Read Seventy from the 70s (Easy to Understand Poems from Harder to Understand Times) Page 2


  I’d gladly watch it fly away,

  Your loving words to hear.

  If I could take a million dreams,

  And have them all come true,

  I’d kiss each reverie goodbye,

  If I could be with you.

  Remember

  Remember all the ways I’ve cared,

  Remember tender hours shared,

  Remember lingering drowsy days,

  Remember twilight’s purple haze.

  Remember tears at your depart,

  Remember me within your heart,

  Remember me because I care,

  Remember me and I’ll be there…

  2.00 pm, Thursday 11th April 1974

  In precisely four hours’ time

  I’ll be talking to you,

  I hope…

  I have it all planned:

  what to say,

  when to say it.

  But, when I hear your voice,

  everything will go out of focus, out of my mind.

  My knees will feel like jelly,

  my stomach will churn,

  my heart stop beating, momentarily,

  Then run on ahead, uncontrollably.

  I hope you will be pleased to hear me,

  hope I’ll find the right words

  at the right time,

  just as planned.

  Yet even the best plans can go wrong,

  especially when you’re inside the little bit of plastic

  in my hands

  and you’re holding me in yours…

  You affect me funny,

  make me nervous.

  Oh, what will happen when I phone you?

  Soon I’ll know.

  I want you so…

  A Valentine’s Verse

  I know that you know who sent you this card,

  And you know that I know you know.

  So, knowing that you know that I know that you know,

  There’s only one thing left to know:

  It’s something that I know and know you don’t know,

  And I know this fact to be true;

  Yet, knowing you know me, I daren’t let you know

  That I want to know only you.

  The Gift

  Give me a rosebud to hold in my hand,

  Give me a rainbow to swim across land,

  Give me a blue sky to catch in a jar,

  Give me a moonbeam to keep where you are.

  Give me a dewdrop to soften my dreams,

  Give me a sunset that silently gleams,

  Give me a warm breeze to keep in my hair,

  Give me the autumn to show how you care.

  Give me a sea-mist to rest in my eyes,

  Give me a windsong that echoes and dies,

  Give me a bluebird to kiss then set free,

  Unchain your one heart and give it to me.

  Midsummer Strangers

  I saw you

  on the beach today –

  I hoped you’d stay a while

  cos you looked lonely,

  only happy-lonely,

  like me.

  The sea sparkled,

  the sun burnt,

  and I soon learnt

  that the looks

  passing between us

  could mean more.

  But, as always before,

  you went away

  at the end of the day.

  A complete stranger,

  but you left

  a kind of emptiness

  inside of me.

  You see,

  something special happened

  when our eyes met.

  And I can’t forget you,

  lonely stranger,

  but maybe we’ll meet again

  cos summer’s here

  and there’s no time

  for rain…

  And yet I only know your name

  You whispered softly in my hair,

  Caressed me so tenderly, making me tremble,

  Kissed the back of my neck, gently,

  And I only know your name…

  You moved with the sweet melody of the music,

  Your body very, very close to mine;

  Held me near – where I wanted to stay -

  But I only knew your name.

  You held my hand deep within yours;

  I felt a feeling I recognised yet had tried to avoid,

  Knew I couldn’t avoid it any longer.

  You kissed, caressed,

  Yet I only knew your name…

  You’re still playing in my mind.

  You said you’re a trier,

  And you’re trying not to let me forget you,

  But I won’t anyway;

  I love you already –

  And yet I only know your name…

  Our Song

  You played your music

  soft, pure;

  but it was something more

  than just sweet music;

  your heart was in each note,

  your mind in every tune.

  Soon, your song ended,

  its smooth melody

  still resounding

  in my mind.

  Later, we’ll find

  that, when we’re alone,

  the music of love

  will make us two

  at peace as one –

  and, when it does,

  our song will have begun.

  You took my dreams away

  Someone took my dreams away

  And broke my heart in two,

  Left me with a memory –

  That someone was you.

  One love made my life worthwhile,

  Love you gave to me;

  Took it with you when you left,

  So one love could not be.

  Someday you may realise

  How much you took away,

  Then understand, and give yourself

  To only me – someday…

  Daydreaming

  Friendship

  Free as a breeze on a summer’s day,

  Wild as the sea and its salty spray,

  Alone, like a star in a winter sky,

  Calm as a sunset passing by.

  Soft, like a dewdrop on a rose,

  Sad as the rainbow gently glows;

  The muted colours fade, and leave

  A cherished memory to believe…

  Seashell Summer

  I gave you a seashell I found in the sand,

  You smiled at me shyly and gave me your hand,

  We walked among rock-pools alone in the sun;

  Our hearts came together and soon we were one.

  We watched the sun sparkle on glassy blue sea,

  Heard cry of the seagull, so lonely, but free.

  I kissed you so softly, my butterfly child,

  A picture of beauty, so restless and wild,

  We met on the seashore at dawn every day,

  And stayed close together till sun’s last sweet ray.

  We fell in love deeply as each day went by,

  With life and with summer, with sea and with sky.

  The sea murmured quietly as wind played her song,

  Until one day the rain came and you – you were gone.

  That summer I loved you, your bitter-sweet spell,

  But all that remains is an empty seashell.

  That Day

  August sun was hot that day,

  The sea was clear and blue.

  A light breeze murmured in the air,

  That day when I saw you.

  Your hair was golden sun itself,

  Your eyes, the deep blue sea,

  Your lips, the ruby coral rare,

  That day when you saw me.

  That day the sun was in your hair,

  And love was in your smile;

  We tried to count each grain of sand –

  It took a little while!

  The rock pools dried up with the noon,

  Evening came so fast.

 
We chased the sun into the night –

  Our day that didn’t last.

  And now it’s all so far away –

  The sun, the sea…and you;

  Although the past cannot return,

  That day, my dreams came true.

  Butterflies For Keeps

  Ripples of pastel peach

  touch the pale blue sky;

  a seagull’s cry

  echoes on the sunset.

  Bet you’ve forgotten me now,

  and how you once cared.

  Funny how time can change –

  rearrange – everything.

  Sunset brings softened memories

  like the time

  we chased butterflies we never meant to keep,

  then fell asleep

  in rosy shadows the sun would leave.

  You see, I believe

  that you had to leave

  as you knew I could so easily

  capture you,

  the only butterfly I ever needed;

  for keeps.

  You were afraid I might

  tear your fragile life.

  Yet silhouettes of broken butterflies

  aren’t the right things to remember,

  only the sunset of summer,

  the farewell of September…

  The boy who doesn’t believe in dreams

  I saw a kind of

  sadness in your eyes

  when you said

  you don’t believe in dreams.

  It seems

  that they never come true,

  for you.

  I saw the loneliness

  in your smile

  when you said

  it’s not worthwhile

  to ever cry –

  you always try

  to laugh instead.

  I heard the flatness

  in your words

  when you said

  you never fall in love;

  you said it’s better

  to break her heart.

  I felt the emptiness

  in your soul,

  when you said

  you had to move on…

  Now you’re gone,

  I remember the last time I saw you,

  trying to find a reason to stay,

  and I know that the boy who doesn’t believe in dreams

  is just no good at lying

  and wanting to go away…

  Golden Autumn

  There was once a space in time

  when we were together

  and we shared our thoughts and the season

  before time meanly passed

  and so did autumn.

  Grass was yellowing beneath our feet

  with a brown or red leaf dying fast,

  and tall trees bathed in honey

  when sun sifted dustily through an azure sky

  and slowly melted into amber.

  All around was bathed in rusty tones of bronze,

  brought out gold strands in your hair

  and laughter in your eyes

  as auburn gave way to twilight

  and the song of the birds

  was almost lost

  in the silence

  of sunset

  in autumn.

  Time No More

  The cry of a solitary seagull,

  hollow, desolate,

  like wind in an empty seashell,

  follows me.

  The sea,

  a vast pool of liquid jade,

  rocking, folding, pouring white spray

  into aqua infinity.

  Me,

  watching a lonely stranger,

  his hair full of the same soft breeze

  that pushes water-tears into my eyes.

 

  The seagull cries,

  the breeze swims upon

  perpetually moving waves,

  chasing sand in amongst the pebbles

  where it’s lost:

  it’s in the wrong place.

  We’re in the wrong place,

  the stranger and me;

  hypnotised by loneliness

  and the rocking, restless sea.

  Happy Love

  Dear Heart…

  Please don’t beat so very hard

  Each time you feel him near,

  Don’t miss a beat and jump so fast –

  I’m sure that he will hear!

  For if he does, he’ll realise

  I’ve lied so very much,

  When I pretend to keep my cool

  At every thrilling touch.

  So just lie quiet and still,

  Although I know you’ll hurt and ache;

  But if I were to lose him now,

  I’m sure that you would break!

  Dreaming of You

  When dreams are just wishes

  And wishes are dreams,

  It’s easy to think

  Life is worse than it seems.

  So I think of your smile

  And my wishes come true,

  ‘Cos life is worthwhile

  And my one dream is you…

  Beautiful Things

  You fill my mind

  with beautiful things,

  like a bird who sings

  his song to the wind

  and a single star

  in a winter sky,

  shining.

  Bring me only beautiful things

  for all of my time,

  like the sleepy rhyme

  of waves breaking

  along a deserted shore

  or

  a gold leaf

  from an autumn tree.

  Let me see

  just beautiful thoughts,

  feel beautiful feelings,

  until love overflows all understanding

  and there remains nothing

  but beautiful things.

  Forever Together

  Don’t love me for ever,

  Love me for today,

  Because forever seems, my love,

  To be so far away.

  I know to understand me

  Is very hard to do,

  But take my hand and we will be

  For ever, me and you.

  Just hold me near forever

  And never set me free;

  I love you now and evermore –

  Forever, you and me.

  Our night of love, the first time

  Pale morning shadows touch our night,

  Dawn’s birdsong fills the air –

  I turn and watch your sleeping face,

  Content to find you there.

  Your soft, warm body close to mine,

  Our night of love gone by;

  Through silent hours you held me near,

  ‘Til mornings’ early cry.

  I gently kiss you wide awake,

  You smile and take my hand;

  No need to say a word, my love,

  Because I understand.

  Two Stars in the Night

  I remember a deep night

  not so long ago,

  when wind blew cold

  and we were warm

  within our love.

  Way up above,

  a star shone,

  unperturbed by the bleak darkness,

  gleaming through the rain.

  Yet, when we looked again,

  we saw another star

  equally bright,

  and it seemed right

  that the two should be together

  in the vast universe

  instead of one, alone.

  So, against the gentle moan

  of waves whispering along the shore,

  we embraced the silence

  under lover stars,

  and were alone no more.

  Night of a Million Stars

  Lying in the silent shroud

  Of night-time noises softly shed,

  Whilst all around us nature speaks

  Our deepest feelings go unsaid.
r />   A million stars embedded in

  Deep velvet of a midnight sky,

  Wink down upon our stolen night

  Of love, in summer’s warm July.

  Our bodies blend from two to one,

  Fulfilling love now made complete:

  While sweet contentment holds us here

  Where night-time, stars and lovers meet.

  Anything You Ask

  Should you ask me for a bluebird

  I’d lift one from the sky,

  And watch you kiss its silver breast

  Before you let it fly.

  Should you ask me for a love song

  I’d ask an autumn breeze

  To let you listen to its voice,

  Blown soft among the trees.

  Should you ask me for a blue sky,

  I’d choose the clearest one –

  Then dust it with a pure white cloud

  And add a summer sun.

  Should you ask me for a moonbeam,

  I’d find one in the night

  And watch you throw it to the stars

  Before the morning light.

  Should you ask me for a snowflake

  I’d freeze a drop of rain,

  Then place it in your waiting hand

  And watch it melt again.

  Should you ask me for a reason

  To why I’d do all this,

  I’d say – because I love you so,

  And touch you with a kiss.

  You Are Everything

  From the sunshine and the breeze,

  To the swaying of the trees,

  From the lonesome singing lark,

  To the aching in my heart,

  From the clouds that dust the sky,

  To the teardrops that I cry;

  You are autumn, you are spring,

  Summer, winter, everything.

  You and a year of my life

  You hold my trust within your hands,

  gently,

  as you would hold a new born blossom

  blushing in Springs sweet embrace.

  You can kiss me, making me real,

  tenderly,

  like a Summer breeze coaxing tiny ripples

  into a rush of roaring foam.

  You whisper loves’ music,

  softly,

  like smouldering Autumn smoky mist

  swirling in twilights’ windsong.