When Science met Nature

"I science have brought Creation down to it's knees
I Science can convince you too, I have the keys
the 'big bang' theory was just one of my aces
'punctuated equilibrum' filled in the spaces
I can free you from being manacled to God
no longer will your conscience give you a prod
it's all down to physics and laws of chemistry
you don't have to understand it, just believe me.
Who knows the secrets of 'spontaneous generation'
who can explain what is behind a 'mutation'.
Nature, I think you need some time for reflection
as you prepare yourself for some 'Natural Selection' "

Nature sat in quiet torpor unabated
for she knew her Children were uneducated
Science perambulated with a sickly grin
that was until her loyal friend Wisdom stepped in.

"By your own definition things have to be observed
which renders your theories totally absurd"
he spoke with conviction and a deep eyeball stare
which so clearly said.. " you weren't even there!"

But Science wasn't going to take any flack
"it's because of me you got to the moon and back!
Colonies of microbes in a primeval soup
I gave you the Internet to keep you in the loop"

from behind a sunset the Great Artist appeared
"Science the glories of nature have been smeared
you can't live your life as if it's just mere duty
when all of this earth is bejewelled with divine beauty."

Then Wisdom came forth with a wonderful idea
"we need a compromise, the answer is clear
why get worked up to the end of your tether
let's draw a line in the sand and work it out together."

Nature revealed the sheen of a Butterflies wings
"utilize this it will be good for all sorts of things
if you could reflect light it wouldn't hurt your eyes
you could read a computer screen under dazzling skies."
Impressed by this logic Science came back for more
"ever wonder why Bats fly around yet don't hit the floor
that's because I gave them senses, you can call it Sonar
that could really help blind people, or even a car!"
Finally nature said " see the Ducks with their webbed feet
their trajectory in water is incredibly neat
when underwater they help them to change direction
you could invent flippers, designed to perfection!"

Things are designed but they don't design themselves
obsolete science books gather dust on shelves.
Science apologized for causing any confusion
evolution theory was a mere delusion
Science dropped his head because he feared the worst
he had to admit that nature was there first
but all ended happily as the two became one
from behind towering clouds, the Great Artist looked on.

loch Inchard

Balnakiel beach

Watching the Aeroplanes

"please Daddy please, can we go and watch the aeroplanes
I love to see them nose dive and head to the ground
smothering the sound of dejected humanity
watching their missiles explode all around
from up there the pilot sees how small we all are
nations band together like never before
so please Daddy please, can we go and watch the aeroplanes
the Hercules flies just fifty foot from the floor
from where I stand you soar just like a bird
but you can't dance to the sound of the aeroplanes
above this bowl of emotions a big hand stirred
jets fall from the sky like tears rolling down faces
like they did down my Mother's I still can recall
because since my Daddy was shot down in an aeroplane
all I have is a photograph hanging on the wall.

Highland low budget self catering

The fall of the leaf

The Rowan leaf silently falls to the ground
on a canvas without any need for paint
the tranquil hush of nature lies all around
holding our gaze on a mountain so quaint
they roam in a wilderness that has no bounds
on a mist laden moor or a windswept hill
in mute negotiation fear resounds
a silent hunter lies in wait for the kill
at the sound of his breath the Doe wags her tail
the Stag flicks his ears, in an instant they're gone
leaving they're tracks to the wind and the hail
an organized family stick together as one
implicitly aware of anything that moves
a twinkling stream becomes a galaxy of stars
carpets of antlers in a symphony of hooves
then a period of calm without any spars.
See the Gentleman protector's head bobbing walk
as skulls accumulate on Highland lodge walls
the Deer live in permanent fear of the stalk
filled only with sadness when one of them falls
humans too live in perpetual fear-
of the sacred red ink being spilled on our shore.
What would it be like to have peace like the Deer?
What would it be like if we could learn war no more?
Deer would move gracefully along dance floor glens
no more cracking of rifles but peace all around
perfectly camouflaged in the tweed of the Ben's
as the Rowan leaf silently falls to the ground.

Painting with light

Sprinkle some lochans over the windswept moor
some buttery yellow sunshine would be quite nice
come on weather! Bring you're chaos to the table
just a whiteout or a thunderstorm would suffice

let's have a few twinkling stars, like distant kisses
o'er pallet knifed mountains in dark cumuli
come on weather! Bring your chaos to the table
I've stored these scenes in my heart where they can't die

texture the glens with a soft coppery light
beneath a docile mass of rippled sky
come on weather! Bring you're chaos to the table
a fragile silence carole's dreams that will never die

as shadows fall from an overhang of trees
soft light dissolves over a Sapphire sea
come on modern life! Bring your chaos to the table
hope will endure forever in the heart of me.

Photography etym. Painting with Light. Photon - light, Graphos - paint.

Sango sands

Golden Hair - Revisited

in lonely exaltation at the edge of the moor
my mind took me back to a far distant shore
Golden Hair was pottering down by the bay
holding destiny in her satin like sway
singing sands were calling melancholy tunes
evening gusts serenaded over the dunes
the Sandman strolled by on a shimmering sail
to sing you to sleep with a wistful tale
midnight seamstresses of the Great Artist enhance
your eternal silver slippered dreamward dance
with sleepy primroses edging in lines of blue
in surreal vespers she bid her adieu.

Dromnan Pier - the jetty lays bare

I walked down to Dromnan Pier
when I reached it there was nobody there
a dilapidated boat clung to the heather
an empty atmosphere hung in the air
because no boats moor up there anymore
the jetty lays bare and oblivious to it's loss
the tide roars in with a terrible vengeance
the jetty lays bare upholstered in moss
a swell on the sea under a tumbling sky
in time's locked closet many stories were shared
into angry waves the pier held out her hand
but the jetty lays bare because nobody cared!

Dromnan Pier

Shegra beach

wondering aloud on Sheigra beach
decades ago it was paradise for our young family
we spent hours playing in the sand
we all held hands jumping the waves
there was another young family there once
single mum and her two kids
we shared our packed lunch with them
we waved when we left
knowing we would never see them again
our children have no desire to revisit Shegra beach
they waved goodbye to that when they grew up
just like we did to that single Mother

when we reached Polin beach
the mist came down
rain started wafting across in sheets
there was no prospect of any sunshine
but everything was beautiful

Cranstakie

It was easy to start off with, walking on grass
a straightforward pull up an easy angled ridge
just like bringing up a family
our children came along, we had great fun
there was the occasional slip on the greasy heather
but we just picked each other up and carried on

then without  warning the grass gave way to boulders
some were iced and jagged, when you fell it hurt
we were unprepared for the teenage years
the wind changed direction
there were difficult situations we didn't know how to handle
icy arctic blasts swept us off our feet
it was a different walk from the walk we started

eventually we summited
looking down on the township of Durness was wonderful
specks of white sprawled over a luxuriant green robe
the tumultuous coastline stretched golden fingers into the turquoise sea
often we reminisce on times that we cherished with our children
even things that were difficult at the time we now laugh about
we followed our tracks down so that we could observe our mistakes
tho neither of us had the emotional energy to climb the hill again
every now and again swathes of mist reduced our visibility
echoes lost in the mist of time
but when the mist cleared memories came flooding back

eventually we adjusted our horizons to the bar in Durness
the Landlady smiled as she put another log on the fire
as we walked back to the car
there were other walkers heading for Cranstackie
we tried to give them the benefit of our experience
but they preferred to charter their own path.

Towards summit of Cranstakie

Keoldale, Durness from summit of Cranstackie on maximum zoom!

River Dionard

Souvenir from a dream

curtailing fortuity, deemed out of reach
wrapped in disappearance and water and night
but eventually driftwood will land on a beach
so how long will the Otter remain out of sight

my heart leaped within as the bins were passed to me
amidst boats and buoys in the sun's dying ember
an Otter playing in the eddy's of the sea
a slice of Summer in the middle of December

sun blessed blades of grass around you quiver
you perform Dolphin dives under a setting sun
then shower in a waterfall without a shiver
in an open air theater you were just having fun

like a watermark permeating a chasm in your mind
a happy Otter sunbathing on some nearby rocks
rewards of serendipity's amazing find
graceful as a Butterfly cunning as a fox

down in the bay of permanent evocation
you disappeared in seaweed or so it would seem
in muted silence we applauded creation
awe inspiring gift like a souvenir from a dream.

Shieldaig

Sleepy boats in Applecross bay

Ode to Poetry

A painting in your heart you can express with words,
it can teach you things that you don't understand.
Listen to the mountains, listen to the birds
Poetry is inextricably linked to the land

a poem could be an echo from the distant past
it could deliver you from the way you now feel
perhaps about a romance you knew wouldn't last
then to pass from fear to hope on wings of steel

Poetry can see through rose tinted lenses
can paint with expression whether good or bad
soothing to the soul, it always cleanses
can make you feel happy, can make you feel sad

it can open all doors, doesn't have any rules
yet some think they can't write, don't know where to start
intellectually bullied by upper class fools
you don't need a degree, Poetry comes from the heart.

Rhigholter farm

What's in a Wink?

A wink can deliver a powerful message
it can say, "everything will be fine"
                   " I understand what you're going through"
                    " don't worry I get what's going on"
  or even... " stand firm for what you believe"

but as I caught a young lady's dimpled smile in my gaze
from the other side of a crowded room,
a Wink spoke what the eyes had just realized
but what the heart had known for a long, long time

                             it said... " I'm in love with you".

Brokken Spectre

Dreamworldly (Isaiah 41:10)

You broke the shackles but are you really free
stuck in a cruel world you're trying to escape
yet under burdening dark there's a turquoise sea
where your mental wounds will heal and not gape.
Sand castles crumbled in the world's fierce tide
subtle lies like rocks protrude from the sand
see the Old Wise Owl fly from side to side
are you still too stubborn to take a hand?
Our hopes, our wishes, our secret yearning
are fragile hopes lying in smooth decay
tattered dreams keep our small world turning
but like photos in the sun they soon fade away.
I sang you to sleep with lullabies at night,
that Mockingbird's still singing songs in the trees
about a beaming mural stretched out so bright
and a Wise Owl whispering guidance in the breeze.
As the lowering sun spreads the colour of life
and trees lie in wait for the blossom to return
please swallow your pride and unburden your strife
a realization with no need to adjourn.
Brimstones they flutter over a golden loch
in a retinue of hills in the Garden of Fand
the Wise Owl circles the granite shattered rock
It's a sharp summit, please someone grasp my right hand!

Big clouds over Balnakiel bay

Summit of Beinn Spionlaidh

Endurance

Hear the deafening sound of your own heartbeat
pray for strength to endure persecutions heat
a silent scream is slowly building up inside
then the pain begins to eat away at your pride
the demands on your body far exceed the norm
don't throw the towel in, be the eye of the storm
never give up, go and run another mile
see past the finish line, out distance the trial
although anxious thoughts from within you may revolve
nothing on this earth will shake you from your resolve
running with heavy limbs, the pain may be showing
even if you drop down dead, still keep on going!

River Dionard from the ground

Ambrosia's request

Come bring your rubies and emeralds before the Queen
placate the North wind with your pacifying sheen.
The lantern shines through the gauzy mist overhead
on socket pedestals of gold, where no man will e'er tread
as you kissed the swirling compassionate sky
indigo cascaded over the mountain cumuli.
"Leave behind your heartache, leave behind your sorrows
drink my morning dew of endless tomorrows"
hear  the winds of change sing in a soft minor key
like messages in bottles being carried to the sea
hold me in your heart as you float down life's river
enjoy the gift please... but don't forget the Giver!

For a Misfit! (dedicated to ...)

A character in a book you didn't understand
he didn't want anybody to hold his hand
all he wanted was to be seen and to be heard
yet most people found his viewpoints to be absurd.
Away with the starting gun but then he turned back,
led captive to an everlasting sidetrack
he invented things that nobody needed
held secrets that time had long superseded.
Had a lot to give but just missed the beat
got to be in control not in the backseat.
Lost in translation, his words don't come out right
in an instant he's down, then as high as a kite.
A tree in autumn that hangs on to it's leaves
wont ever be shaken from what he believes
aimlessly heading nowhere but knows where he's been..
to see disjointed humanity, where the 'misfits' fit in!

The last day

It's inevitable, the last day of the holiday always comes
time is an ever forward momentum
whether you like it or not, it takes you on a journey
at least you know your memories are complete by the last day.
The pleasure is always in the passing
you spend a whole year looking forward to it
then all the days go and roll into one
a sense if melancholy hangs in the air
you realise you're a year older!
There have been many 'last days' over many holidays.
But what would it be like if you're holiday was your life?
There wouldn't be any last days anymore!

near Dundonell

The INN (part 3 of 'The Ferryman')

The Ferrymans lantern swung in the pouring rain
he heard that his daughter had made it to the INN.
The audience sang to the Drover's refrain
midst discarded cigarettes, rolling dice and gin

Jane had long picked brambles from thorn covered vines
lived an intoned existence yet she had her plans
though Jane was blind she could read between the lines
a chance to escape, she grabbed it with both hands

the INN's cosy light shone at the end of the lane
to Whiskey Jack, Jane's elopement has come to light
she had nothing to lose and everything to gain
Jane's now with Alec and has recieved her respite

see him dramming away yarns, bereft of what's true
then screaming his lies to the starry sky above
but tidal subtleties are demanding their due
his heart had long died to the trueness of love

the landlord played the piano and felt every note
the Ferryman's lantern swung in the pouring rain
given up his search, now in want of his boat
regular at the INN but never seen again

he knew that yesterday would never come back
sailing aimlessly, like a throw of the dice
he knew there would be no-one to take up the slack
the doomed Mariner will pay the ultimate price.

A song before Sunrise

ensconced in my chair
6:00 am with Delius's 'A song before Sunrise'
and a cup of spiced tea.
It's going to be a hectic day
why are we always chasing our tails?
The day passed, meeting in the evening
tea on the run, shower, no time to sit down.
Eventually there is a window of opportunity
at the end of the day
We have a cup of tea together
then it's time for bed
as we sink into the matress
and wrap ourselves around each other
I soon lose the power of speech
abseiling into the delta zone
but just before the Sandman delivers his last blow of sleep
my mind is a blank slate
the machine has stopped
apart from a melody playing in my head
A song before Sunrise.

Resolve

We are many
we are one

false arrest
bullet proof vest.
Devil's claws
slam Jail doors.

We are one

Start's fire
flames get higher

we are many

torn apart
truth in his heart
calm belief
shaken by grief
loved ones cries
fear and lies
this world's air
handle with prayer
madmen rave
on to their grave
carry on
they'll soon be gone

we are many
we are one.

Thought for the day (TFTD)

You can't count the grains of the sand of the sea
you can't grasp the concept of infinity
you can't replicate the fragrance of a Rose
you can't distill the beauty behind poetry and prose
you can't stop the stream of time or change the hour
you can't plumb the depths of creation's tower
you can't paint a picture with a thousand words
you can't decipher the secret language of birds
you can't store the clouds that float in the sky up above
but you can bask in the glow of the warmth of love.

KTDA, MARKLES X.