0019 Anniversary Poem by Michael Shepherd

Today, no looking back and no regrets;
but simply, celebration..

The world turns round with awesome force, and tilts;
its axis, lawful - merciful or cruel -
spins silently its thread which weaves our lives
and adds a number to our earthshaped days;

And here I’m much intrigued
by Indian thought – if never to be proved, alas –
that this same soul or self has solemnly laid down
by previous actions in our previous life
the screenplay of our present life and its precise and
tempting, daunting racecourse, steeplechase,
hard ground and hedges, fences, walls and waterjumps…

set down with glorious intent that we
transcending, lay down in our turn
a further life, and life, and life
so near a glory in ourself, eternity
be seen to be more natural than change…

it would be good – it would be good to ask that One–
if aged wisdom’s memory might bring
some misty vision, of how we’re ‘getting on’ -
in this so golden chain of being where
there are no ‘others’ for ourselves to blame;
to meet that soul won out of previous life
and say ‘look, this is what I made
of what you set for me…’; and to our future soul
present our present soul, with all goodwill,
in lieu of meek apology…

Today, no looking back and no regrets –
for this would be too dark impediment –
as law and justice act invisible,
this sunny anniversary;
the flowers peek cautious from the ground to sound their praise;
the air speaks with the best of bread one ever smelled or ate,
and fresh-cut garlic adds its promise, hope, delight and joy,
and through the open window, shouts to neighbours, celebrate!

Today’s a day of comings, goings, calls and messages;
and on this keyboard under grateful fingertips
there’s just one battered word tap-taps itself:
a sound before a word: before it was, it is;
and yet, today, it’s now-born here and fresh,
and echoes through eternity’s timed view:
it’s boundless, shared, and indestructible:
it’s yes and yes; and day by day; it’s love.

Today, no looking back and no regrets;
but simply, celebration..