Making Connections
Peter E Edwards
© 2016 Peter E Edwards. All rights reserved.
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Cover image courtesy of Pinterest.com.
Making Connections
This is my first book and is a selection of 45 poems that trace my journey from starting to write poetry for performance at Café Create, making connections with myself (& what I want to say), with my audience and with God. The best way I can describe it is that it is rather like sowing seeds from an unmarked packet and seeing what springs up! My next book is currently under consideration with the working title “Snapshots of the Kingdom” which looks at aspects of Christian life and experiences.
The Author
Pete Edwards was raised in Fleet, Hants. He has a degree in metallurgy from Sheffield University & has published a number of technical papers. After 30 years in the aerospace industry, he has now retired to spend more time with his family, continue writing his poetry and paint in watercolours. He lives in Nailsea, North Somerset with his wife Judy and has 2 grown up children, Beth & Stephen. He regularly presents new poems, which explore his Christian faith from many angles, at Café Create locally. Both Pete and Judy have read their poems there since 2012. They are both members of Living Waters Church in Clevedon.
Contents
1: The Poet
2: We Are The Pens
3: My Life
4: Our Destiny
5: New Born
6: The Sun Rose
7: New Day
8: Alone
9: I Am
10: My Own Place
11: A Work Of Art
12: Home
13: Growing
14: Alive!
15: Believe
16: Angels
17: Shop Windows
18: Shades
19: Time
20: Made Up Your Mind
21: Angels (2)
22: New Man
23: Embrace
24: Head Over Heels
25: The Music
26: Our Dance
27: Dancers
28: Fire Within
29: What is Your Song?
30: Life
31: Hidden Music
32: Apple Heart (3)
33: Apple Heart
34: This House
35: A Brand New Life
36: Hope
37: I Saw You
38: Everything Is There
39: Heaven Sent
40: Let's Live
41: Refining The Gold
42: The New Day
43: You Came Unexpected
44: You Are (2)
45: In My Heart
1: The Poet
He weaves his words,
Like a spider,
Weaves his web,
Tries to make them work,
Like an artist,
Uses his paints,
He uses experiences,
Everything at hand,
He will draw on these,
Mixing his colours,
Words and sounds,
Our eyes and ears,
Lines from conversations,
Rearranged again,
Into his rhythm,
And so it is woven,
Cut and tied,
Into this poem.
2: We Are The Pens
We are the pens that write our dreams,
Those hopeful plans and clever schemes,
And still it takes so many tries,
To find the place where true love lies,
Our paths are clear for all to see,
To run from fear and seek our destiny,
To be the best and make our stand,
To join the choir, play with the band,
We’ll pen the music hidden deep,
The deeper rhythm in our sleep,
Take our comfort, settle down,
Enjoy the beauty all around.
3: My Life
My life consists of history, Not just that time at school,
Accidents and plans that make me me,
But still you just see a fool.
Does this bitterness upset you? As I walk on in the gloom,
Those voices said what wasn't true,
Right in my living room.
Yet you know I won't be broken, No matter how much they try,
Words that can never be unspoken,
Even if the dead should rise.
From a journey started long ago, Hunched over from the pain,
Walking till the daylight dawns,
To know just why you came.
My life that seems so dull to you, Is really full of life,
It's filled with love that sticks like glue,
And is always on my side.
4: Our Destiny
Ghosts dancing in the school-yard,
All those lost and broken dreams,
On our journey we have gone so far,
And nothing is what it seems.
So may shapeless shadows,
Are all that’s left behind,
Your light flickers like a candle,
Sparks a fire within our eyes,
As locked doors now spring open,
And we’ve finally found the key,
The power of the past is broken,
As we meet our destiny.
5: New Born
New born, we rise,
Shocked, by the cold,
Greeted by blood red sky,
And in your arms enfold,
The warmth from the sun.
Still unfocused our eyes,
Take in this new world,
Tears stinging as we cry,
As shapes and colours build,
Into a brand new life.
We touch and taste,
Move to fill this space,
And make this our day,
As we take our place,
6: The Sun Rose
The sun rose,
Just like it was meant to,
Its deep tones,
Covering everything in a red glow,
Like a Winter fire,
Warm coals burning in the heart,
Reviving desires,
Chasing away the dark,
Bringing the light,
And stirring the world,
To life.
7: New Day
A new day dawns bright,
Full of promise,
Under unblemished blue sky,
The red sunrise,
Colours growing like a stain,
Before my eyes,
Glowing like the coals from my fire,
Warm and comforting,
Regenerating these cold bones,
As energy releases,
Melts this heart, of ice and stone,
Brings back belief, as I embrace,
This clean slate,
A new start, a part to play,
A hand to makes its mark.
8: Alone
Alone, you cry to yourself,
Head bowed low,
Lying completely still,
You hear the echoes,
Voices of the empty world,
Of the darkness,
That pushes at your mind,
Accusations, whispered gently,
Nibbling and gnawing at your being,
These thoughts your only company,
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Cloud your soul and dull your feelings,
Prayers bounce back like balls,
Bound by gravity's pull,
And the night seems to have no end,
No sunlight to burst in.
9: I Am
I am the sun on your back,
I am the itch that you can’t scratch,
I am the spices in your favourite food,
I am the sweetness in the pud,
I am the melody that you sing,
I am the harmony in everything,
I am the stranger in your dreams,
I am the gift you want to keep,
I am in the fire that warms,
I am the rose among the thorns,
I am there for you to see,
Round every corner,
Waiting, Yes, its me!
10: My Own Place
I will come to you,
In quietness,
There are so many thoughts,
I want to express,
Yet I can rest,
In the arms of gentleness,
And kindness,
In this place,
That you have made,
My own.
11: A Work Of Art
A work of art,
Wonderfully made,
Becomes worn in parts,
And torn and frayed,
But still we come,
Sit at your feet,
To make our home,
To be complete,
And be made new,
With colours bright,
Perfect stitching too,
We’ll catch the light.
12: Home
Let me take your hand,
And walk with you,
Lead you through this land,
To see it all anew,
Coloured leaves of autumn trees,
As seasons come and go,
The smell of freshly rain-washed leaves,
The gentle river’s flow,
Let me sit awhile with you,
Take time just to be,
In this peace you’ll be renewed,
And in the light you’ll see,
The loving touch of my hand,
In oh so many ways,
And together we will stand,
In this special place,
And know that this is home.
13: Growing
A new chapter,
As you grow daily,
In strength and stature,
March on into your destiny,
Ever changing, confidence growing,
Into something more,
Than we could ever have thought.
14: Alive!
I’ve seen it on the T.V.
And on the big screen too,
That life’s just full of highs and lows,
But that’s not for me and you!
You know I’m glad we haven’t got,
A roller-coaster of ecstasy and tears,
Our saddest times are soon forgot,
We’ll trade excitement for fewer fears,
We’ll not walk that tightrope,
Between the pinnacles of life,
We’ll find the path of faith and hope,
Leave the darkness, choose the light,
Find wonder in the stars above,
In the earth, the sea, the sky,
To rest within a peaceful love,
And just learn to be alive!
45: In My Heart
In my heart,
I hoped,
That you would find me,
The ticking clock,
Marking time,
To remind me,
That you worked it out,
The steps I take,
The sights and sounds,
Would draw me on,
Until I find,
You waiting there,
Where I’d been,
Left behind,
But in my heart,
I knew,
A burning desire,
Deep inside,
That empty space,
Where you long to hide