Poems by Barbara Loveland from her unpublished collection, Heart Explosions. She captures her life – inner and outer – in the Community.

A Heart Tree

I painted a heart tree
in memory
of all those hearts out there
that care.
I painted strong roots
and tender shoots
to remind me
that I’m as free as I want to be.
I painted different coloured hearts,
in memory
of all of life’s diversity.

 

Dichotomy of Feeling

As I walked into the Newbold kitchen
I was met by a barrage of love
– all directions coming for me –
A multitude of feelings,
affections, tender eyes, contact,
filling me up, feeding me;
energies rampant
as I step into a vortex of love-buzz,
sweeping me off my feet

Can I handle it?
Can I be in it?
Can I allow it in?

I am overwhelmed

Is it safe
to be open completely?
Or should I be
closed, a little …
Let love trickle in slowly

It’s a warm balm
It alarms my senses
I want to run away
Be alone
I want to groan in ecstasy
at love’s power and passion
knocking on my door
pawing like a cat at my lap

And then, the ecstasy of playing with food
Sensuous food!
To knead and cut
and wallow in the flavours,
the smell – so many smells –
taking me away on a fountain of juices,
ripe with sheer ripeness of colour,
texture, nectar, subtle flavours,
powerful explosions of soft and warm
between my fingers;
lingering smells on cloth and breath

Leaving, I’m full
Fed
Love has struck me down again
in all ways
in all senses
in all delights

Food
You
God
All of life
Pulsating …

 

The Wild Sea

Yes we went down there
Abi and me
Yes we were crazy –
Such a cold sea –
Into the waves
We would scream
We would run
Leaping the waves
It was wild
It was fun
Nothing would stop us
The cold and the rain
Crisp early mornings
Again and again
Hitting the waves
The pain and the play
Greeting the sea
Whatever the day
Something so primitive
Back to the source
The waves come down crashing
What power what force
We’d leap in the iciness
We’d leap in the foam
We’d scream with delight
Be numb to the bone
Then one last time
Just one more dive
To run up the sand
So alive, so alive!

 

Simplicity

A snail leaves a trail, a silver trail
that plays with the morning dew.
Life leaves a trail, an invisible trail
that lives in the heart of you.