Where will I go this Sabbath Day?

Where will I go this Sabbath Day?

This Sabbath Day
This Sabbath Day
Down to the meadow where the river slows.
That’s where I’ll go this Sabbath Day.

I’ll taste the water and watch it flow,
Watch it flow
Watch it flow
I’ll taste the water and watch it flow.
That’s where I’ll go this Sabbath Day.

Where will I go to sit and pray?
Sit and pray
Sit and pray
Under the willows that bend and sway.
That’s where I’ll go this Sabbath Day.

I’ll bury my toes in the earthen clay
The earthen clay
The earthen clay.
I’ll bury my toes in the earthen clay
That’s where I’ll go this Sabbath Day.

I’ll listen to God, let Him have his say.
Have His say
Have His say
I’ll listen to God, let Him have his say.
That’s where I’ll go this Sabbath Day!

Mandy Edwards © 2017

Sea Goddess

Sand disapears in rivulets
Beneath her sun-drenched legs,
As she exhales, inhales, exhales,
Deep in meditation.

She digs her toes into the ocean floor
And slowly moves her hips. Circles
Rhythmically as if orbiting the sun;
Dips into her purse with salty fingers.

An intake of breath. She moves again.
Her pulse quickening as the rising tide
Fingers her hidden crevices, hissing
And spitting like molten lava.

One last thrust of the hips, she dissolves
In a frenzy of frothing surf.
Hears nothing but her heartbeat.
Her body sated. Her mind at peace.

Startled by her aloneness,
She curls into the empty shell of herself.
And listens.
Listens to the ocean whispering her name.

Mandy Edwards (c) 2017

.

A Villanelle

Cock a doodle doo.

I squeeze shut my eyes; put a pillow on my head,
It’s three in the morning and its dark outside,
Cock a doodle doo, the roosters said.

Three-thirty comes as I wriggle in bed,
The rain pelts down; all sleep is denied.
I squeeze shut my eyes; put a pillow on my head

There’s nothing to do, my book is read,
It’s four in the morning and hope has died,
Cock a doodle doo, the roosters said.

The cat is purring and its fur has shed,
My nose starts to tickle; the clock ticks, “Five,”
I squeeze shut my eyes; put a pillow on my head.

Five bloody thirty, all sleep has fled,
I’ve cursed all the pleasures of the country side,
Cock a doodle doo, the roosters said.

“It’s six.  Rise and shine,” the old man said,
He’s stone deaf and all bushy eyed.
I squeeze shut my eyes; put a pillow on my head,
Cock a doodle doo, the roosters said.

Mandy Edwards © 2017

Oyster Catcher

Comical little bird,
Drawn from a colouring book;
His bright orange beak,
Sewing holes in the seamless sand.

Drawn from a colouring book,
With a child-like hand,
Sewing holes in the seamless sand,
Searching for oysters at low tide.

With a child-like hand,
I rub my red rimmed eyes,
Searching for oysters at low tide,
While my legs turn a delicate pink.

Mandy Edwards (c) 2017

Isaiah 58.8

i

I clasp you tight

a quivering wreck of a thing

as the dawn light breaks

ii

as the dawn light breaks

watch the curve of my smile

as healing begins

iii

as healing begins
taste that sweet ambrosia
now and forever

Mandy Edwards (c) 2017

Forever Together

If we could be together
Would you hold me close
So I can hear your breath?

Forever.

If we could be together,
Would you take my hand
And wipe away my tears?

Forever.

If we could be together,
Would you keep me filled
With overflowing love?

Forever.

If we cannot be together. Ever.
Will you slip into my heart
So I can feel you there,

Forever?


Mandy Edwards (c) 2016

Damn you

Damn you
Damn you for making me believe
Damn you for making me believe in you
Damn you for making me believe in you then leaving me
Damn you for making me believe in you then leaving me to wonder why
Damn you for leaving me to wonder why then doubt you
Damn you for making me doubt you
Now I have to believe in me
Bless you.

Mandy Edwards (c) 2016
(Revised Edition)

Man and Wife

I lie with you beneath this willow tree;
Whose viridescent branches hide us here,
And listen to the shrieks of surfers, free,
Unfettered by the burdens that we bear.
This gift of time allows my thoughts to ease.
I sigh; relax and watch you drift away,
Enchanted by the shadows of the leaves,
That dance upon your face in gleeful play.
I slow my heart in time to beat with yours,
And marvel at each gentle breath you take,
I feel the rising swell of inner shores,
And turn my back upon some distant ache.
    For in this magic place no worldy strife,
    Can take away our love as man and wife.

Mandy Edwards (c) 2015
(Edited version)

Return of the Tui

Last Summer we cut down our pines,
so tall they had become.
For years they'd nurtured native plants,
but now their job was done.

Alas! No longer did we hear,
our Tui's joyful song.
He'd teetered on the spindly tops,
and warbled loud and long.

But now he didn't have a place,
to serenade his mate;
as silence fell upon us,
realisation came too late:

That Nature has a purpose,
beyond our narrow sight,
and human intervention,
doesn't always get it right.

Yet Time can be benevolent,
and smaller pines have grown.
Today I heard that bell-like chime,
Our Tui's come back home!

Mandy Edwards (c) 2015

A Gift.

There is no poetry in my life
without you.

My muse, my light, my soul -
Where have you gone?

One short glorious year
I knew you,

And words came tumbling forth
in joyful song.

But then you left. As quickly
as you came.

And though I've begged you:
Speak, please speak to me.

All I've ever heard
Is silence.

No-thing but silence. Oh.
Is that your final gift to me?


Mandy Edwards (c) 2015.

Tempest-Tost

A patch work quilt
in greys and muted blues
unravels in the dark horizon.

The wind-whipped lake
foams at the mouth like miniature horses
drowning in their freedom.

Tawhirimatea (God of winds)
bursts his bellows.
Each squall a heaving primal breath.

Mother Earth, Papatuanuku
bows her head in deference
to her offspring:

Who Is Wild,
long since released
from her embrace.

Sky God, Ranganui
shakes his fist with untold fury;
Eyes flash fire

And rent in two an old man pine.
The heavens open.
We taste those first fat tears, then run.

Mandy Edwards (c) 2015

Shine your light

When I was but a child,
I would read all day and night,
Shine my torch beneath the blankets,
Create shadows with the light.

Why now afraid of shadows?
They're just illusions of the mind,
If you shine your light upon them,
Truth and beauty you will find.

Be filled with light, not darkness,
Keep that torch switched on,
And whenever you resist it,
Chase those shadows right along.

They’ll slink into the corners,
Til your light scares them away,
Keep them running, do not waver,
Soon they won’t be back to stay.

Mandy Edwards. (c) 2015
(Edited version)

Bits and Pieces

I looked into my fridge tonight and all that I could find,
Were lots of bits and pieces, which had me in a bind.

Oh, what could I create, to satisfy the rumblings,
From lots of bits and pieces and associated grumblings?

A cup of curly pasta, a grater full of cheese -
A dash of chilli sauce - yes! Surely that will please.

A bowl of last night's rice. A chunk of pepperoni,
Onion, pepper, ham - hands off. That's for adults only.

How about an omelette? Whisk up the milk and eggs,
Eyeball down the wine bottle; sniff sadly at the dregs.

Two tins of spaghetti! Oh, what a find!
Toast the crusts of stale bread, nobody will mind.

A limp looking lettuce, grated carrot and some rocket,
Sorry 'bout the bits and pieces! Today I'm out of pocket.

Mandy Edwards (c) 2015

Learnin' the guitar

Three little birds

Gotta get the rhythm

da da-da da da-da

gotta keep in time

da da-da da da-da

no more thoughts

da da-da da da-da

a–crowdin’ my mind.

Changin’ to an A

da da-da da da-da

fingers in pain

da da-da da da-da

it’s gonna be alright

da da-da da da-da

kinda sounds the same,

Don’t worry ‘bout a thing

da da-da da da-da

searchin’ for a D

da da-da da da-da

 “three little birds”

da da-da da da-da

are singin’ to me.

Changin’ to an ‘E’

ah ah-ah ah ah-ah

haven’t gotta clue

da da-da da da-da

it’s gonna be alright

da da-da da da-da

that's the message
for you.

Mandy Edwards (c) 2015

Unravelling the threads.

I'm knotted up inside
knit one, purl one
As panic starts to rise
slip one, drop one
Tears betray my eyes
knit one, purl one
The child in me cries
slip one, drop one

It comes as no surprise
knit one, purl one
Fear is my disguise
slip one, drop one
My ego tries to hide
knit one, purl one
The truth of me inside
slip one, drop one

But damn it I shall try
knit one, purl one
To darn out every lie
slip one, drop one
And as my needles fly
knit one, purl one
Stitch love into the sky
slip one, drop one

Done.

Mandy Edwards (c) 2015
(Edited version)

Favourite Hymns

Make me a channel of your peace

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT8bybL_DqY

Here I am Lord.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcxOkht8w7c

Be still for the presence of the lord.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZugvUQ4m90U

The Servant Song

Brother, sister let me serve you.
Let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I might have the grace
To let you be my servant, too.

We are pilgrims on a journey.
We are brothers on the road.
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load.

I will hold the Christ-light for you
In the night time of your fear.
I will hold my hand out to you;
Speak the peace you long to hear.

I will weep when you are weeping.
When you laugh, I’ll laugh with you.
I will share your joy and sorrow
Till we’ve seen this journey through.

When we sing to God in heaven,
We shall find such harmony
Born of all we’ve known together
Of Christ’s love and agony.

Brother, sister let me serve you.
Let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I might have the grace
To let you be my servant, too.

Richard Gillard of New Zealand
1976-77

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL3vStmoMDw

Autumn Rains

Our lawn is in a state of disrepair; the grass
Lies dormant, trampled brown and dead.
For only hardy weeds can thrive out here,
And even those - our urge is to de-head.
My neighbour's patch is brilliant, emerald green.
Not for him this gasping, drought struck land.
He has the liveliest grass I've ever seen,
From founts of water hosed by liberal hand.
Not us! We wait for autumn rains to fall,
And though my fingers itch to bring back life,
I must desist, we are in Nature's thrall,
To interfere may cause some future strife.
    So in this desert moment we just wait,
    For autumn rains to come and satiate.

Mandy Edwards (c) 2014

Book Review for Mystery at Dead Man's Ridge.

Book Review : “Mystery at Deadman’s Ridge”

                            By Mandy Edwards

Reviewed by Anne Cook, Class teacher, Cromwell Primary School

Nothing much happens in the country, right? Wrong! City girl, Maggie finds that out quickly when she comes to stay with her farming cousins in the backblocks of rural Otago. Sheep rustling, the discovery of a marijuana plot, gun shots in the night , the injuring of a shepherd, a marauding hawk…..are some of the challenges that the young characters have to deal with.

“Mystery at Deadman’s Ridge” is a fast paced read that is action packed; full of twists & turns and is hard to put down. It’s a real mystery story with characters that are real. I’ve met them all in my time on the land.

Mandy Edwards draws on her vast experience of life in Rural New Zealand. Farming in Otago is portrayed accurately with subtle explanations woven in. One can easily relate to the hectic pace at shearing time, the busy woolshed and yards, and the capable, hard working  farming family eeking out a living on the land.

The young farm boys, Tom and Luke, are highly capable as farm kids are: whether it’s working dogs, mustering stock, helping in the woolshed or riding a quad bike. There is a natural ease and confidence. By the same token, Maggie, although out of her comfort zone in the country is savvy with a cell phone. It is the kids, not the adults, who solve the mystery and bring the villains to justice.

All young people, whether from a rural or urban background will enjoy this book. I highly recommend it.

http://amzn.to/149v0A4

Man and Wife

I lie with you beneath this willow tree;
its viridescent branches hide us here,
and listen to the shrieks of youngsters, free
unfettered by those burdens we must bear.
It’s simple here to let my troubles ease;
I sigh, relax and watch you drift away,
enchanted by the shadows of the leaves,
that dance upon your face in gleeful play.
I slow my heart to beat in time with yours,
and marvel at each gentle breath you take;
I feel the rising swell of inner shores,
And turn my back upon that lonely ache.
  For in this magic place no worldly strife,
  Can dissipate our love as man and wife.

The joy of child care

You rush at me this morn with open arms.
I gladly scoop you up and hold you close,
breathe in the heady scent of talc and soap,
a hint of milk and jam and buttered toast.

Your lips begin to tremble; Mum departs.
Another friend arrives, I crouch down low,
transform into a tiger's snarling jaws,
and watch your face. A smile begins to grow.

You stumble on the mat upon the floor, and
tears spill quickly from your full moon eyes.
Such trifling troubles yet for one so brave;
a magic kiss brings sunny cloudless skies.

You look upon the world with simple joy.
There's no pretence; nothing you must hide.
Another day of freedom to explore,
to seek, to find, to know, to be a child.

Mandy Edwards (c) 2014.