I am

I AM! yet what I am who cares, or knows?

My friends, forsake me like a memory lost.

I am the self consumer of my woes;

They rise and vanish, an oblivious host,

Shadows of life, whose very soul is lost.

And yet I am - I live - though I am tossed.

Into the nothingness of scorn and noise,

Into the living sea of waking dream,

Where there is neither sense of life, nor joys.

But the huge shipwreck of my own esteem,

And all that's dear,  Even those I loved the best;

Are strange - nay, they are stranger than the rest.

I long for scenes where man has never trod -

For scenes where woman never smiled or wept -

There to abide with my Creator, God,

And sleep as I in childhood sweetly slept,

Full of high thoughts, unborn.  So let me lie -

The grass below; above, the vaulted sky.

John Clare

Copyright@

The Greatest Gift

Sticky fingers and jam tarts

Crafty smiles and angel hearts

Nursery rhymes and fairy tales

Messy paints and colouring crayons.

Angels from the heavens above

Made to give and receive our love

The best sight in the world to see

A happy child so innocent and free

Sandcastles, playdough and lots of noise

Food on the floor and hundreds of toys

Grazes on hands and a cut knee

Tears before bedtime and teddy's for tea

The innocent charm of a child's story

When praised the faces full of glory

Singing songs and laughing loud

Marching like soldiers so bold and proud

When reading a story last thing at night

Their glassy eyes sparkle with delight

Then drift away my little one

For tomorrow another song shall be sung

Now hush my child as I say a prayer

For all those who love and care

For giving us a gift purer than gold

For the memories we shall have as we grow old

And a tear appears in the corner of my eye

For the sight which brings my breath to a sigh

My heart then has to skip a beat

At the vision of this Angel asleep.

Sherrie Hammond

Copyright@