At Once
At once
a thing of beauty
and of horror
a rolling drop of water
suspended in time
One small look of kindness
at the cafe in the morning
a single tear, brushed aside
That ocean of sadness
the sound of magpies calling
in the morning air
the overwhelming beauty
of raindrops on a windowpane
Days pass in muted shades
I have learnt to yield
now I rest and write my words
digging in the dark for those
seams of gold as I may
out of the darkness
I let things drop
find the company of books
channel dark beasts of music
black and heavy, or coaxing out
the soft wild things
with gentle lullabies
And always somehow that
remembrance of light
that simple fact of love
despite it all
that faith that body heart will move
and I find myself returned
once again into that light
Untroubled by the sound of birds
able to meet that kindness with a smile
despite the beauty and the horror
despite it all
© Simon Wade 2019
