Hi Folks...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

Hi folks, 

Yes, me again in London UK. I've been having a bad day with the prostate cancer and mobility problems, so just dropping by to let you know I hope to post a new poem tomorrow. More to the point, perhaps, is that it helps provide a better quality of sleep if I can stay up a bit later rather than go to bed earlier, however exhausted I might feel. My sleep will still be interrupted (ole Prostate will see to that) but the chances are I may well sleep more soundly between toilet interruptions.😉

Several readers have emailed me to ask just how the cancer affects my quality of life. Well, it certainly does Q o L no favours, but  worrying and hinging about anything never did anyone any favours wither, so as I have said before, I keep nurturing as positive-thinking a mindset as I can (most of the time) and try not to dwell to much on Q o L being in decline and adamantly refusing to measure it on a scale of one to ten... or I would probably burst into tears. 😉

I can at least count myself very fortunate in so far as I remain free of Covid-19 and its variants, although I sometimes wonder why I have been spared so far when far more deserving folks and families have lost loved ones. I live alone, after all, have no family to speak of and, yes, friends would miss me and I them, but it's hardly the same as losing a life partner or close relative...

Such are the ups and downs of life, neither rhyme nor reason to many of them; we can but do our best to overcome the latter and move on, although, as I have said many times on the blog, moving on means leaving no one behind who has contributed to better, kinder, happier times... such memories never die, continuing to support and inspire us even as we struggle to put any hard times behind us.

Oh, yes, I really do practise what I  preach or the prostate cancer and other health issues would have  seen me laid out on a mortuary slab years ago...😉

As I'd invariably I hit hard times when I was younger, I would think myself into a positive frame of mind, look and drive myself  into forward-thinking mode and devise a plan of action (of sorts) rather than start feeling sorry for myself.; after all, travelling hopefully has always had the advantage over going nowhere fast. 😉

Although I have reservations about coronavirus precautions being relaxed next week here in London and much of the UK, especially with a new Omicron variant doing the rounds,  I took the plunge recently and ventured farther afield than usual, taking the London Underground  to have lunch with an old friend in a favourite pub. We enjoyed catching up over a meal and several pints. I only allowed myself one pint and two half pint glasses of Guinness, but had a bad night all the same. Even so, it was well worth it; if friendship and good conversation requires the occasional sacrifice, so be it...😉

Well, time to bid you all "Goodnight" here in London and many thanks again for your supporting the blog and giving me a good reason for getting up in the mornings during the pandemic, not forgetting your motivating me to write poems, among which I hope you will enjoy some, at least, and feel lighter of heart  for reading them as I do for writing them. Although my poems attempt to convey various shades of nature and human nature, I always try to end on a  positive note. Well, it has to beat the alternative, yeah...? 😉

Take care, dear readers, and keep well,

Back again tomorrow with (hopefully) a new poem that is proving a devil to get right,

Hugs,

Roger

Hi folks, from London UK

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

" It is our collective and individual responsibility to preserve and tend to the environment in which we all live." - Dalai Lama XIV

 "I don't believe in collective guilt, but I do believe in collective responsibility.” - Audrey Hepburn

Hi Folks,

No poem today, but I am working on one. Mind you, inspiration is flagging at the moment as I am still having to deal with a bad cold. I have started to feel better over the last couple of days, but inspiration doesn't seem to have taken the hint...😉 However, I remain coronavirus-free, so am still able to keep looking on the bright(er) side of life... well, most of the time.😊

I have been able to get out and about locally just for basic shopping, but while the Omicron variant remains rampant, it is scary, so I try to go as early as I can to avoid crowds. 

 Now,  while wearing a mask won't necessarily stop anyone catching  Covid BUT it will stop a person spreading it. At 76 years old and living with prostate cancer, I am vulnerable, so hate it when people get too close to me in a queue, especially if they are not wearing a mask. Unfortunately, many stores no longer have the floor markings to show how people can remain at least two metres apart.

If someone has genuine medical reasons for not wearing a mask, fair enough, but it does not excuse that person getting too close to others in a queue. This happened to me only yesterday. I was queuing at a supermarket checkout.  I asked a Muslim woman queuing behind me with her grown-up daughter not to stand so close to me in the queue; neither were wearing face masks. The woman took no notice, just glared at me and I hear someone say "Racist." I was angry, but managed to keep my temper and moved away as soon as I had finished loading my shopping bag.

Now, I am not a racist and if someone chooses not to wear a mask for any reason, that is up to them BUT where their not wearing a mask potentially and directly affects me, I reserve the right to protest. It seems to be a fairly common problem everywhere. While Omicron continues to spread and fill hospitals, social distancing remains important for all of us, especially with regard to those people who are not wearing face masks. 

Given that data appears to show that the vast majority of people who are critically ill in hospitals are those who have not been been vaccinated, I can no more understand the reasoning behind not being vaccinated that not wearing a face mask in shops, on public transport and in crowded areas. Such is human nature, I suppose, sometimes wise and wonderful, sometimes plain stupid. 

Celebrities from all walks of life and ethnic backgrounds have appeared on television to persuade others to get vaccinated against Covid-19; it beggars belief that a significant percentage of  populations in various parts of the UK  have chosen to remain unvaccinated against the coronavirus. Data suggests that the majority of the unvaccinated are from ethnic minority backgrounds. (No, I am not being racist it is a fact.) 

Collective responsibility is for the good of everyone and rejects discrimination of all kinds except on grounds of an individual's bad or criminal behaviour.. . well, doesn't it?

Hopefully, the coronavirus will pass sooner rather than later, but all the while certain people, from all walks of life, refuse to be vaccinated against it, the likelihood remains that is likely to be later rather than sooner. Don't the rest of us deserve better than that?

Now, whoever and wherever you may be in the world, I can but wish you all safe, well, and finding the inner strength of mind-body-spirit to nurture a positive-thinking mindset, whatever your personal  circumstances; never easy, I know only too well just as I know, too, that it's always well worth the effort.

Take care, everyone, and do drop by again soon. Meanwhile, you may enjoy browsing the blog archives?

Hugs,

Roger

The Way Ahead

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

These are troubled times for us all as Covid-29 pursues its relentless course around the world, its variants hopefully indicating that its powers are diminishing, but as yet no hard evidence that such is the shape of things to come. We can but call on mind-body-spirit to lend us both hope and wherewithal to see us through our pain and see the hopeful heart emerge the stronger if not unscathed.

We face a difficult New Year ahead, but let us face it with a sense of collective responsibility, cautious optimism and that all-embracing hopeful heart with which this blog and its author-poet has been much concerned from its start, nearly ten years ago.

Here’s wishing you all as Happy a New Year as we can make it for family friends and those we have yet to get to know as well as ourselves.

Many thanks for dropping by, hope to engage with you again soon. (Yes, I am working on a poem to greet 2022.)

Hugs,

Roger

THE WAY AHEAD

A new year approaching,
as we can’t help but wonder
in fear and dread
whether or not it will be another
that’s Covid-19 led?

Everyday life, a struggle
with every safety precaution
taken by a majority,
wearing face masks still rejected
by a scared minority

Vaccinations, to protect us,
young, old and more vulnerable
in societies worldwide;
a race against Covid’s angry tide,
no one spared

Deaths soaring, hospitals
overflowing, staff left struggling
as more become infected,
so many businesses having to close,
no one unaffected 

Delta, a vicious Covid variant
overtaken by the Omicron mutation;
world scientists passing on
relevant data as it becomes available,
inevitable confusion

Meanwhile, world still turning,
all its peoples left weeping such crises
of nature and human nature;
inevitable stress, invariable fall-out,
past-present-future

Yet, there is a resilience among
humanity seeing us rise above the worst,
forces for good working
to lend us strength enough to alleviate
our suffering

Among the ruins of a life, engaging
with Love and Kindness, always
ready and willing to help us
bring the hopeful heart into play against
even a coronavirus

Mind-body-spirit, up for whatever task;
we have but to ask...

Copyright R. N. Taber, 2021

Hi, folks, from London UK

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

Hi folks,

Yes, it's me again, without a poem I'm afraid, but am working on one, so...soon.

We all know that the pandemic has proven to be a very stressful time for most of us, young and old alike for various reasons. Every death affects  family and friends, while grief is hard enough to deal with at any time, let alone in the middle of a pandemic.. The news about the omicron variant likely to cause fewer deaths and less serious illness is encouraging, but scary nonetheless as it is still too early to be sure just how potent the new variant will prove to be. Hopefully, the scientists will soon have sufficient data to be clearer on the matter. I the meantime, many people are as confused as they are frightened; a recipe if ever there was one for stress

We can but do our best to cope, not only with our own stress, but bear in mind that we are not alone, make allowances where appropriate for family, friends, neighbours, even strangers whose behaviour is clearly disproportionate to whatever we may have said or done to annoy, upset, anger them...whatever. We need to try, also, to keep an eye on anyone who lives alone and may need practical and/or emotional support. I don't mean just the elderly, either, as I suspect there are a good few people of all ages who are feeling anxious this weekend, unwilling to get on the phone to even family or friends and admit they feel as though they are trapped on a sinking ship. (A n excessive metaphor perhaps and the ship isn't going to sink, but I suspect most if not all of you know exactly what I mean.  

I, for one, have had that sinking feeling for some months. So far, so good in so far as I eventually manage to rise above it and talk myself into a more hopeful, positive mindset; never an easy journey whether short or long and even the shorter time it takes can seem l-o-n-g anyway. I have to keep giving myself little pep talks, remind myself that there are plenty of people out there a lot worse off than me, not least the critically ill, rough sleepers and those for whom the current stress, confusion and fear  stress is exacerbating  what were already trying circumstances before anyone had even heard of the Covid-19 coronavirus and its subsequent mutations.

So, what can we do to alleviate stress? Good question, no easy answers. Each of us in our own way, though, can find answers in where we have found them in the past; relax and enjoy favourite music, television, radio programmes... whatever it takes to help us relax. Chatting to family and friends on the phone is always a good idea, especially if  sharing a laugh or a good chuckle; not for nothing do they say that laughter is the best medicine... for most ills, including stress. Favourite, well-worn, familiar paths are always the best; the chances are we we risk being more stressed out than ever if we try something new.  As my mother used to say, "You need to want to take up a challenge because you know it will make you feel good, not because anyone else thinks so...."

Stress is an illness, too few of us are prepared to admit to; it needs treating, sometimes medically, sometimes it can be enough to let mind-body-spirit find its own relief; firstly, though, we need to stop being in denial and get real. Yes, yes, I know... yet again, easier said than done...

When Mind tells us to play safe, we need to listen; when body tells us to relax, we need to listen; when the spirit that knows us only too well, tells us to think positively, considerately and responsibly...yea, we need to listen. Oh, and yes, I do try to 'practice what I preach, but - like all of you - I am only human, so won't always succeed. 😉

I can't say that politicians are my favourite species of person, but I guess they are caught between a rock and a hard place, wanting to do be seen to be doing  their best by the electorate while having to keep the economy on as even a keel as possible, especially given the kind of global crisis in which we all find ourselves tight now. At the same time, it doesn't help when the elite in society - including politicians - give the impression that they believe in one set of rules for the likes of you and me and another for themselves; few things gall mind-body-spirit more than hypocrisy...

Enough of my ramblings. It just remains for me to say thanks again for dropping by, stay safe, keep well, continue to nurture a positive-thinking mindset, remember we are all in the same proverbial boat and we will NOT let it sink us...well, not if mind-body-spirit has anything to say on the matter.

Take care everyone and I'll be back with a poem as soon as I get a glimmer of inspiration...😉

Hugs,

Roger

Hello again, folks, from London UK

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

"You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time." - Abraham Lincoln

Sorry, no poem again today, but soon...

While I have no Covid symptoms, I suspect the stress f the past 18 months or so is beginning taking its toll on ole Roger, just as it is on everyone else, worldwide. Yes, I feel a lot safer for having had my booster jab, but I am feeling very worn down by it all, as I suspect all of you are too. Writing poetry helps distract me and keep a sense of proportion, but inspiration is in short supply right now. Even so, I have high hopes for a poem that is edging its way into my mind and will hopefully find its way to expressing itself before too long...

As if climate change was all we had to contend with...!

So, how do we come through Covid and its variants and manage to maintain a positive-thinking mindset in the face of illness and death all around us?  Good question, no easy answers. I guess we can but do our best to support each other and try not to blow the short fuse many if not most of us have felt burning a gaping hole in our lives for far too long, if it hasn't already.

As regular readers know, I had a bad nervous breakdown in my mid-30's. partly for being gay and closet-bound, chiefly because I had no real sense of direction and was physically and mentally tired of drifting and feeling sorry for myself. Eventually, I saw sense and realised that whatever future I might have was down to me, no one else. At the same time, I needed help,  to be pointed in the right direction. I had to go to Australia to benefit from the wisdom of an old Aborigine and suffer the indignity of being repatriated (because I couldn't find a job) before I found my way in life, although it would be uphill for a few more years yet. Eventually, I found the self-confidence to leave the awful closet that certain  peers and family had made me feel I 'deserved 'while growing up in the 1950' and aim for the life that I wanted, not what other people might have or want. Selfish of me, perhaps, but we all have individual needs and have to recognise them, not be intimidated into being copycats.

With the support of some wonderful people, some hard work on my part and accepting that being gay is who I am and not only doesn't make me less of a human being, but also strengthened my resolve to help give the lie to the fake news and faux stereotypes that continue to haunt many corners of various societies and communities worldwide. Yes, I have said all this before, so why say it again? I guess the keyword is self-awareness; admitting to ourselves that we are a psychological mess is a battle half won already, victory in sigh; it is up to each and every one of us not to lose sight of just what 'victory' means - for us and for any family and friends closest to us, given that so much of what we do and say invariably affects them also.

So why am I raking up my pathetic past? Because our past-present-future is the sum of who we are; interdependent aspects of growing up, whoever and wherever we are in the world, and doing our best to learn from our mistakes as well as invariably having to pay for them, one way or another. Learning is strength, and strength is what will see us through the pandemic; not least, strength of will, purpose and character. We can, after all, only ever do our best; it will never be enough for some people, possibly even ourselves, but it is what keeps us on that learning curve, adapting to change as only mind-body-spirit can. 

We are all different, so our 'best' will invariably highlight our differences, differences that can  no more be measured in academic terms than the human spirit itself. Education and learning applies no less to the inner self than what appears visible to others in terms of what we may say and do; both words and actions are always vulnerable to misinterpretation, especially if we try to 'measure' them according to what we see as 'acceptable' rather then making an effort to understand what drives those whose 'best' bears little or no resemblance to our own.

The best advice my mother ever gave me was not only to try and take each day as it comes, but people too, no rushing to judgement as humankind is so often inclined. We can but try, do our best to give people the benefit of whatever reservations we might have in the course of any casual,  closer, even more intimate acquaintance. Alas, what drives the inner self will always remain something of a mystery, to ourselves as well as each other; the least we can do as we climb the various hills and mountains of this life is... yes, do our best.

Well, that's all my ramblings for today and many thanks, as always for joining me here on the blog. I only hope it helps prevent some of you losing the proverbial plot as it helps me, if only for doing my best to keep from falling into a cesspit of Doubt, Fear and various indescribable Unknowns that so like to tease Mind-Body-Spirit at such times as a pandemic or any crisis when many if not most of us are at our most vulnerable. 

Religions and philosophies will drive and comfort their own follower; for the rest of us, we can only do our best to rise above the worst of things, even if it means having to go with the flow until we get to swim freestyle again...

Take care, everyone and remember that we can only do our best, whatever circumstances in which we find ourselves. or may yet find ourselves; it may not always seem enough, but it has to beat doing less or nothing, surely?

Bye for now, take care and let's all do our best to nurture a positive-thinking mindset...yes?

Hugs,

Roger

[NB Apologies if the spacing between paragraphs appears too wide. I have all sorts of problems when trying to edit posts on Blogger sometimes.]RT

Hello from London, UK (Yes, it's the old codger-poet again!)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

Hello again from London UK

No poem to day, but soon... if my messed-up thought processes can rise to the occasion.  My prostate cancer isn't painful, but...oh, I have such fond (if distant!) memories of getting a decent night's sleep!

Straight people, all ages, sometimes ask what it's like to be gay and "not in the swim of everyday life." A silly question, if only for assuming that LGBT folks are not in the swim  of everyday life. We are, after all, human beings and, as such, no less a part of a common humanity than anyone else.

Sometimes people, all ages, also ask me how I cope, not just with the prostate cancer, but also with growing old in general. To be honest, I'm not sure, but on the whole, I just do... I suspect it's down to Mind-Body-Spirit pulling together as good friends will during hard times. 😉 Body is likely to prove the weaker link at any moment in time, but especially after it has been around long enough for a good many years to leave their mark, but - more often than not - Mind and Spirit act as pacemakers, and Body feels encouraged to press on...

Ah, but what if Mind falls foul of the darker of human temptations and  gets too close to The Edge of it all, cannot find the will to draw back, prevent freefalling into that same darkness? It is at such times that the human Spirit comes into its own, encouraging native willpower to see the trees in the wood for the beautiful species they are, find a way through to a place of such potential reassurance as to offer a good chance of our being able to enjoy the flowers and birdsong that the inner ear is pleading with us to  hear and take heart...

That's all very well, but what if the human Spirit, too, has lost its way, become confused, unable to see any wood for its damn trees that seem to be closing in on it, their motives unclear although an encroaching darkness s a sure threat, no comfort there, no sleep to rescue us from despair with sweet dreams and memories of how things were before... whatever. Mind may well  struggle to restore Spirit to its senses, Body too, but what chance of success, Spirit being by far the stronger of the trinity?

Ah, but let's not forget the power of  life forces from which Mind-Body-Spirit engages all the time, whether we are aware of it or not; the sheer Poetry of Love; family, friendship, images of  the natural world that have made such an impression on our sensibilities that we hear them calling to us through time and space . True, we may yet play deaf to the call and teeter over The Edge, but Mind-Body-Spirit, will inevitably pull together and do its best to persuade us otherwise... if we will but pause just a moment from  feeling sorry for ourselves, engaging with the politics of blame long enough to listen . Yes, finding our way through the woods may well be  a hard slog, maybe even impossible...BUT...worth a try, surely?

So much for life forces concerned only with our well-being, whether we choose to engage with them or not, but what of Death's lack of concern for our survival, able to  take us away from the Poetry of Life and Love at the blink of an eye? Well, there is a Poetry of Faith that may or may not be related to any religion that assures us of a place in an all-embracing Mind-Body-Spirit that defies even life itself, sure to carry us into the hearts of any with whom we have shared the Poetry of Love in whatever form it may have taken; it is called Remembrance or Personal Space (Memory) in it more intimate form; sense of spirituality denied no one. I suspect that Personal Space archives memories of it own that even dementia patients are able to take heart and comfort from. even though they may not be consciously aware of their evergreen presence within the deeper, inner self, able to select happy times and leave any bad times to fade like autumn leaves.; such, too is the Poetry pf Spirituality...

"Stuff and nonsense," do I hear some readers say? Possibly so, but there is a life-force within even  of  certain 'Stuff and 'Nonsense' wherein even the most troubled heart can find a degree of peace... if it chooses to look for it; easily enough done if we choose to freely and frankly engage with Mind-Body-Spirit whenever we find ourselves at the end of our tether... for whatever reason.

Take care, folks, stay safe and many thanks for dropping by,

Hugs,

Roger 

Trinity OR Three into Two won't Go

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

It is (temporarily) mandatory again here in England to wear face masks in shops and on public transport while scientists try to find out more concerning the new Omicron variant. Even so, a significant number of people continue to ignore the basic safety precautions (other than for medical reasons) which are, after all, for the good of everyone. Yes, the booster jab program is being stepped up, since boosters are thought to provide the most protection against Covid-19, but, yet again, a significant minority are refusing to take part. Not just on their heads be it, but on all our heads...

I often need to travel on the London Underground network for hospital appointments etc. The other day, a young woman pulled her mask down so she could eat sandwiches and drink coffee! It may well have been her lunch, but there is a time and a place... especially at the moment. A significant number of people  still think it is ok to lower their masks so they can read a newspaper or chat on their mobile phone on public transport; it was much the same scenario even in previous (full) lockdowns, and I have yet to see anyone challenged by an official for not wearing a mask or not wearing one properly so both nose and mouth are covered. Since not everyone with Covid-19 has symptoms...well, who knows...?

“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main... “No man is an island entirely of itself. Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind.”

TRINITY or THREE INTO TWO WON’T GO

My-body-my-choice;
the path I take, for better or worse,
to it, I will stay true;
no matter what others say or do,
there’s principle at stake
that needs must make a stand against a society
that would disrespect individuality...”

My-body-my-choice;
can’t you see how it has to be or all
we stand for becomes a lie
if only for its throwing you and I
to social media wolves
that would sooner feast on fake news and ideas
put forward as conspiracy theories...

My-body-my-choice;
what on earth is there to argue about?
Am I right or am I right...?
Why pick and argument with me,
no stauncher ally
against the slings and arrows of such modernity
as would disrespect our individuality?”

My-body-my-choice,
so what’s this about a common humanity
deserving more from us
than such intimate points of view
that haven’t the measure
of consequences beyond limits of personal space
likely put us firmly in our place...?

My body-my-choice;
what do you mean it’s not just you and I
whose life in our hands,
that I am but a part of Mind-Body-Spirit
and three is greater than one,
exclude human spirit and see common humanity’s
battles all but lost before begun...?”

My-body-my-choice
may well assert a person’s individuality
from time to time,
the Self, free to take responsibility
for its own well-being,
yet no Self is an island, of its surrounds entirely free,
but bound at birth to a Human Trinity

Copyright R. N. Taber 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two (poems) for the Price of One

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

After two years of learning to live with the Covid-19 pandemic, tempers are beginning to fray for whom some, who were living on The Edge even before the pandemic, pent-up feelings of frustration have sought release in a variety of ways, some violent. While there can be no excuse for violence against another, mental health issues should never be underestimated, especially in such times as we are living in now.

A healthy diet and regular exercise can help to alleviate stress,, of course, but self-help isn't always enough. There is help available for anyone less able to cope with stress, especially when it seems to be coming at them from all sides; we have to recognise the signs, though, and actively seek help; There is no shame whatever in feeling less and less able to cope with stress, whatever its source, but we need to recognise the signs and get help before it manifests itself in such a way or ways that we are likely to live to regret.

My failing to recognise the extent of the stress that living in a closet was making itself felt over a period of some 20 years, resulted in a nervous breakdown in my 30's. I had been too scared to ask for help,  had convinced myself I could cope... and could not have been more wrong. The help and support I received on a road to recovery that took me 4 to years of hard, mental slog to cover and start applying for jobs again... was a lifesaver.

Whether heterosexual or of an LGBT persuasion, we are, each and every one of us, only human and human nature, being as complex a life force as it is, needs a helping hand from time to time and mind-body-spirit needs must reach out and take it. Never easy... but what in life comes easy to any of us? We may think some people have an easy life,  but few of us are ever privy to what goes on behind closed doors...

THE ENEMY WITHIN

Love turned its back on me,
yet would not run away,
but left me nailed to a tree,
(couldn't even pray.)

Pain alone left me free
to fight another day;
Love, my sworn enemy,
nails in a god of clay

Better stay angry than grieve,
avid ties sure to rot,
scars worm on a sleeve,
to prove - what...?

Love, like war and peace,
down to each of us

Copyright R. N. Taber. 2005, 2021

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM

Love hadn't touched me
for many years;
I'd let myself drift freely
on a Sea of Tears

Chanced to find peace
(or did it find me?)
and sought to anchor us
in that same blue sea

Sea of Sadness, no more;
blue, only the sky;
soul once bruised and sore,
bright as a swallow's eye

Ashore at last, for homing in
on your heart's outline

Copyright R. N. Taber 2005; 2021

[Note: Both poems were written in 2004 and first appeared in my collection, A Feeling for the Quickness of Time, Assembly Books, 2005.]

Peace

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

We may or may not face a difficult winter with Covid-19 continuing to spread among our neighbours in the European Union, not to mention the risk of illegal immigrants passing through and crossing the channel from other parts of the world.

Myself and most of my friends here in England think it was madness to relax basic safety precautions such as wearing face masks in busy areas, shops and on public transport, especially when N.I., Scotland and Wales have had the good sense not to do so. I, for one, will continue to do so as I do not share our Prime Minister’s optimistic approach.

Yes, the vaccination program is a huge success and the booster jab will provide greater protection; science appears to confirm that effects of the first two vaccinations are likely to significantly diminish without it.

Meanwhile, I try to keep an image of the first Peace rose of spring in my head and let it inspire me to find and nurture peace of mind, whatever the coming winter may hold for any of us during these trying times.

PEACE

It’s a hybrid rose called Peace
come to carry spring into summer,
letting its petals fall in autumn,
like memories to shield human hearts
from the worst of winter

Coloured yellow, the Peace rose
is for reminds us of good times past;
where love, like a rose, endures,
so Earth Mother nurtures, promising
kinder times just ahead

At any time of year, whenever
we yearn to inhale love’s perfume,
the Peace rose feeds us images
to delight the eye, lifting other senses,
lightening other burdens

Sometimes, loved ones are called
to serve in wars, maybe never return;
if they do, never quite the same
person we knew before, human nature
left to endure to survive

If the awful reality and casualties
of wars across centuries their ghosts
try to warn us, and only fools ignore;
the Politics of Power is such that it cares
little for Peace roses

At such times, we must be strong,
take well-worn paths the heart knows
and loves, for where here’s love
there is always hope for a kinder spring,
and a new Peace rose

Copyright R. N. Taber c2010; rev.2021

[Note: An earlier version of this poem – written in 2009 - appears in my collection On the Battlefields of Love by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2010.]

On Reading the Hand that Writes us Up

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

The Climate Change Summit in Glasgow has had a lot to say on the subject, but one cannot help wonder how many will translate into meaningful action. Even so, Hope springs eternal...

As important as weather patterns,  we need to keep a close eye on human behavioural patterns and not underestimate how they are affected by changes in our personal lives that are constantly taking place, not always for the better. 

The coronavirus pandemic has affected all us and  humanity will need all the life forces it can call upon and sustain during and after it has run its course; the effects on its collective mental as well as physical health will, of course, vary from person to person, country to country, but of one thing we can be sure - nothing will ever be quite the same again, whatever...

ON READING THE HAND THAT WRITES US UP

There's a hand that caresses the first seeds of spring
and bids them grow;
it moves among summer corn in time for harvesting,
courtesy of Apollo

Where autumn's leaves making ready for its turning,
it bestows a blessing;
when winter brings us to its knees, of life despairing,
it guides us into spring

Where we run the gamut of love, hate, peace and war,
find, too, Earth Mother;
better to have its caresses smooth over a troubled brow,
rescue the Here-and-Now 

The question arises, dare we bite the hand that feeds us,
face the consequences
or do we accept it in a spirit of goodwill to all humanity,
put aside our differences?

Beware, or hands rocking our cradle may yet let it drop,
our world breaking up;
it's to read the hand that's writing us up we need to learn
or else... Armageddon?

Copyright R. N. Taber 2012; rev. 2021

[Note: The original version of this poem was written in 2009 and appears in my collection Tracking the Torchbearer, Assembly Books, 2012'; it has only recently been significantly revised.] RT

A Lion in Winter

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber 

Overheard: “This pandemic, it seems to have the heart of lion. Let’s hope the vaccines are good hunters!”

Ah, but the human spirit, too, is more than capable of lending the heart of a lion to any of us whenever we need it most; it also has a lion’s skill in avoiding capture. 

A friend who lost his wife to breast cancer a few years ago, commented at her funeral “Of course, I’ll always miss her terribly, but love has the heart of a lion, and that never dies. Hers  is more than enough to see me through the rest of my life... for better, for worse”

A LION IN WINTER 

Find me in a very lonely place,
its corners dark and bare,
struggling to ward off fears
surging through my body,
snapping at my mind for thoughts
tossing me such ideas as not made to last,
leading nowhere - fast 

All things bright and beautiful
out of sight where windows
sparing me no signs of life-light,
the only shadows, my fears,
my only company, the sounds of mice
come to feed on what may yet be left of me
worth saving for... eternity? 

No place else to go but here, fear
stoking all but dead ashes,
mind-body-spirit as keen to bury
all traces of positive-thinking
as needing to break free of a Black Hole
carved out by the likes of regrets and despair
haunting past-present-future 

Suddenly, flickers of light all around,
growing in shape and form,
warning I not let them out of my sight
or risk returning to this prison,
left blaming Fate for such human flaws
as unable to rally lifeforces enough to restore
a lion grown weary of winter 

Slowly, but surely, inner eye (and ear) freed again
to rework the art of being human 

Copyright R. N. Taber 2002, rev.2021 

[Note: The original version of this poem appears in my collection The Third Eye, Assembly Books, 2004.]

 

 

 

 

 

A Sparrow Falls

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

Another recently revised poem today, the original of which was written 20+ years ago; I have made significant changes. 

Until the coronavirus pandemic and the various safety precautions generated by various lockdowns, I hadn’t realised how much I take some of the ordinary, everyday pleasures of life for granted; one of these is birdsong. 

During dark, lonely days alone in my studio flat in London, I would listen to the uplifting, inspirational sounds made by birds nearby and not only feel less alone, but also better able to focus on nurturing a positive-thinking mindset rather than succumb to what had been but a growing sense of negativity and despair... 

Never again will I take our feathered friends for granted or the simple but effective magic they weave, whether in the life-music they may make or  always being there for us.

A SPARROW FALLS 

World, falling apart;
dreary, all but empty gardens
of the heart;
senses, playing tricks;
everyone, a victim, few of us
suspecting 

Walking out one day,
aware of little or nothing but
in shades of grey;
bonding with a sparrow
in a gutter, its wings barely able
to flutter... 

Anxious hands reaching
down to hold, if small comfort,
bird already cold,
each teary eye looking
death in the face, like a child’s
on a safehouse 

Suddenly, ears pricking up
at sounds familiar on overhead
telegraph wires;
songbirds, keen to re-engage
our personal space with life-music
of life-music

As one, the tiny birds fly off,
once having fed on seeds tossed
by human hearts
eager to thank them again
for returning the mind-body-spirit
to its safehouse

Copyright R. N. Taber, 2002; rev. 2021 

[Note: An earlier version of this poem appears in my collection First Person Plural, Assembly Books, 2002; rev. 2021]

Hi, folks, from London UK

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

Hi folks,

A reader writes that he cannot get into the blog: "When I click on to a title, I just get HTML. 

I had the same problem when I first logged on to the blog this morning. It appears that Google have made changes. To access the blog on a pc or laptop, clicking on 'view blog' in the left hand corner, should bring up the post-poem in the usual way. Hopefully, this will solve the reader's problem. (At the bottom of the page, you will see ways of accessing the blog on a tablet or smartphone.)

Whatever, readers have to remember that I am in my mid-70's now and have difficulty using Internet technology these days. not least after years of hormone therapy for my prostate cancer; it plays merry hell with thought processes and memory to such an extent that I often feel as if my whole identity is gradually being eroded. 

Other readers with prostate cancer - and other health issues that they find increasingly difficult to rise above and get on with their lives - get in touch from time to time, mostly asking how I manage. Well, with difficulty, I have to say, especially as I also have to cope with several other health issues at the same time, as many of us do. I try to take it all in my stride, make the most of each day as it comes along, and hope for a good day. 

How do I cope with bad days? Again with difficulty, but finding ways of distracting myself from whatever part of me is playing up the worst... always helps. In the absence of a garden, writing up the blog, dusting off and watching a favourite DVD or tuning into a the next episode of  favourite TV series... all these things help, but only temporarily.  Seeing friends is the best therapy for lifting flagging spirits, which is, of course, one reason why the pandemic has been so hard to bear; being unable to see family and friends as often as we'd like, sometimes not at all.. 

Tragically, some of those closest to us have died during the  pandemic, so how do we cope? Yes, with great difficulty. It is hard enough on families who have lost loved-ones without being able to say goodbye, but no less tough, either, on those who live alone as I do. Fortunately, I remain in touch with my best friend and 'bubble partner' by phone and email, and we get to meet up from time to time. Some people, though, feel very isolated and lonely, especially some old people who are not Internet savvy and perhaps cannot hear well on the phone. Sadly, not all neighbours are good neighbours and some people find it increasingly hard to cope.

So let's all try and be good neighbours, yeah? And keep an eye on - better still befriend - any neighbours we suspect of struggling to get by on a daily basis, at any age, for whatever reason, especially in the big cities and certain suburbs, well-known to be less friendly or neighbourly than more rural areas.  (So we risk getting  the brush-off, so what?  That's their problem. At least we tried...)

My stomach is now telling me it's high time I got myself something to eat, and I never give my stomach the brush-off... 😉

Take care everyone and be sure to keep looking on the bright(er) side of life.

Back with a poem soon,

(Digital) Hugs,

Roger

Hello again Everyone, from London UK

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

Hello again from London UK.

A reader, P R writes to say that “I am a strong-minded person, but am struggling with depression even though I have tried to stay upbeat throughout the pandemic. What the hell is happening to me...? I am ashamed to say I feel nervous, even scared much of the time, and it’s not the kind of person I am or want to be..."

Firstly, I am not doctor, so I urge this reader to make an appointment to see their GP and ask his or her advice asap.

Secondly, there are many men, woman and young people in much the same position, having to deal with such feelings as they may well never have encountered before with such intensity.

Never estimate the power of stress over mind-body-spirit; if left to fester, it can be crippling. likely to leave even the strongest and most upbeat among us feeling like putty in the hands of invisible forces bent on doing us harm. It’s called depression, and there is no shame in falling into the various, nasty emotional traps it has set humankind since its earliest beginnings.

Rarely has the modern world seen such devastating effects on its population as Covid-19 and its variants. Parents, whether trying to keep their children distracted from the full force of lockdowns or helping them with schooling and/or preparing for examinations that have taken a whole new shape during the pandemic, many schools and colleges forced to close.

Children and young people have been stressed out, unable to see their friends, deprived through no fault of their own of a social life and all the trimmings that we associate with being young, eager to explore and enjoy all the pleasures they would normally expect to be on offer.

Yes, Covid restrictions are being lifted for most age-groups here in the UK, especially those people who have had both Covid vaccinations, BUT the coronavirus hasn’t gone away and it remains a threat to many if not most of us; there is no room for complacency while cases continue to rise in certain places and communities. Yes, variants are said to be less serious than the original virus, but serious enough to hospitalise a significant number of people, if not to the extent we have seen worldwide at its various speaks.

Societies and communities worldwide have a collective responsibility to do their best to keep the pandemic on the run rather than encourage a repeat performance. Most people agree, yet there are still a significance number who refuse to wear a mask in busy areas or shops, on public transport etc. simply because it is “advisable” but no longer a legal obligation. Yes, some people are exempt from wearing a mask for medical reasons, but there are plenty who - from the start - have refused to wear a mask for no other reason than personal preference. I ask you, how selfish can some people, be?

Wearing a mask might not prevent a person from catching Covid-19, but it can – and still does – help prevent the spread of it.

I am not unsympathetic to reader P R, believe me. I share much the same feelings a lot of the time, but struggle to rise above them as best I can; an anti-depressant helps as does writing poetry; the latter not only distracts me, but sends my thought processes along far better routes than they might otherwise have been persuaded to take.

As I have said before on the blog, anyone for whom any form of creative therapy appeals to mind-body-spirit, especially if they find themselves struggling (for whatever reason) they would be well-advised to give it a go...

That’s all for now, folks and apologies if I seem to be repeating myself a lot these days. I’ll be back with a new poem soon.

Take care and let’s focus on nurturing a positive-thinking mindset... whatever everyday life throws at us, yeah? Yeah!

(Digital) Hugs,

Roger

Subject to Circumstances...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber 

Here in England, we will hear from Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, later today whether or not all remaining safety restrictions due to the coronavirus outbreak will be lifted on June 21^st. 

Sadly, he is expected to announce a further delay, given the spread of the Delta variant and growing number of infections. 

Yet again, many personal and business plans will need to be put on hold. We can but hope businesses will survive and personal hopes are not entirely dashed. 

Many people, at the end of their tether after more then a year of Covid tensions adversely affecting their everyday lives will be tearful when the expected announcement comes. Yet again, it is down to human nature’s innate powers of endurance to press on regardless, still looking at the brighter side of life... albeit through a misty landscape. 

SUBJECT TO CIRCUMSTANCES... 

We shed and partly shed
the tears of a world left giving
and partly giving - while
(mostly) hell bent on taking more
than its fair share or what's said to be
on offer 

We bleed and partly bleed
for the ills of a world left fighting
and partly fighting - for justice,
peace and love on which it thrives
or partly thrives, duly obliged to keep up
appearances 

We resist and partly resist
all prejudice, hate crime, stereotypes
on which societies - turn
or partly turn, if only for running
this or that everyday gamut of its wishing
and hoping 

We dream and partly dream
of a world where kindness has the edge
on its nemeses - humanity’s
innate sense of right and wrong
putting it to the test, by having us jumping
through hoops 

We believe and partly believe
that mind-body-spirit will see us through,
for better, for worse - richer
or poorer, keep us safe or partly safe
wherever inner eyes focus on the better part
of human vision 

We are the rains that fall to feed
and partly feed a natural world on which
humanity, in turn - feeds
and partly feeds, reasoning its needs,
makes such excuses as keep it any which way
but (quite) loose 

Winds, blowing or partly blowing
such seeds of change as past times so love
to tell, retell - reworking
lives and part-lives, keep us on our toes
just long enough to have capital gains saving
and partly saving faces 

Such is the power of circumstances
letting us live and partly live, ever listening 
and partly listening - heartbeats
that would now have us running straight
and narrow, now only partly so for You-Me-Us
thinking we are in control

Copyright R.N. Taber 2021

 

 

 

 

Cornered OR Nil Desperandum

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber 

Asked how he was feeling at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, a neighbour replied that he felt “Cornered. I never know from day to day how that day will pan out and whether or not I will get through it in one piece, either physically or mentally, but...” he added with a shrug, “I can’t stop the damn virus, can I?  I just have to get press on and make the best of a bad job along with everyone else... I mean to say, let it beat you and, well, you’re done for, aren’t you?”

Did anyone ever speak truer words...? 

“Nil desperandum, - Never Despair. That is a motto for you and me. All are not dead; and where there is a spark of patriotic fire, we will rekindle it.” - Samuel Adams

CORNERED or NIL DESPERANDUM

The road is long, and crowded with faces
in queues at bus stops, fashion stores,
train stations, even for Covid vaccinations,
anything to give mind-body-spirit a lift
to such far-away places as we see in eyes
reflecting daydreams, general hubbub
given the old heave-ho just long enough to let
mind-body-spirit grab some peace 

The road is long, like a tale we’re making up
as we go along, no end in sight to make it
worth the effort, uphill, down dale, on frantic
city streets, lonely suburbs, leafy turnings, 
sneering passers-by enough to panic hearts
left vulnerable by years of fake news rejecting
accusations of intending more harm than good in
as many real as digital communities 

Yes, the road has been long, and I'm left asking
myself, whether I feel motivated enough
to continue my journey from here, where I stand
at the heart of No-Man’s Land or trust my feet
to find a suitable escape route, but what chance
of success where mind-body-spirit has tried
and failed to achieve anything along such lines a
heroic men and women in our fictions? 

Time, perhaps, to consider the role models we
choose, we wannabe heroes, as we pursue
the humdrum and hubbub of everyday life all art
forms seek to encourage us to acknowledge
for fantasy and draw us in while it may, if only
during the kinder seconds-minutes-hours
of days that would leave us feeling all but defeated
humiliated, possibly broken-hearted? 

Ah, but artists, too, have role models into whom 
they breathe life, would give the Kiss of Life to any
relating more closely to near-death scenes than
any celebration of life, for all its pitfalls, resolving
to let peace, love, joy have stronger voices when
having to make choices affecting loved -ones
no less than ourselves, give humanity an opportunity
to get the better of its egocentricity

Come Here-and-Now’s demanding we let it pass us by,
time, perhaps, to be asking “Why...?

 Copyright R. N. Taber 2021

 

 

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Not (Quite) Anonymous

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber 

In some ways, this post-poem continue the debate on mental health which Puzzles, Puzzlers and Halfway Houses hoped to open, not least because the pandemic will have taken its toll on the mental as well as physical well-being of many of us across the world; a subject which too few of us are willing to consider, let alone discuss.

Now, we are all comprised of many parts, such is the complexity of most if not all human beings as we run a daily gamut of emotions, positives and negatives, often having to struggle to beat off the latter in order to give the former a clear run. Many of us succeed most of the time; sometimes, though, other considerations take their toll. In mind-body-spirit, it is mind that’s likely to start feeling the stress of everyday struggles the most, despite assurances from an innate spirit that all will be well; as for the human body, it so wants to believe all its spirit urges, but our minds may well have other ideas…

It is always worth the struggle, just to let the human spirit win through, get professional counselling if possible. Family and friends may well be supportive, but they are no more likely to understand the psychology behind what is happening to us than we are ourselves; nail the underlying reasons, and we stand a good chance of configuring solutions.

Sadly, for some of us, everyday life is never (quite) enough; we need to find a way to bridge the gap between the personae we present to the world and who we are. Most people make a good job of just that, more than simply tapping into the Happy-Ever-After ethic, but actually living it, despite the usual ups and downs of everyday life. Others pursue the dream, never (quite) make it, but remain content if not (quite) happy enough to settle for what they have. Yet others…well they remain caught between emotional rocks and hard places, but prefer to pretend otherwise, thereby succeeding in (almost) convincing themselves (and others) that all’s well in their personal space, so...no worries...!

Sharing an emotional as well as any other problem with a trusty confidante is always a good idea; it not only halves the burden in helping to bring it into focus, but openly acknowledging its very existence has to be a good start, too, in helping to find a solution if only because we are no longer having to muddle through on our own.

NOT (QUITE) ANONYMOUS

No one ever (quite) gets to know me,
although some may like to think they do,
for whatever it is I've let them see;
no one ever (quite) understands my reality,
though some may yet get to find
and follow clues left in prose and poetry;
no one ever (quite) gets close to me
sufficiently to hear just what the mind-body
takes for a sense of spirituality 

No one ever (quite) understands a self
in me that certain other selves do their best
to put down, even bully into agreeing
motions no joint mind-body-spirit inspires
only certain rogue elements reluctant
to ever accept any such majority decisions 
that exclude them from personal space,
has them force a different pace, leave its host
(that's me) to do its best...or worst 

No one ever (quite) gets to unearth in me
such roots as only ever sought to grow, flower
forever in a loved one’s own eternity;
no one ever (quite) gets a response from me
along lines of any mistakes I've made,
abandoned to shallow graves in living memory;
hopefully, some may come to think of me, 
once I am no more, see that any kinder parts
have as great a say in my history...

I am that life-force driving humanity’s choices
to lend mind-body-spirit its truer voices

 Copyright R. N. Taber 2021

 

 

Puzzles. Puzzlers and Half-way Houses

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber 

It is a Bank Holiday weekend and half-term for schools here in the UK and many readers will be making the most of weather forecasts predicting high pressure in charge, so here’s a poem to (hopefully) help clear our heads of any its everyday puzzlers if only long enough to relax and ENJOY it. Indeed, I suspect there are many of us who are having to start learning all over again how to enjoy life altogether now the worst of the coronavirus crisis seems to be at least receding around the world in terms of hospital admissions and deaths.

Now, as regular readers well know, I may have a hearing problem but still manage to earwig conversations while out and about, whether shopping, on a train, in a queue… wherever; many of these provide the genesis for my poems.

The other day, I overheard a couple who were clearly in two minds about the gradual relaxation of pandemic restrictions here in the UK and across the world. “Obviously it’s good news, but who are we to believe and just how safe are we?” one was asking.

The other person was more philosophical. “It’s a bit of a muddle, that’s for sure, but when isn’t life a muddle? We just have to muddle along, make what sense we can of it, enjoy the good bits and try not to let the bad bits grind us down…”

They moved away and I was still deciding whether or not to buy a pizza or make a salad for lunch, but both points of view played on my mind all day; I could relate to either. The latter philosophical argument won the day for me, but the same reservations expressed by the first speaker continue to haunt mind-body-spirit. I suspect there are many worldwide who feel much the same way…

The entire Covid-19 experience has been both a physical and mental strain on all of us, one way or another, and we should not under-estimate the latter. Sadly, mental stress is perceived as a weakness by some people, although it is but part and parcel of human nature. Bottling up our worries, concerns, fears etc. can only do us harm, as I found out the hard way, resulting in a nervous breakdown some 40 years ago; if counselling is not an option for any reason, we can at least confide in someone close, family or friend, who is unlikely to be judgemental.

Simply putting our feelings into words can help us make sense of them and put the brakes on any potential mental decline.

PUZZLES, PUZZLERS & HALFWAY HOUSES 

I struggle daily to make sense
of a world around me that’s relying
more on New Technology
to provide home comforts, answer
questions the human brain
is left struggling to provide, for flaws
the mind-body-sprit combo
would prefer to keep hid from powers-that-be
hell bent on making history 

I do my best to offer reassurance,
bring any home comforts and joys I can
given pecuniary advantages
and disadvantages taking their toll
here, there, everywhere
I care to look, making of me but a book
left half-open, half read,
barely half-understood anxious for knowledge
to keep moving, limit carnage 

I’d have given up on all humanity
long, long ago, but for its innate capacity
for love, inclined to fall short
of its mark now and then, having to start
over again (and again)
but sufficient alternatives in shapes, sizes
and forms to try departing
from conventional ‘norms’ though half the world
likely to blame it on hormones 

Call me Earth Mother, left puzzling over such lives
as configure humanity, split on all sides 

Copyright R. N. Taber 2021