Category: poetry

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To Lead

To lead or not to lead?
That is the wrong question
For in our hour of need
It’s what to lead that matters more
The core of values and their strength
The door of possibilities
The planted seeds and fruits they bear
It’s there true leadership resides
For tides are changing quickly now
It’s not the who, it’s where and how

Leaders come and leaders go
But which will show a better way
A brighter day because they led
A lighter tread upon the Earth
The birth of purpose in our lives
And work in which our spirit thrives
Let’s not ignore the children’s voice
The choice is ours, to lag or lead
To make the world more green and fair
In ways that care, that hope and dare

Don’t tell me that you lead, for I
Will never be impressed
It’s how you lead that interests me
And what you strive for without rest
It’s where your dreams are taking us
And who will thrive the best
It’s why you lead that tells me more
Than all the feathers in your nest
To lead is nothing special, for
To serve’s the real test

To lead or not to lead?
The question’s quite absurd
For leadership’s the path that freed
The slaves and we need so much more
From shore to shore, where chains remain
And oceans rise, yet leaders’ lies
Support charades and barricades
That cling to glories of the past
Rise up new leaders who can shape
A future that is built to last

Wayne Visser © 2019

Book

Seize the Day: Favourite Inspirational Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together favourite inspirational poems by Wayne Visser. The anthology takes us on a journey through the peaks and troughs of life, celebrating the indomitable human spirit.. It includes many old favourites like “Poets Must Be” and “Chasing the Blue”, as well as brand new poems like “The Writer” and “Making Ripples”. Sages through the ages wisely say: / Carpe Diem – seize the dawning day / Oh, would that I could assuage that thirst / But the day conspires to seize me first! / With the hurry and scurry / Of home’s frantic flurry / And the hustle and bustle / Of work’s tangled tussle. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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Complexity

We’re moving through the tangled maze
Connecting and reflecting
We’re weaving on our loom of days
Creating and remaking

The map is never true nor clear
The path is never straight
And yet a pattern will appear
For we who watch and wait

We’re surfing on the waves of change
Trusting and adjusting
We’re dancing through the halls of strange
Twirling and unfurling

The music beat can always shift
The tides will ebb and flow
And yet a movement will emerge
To take us where we need to go

Wayne Visser © 2019

Book

String, Donuts, Bubbles and Me: Favourite Philosophical Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together philosophical poems by Wayne Visser. In this anthology, he muses on subjects ranging from space, angels and destiny to time, science and meaning in life. According to scientists / The world’s made of string / That buzzes and fuzzes / Or some such strange thing / It’s also a donut / That curls round a hole / With middles and riddles / Just like a fish bowl / And there’s no mistaking / It’s more than 3-D / With twenty or plenty / Dimensions unseen / Still others insist / It’s really a bubble / That’s popping and bopping / Through the lenses of Hubble. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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The Valley of Doubt

Should you find yourself
In the shadowed valley of doubt
Resist the glib temptation
To climb the first path you encounter
Rather linger in that unlit depth
Where new possibilities are gestating
Like a seed in the dark fecund earth

Should you catch yourself
On the swaying bridge of indecision
Let go the impulsive need
To move back to solid ground safety
Rather straddle that great divide
Where the tension of apparent opposites
May reveal a transcendent third way

Should you lose yourself
In the swirling mists of uncertainty
Fight back the compelling urge
To search blindly for the horizon
Rather be still amidst the chaos
Where seemingly random forces
Are connecting butterflies and typhoons

And as you wait, as you watch and wish
Be ever vigilant, be alert and alive
For when the right path appears
When the third way unveils itself
When synchronicity sparks brightly
You must rise and choose and act
With new hope, bold faith and brave love

Wayne Visser © 2019

Book

Seize the Day: Favourite Inspirational Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together favourite inspirational poems by Wayne Visser. The anthology takes us on a journey through the peaks and troughs of life, celebrating the indomitable human spirit.. It includes many old favourites like “Poets Must Be” and “Chasing the Blue”, as well as brand new poems like “The Writer” and “Making Ripples”. Sages through the ages wisely say: / Carpe Diem – seize the dawning day / Oh, would that I could assuage that thirst / But the day conspires to seize me first! / With the hurry and scurry / Of home’s frantic flurry / And the hustle and bustle / Of work’s tangled tussle. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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Earth Affirmation

I am the rock
Solid and silent
Watching the wheeling stars above me
Forming and transforming the landscape
With millennial patience

I am the tree
Standing and swaying
Sheltering the bustling life below me
Greening and redreaming the desert
With emergent vision

I am the river
Freeform and flowing
Quenching the thirsty needs around me
Snaking and remaking the valleys
With gentle artistry

I am the flower
Budding and blooming
Inviting the buzzing bees to kiss me
Lighting and brightening the meadows
With fragrant palette

I am the mountain
Sturdy and stretching
Touching the vaulted sky above me
Aspiring and inspiring the climbers
With panoramic promise

I am the forest
Dappled and diverse
Clothing the naked land beneath me
Breathing and reweaving the pattern
With tangled beauty

I am the ocean
Tugging and teasing
Courting the silver moon beyond me
Swelling and retelling the stories
With timeless mystery

I am the Earth
Vital and vulnerable
Defying the barren space around me
Thriving and surviving the fever
With resilient wisdom

Wayne Visser © 2019

Book

Wishing Leaves: Favourite Nature Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together nature poems by Wayne Visser, celebrating the diversity, beauty and ever-changing moods of our planet. The anthology includes many old favourites like “I Think I Was a Tree Once” and “A Bug’s Life”, as well as brand new poems like “Monet’s Dream” and “The Environmentalist”. Then as we turned our faces to the moon / Our hands entwined, our hearts in sync, in tune / We felt the fingers of the silken breeze / And made our wishes on the falling leaves / A gust of wind set off a whispered sigh / Among the trees that leaned against the sky.  Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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Fleeting

I’m writing these words
Without too much to say
Except that I’m thinking
Of you on this day

Our words are so fleeting
Like birds in the sky
They often say what
And seldom say why

I’m writing these symbols
Without riddle or code
Except that life’s cipher
Unlocks love on the road

Our letters are bottles
That float on the sea
They reach distant shores
And set their words free

I’m writing this letter
Without reason or rhyme
Except that our bonding
Transcends space and time

Wayne Visser © 2018

Book

Life in Transit: Favourite Travel & Tribute Poems

This creative collection, now in its 2nd edition, brings together travel and tribute poems by Wayne Visser. The anthology pays tribute to the likes of Nelson Mandela, Maya Angelou, Barack Obama, Antoni Gaudí & Leonardo da Vinci, and reflects on travels ranging from China and South Africa to Ecuador and Russia. Life is lived in the in-between / In transit / Between coming and going / Between staying and moving on / Between here and there / And what we call home / What we call settled or contented / Is merely a resting place / A station for refuelling / A nexus for reconnecting / A junction for changing direction. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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Yes!

I’m saying ‘Yes!’ to life
With all its cravings and curve-balls
With its delights and detours
Over rocky ground and smooth
Trusting the flow and determined
To enjoy the ride

I’m saying ‘Yes!’ to love
With all its beauty and blood-thorns
With its dope and disappointments
Over lovers lost and found
Trusting the wind and willing
To sail the seas

I’m saying ‘Yes!’ to learning
With all its flavours and false starts
With its secrets and surprises
Over letting go and giving
Trusting the path and open
To walk the bend

I’m saying ‘Yes!’ to living
With all its weirdness and wisdom
With its breakdowns and bust-ups
Over matters great and small
Trusting the light and happy
To share the shine

Wayne Visser © 2019

Book

Seize the Day: Favourite Inspirational Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together favourite inspirational poems by Wayne Visser. The anthology takes us on a journey through the peaks and troughs of life, celebrating the indomitable human spirit.. It includes many old favourites like “Poets Must Be” and “Chasing the Blue”, as well as brand new poems like “The Writer” and “Making Ripples”. Sages through the ages wisely say: / Carpe Diem – seize the dawning day / Oh, would that I could assuage that thirst / But the day conspires to seize me first! / With the hurry and scurry / Of home’s frantic flurry / And the hustle and bustle / Of work’s tangled tussle. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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Home

Home is the centre of love
That we create with and for each other
Home is the safe space
Where we can be ourselves, unmasked
Home is the place of joy
Brought alive by family and friends

When we are weary
Home is the resting place of rejuvenation
When we are winning
Home is the swirling room of victory dancing
When we are dreaming
Home is the flaming hearth of endless possibility

Home is setting down roots
For a day, a year or a lifetime
Home is our treasure chest
To store shared memories, old and new
Home is our small piece of earth
To take care of and nurture together

Wayne Visser © 2019

Book

String, Donuts, Bubbles and Me: Favourite Philosophical Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together philosophical poems by Wayne Visser. In this anthology, he muses on subjects ranging from space, angels and destiny to time, science and meaning in life. According to scientists / The world’s made of string / That buzzes and fuzzes / Or some such strange thing / It’s also a donut / That curls round a hole / With middles and riddles / Just like a fish bowl / And there’s no mistaking / It’s more than 3-D / With twenty or plenty / Dimensions unseen / Still others insist / It’s really a bubble / That’s popping and bopping / Through the lenses of Hubble. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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The Elements

When leaves are red and clouds are grey
When vision fades and edges fray
I turn towards the changing sky
To teach me that all things must die

When days are dark and nights are long
When less is more and right feels wrong
I call upon the patient earth
To teach me in the ways of birth

When branches bud and flowers bloom
When life emerges from the womb
I give my thanks for flowing streams
To teach me how to nurture dreams

When skies are blue and hopes are high
When love is bright and wishes fly
I turn towards the blazing sun
To teach me how the race is run

The elements of life’s desire –
Air and water, earth and fire –
Combine to make the circle whole:
The swirl of body, mind and soul.

Wayne Visser © 2019

Book

Wishing Leaves: Favourite Nature Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together nature poems by Wayne Visser, celebrating the diversity, beauty and ever-changing moods of our planet. The anthology includes many old favourites like “I Think I Was a Tree Once” and “A Bug’s Life”, as well as brand new poems like “Monet’s Dream” and “The Environmentalist”. Then as we turned our faces to the moon / Our hands entwined, our hearts in sync, in tune / We felt the fingers of the silken breeze / And made our wishes on the falling leaves / A gust of wind set off a whispered sigh / Among the trees that leaned against the sky.  Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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Earth Spirit

Whenever life gets me down
When I feel disconsolate, disillusioned, disconnected
Wandering aimlessly and wondering wistfully
When something’s amiss and I don’t know what it is
I find it helps to call upon the Spirit of the Earth
To invoke that which moves and breathes and infuses all life
To remind me of my vital place in the universe
Where I am inextricably linked, connected, enmeshed
Swaying in sync with the moon and tides
Stretching for the skies along with trees and birds
Singing in unconscious harmony with nature’s chorus
And never truly alone, or cut off or superfluous
Never really without direction or bereft of love
For the great Earth Spirit enfolds me and entwines us
It binds our actions and amplifies our intentions
It is the spirit of possibility and positivity
The source of our energy and the web of our dreams
It bathes us in the wisdom of countless aeons
And heals us with the gentle rays of time
Therefore, in our hour of need and season of doubt
Let us be open to the promise of the Earth Spirit
To the hope that rises within us
To the faith that extends beyond us
To the love that gathers around us
Let us welcome the invisible power of the planet
And the indivisible power of the people
Let us be guardians and advocates of our Earth
Even as the Earth nurtures and cares for us
Let our Earth Spirit invocation be a commitment
To live and love in the highest and truest way we know
For the sake of ourselves
For the future of our children
And for the life of our only home, Earth.

Inspired by and dedicated to Juanita Visser. See https://www.earthspirithealing.co.uk/

Wayne Visser © 2019

Book

Wishing Leaves: Favourite Nature Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together nature poems by Wayne Visser, celebrating the diversity, beauty and ever-changing moods of our planet. The anthology includes many old favourites like “I Think I Was a Tree Once” and “A Bug’s Life”, as well as brand new poems like “Monet’s Dream” and “The Environmentalist”. Then as we turned our faces to the moon / Our hands entwined, our hearts in sync, in tune / We felt the fingers of the silken breeze / And made our wishes on the falling leaves / A gust of wind set off a whispered sigh / Among the trees that leaned against the sky.  Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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Giving Up

I’m giving up –
Not on life, but on those actions that threaten life
Not on living, but on those habits that distract from living
Not on loving, but on those fears that get in the way of loving

I’m giving up
Food that forges a chain of suffering and death
Clothes that weave a garment of exploitation and shame
Fuels that are harbingers of cancer and climate catastrophe

I’m giving up –
Not on people, but on the poor choices that people make
Not on freedom, but on the complacency that cripples freedom
Not on hope, but on the sense of impotence that kills all hope

I’m giving up
Words that break down rather than build up others
Work that lacks a greater purpose of improving society
Products that leave a trail of misery and waste in their wake

I’m giving up –
For the good of myself and those who have less than I do
For the good of the planet and those who share its blue-green bounty
For the good of the children and those who will inherent what we leave behind

I’m giving up
All these things and more –
In my best and brightest and bravest moments –
For good

Wayne Visser © 2019

Book

Wishing Leaves: Favourite Nature Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together nature poems by Wayne Visser, celebrating the diversity, beauty and ever-changing moods of our planet. The anthology includes many old favourites like “I Think I Was a Tree Once” and “A Bug’s Life”, as well as brand new poems like “Monet’s Dream” and “The Environmentalist”. Then as we turned our faces to the moon / Our hands entwined, our hearts in sync, in tune / We felt the fingers of the silken breeze / And made our wishes on the falling leaves / A gust of wind set off a whispered sigh / Among the trees that leaned against the sky.  Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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