Thursday 11 December 2014



Beneath a tree deep in thought…


He sat beneath the acacia tree
and watched the world go by
its green-golden leaves bouncing joyously
while the breeze caused a rustling sigh.
He thought about life as he’d lived it
as a son, and a father, and as a man
and he smiled at some of the memories
he remembered from when his journey began.
Playing with his brothers as a toddler
and his sister who’d cared for him so
he hoped they’d all known how he loved them
not often enough said years ago.
There’d been plenty of sadness on his journey
they lost their father, grandparents they hardly knew
he lost some friends on the way that he’d never forget
and sadly, there was his beloved brother too.
But sitting there under this particular tree
looking over his little back lawn
her face came into his mind now
it swept in as if on the wind-borne.
She’d come into his life as a saviour
he knew he’d been blessed all along
while he was a weak selfish person
she was so beautiful, and witty and strong.
Their first years together she’d carried him
thinking back he’d always known it was true
how he wished he’d been a much better person
“But you’re good”, she said, “and I chose you.”
The children came along and life really changed
no time then for the fast social whirl
yet neither would have chosen a different life
than the joy from their boy and their girl.
Some hardships inevitably changed things
but they carefully steered their way through
and their love remained strong as expected
the most important ingredient between two.
Their children grew up, made roads for themselves
after tenuous steps they too settled down
now the grandchildren help keep them both youthful
with such fun and energy that astounds.
So he sits there under the acacia
and the memories linger awhile
there’s thankfully so many happy memories
that recall always causes a smile.
Then he reaches across as the wind blows
a silver hair falling out of place
he pushes it away and back over her ear
as he kisses her still lovely face.
©Joe Wilson – Beneath a tree  deep in thought

Thursday 20 November 2014

My heart aches...

My heart aches, but not for you
For you nestle here beside me
Lying peacefully in my arms
Head resting on my chest
And I am in Heaven.
My heart aches, but at your presence
For I have never deserved you
I couldn’t have imagined
You could love me as you do
And yet you really do.
My heart aches, but for our parting
For I must go and yet may never
See your beloved face again
And my heart breaks in pieces
As now I leave this final time.
©Joe Wilson – My heart aches… 2014

Thursday 6 November 2014

Growing in love...

As a boy he'd not really imagined
What his life would be like as a man
He'd had lots of dreams like all boys did
But he'd hoped he could be Superman.

But of course life doesn't turn out quite like that
And he'd moved through his youth at a pace
As a man he'd set forth and in a grown way
Got a job and joined the rat race.

On the way he met a woman and she loved him
A woman who still has such grace
They bought a small house in a village
And lived life at a much slower pace .

The rat race proved too much for his taste
He got out and then slowed down his life
He wrote down his thoughts each and every day
And he spent more precious time with his wife.

Many years have passed by in the village
The shop's gone, and the Post Office too
And some of their old friends aren't alive any more
And they think of them fondly, they do.

They're getting on now as age takes the years
They still love each other more each day
And they're happy they chose to live this life
For them it was always the way.

©Joe Wilson - Growing in love...2014


Tuesday 3 June 2014

God Tried, he really did [A Poem for Peace]







He stirred, as from an ancient sleep
To look in horror at the deep
And painful scars across the land
And He began to understand
What Man had done: what legacy
Had come to pass, had come to be
And He did think what must be done
It would need help from everyone
To make this planet whole again
He sent His Son; and his twelve men
To go in PEACE and spread the word
To say that killing is absurd.
And years have passed: it hasn't stopped
The blood spills out: so much has dropped
It stains the land that we have claimed
Please; it's time to be ashamed
We have to find a better way
Everyone must stand and say
Enough's enough! It has to stop
We mustn't waste another drop
The planet must again be whole
We need to exercise control
Beneath the skin we all are one
The boy you kill could be my son
I couldn't cope with that. Could you?
Put down your guns; and I will to.
And we will make a better place
To house the SINGLE human race.
©Joe Wilson - God Tried, he really did [A Poem for Peace]
I donated this poem to the International Society of Poets who in turn
donated it to The United Nations to join the other 40,000 poems that
made up 'The longest poem in the world'. It is a poem for PEACE.