Poems

White feathers.

A perfect single white feather floats gracefully to the ground,

I search for where it came from but there are just no birds around,

It makes me stop to ponder, as I stand alone out on the street,

Just how did this beautiful white feather simply appear before my feet?

I look at in fascination, and question curiously if it could be true?

That white feathers come from angels, and this one came from you?

Is there something you're trying to tell me....  is this a sign you left behind to show?

That you were walking right beside me, and you wanted to let me know?

I feel a warm sensation, a new sense of calm inside my soul,

That though you’re gone, you watch over me in your new angelic role,

It brings me reassurance, to know that I’ll forever have you near,

And even when life gets tough, I do not have anything to fear,

I slowly continue walking, a whole new perspective in my mind,

That you are always with me, when white feathers I do find.

H. A. Hill 2020.

 

Reflection.

(Written during the global Covid 19 pandemic.)

Not often do we take the time to sit back and reflect,

But upheaval and tragedy seem to have this profound effect,

When life is interrupted and the daily norm is no more,

We suddenly find ourselves scared and shaken to the core.

Things we once took for granted now impossible to do,

And we begin to realise not only what matters to us but who,

The moments we are missing out on seem to come at a heavy cost,

But complacency and inaction in the past led to many opportunities lost.

In these moments we begin to notice just how foolish we have been,

And regret not making more effort when the grasses were still green,

We learn how precious time is and that we should cherish every day,

Understanding now all too well how easily our freedom can be taken away.

In enlightenment we notice it's not the big things that we miss at all,

But the things we took for granted because they always seemed so small,

The family time and the simple chatter over a good old cup of tea,

The people who were always around us but now we can no longer see!

And whilst it's sad that it takes a disaster to make us stop and see the light,

At least when we come out the other side we will have our priorities right,

Never again will all life's little things be placed at the bottom of the pile,

Not now we realise they are the very things that make our lives worthwhile.

H. A. Hill 2020.

The Anxiety black hole.

A knot in the pit of my stomach, an awful feeling of despair,

And although I’m still breathing, I can’t seem to get any air.

My hands begin to tremble, and my legs soon follow too,

My thoughts are catastrophic, and there’s no clarity in my view.

Adrenaline begins pumping, my body tenses tight,

I’m not sure if I need to run away or if I should just stay here and fight.

Terror soon takes over, and now I’m paralyzed with fear,

I feel completely alone in this, although friends and family are near.

Internally I’m falling apart, it feels like I’m losing all control,

This is how it feels to fall down the bottomless anxiety black hole.

H. A. Hill. 2020.

Autumn.

The seasons they are changing and the air is getting cold,

The once lush green landscape now burning with warm amber and gold,

The nights are growing longer, mornings getting darker too,

The crisp autumn sunrises bring mist and glistening drops of dew,

The animals begin to forage, harvesting whatever they can find,

The season of hibernation nears, and the weather is turning unkind,

The breeze becomes more blustery, the leaves dance gracefully to the ground,

The rustling crunch of footsteps, the most enchanting autumnal sound.

The inviting crackling fire gives off a warming ambient glow,

And we realise with deep gratitude, oh how we do love the Autumn so.... 

H. A. Hill 2020.

Prime.

Did you ever stop to consider the meaning of this life?

One day there is an abundance of joy, the next is filled with strife,

It’s an ongoing battle, innumerable obstacles to overcome,

People just plodding along, soullessly marching to the beat of a drum.

 

Never questioning why they’re here, or the point of the daily grind,

Too busy with their daily stresses to seek the answers they might find,

Often thinking there must be more to life, they once had hopes and dreams,

Goals and visions all lay shattered, alongside broken self-esteems.

 

Expectations of others weighing heavy, backs up against the wall,

They can't just take a leap of faith, what if they were to fall?

Society would mock their failure, and besides they couldn’t afford the debt,

And so they carry on in misery, leading to a lifetime of regret.

 

Then suddenly they find true the meaning, that we're here to enjoy the ride,

To be fulfilled in life risks were needed, because there’s no manual, only a guide!

And so they look back bitterly, aware that they’re running out of time,

And they should have just ditched their comfort zone whilst they were in their prime.

H. A. Hill 2020.

No Goodbye's.

(A tribute to my friend.)

Whenever you were around, there was always happiness and cheer,

So when I remember those times, my brightest smiles appear.

You were a loveable rogue, a rebel full of zest,

But as a friend I have to say, you were nothing but the best.

The times we shared together were fun to say the least,

Never a dull moment and the laughter never ceased.

You always had a tale to tell of an adventure you had been on,

The mischief you got up to was always second to none.

The festivals, the concerts, the nightclubs and the bars,

I bet you’re still at it now, up among the stars.

You knew how to live, to make the most of every day,

To experience the spice of life in every possible way.

There was another side too though, one not everyone got to see,

You were an incredibly caring person and always there for me.

In the times that life got hard and I wasn’t coping well,

You would always be there to catch me, even before I fell.

We shared so many secrets over the course of many years,

Missing that connection is what will usually induce my tears.

The fact that I could rely on you without question is what I miss,

I will never be able to replace that bond with anybody, Chris.

The thing is I don’t need to though, I still see you in my dreams,

When you appear you’re the same old you, your cheeky smile still beams.

It reassures me that you’re still in my life, just in another world,

And one day we will hang out again where the gates are pearled.

I miss the nights we would just hang around my house and chill,

Or you’d pick me up and go for a drive to the top of Billinge Hill.

We would talk for endless hours about our biggest dreams and hopes,

I would give anything for just another one of our late night elopes.

I never got to thank you for always being there,

For your company, your friendship and your loving care.

But believe me when I say this, my gratitude is strong,

I’m blessed my life was somewhere you felt you could belong.

The times we spent together, I’ll forever treasure in my heart,

And I’m starting to understand what it means to be two worlds apart.

You might have changed location, but your spirit here lives on,

And I’m never going to say goodbye, because you haven’t really gone.

H. A. Hill.

Female Freedom. 

(International women's day.)

Freedom is having the right to get an education at school,

The recognition that gender does not make someone an unworthy fool,

Freedom is being respected enough to make our own choice,

To vote and have an opinion, to have a recognised voice,

Freedom is being able to go out at night with friends or alone,

Women don't need male guardians, we are fine all on our own.

Freedom is having a choice in how much or little we want to wear,

To express ourselves in our appearance without judgmental glare,

Freedom is getting a top job, earning fair and equal pay,

Women put in the same effort and work as many hours per day!

Freedom is having choice in or who or if we want to date,

And given a choice in whether or not we want to procreate!

And yes in modern times many of these freedoms have now been earned,

But it took years of fighting tirelessly for our oppression to be overturned,

And in many countries globally, women still have these basic rights denied,

We must fight in solidarity with them, sisters side by side.

H. A. Hill.