enough?

(c) Caren Gilbert

Art of Mentoring

Blessings of community,

and the first falls prey to the land.

Why am I here?

Surrender to intention
Belong to the future
Expand to limitations
Open up to knowledge of self
Awaken ancestral wisdom,
from the unknown, unnamed place.

A burst of change to maintain our aliveness.

Learn to talk to trees,

and never forget how.
Meet yourself and learn to be alone.
Wait for things,
until you become present and peaceful.

Always leave a trail.

Hold time in your hand,

be the steward of yourself.

Find fantasy in the land,

and in your imagination.
Ignite passion with curiosity.
Cultivate aliveness to make peace in the world,
and your inner self.

Dragon bark and tree splinters nestle,

in myriad of bird green and water song.
 
The brave explore barefoot;
I do not.
I am neither barefoot, nor brave
 – yet.

I lay entranced by breeze and babble,

And footsteps of invisible ancestors.

And I ask;

Why am I here?

(c) Caren Gilbert

Poem Hunting - Loch Leven - 15/07/13

Motion
Lush sea of green
Swirling, wild, windy
Helicopter perspectives
Lack of wondering leads
to wordless disappointment
Unseen buzzard song
Questing quietly,
come visitors on wings
Ideas sparkle toward the horizon
Fleeting fortunes
Dashing, dancing dansers
Summer clouds, crowds scroll
Fly freely

(c) Caren Gilbert

Poem Hunting - Falkland - 13/07/13 (solo)

Time loses itself
amongst ancient trees,
the manicured disorder of newly tended grass
where buttercups wait patiently.
Land takes on new form and
the wind discovers new channels
through which to weave its stories,
caressing my ears with whispered promises
of the secrets of life.

The upside down tree, branches sunk far beneath me,
a reminder of the energy out of sight,
forgotten in the rush of every day.

A pause to connect and let sparks ignite,
buzzard-song reminders of a forgotten dance,
echoes of a rhythm stirred in the stopping,
seeds sown in each movement.
Babble and hoot guide the journey;
spiral, circle, arch, twist, entwine, channel, sweep,
explore, torrent...

Seek the depths.

Create community, entangle purpose, reflect,
find beauty,
contemplate.
Step boldly into the unknown,
get lost in its embrace.
Gather, inspire, discover, invite immersion,
roar, return.

Encourage joyful industry, float.
Look inward and outward in equal measure.
Collect, let anger flow.

Disrupt destruction.

(c) Caren Gilbert

Poem Hunting - Dunnington - 14/06/13

Wind-blown thoughts scatter,
sown across fields,
yearning to fly.
Songs of foreign words
intrigue our senses,
lost in translation.

A distant chatter
from a faraway world
of unknown things.
We know by heart
the call of nature.
The feel of solid ground
urging us ever onward,
toward hearth and home.

(Silenced by the storm)

(c) 2013

Poem Hunting - Falkland - 25/05/13

We stalk silence
with heavy feet
in wooded dells
where deer feast
between queued trees,
ordered rows sublime.
Silence is splintered
by misplaced feet
and bounding dogs.

A sense of belonging
among the trees,
spirits of nature
calling us deeper.
Weeping eyes watch,
tears bring us home.
Bird and tree-song,
name whispering leaves.
Squirrels furtive, unseen!
Reality evades view
           Hide and Seek.

(c) 2013

Poem Hunting - Lomond Hills - 25/5/13

An unrequited competition,
chasing silent shadows.
Cattle grazing unworriedly,
mystery bird perching,
straining our eyes;
revealing the unseen
beyond our lenses.
Reluctant poem hunter
words trapped inside,
birth is awaited.

Upon rocky crags,
tripping over syllables
stumbling across truth
~stories in silence~
Elusive murmur afar,
tightly curled fiddleheads
whispering to themselves.
Secrets stolen on treacherous breezes,
skittering stones underfoot.
The wanderers return.

(c) 2013

Poem Hunting - Falkland - 21/05/13

Weary trees, fallen,
sleeping in moss,
worries set free.
A peaceful slumber
of nature's making.
The bee's song
amongst green hues
and euphoric birdsong
calling spirit forth
to dance in silent spaces.

Poem Hunting ~ 13th April 2013

We hold hands, contemplating our dreams
I take strength, our indomitable spirit
soars swiftly skyward,
fuelled by hope of brighter tomorrows.

Changing our views, we discuss planting
trees of wisdom, our living legacy.
Green and lush, heralding an era.

(c) 2013

Poem Hunting - Falkland - 05/04/13

Eyes in trees, tracking our progress,
beside lapping water and blood-stained stumps.
All the while enticing in beauty,
bathing in life, soaking in every
sun-kissed hue, cloud streaked sky
and dappled leaf.

Time to reflect on fallen hopes,
seeking energy amongst nature's
scattered melodies, trees torn asunder,
glimpses of woodpeckers, life flourishing anew.
Circle of life, our souls exalt;
brimming with light, bathed in joy,
healed by land.

(c) 2013