The Seed

My father was a Poet in his bygone days
there were his ‘Ode to a Kite Hawk’ and poems on Indian ways.
He wrote of love for Mother and of David too
there were his words of Christian faith and a prayer or two.


When I used to know him before he sadly died
he would show his poems to me with modest pride.
But I was too young to see the light, of the seed he’d sown in me
at that time, I did not take to words of poetry.


Then one late November day as I sat there in my room
I heard on the radio someone sing words to a classic tune.
My head was suddenly full of words running around in rhyme
could it be the seed he’d sown had found its harvest time?


Now, I’m just beginning, in this moment of time
to see if I can also write something down in Rhyme.
I’d like to think the way he wrote now lives inside of me
and I too can write some words in verse like him as poetry.


.

An Ode To A Kite-Hawk

An Ode To A Kite-Hawk. ( written by my Father, Fred Kitchen.)

See him on the branches
Of stately trees, so tall,
Sitting there just like a King,
Or maybe “Sentinel”.

See him basking in the sun
While on the roof he sits;
And sending forth his “Clarion call”
He’s searching for titbits.

To us, below, asleep he seems,
Uninterested too;
But all the time he’s watching us,
And waiting for his cue.

The, suddenly, he spies a plate
Of morsels being borne
By one whose mind is deep in thought,
Who’s looking rather warm.

His sharp eyes gleam, his wing prepare
To guide him on his dive
Upon the plate that is so full
For even he must thrive.

With wings outspread, in splendour grand,
He swoops upon the plate;
And, with a swish, he’s gone again,
Feet clutching choice he’s made.

Too late the man comes back to life
His favourite dish has “run”
And on the roof the Kite Hawk sits,
Eating it in the sun.

India, 1943.

Where You Belong

I need to see your smile
every single day
so I hope times goes fast
while you are away.

Our lives are heaven sent
for us to share
and life is much better
when you are there.

So rest a while, sweet dreams
it won’t be too long
until you’re back in my arms
where you belong.

Just For Tonight

Put on soft music, turn down the light
for we are together and alone tonight.
Close the curtains, unplug the phone
just for tonight, lets stay alone.
Come up close, so I can see
there in your eyes, your love for me.
Let my lips caress your face
while we share a warm embrace.
Kiss me tenderly the time is right
for we are together and alone tonight.
Take my hand and lead me to
where I can give my love to you.
Hold your body, close to mine
just for tonight let’s make the time.
Set the passion in you free
as you give your love to me.
Stay in my arms, all through the night
for we are together and alone tonight.

A Better Way (Song for The Redundant Man)

Now they don’t want me, now they don’t care
might just as well go back to bed, up those wooden stairs.
They took it all away from me, everything I knew
now it’s all gone and there’s nothing I can do.
I wondered if it would happen, ever happen to me
and now that it has, the future’s hard to see.
There has to be a reason, why it’s me this time
don’t think I want to know, just want to save my mind.



Maybe there’s a better way, a better way to be
maybe it’s out there waiting, waiting there for me.
Got to try to find it, got to take the time
see if I can find a way, to make the future mine.



Life is very different now, with no place to go
some days I’m fine, others times I’m low.
My thoughts remind me, of what I left behind
on a sad and lonely day, which often comes to mind.
But I must take a look, at what’s before me now
to see if I can try, to start again somehow.
Maybe follow a dream, is something I should do
and find somewhere else to be, where I can see it through.



Maybe there’s a better way, a better way to be
maybe it’s out there waiting, waiting there for me,
Got to try to find it, got to take the time
see if I can find a way, to make the future mine.

I Remember

I remember as a young man dreaming of falling in love
my dreams were for a special girl made in heaven above
the kind of girl you come by only once in a while
then she walked into my life with her precious smile.


I remember when I first saw her in the middle of the room
next to the dance hall, where we’d dance our love tune
and when we became friends how it was never enough
as I had already fallen in love.


I remember how she smiled when she danced a certain way
and when we became a couple, one September day
I had at last got something in my life so right
I could hold her in my arms, not just in my dreams at night.


I remember when we were married, how it rained and rained all day
but we did not let it spoil our very special day,
I looked back down the aisle, as she came to me dressed in white
and was greeted by her smile, shining through her veil so bright.


I remember how much I loved her, so glad that she was mine,
I remember I gave a promise to love her for all time.
I remember and I will, for no one could love her more
and I’ll hold her in this heart of mine, for now and evermore.

The Gift

The house now stands empty
where the old folks used to be
waiting to be filled again
with the sounds of a family.

Maybe a child at play
on some afternoon
or just the sound of a radio
playing a well known tune.

But I will always remember the old man
with his tales of long ago
of how he lived as a working man
and the folks he used to know.

And I’ll remember the old man’s wife
a little anxious, like she could be
but always happy to spend some time
sharing a laugh with me.

Their joy was in the simple things
like a flower coming in to bloom
the happiness in the eyes of a child
and those good old fashioned tunes.

But the greatest gift they had in life
is given by a women to a man
oh how they loved their baby girl
from the day her life began.

Now they’ve passed their gift to me
to love her as my own
for now and all eternity
so she is not alone.

Strolling By The Sea

Winter has its sparkle, but not for me today
my thoughts have turned to summer, not so far away.
With mild and lighter evenings and days so warm and long
I think of all the things I can do, when summer comes along.


But I’ll just want to be with you and feel you close to me
walking hand in hand with you, strolling by the sea.


So I will take some time away, to be alone with you
and we will find a rocky cove, where the sea is blue.
As we watch the children play, we’ll wonder at it all
then I’ll steal a kiss from you, as the waves caress the shore.


And I’ll just want to be with you and feel you close to me
walking hand in hand with you strolling by the sea.


We’ll take a walk across the cliffs, up where the seagulls fly
and watch the sea crash on the rocks, as the clouds drift by.
Then we’ll stroll down to the beach, to find a shell or two
and watch the surf ride on the tide, just glad it’s me and you.


The winter has us in its grip, now snow has fallen too
but my thoughts are of summer days, just being alone with you.

On Her Wings

Not so long ago, the journey of life became hard and difficult.
a troubled mind made the waters seem too deep and stormy.
a weakened spirit made the hills feel steep and hard to climb.
a weary heart made the paths seem long and endless.
And the land of hope, joy and peace became distant and impossible to reach.
Then, that special person in your life took control of your journey,
with her kindness, her patience and her love. And like an Angel,
on her wings she guided you through the waters which gradually became shallow and calm
on her wings she carried you up through the hills and they became easier to climb
on her wings she took you along the paths and they were long and endless no more.
And now the land of hope, joy and peace, though still some distance away,
seems to be within reach again.

Borderline

A little boy sits in a prison cell
in a land across the sea
everyone knows he is innocent
but nobody sets him free.

There are children down in Africa
whose bodies know only pain
not knowing when they will eat again
or why the bad men came.

Terrorists are in every corner
of the world today
they speak of God and then use their bombs
and take good people away.

Someone is lying wounded
a victim of a war
wondering where the love is
that’s supposed to save us all.

Why does it have to be this way
does anyone really know
my faith is on the Borderline,
and doesn’t know where to go.

Just To Be Happy

Just to be happy is all I need
no dreams of ambition or desire to deceive.


Just to be happy with you by my side
with love in my heart and peace in my mind.


Just to be happy in your warm embrace
no need to be cool or win any race.


Just to be happy no grey skies above
the sun always shining down on our love.


Just to be happy my whole life through
knowing I am loved by someone like you.

Loving You

When I woke up this morning and I saw you lying there
with the sunlight through the curtains shining in your hair.
I looked at you lovingly, while you lay asleep
and leaned over to kiss you, gently on your cheek.


We sat together at the breakfast table, with talk of the day ahead
as always you had something to say, to help me clear my head.
The phone rang, one of the children, needing you again
and you patiently talked and listened to her, taking away her pain.


When I came home in the evening, at the end of a busy day
you were there at the door to meet me, in your usual way.
I’d never seen you more beautiful, in the clothes you wear
and I held you close to kiss you, while my hand ran through your hair.


Now as I lay beside you, as you sleep, in the dark of the night
I think how you always bring to my life, so much love and light.
Without your love I would be, like a candle without a flame
and for the close ones, who share our love, it would be the same.

Lady Of The Light

You were always the faithful one
with a saviour in your heart
you had seen the light of the Lord
from the very start.
even in your darkest days
and the autumn of your life
you never lost faith in the Lord
lady of the light.


Now you have left this life
and in us a memory
but we all think of you
and how you used to be
you had been the special one
when you lived your life
with a special kind of love
lady of the light.


And when I look back on life
I often think of you
looking out your window
the way you used to do
watching children go off to school
in the morning light
smiling to the world outside
lady of the light.


Now you are there in Heaven
and back again once more
with those who you had loved
who had to go before
always forever the faithful one
when you lived your life
for you had seen the light of the Lord
lady of the light.

War Child

Little girl, trying to sleep in your bed
don’t listen to the sound of the bombs nearby
just close your eyes and try not to cry
and let your brother sing you a lullaby.


And don’t listen to the noise of the guns
as the bullets flash by your door, don’t cry
just think of the peace found in sleep
while your brother sings you a lullaby.


Little girl, as you sleep in your bed
when you dream, try not to dream of the day
when soldiers came with their guns
and took your father away.


And when you wake up to a new day
looking for the sun, through the dust and smoke
try to find some hope in that terrible place
as you and your brother strive to cope.


Little girl, war is the world of grown ups
and there is nothing you can do
even if you tell them of your fear and sorrow
no one will listen to you.


But when the war is over and done
and you no longer hear an exploding shell
maybe your young life will be a better place
more like Heaven and less like Hell.