The salutation to a new day, the fanfare of chorus,
Led by the early risers,
Blackbirds and Robins,
Skylarks and Thrushes

It all comes back to birdsong, it makes my better day.

We arise to mist and melodies,
A glory unveiled once more.
And the warmth of the beckoning sun
Brings the song of the later risers to the fore.

It all comes back to birdsong, it makes my better day.

The chill of early dawn,
Replaced by radiant sun
Encouragement to Wrens and Warblers
And worms poking through lush, dew kissed lawn

It all comes back to birdsong, it makes my better day.

We settle into Summer days
The scent of Roses, the glory of colour
Butterfly’s floating in Sunny haze
The humming honey bees making golden nectar.

It all comes back to birdsong, it makes my better day.

And as hot busy days surrender to cooler evening sun
And the din of commuter traffic reuniting family and friends,
The chorus of tree sparrows and blue tits herald the cloaking of dusk
And the fading light brings the Fox on the run.

It all comes back to birdsong, it makes my better day.

I feel better each and every day thankful for;
fauna, flora and sun
And welcome the wet interludes that conspire to dampen the fun
And as we kiss our loved ones goodnight after another blessed day done
The barn owl hoots thank you on our behalf for the light of the moon

It all comes back to birdsong, it makes my better day.

Each expression of gratitude, each “Thank You” note,
Advances the melody of a symphony of positivity,
Each grateful reflection is a divine connection,
Each “Thank you!” is a blessing too.
Both to you and to whoever has done you good,
Exactly as it should be,
Let a chorus of thanks sing,
Let more join us, grateful voices rising,
Let the musicality carry us so we soar into the clouds,
In a cosmic dance of thanks,
Rising to a crescendo!
Around we go!

in thankfulness for your words
maybe there’re just letters on a page
but they are received in the heart
speaking the ineffable
that echo through life

I’m grateful for suffering mental distress
Why? Because it helped me to care
It’s helped me to understand others
Who often find life so hard to bear
I’m grateful for medication psychiatrists counselling and more
I’m grateful that my life has improved with age
Though so oblivious to what life had in store
I’m grateful I’ve been able to provide support
Destined to deal with my youngest sons pain
But my own condition helped me to have patience
Which has proved there was peace to be gained
If asked which was harder to deal with?
To be a sufferer or provide mental health care
Being a Carer without any doubt bearing witness I’ve found harder to bear
Now decades later I’m looking back
And feeling grateful that I’ve managed to cope
We both look to the future together never losing sight of HOPE

The stars are aligning in the midnight sky
I see the them sparkle in your beautiful eyes
You Take me to a place where I feel strong
It’s a perfect place where we belong
You hold your hands close to your chest
Your flowing hair I want to caress
Your simply perfect which I’m grateful for
It makes me love you more
I could kiss them cherry lips a million times over
You bring me luck like a four leaved clover
You say I take you to paradise
I’ll happily take you twice
I’m thankful for your love
Them stars aligned above
I will cherish every bit of you as I’m in love with you
She smiles with her eyes and whispers I love me too

I’m grateful for so many things as I travel through this life
I’m grateful to be a Mother l’m grateful to be a wife
I’m grateful for my family I’m grateful for good friends
I’m grateful for beating Cancer on a list that never ends
I’m grateful for NHS staff and the care they kindly give
I’m grateful for this life which I’m so privileged to live
I’m grateful for my husband whose stood beside me as a Carer
Caring for our youngest son whose life should have been much fairer
He has missed out on so many things but thank God he found a way
To cope. With his condition and find the strength to fight each day
I’m grateful to hear the birds in song a pleasure so often denied
I’m grateful for my eyesight
Again lucks been on my side
I’m grateful that I’ve reached 76 for too many die too young
I’m grateful that I was given the chance to carry on
Where we live is so important because that decides our fate
The wars we watch from our comfortable homes
Wars filled with so much hate
I’d be grateful if the world found peace
With some help from up above
With some divine intervention and hates replaced with LOVE
So when I reflect upon this troubled world that we all wake up to every day
I’m truly very grateful that I reside in our UK
Ends

I will travel the world one day
Maybe I’ll fly to space and see the Milky Way
I might even climb a mountain
Maybe skinny dip in a fountain
Oh I must stop this over thinking
My brains gonna start shrinking
Perhaps I could jump through fiery hoops
Fly with the red arrows and do loop the loops
Though It’s unlikely i’d take up ski jumping
But I know I must do something
I may sing in a church choir
Oh am such a good liar
I can’t even sing for my supper
As much as I’d love ta
I could join the circus and be a clown
Move to the other side of the world or just stay where I am
I could say yes more
Or I could study Law
It would be nice to learn to read music or write a song
Go to the gym and get myself strong
For now I need to learn just to be myself
It will be good for my mental health
Also we should care more about one another
But I do feel the worlds people still need to recover
From the pandemic of Covid and remembering those we lost
I hope it will never happen again at any cost
I’ve worn myself out now thinking what more can I write
But I’m nearly finished to yours and my delight
If I’m honest I’d like to be a scientist and find a cure for disease
And most of all I wish for is no more wars and world peace
The very last thing I’m very grateful to say
I’m glad I reside in the good old UK

Gratitude is an act of human joy.
Thankful, heartfelt and unselfish.

A smile for those who cannot.
A hug to show you care.
Your time given to others,
expecting nothing in return.

Gratitude makes a difference.
Priceless, infinite, never to be forgot.

Be kinder to yourself,
There’s only you,
Beautiful, magnificent you,
Shine brighter,
Knowing your time, Is now,

No need to ask anyone’s permission,
Not to be perfect, Just be,
Who you are destined to be,
The kind, perfect, beautiful you,
That has been hidden away,
For too long,

Busy caring for the World,
Carrying its troubles,
Upon your heavy shoulders,
A smoulder pain,
In the fires of discontent,

Just be, Who you are destined to be,
The kind, perfect, beautiful you,
That has been hidden away,
For far too long.

When you feel better from this, and you will… You will come to realise.
that what define us is how well we rise after falling and that not everyone will understand your journey.
Other people’s opinions will not determine your self-worth nor your destiny.
Life is about striving to cultivate equanimity and making peace with contradiction. As we live in a world of duality.
We must all navigate through the turbulent tide of life between cessation of pain where pleasure exists and cessation of pleasure which results in pain…

I was a lost soul
Searching for support
I walked into a Spiritual Gift Shop
Left the place with a new thought

A lady on the tills
Looking lonely and lost like me
The feel of being trapped
And crying to be set free

We shared thoughts and emotions
Felt a soul sister connection
Now we have become best friends
Pray for all sending love, light and protection

She knows when I am struggling
When hiding my trouble
But she fixes it with her kind words
Making me feel blessed in our friendship bubble

She tells me ‘You have got this’
And reminds me how far I have come
Thank you, Tracy, so much
For everything you have done

Gratitude is having a right attitude when
the pavement to life cracks.
Hope exists as a flower blossoms on this
pavement, never give up.
Believing that destiny is already written
good or bad but can it be directed
through prayer?
Throwing the sorrows in the ocean so no
one can see the complexity, carrying
invisible pain.
But hope is a seed that grows showing
gratitude when you see the moon shining.
In darkness, hope exists when you see the
birds singing a language unknown.
The sunset awakens the eyes.

Life is a rollercoaster of ups and downs
Being grateful for time and for sound
Thankful for tasty food and drink
And easily getting water from the kitchen sink
Fresh air to breathe in and out from the trees
And sweet honey from the buzzing bees

Education we can get from our school
Maybe even go to the local swimming pool
Friends and family here for support
And enjoying a nice chocolate torte
Life is a rollercoaster of ups and downs
Be grateful for life and all will be sound

____
Age 9

G rateful for everything
R espect all you have
A nimals and people
T all or short always smile
E veryone is unique
F ill hearts with gratitude
U se gratitude everyday
L ove what you have
______

Age 8

G oing to my football
R ead the best book ever
A s I admire the world around me
T ake a step closer to my dreams
E njoy being me
F east on marshmallows all day and night
U nique to others

F reely run through the woods
O pen your heart to the world
R elax on my bed

L isten to your heartbeat
I mpact the world
F earless of nothing
E scape from worries
____

Age 9

R unning is really good
U se what you can when you are running because you will be thankful after
N ow I did it, I came 9th so far
N ow I am really at the end…
I cannot believe I beat her! I am 8th
N early there … just one more push
G o, go, go sprint you are there!!!

I am grateful for you
I am grateful for me
I am grateful for school
I am grateful for everything
I am grateful for my family
I am grateful for you
I am grateful for me
I am grateful for school
I am grateful for everything
I am grateful for family!
_____

Age 7

I am thankful for the wind that blows
I am grateful for my wiggly toes
I am thankful for the rain that falls
I am grateful for the bug that crawls
I am thankful for the snow that falls
I am grateful for my glowing nose
I am thankful for the misty frog
I am grateful for you my God
I am thankful for the sun shining
I am grateful that you are mine
____

Age 7

Wake up and think of the things you’re grateful for
Don’t be sad anymore

What is your favourite thing
what are you thankful for?

What are you thankful for!
(Life)
What are you thankful for!
(Family)
I said what….. You… Thankful…. for!
(Friends)

When I’m at school I feel cool
I got lots of friends they like football

When I’m with my mates, I feel ace
They get lots of taste in what I make

What are you thankful for!
(Life)
What are you thankful for!
(Family)
I said what….. You… Thankful…. for!
(Friends)

__________
Age 9

I feel grateful when I wake up
hear the birds chirping, singing a song
My heart goes thump, thump, thump
it’s a new day

I feel grateful when I come to school
hear the parents saying bye to their kids
Hearing the moans and groans of the kids

When I get into class nice and calm
I see my friends and have a chat
I am happy
Five hours of learning ahead!
_____

Age 9

T hanks
H elpful
A ctive
N ice
C reative
K ind
F riendly
U nique
L ove

You can achieve your dreams, no matter what you do
Never give up
You got this
Always be you
____

Age 8

I want to fly way up high
Bewildered and free
I want to claim the sky
As my own

I want to fly way up high
Close my eyes
So, I am not alone
I want to fly across the heavens
Until I find my way home.

I stand in awe of the woman who is my mother
I stand in wonder at this immigrant woman who left her family behind
Who followed her husband to new pastures, to start a fresh.
She had no choice but to adjust, to adapt, to get on with it.
She was the traditional wife where her home was her life.
She managed with less, she did without, she never complained.
She gave birth to her 7 children, by celebrating and carrying the news to her own mother
On the phone, via post, or a friend visiting back home.
This immigrant woman stood tall and proud
Today she is the bond that ties me to the country of her birth
To the place where it all began
Today she is my backbone and I am look up to her
In more ways that I can imagine

I love your
soft wet smelly
seasoned furry coat
river water soaking
shimmer under sunshine
droplets fly free
blue air alchemised
prisms spin colour
halo signals joy
canine centre stage

dog.shakes.rainbow

I knew every moment was precious and that this time would never come my way again.
I appreciated the ordinary-soap suds in the sink, a spider’s web in the corner of the windowpane, the sound of rain falling, weeds in my plant pots.
I realised that life and love could not be taken for granted.
I felt that storms in my life could not blow me off course, I could stand firm.
I breathed deeply, thankful for the air and my own heartbeat.
I paid more attention to my life and its many blessings.
I learned to be passionate and fearless, knowing that time was a gift I could not waste.
I accepted that the good and the bad times were all lessons- I wanted to work at being a better student.
I unwittingly opened a door for more miracles and grace to enter my life.
I replaced fear, pain and anxiety with hope, power and healing.
I looked for all the ways I could express more gratitude-a thank you note, an encouraging word.
I became humble in the face of all the beauty in the world.
I grew confident in life itself.
I found a new way of being.

The rainbow arches in the sky once the storm is over

The killer whales strategically hunt together, a real game changer

The glasswing butterfly floats in the wind soaking the sun

The penguins brace the snowstorm incubating their unborn

The dancing lights of Aurora vibrates in the night sky

The water in Fiji is so pure and untouched by mankind

The white glaciers exist holding sixty nine percent of our fresh water

The smallest living organism on earth is four quadrillion quadrillion of bacteria

The Holly plant reproduces itself by cloning, sounds almost science fiction

The great barrier reef is the largest living structure with its own ecosystem

What a wonder
A pure delight
Nature can captivate us
With its precious surprise

rainbows of colours in all directions
the natural lands, awakens my inner core
glowing and growing the sun rises and sets
seeing the particles, as they merge into one

on a sublime level, beyond delicate eyes
each leaf creation, unique in its composition
formed exceptionally, seen collectively on a tree
against breathtaking backdrops, bringing life’s inspiration

textures and tones, charmingly exquisite
from micro to macro, flawlessly spectacular
mother nature, paints a picture
a vision of elegance, with her vibrant touch

to sum up
fully
in a word only
our world is
completely
P E R F E C T

I thought I didn’t want it
But I’m glad it fell my way
Rhythmic notes
Phat summer drops
Drawing heat from
My tension-swamped brow
Spacious beats
Temples relaxing
Worry vapourising
Concentric ripples expanding my mind
Weighty brain waves bye-bye
These heavy drops lighten my load.

I whispered words of thanks to you when it was time to go. I cradled my palms around you and felt the love we have grown.
The walk from bed to theatre was long and anxious still, the memories of how we worked together to climb that steepest hill. So the time has come to say goodbye… to stay would be a threat… but just one thing I want to do, is thank you that we met. I thank you for the joy you bring in every rising day… the laughter within the walls of home outweighs the price I pay. I look around and see 5 angels… standing next to me, without you they would not exist and for that you have made me, ME. A safe place to 5, mother and friend, a confident with strength, to carry when needed, to smooth out every dent.
so here we are.. it’s time to go… I am grateful beyond compare… I now look straight ahead once more and embrace the future from this chair. The outlook looks warm and inviting still, it’s every mothers wish… to watch their children strive and grow, to laugh, to love, accomplish.

A little bird sat in a tree
Thinking all the things he longed to be
Why am I not like the flowers I see
That attract all those buzzing bees
Why am I not like that big barn owl
That swoops around all big and proud
Why am I not like that cunning fox
That scares the mice and runs a-mock

All of a sudden the tree looked down
At the tiny bird all small and brown
Why little bird your are the best
And as I stand here all I see
Is all your amazing abilities
You fly so high you sing so sweet
And Your song offers such a treat
Your morning call wakes up the land
Your evening song is just so grand

The little birds heart filled with love
The tree had made him feel enough
He puffed his chest and flapped his wings
As he stood proud and begun to sing

When Gratitude crept in to my heart…..
I knew every moment was precious and that this time would never come my way again.
I appreciated the ordinary-soap suds in the sink, a spider’s web in the corner of the windowpane, the sound of rain falling, weeds in my plant pots.
I realised that life and love could not be taken for granted.
I felt that storms in my life could not blow me of course, I could stand firm.
I breathed deeply, thankful for the air and my own heartbeat.
I paid more attention to my life and its many blessings.
I learned to be passionate and fearless, knowing that time was a gift I could not waste.
I accepted that the good and the bad times were all lessons- I wanted to work at being a better student.
I unwittingly opened a door for more miracles and grace to enter my life.
I replaced fear, pain and anxiety with hope, power and healing.
I looked for all the ways I could express more gratitude-a thank you note, an encouraging word.
I became humble in the face of all the beauty in the world.
I grew confident in life itself.
I found a new way of being.

I am getting older
I continue to learn and evolve
My hair has become thin and grey
Wrinkles and age spots grace my body
My spinal discs have shrunk and lost their elasticity
As a result I have become smaller as I age
I have 2 health conditions to manage
Managed by medication, exercise and monitoring
Still I am grateful
I am mobile, fully functioning if not a bit squeaky
Still I am grateful
Still I am appreciative
I am alive and independent

Listen to Mother Earth
Hear her voice
Be still in her presence
Witness the floods
Experience the climate changes
Feel the earthquake
The relationship we have
The relationship I have
With Mother Earth is
Sacred
We are mere stewards, caretakers, temporary owners
We should respect what we have temporary inherited
The Earth does not belong to me
Man belongs to the Earth.

It is the art of decorating fabric
It is with love that she applies needle to thread
Using materials such as pearls, beads, quills and sequins
To decorate, to embellish, to protest, to personalize the fabric
It is the basic technique of chain stitch, button hole, blanket stitch, running stitch, satin stitch, and cross stitch
The fundamentals remain the same
She spends hours, days, months and occasionally years to decorate an outfit
Her eyes are tired, her hand hurt.
The end product is a document to her skill
Her power to project that she is alive
Her contribution to society should not be overlooked, undervalued or engendered.

The twinkle in your eye,
the green of grass,

the blue of plates,
the watching of films,

the hugs, the kisses,
the holding of hands,

the creativity,
the disparate ideas connecting,

the thank yous, and the ‘You make a difference’,
the possibilities– the books with my name on,

the light through the window,
the walking through doorways,

the eating of good food,
the laughter multiplying,

the gratuitous movement, stretches,
striding,

Jesus, you hold out your hand.
When I take it, the world sparkles.

Sundays

spent falling
in love with myself
let the frosted morning
into my lungs
allow the world to breathe for me

the wind conducts the leaves
I catch the melody
on my tongue
let it melt swallow its sweetness
my eyes close

exchange my fingers for sunbeams
warm my hands
they unfreeze from the broken clock
that’s clawing the same mistake

I Bolero the day to sleep
I have loved myself
alive again

– not quite love at first sight but the feeling you get when you meet someone and knowing it’s inevitable you will fall in love with them

the day we met
we lay on a blanket
of what ifs
each fallen Cherry blossom
a promise we made

your lips
like grapes
the sweetness lingers
every time we argue
it quashes the sour

petals turned white gold
around my finger
my left hand holding
the promises that came true

my skin will age
beneath the ring
lessons we learnt
etched in the fine lines
creeping from my knuckles

they will bury us together
skeletons entangled
the way our bodies were

She sees me after church in Tesco’s.
‘Are you walking home?’ she asks.

‘I am bouncing,’ I reply.
She looks surprised.

I think: I could explain about
the years in bed.

I could explain the happiness of legs
moving– the feel, the sound.

I could explain my joy in independence–
food-shopping for myself– the choice, the safety.

Instead, I just smile,
and possibly shine.

Then, just because I can,
I bounce.

Mother’s—what a miracle.
We begin as infants
and are moulded into mash potatoes
and fried sausages. Morphed children in
a cooking pot of love, and joy.
They infuse an umbilical
nature with careful thought,
as we watch pointless TV shows
together. They all are
gameshow hosts in our
minds.

They ask questions— the tough ones.
The ones we cannot answer at first.
Our mother’s are upside down. We marinade in the mellay
of modernity. And when we
are adults, we see that the
world has changed. For
we notice the outside ouvre for what
it is. A hotchpotch of chaos.

But they strive to make their kids learn to get along. To become new dawns in this mighty creation. Our goal is to
make a difference. We owe our
thanks, to the miracle of mum’s.

Each line
Each wrinkle
The lines on my forehead
Run between my eyebrows
Jutter from the corners of my eyes
Develop, evolve as muscles contract
As I smile, frown, squint and occasional habitual facial expressions
Cause wrinkles to become more prominent overtime
Often life catches up on you
From frown lines to crow’s feet to settled lines that sit on your face
Tell a story
Tell many stories
Some told, some untold
There is nothing fake here
Just natural beauty that is still smouldering.

I feel better when I’m tucked up in bed
And drift off to sleep with eyelids like led

I feel better when I awake
To hear birdsong as the dawn breaks

I feel better when I’ve had my first caffeine kiss
The first cup of coffee is bliss

I feel better when I see the green shoots
Of recovering plants growing up from the roots

I feel better when I smell clean clothes
On the washing line – where the wind blows

I feel better when I have got
Lost in a book or film and its plot

I feel better when I have solved
A problem which takes some resolve

Because of your unconditional love
And all your kisses and all your big hugs

I’m happiest when I’m with you
With you in my life I’ll pull through….

Grateful to the lollipop lady
Who made sure I was able to learn about road safety
Grateful to the teacher who kept me behind
To brush up on my reading skills
Grateful to the dinner lady
Who provided me a doggy bag of food to take home
Grateful to the friends who knew something was not right
But said nothing
Grateful to all these people who provided me
A safe space, where I learn to thrive
where my body was fed and to friends who supported me
I am who I am
Because of all of you.

I’m sending you thanks
for you’re reading the poem
I had fun writing!

Above them the daytime skies are filled with the roar of warplanes
The night is lit by the blast of explosions
In and amongst this destruction
Families. women and children survive.
The children comb
Through the ruins for their belongings
For toys, for school textbooks, for scraps of food and photos of life
Life before war arrived
They express their gratefulness
They are breathing
They are alive
They are hope.

After 7pm
I casually walk into the supermarket
I walk to the isle with shelves stacked with food with yellow stickers
Items of food that are near their best before date or reduced for clearance
It was an opportunity to save money
It has become a necessity
For me
I make meals at what I can buy, freeze or cook
For others it is about reducing waste, be creative with selective food items
For me it is simply a choice between eat what I can afford or go hungry.
For this I am grateful.