The Peace That Then Comes
by Michael Birch - Southport, England


It’s been a long dull winter, the days short and the work long
Early springs on the way, lightened by birds bright sweet song
Intermittent blue light, poking through grey and white clouds
A shower of rain quick, clean with fresh summers vows

By the door next to me, in a stack on the floor
Is plywood and tools, and a quite a bit more
My task now to build, a boat small safe and cute
In which I might sail, with sheets made of jute

On gentle summer seas, in the bay of Culzean*
Across the Firth, near Arran’s lochs I’ll feign
A long sea voyage, with isolation’s simple peace
Slowly slowly sailing by, coasts which remind me of Greece

Time passes by, and the wood does grow well
Into a little boat remembering, grandfather’s Blue Belle
In which he taught, my mother to sail so
Out onto life’s waters, boldly sailing she would go

Out onto life’s seas, unafraid, but with care
To do her best, with true values so rare
She would live her life well, loving all of it’s times
Not just the sweet, but the soured fruit vines

This building of boat, has brought it all back to me
The childhood’s lands pleasant, and my life’s growing tree
My pleasure with wife, and daughter’s caring jewelled souls
Are rewards for my life, sometimes lived with pains awls

This building of boat, and all that it brings
To me brought such peace, and a realisation life rings
With experience to be lived, with joy and not moans
Then you can reap well, the peace that then comes

© 14-11-2006 Michael Birch

*Culzean is a Scottish castle on the west coast and is pronounced (culane) and is opposite the Isle of Aran 15 miles away.

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