Below are some examples of the poetry that I have written over the past thirty years. Most of these have much to do with the natural world. I suppose that nature comes into most of my poetry as kind of a backdrop to my learning about life.
The Ocean Poems
Bits and Pieces
by Alex Thomas
(written at White Rock
B.C. May 1990)
"To
the beach"
Words that are
pleasant to the ears
and downright
therapeutic to the soul
When we arrived
the tide was going out
leaving bits and pieces
of it's life
The children ran unto
the sandy beach
and splashed through
tidal pools
competing with the gulls
for all the treasures
that once lay hidden
on the ocean floor
It's hard to say why
such a sight
speaks deeply to the
human spirit,
but I know
that I leave some
bits and pieces
of my life
a memory here and there
beneath the sand.
***
The Deep
by Alex Thomas
(written in Lantzville BC
November 1997)
Coming over the hill
the ocean lay before me
serenely sparkling in the sun
so calm, so majestic
so wonderous in it's promise
of life
I know that in awhile the
scene will change
the wind will blow, the sea
will rage,
the breakers pound against
the shore
But beneath the surface a
calm remains
like Grace
bringing life to all the
creatures of the deep
and to me
in all the turmoil of my
changing world
***
Wild Waves
by Alex Thomas
(written at Tofino BC
October 7, 2002)
The wild waves are breaking
on the shore
as if escaping from some far
off land
refusing to be harnessed
and taming all that lies
within their path
They then creep across the
hardened sand
to bring refreshment to our
tired souls
Along the shoreline are the
riptide warnings
and gulls are seen near
waters edge
like small communities
gathered near the source of life
One has to marvel at the
dangers of the sea
yet all it nurtures in it's way
But the same such power
often lies within our grasp
***
October Days
by Alex Thomas
(written in Nanaimo
BC October 12, 2002)
I love the sun that
brings her warmth
to the coolness of
October days
And wakens a new Fall growth
that has been dormant
through the long hot summer
The mums are blooming now
bringing forth bright
colors once again
As if resurrected
from the beds of fallen leaves and petals
of another season
The constant renewal
of the earth
brings hope
for that which lies dormant
beneath the surface
of our lives
If only we had the
heart to see it
***
The Late Spring Storm
by Alex Thomas
(written in Red Deer, AB May 1975)
To say goodbye is like a
late spring storm
which comes when growth has
just begun
And life on the branch is
lost for a season
And a love is gone never to return
Feelings unexpressed are
like the wind
Blowing within us in every direction
like the pounding of a base note
making it's presence felt
but covering the melody
The winter wind in Spring is bitter
It numbs the face and slows
the body
Giving the feeling that the
sun will never come
And that warm winds and soft
falling rain are illusions
But we wait
For seasons change
And the frost will go
And leafless trees will gain composure
The birds will find their nests
And we in time will find ourselves
A
Chance of Rain
by alex thomas
written in Nanaimo, Spring 2004
A mixture of cloud and sun
and a chance of rain
has been the forecast
for a few days now
and for most of our lives
For what would it be like
to have the sun forever
without that which
leaves us wondering
what chance will bring?
The element of surprise
pervades most novels
worth the read
And brings some exotic spice
to what might well be
the palest shade of dull
Soft
Refreshing Rain
by alex thomas
Nanaimo, August, 2004
A soft rain began to fall
breaking into my life
And pervading my quiet walk
to the coffee shop
It splashed into my face
and then in time
soaked through the clothes that
I had worn in anticipation
of the sun
Somehow it mattered little
after the long hot days
of the past few weeks
The need for rain had started
to creep into the conversation
taking place in cafes
and grocery stores in town
And people and their gardens
parched from dryness
long for another season
Autumn Fun
Killarney,
Manitoba 1978
The wind is blowing
leaves around
where in the summer
heat we rested
and gathered strength
for another winter season
And here we are again
breathing in the
fresh fall air
Putting our hearts
and bodies to work
smelling the smoke in
the air
And feeling tired
I watch you through
the window that I polish clean
And see you with
cloth in hand look back at me
What fun to work together
preparing for we know
not what
But most of all it's wonderful
just being here with you.
The Swell of The Ocean
The swell of the ocean is
something to be shared
as it moves in and out
against these rocks.
It throws the spray against
my face and
reaches for the sky
Then tugs me back to watch
it swirl out in the deep
I would have liked to see
two pair of footprints
on the beach
And feel your presence
standing with me
‘gainst the sea
Needing the comfort of your
hand in mine
and feeling your arm around
my waist
I want to breath the same
salt air with you
and let the emotion swell
within our breasts|
lying together listening to
the roar that
overcomes our conversation
but cannot tear us from each other
Come love me by the sea
or any place where we can be alone.
MEMORY
I met her in the mountains
And again in all the places
that I've been these past
few days
In crowds along the coast
and trips across the gulf
whenever someone's eyes
catch mine
or couples enter into fast embrace
to bid farewell
I meet her there and everywhere
in memory
THE NOTE
My day began with a note
written hastily upon
some torn sheet
touching me beneath
the skin
like some new balm
which brings relief
to troubled souls
It tasted good
and fed my hunger for
a word from you
The sun was blazing
but did not warm the heart
as much as those few
stepping stones
between the now and yesterday.
The Sunset
The
sunset is a beautiful but sad affair
For
once it starts to go
You
cannot hold it
and all
that's left is memory
of how
it brightly shone
before
it's disappearance
I know
we'll never watch the sun go down again
And
walk together along a chosen shore
or find
a hidden corner of the world
where
unknown paths leave nothing at our feet
but all
their treasures
I never
missed you more
than
lately when I'm with you
and
looked for you
in all
the places that we've been
but
found myself alone
with
just an image that grows fainter every day
I think
you've gone
And now
the long slow process of learning how to live alone
begins again
Contents of this Page are © Alex Thomas On The Patio