What’s my story?

(c) QLB4 July 2020

A series of connections
Interspersed with horri-blocktions
For the right turns
Too many left
Unturned
Or turned too soon
Too late
Into a bog

But the connections
They lie in vibrations
And resurrections
And many admirations
Skill
Wisdom
Connection
Being part of what you know

I sense them
And they fire me
I hope in the right direction
Yet it takes guts
And maybe more substance
To commit
To skill and wisdom
Knowledge and understanding
To being within and withon
And with
This Earth
And all its character
And depth

An Alternative Reality

An Alternative Reality
by QLB4 ©2016

Silver sparkles glinting free
Against a blue and turquoise shimmering sea
Scanning the horizon for ships, land or weather
Hoping to see whales and dolphins swimming together

Salty freshness blustering by
Towers of square sails leading up to the sky

Suddenly shipmates clambering aloft
Calls for sails to be loosed, set or trimmed
Timing our efforts to get the sail out or in
Always braces and halyards and sheets to be hauled

An hour on the helm passes quickly
Keeping course on the heading
North East by North half North
Or sailing full and by
Sometimes in company
Sometimes alone
But always exhilarating
Feeling her skipping and shying
And working the wheel with the swells

Watching the sun set as we muster at the end of another watch
Muscles aching as we go lie in our bunks worn out and well fed
With that eternal wave machine sloshing next to our heads
Waiting for sweet dreams of fair winds and full sails
To whisper their way through our sated souls

A day at the footie

A day at the footie
By QLB4 Copyright 29/05/2016

Fabulous afternoon at footie
Nephew in Cup Final
at local ground

Waiting for kick off
Beer and nice chat
With brother-in-law
And rugby playing nephew

Then it’s kick off time
Both teams good
Ours dominant in first half
Parents, siblings and Auntie
Enjoying the excitement
Calling and applauding
Desperately videoing badly

Our lad is on the bench
Waiting for his chance
Then 35 mins in
They bring him on
I feel nervous
As if it was me
Turn to my sister and tell her
She looks at me and says
I was just thinking the same
Eeeek!
Then he gets his first touch
Right in front of us
He does well
Good kick
Good placement
And we all settle back
And enjoy

The game was excellent
Conduct good
Crowd calling support
Our team lost 2-1
But another day
They would have won

Sad to lose
But heads held high
3rd in league gave 1st in league
A run for their money
Well done guys
Good work

So we all head home
For curry
In front of the rugby
My niece chatting away
About shopping with mum
Before the game

Shows me her new jumping shoes
With silver toes
Quotes her mother in a silly voice
“Their colour is very versatile  and will go with many items of clothing”

Then she and younger nephew
Lark about in the garden
And my sister and I join them
Handstands
Yoga
Cartwheels
Round offs
Ab work
All sorts
Lots of laughs
Pets in the way

Then it’s time to head home
So go to say goodbye and well done
To my footballing hero
Only to find him
Asleep on the sofa
In front of Grand Prix
A well earned rest
If you ask me

What a fabulous day
At the footie

Farewell to my baby

Farewell my sweet
Farewell my lovely
I hope you can forgive me

Even you couldn’t stay
I hope you can forgive me

Gods and mother nature
Keep you safe and peaceful
Please oh please forgive me

A Woodland Walk

A Woodland Walk
By QLB4 (c)2013

A lunchtime walk in the woods
On a whim and a cool bright day

And there I found
Such peace, such quiet, such solitude
And wildlife

Just standing there
Absorbing the quiet woodland sounds
The pressure within my chest expanding
Emotions rising
still absorbing the beauty all around me
And eventually they all burst forth
In different ways
But most strongly about my baby

I wished he was there with me
Under a tree
Not floating about in the cold cold sea

Snippets of inspiration from Johnny Clegg

Quotes from song lyrics by Johnny Clegg / Johnny Clegg & Savuka / Jaluka

“Every man has to be his own saviour”
Song: Great Heart

“A punch drunk man in a downtown bar
takes a beating without making a sound
Through swollen eyes he smiles and sways cos no man can put him down
Inside him a child looks up to his father
for a sign or an approving eye
It’s funny how those so close but now gone still so affect our lives”
Song: Osiyeza (The Crossing)

“Just once you’ll turn away when the truth is shining bright”
Song: Cruel Crazy Beautiful World