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Poetry by Samantha Birkett
from London, England
e-mail: c/o quikwords@aol.com
 

Poems by Samantha Birkett

 

ALL THE WORLDLY GOODS

All the golds and silvers shining bright
encrusted with stones reflecting rays of light
could never bring me such delight
or outshine the fire of my lifelong plight;

All the lushness and purity of the trees
or the deepest waters of the bluest seas
could never quench my thirst for these:
the dreams in life I so wish to sieze;

All the softest silks and velvets of the best
piled high on the back of their strongest beast
could never match this beauty in the least:
the beauty of the hope within which has never ceased;

All the scents and hues of the rarest rose
that has inspired sweet thoughts of countless Romeos
could never shadow or that window of hope close
nor in my heart the smallest doubt or question pose;

Only a feast for the mortal senses
not for my soul, would these treasures be
never could all the worldly goods satisfy the void
which can be filled only by thee.

 

 

THE MASK

I am so tired of leading
this pointless and insignificant life
of feeling so small and helpless
against the might of the world and all its strife.

I begin each day afresh
with renewed hopes and fears
but only I know of the many which have passed
and of all their magnitude, washed away by my tears.

I hide my grief within
hoping those who love me will never see
that I am so frightened of the future,
of the things that may or may not be.

My pillow is damp and my fingers raw
the deep lines beneath my eyes
tell the inner story of
my ever-present fears, in disguise.

I tell the world I am happy
and hope they have believed
for I need their faith in me
as they are all I have achieved.

I clothe myself in strength each day
to uphold the image I have made
but when I rid myself of the mask
I think back on the price I have paid.

I so wish to lead a happy life
and make the most of all I can
but already there is so much in the past
I know my story has not a short span.

I must learn to trust myself
to have some faith in me
for I wish to live my dream one day
when all my fears will behind me be.

 

 

CALM AFTER THE STORM

Like the branches of a tree
I was then
Swaying and bending to your tempest;

Like leaves of a tree
I was then
Shaking and bowing to your torrent;

Like the fruit of a tree
I was then
Floating and bobbing to your storm;

Like the skin of a tree
I was then
Cracking and peeling to your blizzard.

And yet...

Like the roots of a tree
I am now
Growing and strengthening off your anger;

Like the bark of a tree
I am now
Toughening and thickening off your energy;

Like the heart of a tree
I am now
Beating and living off your power

Like the blood of a tree
I am now
Flowing and quickening off your hate.

And so...

Like the calm after the storm
it will be
Clearing and warming to the sun;

Never again will I be the victim,
the victim of what you have done.

 

 

LET THERE BE LIGHT

I awoke this morning
from a familiar dream;
the world was grey and black
and you could no longer be seen.

I embarked on the journey of today;
the sights and faces were bare.
I searched for you amongst the crowd,
but yet again you were not there.

All around me is cold and lonely;
my wish is to run far away,
get a new life somewhere else
but I wouldn't have to, if only you would stay.

My fear is that it will never change,
that whoever you are, will never come
to take me awake from this dark life
and to show me where the light is from.

My hope is that one day
with the morning you will be there,
glowing with the strength of the sun
come to meet away my fear.

 

 

THANK YOU

I wanted to thank you
for the things you have done,
for being my guardian angel
when I felt I had none.

I wanted to thank you
for the love you have shown,
for your warmth and affection
when I thought I was alone.

I wanted to thank you
for your gestures and words;
you gave me strength when I was in need
and helped me trust in my own creed.

I wanted to thank you
for being there through thick and thin,
if not in body, in soul
and always believing that I could win.

I wanted to thank you
for who you are,
for your strength and courage,
for always shining like the brightest star.

And the only way I can thank you
and show you how I feel
is to utter these words
which are written in steel:

It's so peaceful to be loved for who I have become
than to be resented for the things I have not done.
 

 

 

Samantha's Personal Favorites

 HE WISHES FOR THE CLOTHS OF HEAVEN
By W.B. YEATS (1865-1959)

Had I the heaven's embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread lightly because you tread on my dreams.

 

A BIRTHDAY
By Christina Rossetti

My heart is like a singing bird
Whose nest is in a watered shoot;
My heart is like an apple tree
Whose boughs are bent with thick-set fruit;
My heart is like a rainbow shell
That paddles in a halcyon sea;
My heart is gladder than all these
Because my love has come to me.

Raise me a dais of silk and down;
Hang it with rare and purple dyes;
Carve it in doves and pomegranates
And peacocks with a hundred eyes;
Work it in gold and silver grapes
In leaves and silver fleur-de-lys;
Because the birthday of my life
Is come, my love is come to me.

 

 

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