Poetry Gallery

Here are a few samples from my vast personal collection of poetry.

Moonlight Over Misty Valley

Boldly shines bright
Illuminates light
A silhouette portrait inspires
Koala's domain
Through valley and plain
More contrast, the moon ascends higher
The darkened landscape
Where a painting takes shape
Words describing the scene flood my mind
I sit here and stare
In my old rocking chair
Words transcribed soon to paper, I find
Then before very long
Through a serenade song
All the night creatures harmonized tunes
As the frost settles over
The pastures of clover
A blue mist envelopes the moon
So praise glory be
With this vision I see
As the moon's journey ends with the dawn
Delighted I rise
To Nature's sunrise
A new Misty Valley day born.

"The Free & Wild Bushman"

Poetic Eulogy

This poem was written about and is dedicated to my brother Warren.

Born 31 March 1963 - Died tragically by taking his own life - 10 June 2003

A free and wild bushman with his faithful dog named blue
Living north across the Murray, New South Wales
Residing in the tiny settlement of Bunaloo
He could talk to you for hours of his tales
He'll tell you of his lifestyle, he's poor though not a pity
He only owns the clothes upon his back
He'd never ever settle in the claustrophobic city
He roams around the country with backpack
His home is very simple, just and old shack on the land
He doesn't have a penny to his name
His meagre bills and lodgings are payed by work of hand
And meals are caught, like rabbits and wild game
His transportation is his thumb along a lonely track
His faithful dog follows a many mile
With no possessions of his own but the clothes upon his back
This wild bushman still retains a smile
He's criticized most often for the life he chose to live
They cannot understand his need for freedom
Possesses nought, he'll give to you whatever he can give
Affection lacking, desperately he needs some
Despite his lone existence, this lifestyle was his choice
He's free and others envy him I s'pose
For years city living allowed him not a voice
In his element, the country life he knows
So this free and wild bushman with his faithful dog named blue
If you look you'll see them strolling down the track
Residing in the tiny settlement of Bunaloo
To the city life he never will come back.

The Melody Of The Country

The country
With its mountains
Valleys
Trees
Air you can breath
So fragrant
A sure retreat from every confusion of life
Listen
Listen deeply to the quietness
The stillness
But yet, never still
Nature makes no strident noises
Nature's sounds are quiet
Harmonious
Nature lays her hands of healing
With soothing erasure of tension
Listen
Listen to the music of the bush
Sweet notes of birds singing
The song of the wind rustling through the leaves
Cool, babbling streams to quench thirsty life
And reflect a vision of glory
Passing through this peacefulness, you're aware
Aware of a melody which no man has ever equalled
Our Lord with His genius paints the scene
A landscape dressed proudly in seasonal hues
Skilfully painted
A scene of varied colours
Of which He can only mix.

A Ballard of Pain
(The Murray River)

(Photograph by Jemma Lilley)

Sweet song of the Murray, a ballad of pain
Tormented voice trembles in harmonized vain
She's taken for granted, she's largely ignored
But a scenic backdrop for those photos adored

She cries in the night-time, so lonely she weeps
Abused and neglected, afraid now to sleep
For man, her has raped her and no one will listen
What will it take? 'Til we realize she's missin'.

Once beautiful, now she reflects in despair
Once a purposeful entity going somewhere
Her divinitive power encaptured in rhyme
But her presence no longer existing in time

All creatures by day time and night time they mourn
As the sun slowly signals the glorious dawn
But be not deceived, for deception's a curse
If you care to look deeper, you'll realize the worse

She needs to be nurtured and cared for and loved
One of many great gifts from the Heavens above
Whilst in her presence be humble by choice
And listen to our Murray River's sad voice.

As The Murray River Mourns

(Photograph by Jemma Lilley)

You care not of my beauty, you care nothing of my heart
You'd rather reap the benefits and tear my world apart
You irrigate your properties, you bleed my life force dry
You'd rather lose the lot than see your precious cattle die
You pitch your tents by campfire, you steal more than timbered fuel
Do you appreciate all aspects of my offerings you fool!???

You won't look to the future, you just see what's here and now
A tunnel-viewed perspective, profits, crops and bloody cows
You speak of wildlife precious with your empty promised words
You lie, professing to protect the eucalypts and birds
You've fished out all my bounties, you've eroded all my banks
You expect all creatures small and great to give their thanks?

I wont survive much longer, you push poison through my veins
The salinity is choking me, I thirst for quenching rain
I am the Mighty Border but you've reduced me to a trickle
Your pillaging audacity to call Mother Nature fickle!
You never will be satisfied, you'll never claim my soul
Even if my destiny's a dried up water hole!

I am the Mighty Border and have been for countless years
Will future generations gaze at pictures through their tears?
So as you warm by campfire, 'neath the star-filled, moonlit skies
Remember me for when I'm gone, you'll suffer your demise!

One Sunday by A Waterfall

A millennium of memories accumulated within a few short hours

The heart

Once consumed by perpetual darkness

Now bathes in the glory of the Lord's purpose

A brilliant ray of light has pierced the once impenetrable soul

Majestic views

Inspiring

Washing away any lingering doubt of a weary mind

We are one

Nature and I

Experiencing the vastness of the valleys enveloped by the trees

Quenching moisture sprayed up by the thunderous waterfall cascading

Pounding to the rocks below

Realizing just how insignificant we are in the scheme of things

Mother Nature's Plan

The exquisite scene before me will be forever etched in my mind

Descending from the lush, canopy -covered trails

Winding relentlessly forever onwards

Mountain meets ocean

A sharp and sudden contrast 'tween land and water

Sea swells eroding the sandy skirts

Sheer cliffs, dwarfed by their presence

The tingle of crisp mountain air

Abruptly changes to sea mist with the taste of salt on my lips

One Sunday shared with a friend

It had to end!

An Ocean Serenade

(Formerly Sorrento Serenade)

A journey across but a droplet of jeweled, turquoise ocean

Windswept

Caressed, white cap peaks

Unprepared for the exquisite view before me

A scene to be protected within the archives of ones own mind

Capitalistic cottages

Some discretely nestled

Others stand bold and proud

Gloating over spectacular, undulating dunes

A journey back through the mind

A time difficult to comprehend

Blended past, present

And future

Hypnotized by oceanic melodies

Magnetic attraction draws me ever closer

Encaptured by imaginary, siren-like serenades

Whispering my name upon the wind

Tourists descend upon her with gusto

Relishing her awesome and inspiring beauty

Raping her bountiful assets

Selfishly determined to find peace

Harmony

But slowly weakening the very fabric of a fragile

Defenseless existence

My Little Swallows

After months of nest-bound confinement

Four fledglings emerge, nearly grown

The parents, they guided the young ones to flight

Their nurturing instincts are shown

A family of swallows outside my window

I'm lucky 'cause they chose my home

The sadness of knowing they must soon depart

Migrating to countries unknown

So whilst they remain I will treasure my friends

The swallows, they trust me, they know

I will sadly miss them, although they will return

Dear little swallows don't go!

Please come back and share your adventures with me

Your little, loved mud home remains

Please little swallows, come home real soon

So I can treasure your presence again

Dolphin Song

Upon the crest of ocean waves

Above, a silvery moon

Dolphin song of melodies

To Mother Nature's tune

A kiss of softest moonbeams

To the starry sky of night

A mystic sense of pleasure

Through a mind of pure delight

Caressed by spirit essence

Black velvet, diamond sky

Dream induced serenity

Jeweled tears of joy I cry

My Trusted Friend

Jemma Lilley

Hello my dear and trusted friend

It's good to see you once again

My humble little pall point pen

Who shares with me my thoughts

Neglected now for quite a while

When found. You brought about a smile

Together, traveled many miles

And shared some wondrous dreams

The life force running through your vein

Preserves my thoughts to be retained

Without you life becomes a strain

You've now restored my faith

With what I think, I now can write

Pure thoughts, they flow through velvet night

Until the golden morning light

Emotions, pen to page

I watch the bland page slowly fill

With inspiration, such a thrill

Words transform feelings, sending chills

They touch my very soul

I dedicate this poem to you

My little pen who's blood runs blue

You've helped regain my hopes brand new

My dear and trusted friend.

Up Up & Away

© Jemma Lilley 1999

Elation, pure excitement
As we rise into the dawn
Riding thermal currents
Of the crisp and dewy dawn
Encased in wicker basket
Ropes attach the colored sphere
Floating to serenity
Through the bluest skies, so clear
Earthy tones of patchwork hues
Beauty abound to see
Contrasts 'tween ocean, land and sky
An eagle cries; he's free!

Time

Time
An abstract essence
A clock!
The Devil's tool!
Youth diminished
Second by precious second
Escape?
You can never escape from time
Its presence felt...
Forever!

The Mighty Ocean

One day whilst sitting on the shore
I watched the waves roll in
Imagining with all my might
How did this all begin?
Why does the mighty ocean change?
From peaceful friend to foe
Her temperamental, fickle moods
Are not for man to know
Her wild, foaming waters spray
Lashing at the coast
Hungrily she claims more land
One day she'll win, she boasts
She plays and toils with tiny ships
As if just little toys
Sometimes she lets them journey safe
But destruction, she enjoys
Delightful hues of aqua blue
The sunlight glistened jewels
Deceiving calm, serenity
Conforms to no man's rule
The mighty oceans of the world
Unite between the lands
Pounding at the rocky shores
Lapping crisp white sands
Don't underestimate her might
Her peaceful mood can't last
Never turn your back on her
Your life, she'll claim so fast

A Rose

The tiniest bud of green

Slowly forms amongst larger blooms

Soon to burst forth

Displaying a blaze of glorious hues

From softest pink

To Golden shades

Or deepest blood red

An unmistakable perfume

Delicious and sweet

Permeates the depressing gloom

A backdrop of thick, dark angry clouds

Smother the weeping sky

Burdened heavily by precipitation to quench the existence of thirsty life

Tiny moist jewels glisten

Clinging delicately to accentuate the beauty of Nature's loving caress

Diamond studded velvet petals

Enticing

So pleasing to every sense

The tiny bud opens slowly

To greet the dreary morn

It's debut into the world

Noting short of spectacular

Breathtaking in its simplicity

Stunning in its complexity

Birth of an exquisite floral life

Mostly overlooked

Noticed only by a blessed few

Who choose to seek out Nature's wonderment

Our Lord once again bestows heartfelt joy upon a saddened soul

But now

A gladdened soul

A Poetic Calendar

JANUARY
The very first month of the year
FEBRUARY
Resolutions start but fade rapidly I fear
MARCH
A time to settle in
and start some serious stuff
APRIL
Joyous Easter time,
our Christ, He had it tough
MAY
The golden Autumn leaves,
this season I desire
JUNE
The start of Winter,
cosy nights beside the fire

JULY
The middle of the year
to mark the coming end
AUGUST
Touch of sunshine,
Spring is near the message sends
SEPTEMBER
Spring has sprung,
sweet blossoms permeate the air
OCTOBER
Warm breezy days pass with out care
NOVEMBER
Year draws to a close,
you can become forlorn
DECEMBER
Time to celebrate, 'cause
Christ our Lord was born