Poem: Figures of eight

Above one of the houses at the back of our garden there is a man who keeps homing pigeons, which he's trained to fly in figures of eight. Stunning and beautiful to watch. But you have to wonder, do they not feel a little dizzy after a while?

Figures of eight

Figure of eight,

Figure of eight.

All that you fly in are

Figure of eight!

By rights you'd get dizzy

And hit chimney pots,

Or get lost and land on

A crane by the docks,

or even fall into

Someone's pegged up socks

But somehow you make it home safe, never late,

After flying your figures of eight.

TheWeeScottie

Poem: Buzzing bee

Sitting on the step down from my kitchen you get a great view of the back garden. Spring having recently arrived, we now have buzzing visitors. This poem's written about one such visitor.

Buzzing bee

What must it be like

To roam round my garden all day

Noisily making your way.

Visiting flowers

Like stops on the bus

Why don't you come visit us?

Buzzing your way through

The hedges and grass

Adding a flavour of class

To the yellow and purple

That grows on my lawn

Working to sunset from dawn

always the worker

You don't seem to stop

Except when the rain comes down,

plip, plop,

And away to your hive

You are gone in a buzz

Orange and black,

All covered in fuzz

Buzzing bee,

Why don't you come visit us?

TheWeeScottie

Song: One through your mercy

Reading through 1 Corinthians over the past 3 months has reminded me of a number of things as a Christian.
1. I am a dirty, rotten sinner. I've grieved God's heart, and deserve to die.
2. I am amazingly, scandalously forgiven because of what Jesus did for me. This is totally undeserved. Nothing I do can change either that I am forgiven, or that I deserve this.
3. My identity is now in Jesus - not in my job, skills, status, state of mind/heart or future prospects. And that is unchangeable. I am now one with God. Amazing.

This song came out of thinking on that this evening. We're not lone rangers any more as Christians. We're one, but one with God.

The score for the song is downloadable at the bottom

One through the mercy (you've offered to me)

v1
Cut from your presence,
denied on just grounds,
a life in your goodness,
a sinner, but now found;
Welcomed entirely,
forgotten, my sin,
covered entirely
you welcome me in.

Ch
One in your body,
one in your love,
one in the sancified
state of your son
one now I'm ransomed
one now I'm free
one through the mercy
you've offered to me.

v2
Compassionate eyes and
wide open arms
welcome me to you, with
nail-scarred palms,
cost fully paid out,
justice complete
you beckon me nearer
to pierce'ed feet.

v3
Life now unlocked to
the fulness in you,
you beckon me onwards
to imitate you,
to shoulder your burden
and walk the hard path
but knowing that future joy's
mine through your love.

Download score

Download score with lyrics

TheWeeScottie

Winter's tree

Walking back from town today after a lovely cup with Cat, I took a detour through Freedom Fields Park, nearby where I live at the moment. I love trees in the winter. They look like the bad guys out of a comic book about nature. This poem came out of enjoying time out with them in the park.

Winter's tree

As I walk home, there you stand;
my park companion.
Time and elements pass you by,
What's it like to live your life?
Twisted legs reaching deep,
Toes probing the darkness.
What secrets do you know?
Gnarly fingers stretching towards the sky
Can you reach?
Could you use a boost?
Light warms your arms,
swinging to the breeze,
Turning sunlight to shadow
Casting haunting shadows on the ground
Yet children play beneath you,
Couples carve their hopes in your bark,
Old men dream their lives away beside you.
Not so scary after all,
My winter's tree.

TheWeeScottie

Candle

I've begun taking time out at the end of each day just to stop. To turn off everything electronic, go somewhere quiet, and just be. What a blessing it's been just to stop and 'be'! Lighting a candle last night before heading to bed, this poem started forming in my head.

Candle
My flame burns quietly,
But you know I'm there
Keeping you warm
Showing you hidden things
Dispelling the dark.
I don't need to shout
Or light up in a roaring inferno,
That's not my light.
I am small, but significant
My light casts shadows
And dispels them
It burns away the darkness
Replacing it with dancing light;
I dance for you.
Surely you see this?
My light is for you
I give it to you
Come closer
Feel my warmth
Let me light up your smile
Show you how much I care
Only don't put me out
Anything but that
Care for me
Nurture me
Help me grow strong and bright
Let me light you up more clearly
Don't be afraid
I love you as you are
My light only reminds you
What you already know
Nothing new
But my flame
Burning the darkness
Replacing it with dancing light.

TheWeeScottie