In May

I suffer England’s temper gladly,

Her changing mood

As violent rain

Is stilled in sunshine’s glory….

Now in the silence,

Mitigated only by

The softest touch of showers,

Birds sing;

Noisy,

A rich choir,

Treble voices crowning Woodland

With bold Love and Laughter.

Distant hills,

Soft satin sheets

Of saffron and of ochre

Expose Her

Through a veil of verdant trees -

All these I suffer!

White floral umbrellas

Lend their shelter

To distracted bees

Bereft, for now, of nectar

As, iridescent ,

In the hedgerow,

Blossom mocks….

A loping fox takes stock

Pauses an instant,

Then, intense and fearless,

Takes his leave

For wilder passions…

All these I suffer gladly!

A distant village

Cradled in the hillside’s

Soothing arms;

Solemn silhouette -

A row of pines -

Caresses

Innocent cloud strewn skies.

All these things, tender,

Hold me in embrace

Of England’s fickle Glory

In the Spring

And lead me on to dream

A landscape softer yet -

Embraced by you…

©Lisa Gabriel, 24^th May 2005

Noon….

And a piper at the Gates of Love,

Assured and unselfconscious,

Tells of a bittern

Who died by the lake -

Frozen -

Beak unable

To penetrate the ice….

Sweet, the Uillean pipes

Croon dark lament

By stone on stone….

I am taken up

On these bold Celtic wings.

Do not resist!

My heart was always yours

For the taking.

My soul wants to fly -

To penetrate the ice

Of Lincoln’s noonday sun

And drink the sweet waters

Of Freedom….

I long to fly to you,

My distant love,

And sing my dreams….

Long to share

This Flight

With you….

And now

The music changes to a reel -

My feet

Invited to the Dance!

These pipes, this piper,

Weave their magic well….

By this Cathedral

Ancient, strong in ritual and romance,

We share a pagan mirth!

The Minstrel and the Bard

Who meet by chance -

I miss you now,

But will not die of Love -

Nor try to dance!

©Lisa Gabriel, 28^th May 2005

On the sacred touch

Of a Summer breeze,

Fresh

To a heart in Winter slumber,

Flows such warm fragrance…

Sweet Life renewed

In tender caress -

And in this Wave of Love

I gladly swim…

I sing

Through the Heart of darkness;

Dance

In the Stream

Of a thousand lives -

Breathe

The deep mystery of Renewal.

Faith is my rock

And Love?

Passion no longer

My hiding place -

But joy -

This fountain of Light

And Summer laughter…

And shall I taste

Of the Promise

Of things to come?

Here,

In this space of simply being?

Tranquillity…

The touch of an Angel’s wing

Unknown to me -

Unknowing -

Folds my soul

In such a fond embrace

And in soft kiss

Reveals

Just Who I am…

©Lisa Gabriel, 29^th May 2005

Lift me !

Take me to the Heights

That only Love can know…

Together we will fly

So swiftly

On the Wings of Love itself.

I will not weigh you down

My joy will fuel this flight

And in our wild adventure

We will find the Light.

Touch me

To my deepest Heart

Where only Truth can live.

Speak to me in Kindness

So gently -

Find my spirit whole and new.

I will not ask “Forever!”

Nor seek to change a thing.

Pure Love, the Music of the Soul,

Will make our Spirit sing.

Hold me

In the arms of Love

And I will know true Peace

Which Joy alone can bring.

So often

In my Dream I felt you there

If Dreams were real

And you would share this Night,

Enchanted, I would see you smile

And feel your Radiance lead me into Light!

© Lisa Gabriel, 5^th June 2005

Love, your Voice is Music

My ears had ceased to hear;

To sounds so sweet

I sing once more

And I no longer fear.

You are like the Mountain Heights

That marry Earth and Sky -

To reach you

I must climb again

Catch clouds as they drift by….

For only from the Darkness

Could I aspire to Light;

Such brightness,

Lifting Heart and Soul

From suffocating Night.

Once chained to Earth by links of Fire,

My Spirit seeks romance -

Love binds no more,

My limbs are light -

Invite my Heart to dance!

In Truth, not knowing who I am,

I gave all Hope away

And now reclaimed

I seek your Light

To brighten glorious Day.

Calm through my Death of Being,

Such Baptism of Fire,

Reborn in Love

I dare to Dream -

To seek my Heart’s desire….

©Lisa Gabriel, 8^th June 2005

And now is not the time

And now is not the time for love

It is time to listen

To breezes that rustle green branches

As birds sing in the trees

And the Sun plays shadow theatre

Through the hungry leaves.

Now is not the time for love,

Yet this is love….

Now is not the time to plan

For who can say where life will lead?

The present time,

A quiet space in which we grow

Through grace to understand -

From pain to conscious love.

Reflecting all

And lifting in Love’s power.

Where hope and joy seem distant

They are never far away….

And now is not a time of loss….

This time

Fills me with wonder.

These gifts you gave -

These words that run so swift -

A crystal spring that feeds

A clear renewing stream….

These waters run

Through the dark forested mind.

These waters run

Through the shadows,

Deep and treacherous,

Tracing my rebirth.

I follow a winding path,

Narrow,

That leads me from confusion

To this, my Inner Self,

Who loves so much

But knows so well

I share my path with no one

But will never be alone….

© Lisa Gabriel 14^th June 2005

For You

I will always dance, my love,

Through the trials of life

And the fire of pain,

And the Joy of the Dance

Will see us through

As we dance together

Through Sun and Rain…

For You

I will always dance, my love,

When the skies are dark

And the nights are long,

And the Joy of the Dance

Will lift us high

As we learn to sing

A different song…

For You

I will always dance, my love,

Through this Heart of Love

To the Rainbow’s End,

And the Joy of Love

I will sing for you

As I dance through Life

With Hope, Sweet Friend….

© Lisa Gabriel, 16^th June 2005

So delicate,

The touch and feel of softened velvet;

Crimson, light of air….

Caressing raindrops,

Joy’s reflection there,

A gentle prism shatters Day

And rainbows dance for us to share….

So say farewell to grief and pain

And bend to kiss Rose after Rain….

So beautiful,

The Soul’s own gift of Love and Trust

Will lift me to the Light….

Love has me reeling

Heart overwhelmed by such a sight….

A loving Spirit lending Hope

And Strength, I leave the long, dark Night….

Nothing to lose - Heaven to gain -

I dream of Love, Rose after Rain….

© Lisa Gabriel, 17^th June 2005

Until your dreams

Call to reality

Then,

Soft,

Will I come in the Night

And Spirit Wings of Love

Will touch your sleeping face,

Caress,

And brush

Away your tears;

Sow soft, pink flowers

On pallid fields,

Your cheeks,

Twin Roses,

Fragrant of the Heart’s Desire

And Inner Peace….

Till then,

This River of Hope,

Chaste, protecting,

Winds between us

Washing clean

All sorrows past.

It purifies my heart,

Declares a Love

That knows no boundaries,

Can tell no lies

And asks no more

Than Peace -

Until that day,

Your Dreams

May touch my own….

To hold you in my arms

And like young Eagles

Learn to soar,

Safe folded,

In these Wings’ Embrace…

© Lisa Gabriel, 30^th June 2005