Poems by Paul Holmes

I’m always amazed how
You stand so very tall,
How you never give in,
You bend but do not fall.

Your orange flame dances
In a hypnotic display;
The winds of change keep blowing
But right there is where you stay.

You constantly keep shining
Like a beacon, blazing bright;
A light in black darkness
To brighten our long night.

Whenever I'm feeling sad
And life’s troubles wear me down
I look upon your lovely face
And no longer wear a frown.

Whenever the cold rain
Pours and soaks the ground
It’s then that I sense sunshine
Each time that you're around.

Your smile makes me smile
And I feel so pleased to be
In the same room as you,
In your close proximity.

Your smile makes me smile
At people that pass me by;
There’s a spring in my step
And a twinkle in my eye.

You don’t have to be a hero
To relieve an aching heart,
To ease the burdens on his shoulder
A kind word will make a start.

A friendly smile may be all
You need to raise his spirits high,
A gentle touch upon the arm
Can ease a heavy sigh.

You don’t have to be a genius
To know what words to say,
Just by being at his bedside
Is relief enough for that day.

A warm embrace from a friend
Is the best medicine you can give.
To feel really cared about
Adds further reason to live.

You don’t have to be superman
To be strong enough to show
How much that you care
To make a heart really glow.

Any of these suggestions
Will encourage and comfort each day
That you try to help a loved one
And take the pain away.

Pretty pink ballerinas
Dancing all in a row,
On thin, tenuous stems,
Such a beautiful show.

Pretty pink petals
Hang carefree in warm air
Stirring a sense of happiness
Simply by being there.

Did I hear a tinkling sound
As a gentle summer breeze
Blew amid red flowers,
The bushes and the trees?

Their dance is so special
I just have to stand and pause,
Looking in admiration
I prepare my applause.

But then, they give an encore
A delightful little ballet,
Such beautiful Ballerinas,
In their presence I have to stay!

SPRING

I slowly unfurl to the wide World
Stretching up to the blue sky
And sense an early morning chill
Of Spring waking a natural high.
Each day grows a little warmer
As the daylight hours extend
Making this leaf feel fresher,
To the bright sunlight I bend.

SUMMER

I’m at my most greenest now,
Hot sun burns upon my veins;
How glad am I to finally enjoy
Those cooling, copious rains.
At which point, I pour in drips,
A refreshing, rousing trickle
Falling on grass and buttercup,
Teasing them with a tickle.

AUTUMN

Mists have now arrived,
Shrouding my form with heavy dew;
The green has all but leached away,
Bled from veins no longer new.
Down below the tree are vivid reds
Browns and translucent golds
Which, increasingly each day now
People their captivation holds.

WINTER

The first frost of Winter
And a biting, northerly breeze
Cut into me, and scores of others
Were torn from their trees.
I’ve fallen now, to the ground
All wrinkled, and utterly fragile
Awaiting my final hour
Until, I meet my funeral pile…