I'll Be On My Way

Watch as the clock comes winding down

You can't stop it this time
The hourglass is upside down
Tryin' to make it in time
Faster than the speed of sound
The pendulum is swinging
The arm of the clock is coming down
To reign upon me
And it will pass right through me
And I'll be on my way
And I'll be on my way
Right through the heat of blazing suns
The flames are high around me
I push away the flaming guns
And let the light surround me
It is chaotic in the dark
But I don't have to worry
The light is always with me
So I'll be on my way
I'll be on my way
Right through the dimness of the path
Leading through the twilight
Through the moonlit sacred path
Forward to the break of dawn
In the place where I belong
So I'll be on my way
I'll be on my way
And so another day has passed
And I will keep on aging
But I don't care as long as I
Get to where I'm going
Someplace far beyond the stars
That just manage to contain me
So I will break the bonds that tie me
And I'll be on my way
I'll be on my way
Right through the freezing cold
Of the chilling moonlit night
I can see my own cold breath
But my own fire warms me
Nothing can ever slow me down
There's no way to contain it
You cannot put me out
So I'll be on my way
I'll be on my way
Watch as the clock is slowly stopped
Watch as the hand hits midnight
See all the sand that's fallen down
Have I made it in time
Well I'll be on my way
I'll be on my way
I'll be on my way

Celebrate The Universe

The Earth is beautiful, but sometimes I wish I could fly away and see.
Another distant and far away galaxy.
Looking above planet Earth.
I want to celebrate the universe.

A deep dark black night.

Stars burning gases, shining so bright.
Some in clusters, some in binaries, some on their own.
Like our sun shining on planet Earth our home.

Every night, I look out at the stars and wonder.

How many things lie out there undiscovered.

Spinning pulsars, massive black holes.

Neutron stars. How the universe glows.
Meteors burning up in the atmosphere.
You can see one if you're lucky and the sky is clear.

Comets flying by.

Like balls with a tail streaking across the sky.
Built with elements that make up us and what we see around.
The life in the sky as well as on the ground.
 Every night, I look out at the stars and wonder.
How many things lie out there undiscovered.

Looking above. Looking above.

Looking above planet Earth.
I want to celebrate the universe.

Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)

Mont Blanc

The everlasting universe of things

Flows through the mind, and rolls its rapid waves,
Now dark--now glittering-no", reflecting gloom
Now lending splendor, where from secret springs
The source of human thought its tribute brings
Of waters-with a sound but half its own,
Such as a feeble brook will oft assume
In the wild woods, among the mountains lone,
Where waterfalls around it leap forever,
Where woods and winds contend, and a vast river
Over its rocks ceaselessly bursts and raves.

The fields, the lakes, the forests, and the streams,

Ocean, and all the living things that dwell
Within the daedal earth; lightning, and rain,
Earthquake, and fierv flood, and hurricane,
The torpor of the year when feeble dreams
Visit the hidden buds, or dreamless sleep
Holds every future leaf and flower; the bound
With which from that detested trance they leap;
The works and ways of man, their death and birth,
And that of him and all that his may be;
All things that move and breathe with toil and sound
Are born and die; revolve, subside, and swell.
Power dwells apart in its tranquillity,
Remote, serene, and inaccessible:
And this, the naked countenance of earth,
On which I gaze, even these primaeval mountains
Teach the adverting mind. The glaciers creep
Like snakes that watch their prey, from their far fountains,
Slow rolling on; there, many a precipice,
Frost and the Sun in scorn of mortal power
Have piled: dome, pyramid, and pinnacle,
A city of death, distinct with many a tower
And wall impregnable of beaming ice.
Yet not a city, but a flood of ruin
Is there, that from the boundaries of the sky
Rolls its perpetual stream; vast pines are strewing
Its destined path, or in the mangled soil
Branchless and shattered stand; the rocks ' drawn down
From yon remotest waste, have overthrown
The limits of the dead and living world,
Never to be reclaimed. The dwelling place
Of insects, beasts, and birds, becomes its spoil
Their food and their retreat for ever gone,
So much of life and joy is lost. The race
Of man flies far in dread; his work and dwelling
Vanish, like smoke before the tempest's stream,
And their place is not known. Below, vast caves
Shine in the rushing torrents' restless gleam,
Which from those secret chasms in tumult welling
Meet in the vale, and one majestic River,
The breath and blood of distant lands, forever
Rolls its loud waters to the ocean waves,
Breathes its swift vapors to the circling air.

Mont Blanc et gleams on high-the power is there,

The still and solemn power of many sights,
And many sounds, and much of life and death.
11, the calm darkness of the moonless nights,
In the lone glare of day, the snows descend
Upon that Mountain- none beholds them there,
Nor when the flakes burn in the sinking sun,
Or the star-beams dart through them-Winds contend
Silently there, and heap the snow with breath
Rapid and strong, but silently! Its home
The voiceless lightning in these solitudes
Keeps innocently, and like vapor broods
Over the snow. The secret Strength of things
Which governs thought, and to the infinite dome
Of Heaven is as a law, Inhabits thee!
And what were thou, and earth, and stars, and sea,
if to the human mind's imaginings
Silence and solitude were vacancy?

..

Listening to the Universe

There is a rhythm to these things
a pace that cannot be controlled
only fought against in vain
or flowed into and with

there is a boat rocking on the waves

listening and responding to each ripple
with like motion of its own

there is a flapping of wings

stretched out into the air
riding each wind current
caressing the sky that envelopes
. clutter is all around
noisy in its demand for attention
loud in its glaring, bright glitter
filling up our ears with clatter
obscuring the quiet rumbling of timelessness
with its whining urgency

so the least important must be heard out first

and in its entirety
leaving little time for that which
we most need to hear
and to listen to

© Shelley Harrison
www.shelleyharrison.com
 Stars
by Midnight

lazy days
lonely nights
looking for a lonely star
who'd keep me company

looking at the widespread sky

being me a lonely soul
gazing at the moon so bright
making wishes `pon a star

a blow of breeze
to animate
the freezing scene

so the strings of white gold ribbons

seem to tease the lonely moon
because it is standing still
and they are free to move

"twinkle twinkle little star . . . "

I used to sing when I was young
now I've grown but still today
" . . . how I wonder what you are"

lying down upon the meadows

dream of flying up so high
reach the stars, sit on the moon
dancing ballet with the cloud
The Flower of Stars Opal Whiteley

There be Stars in the sky

And Stars in the heart of man

And Stars in the soul of a child

And Stars in the eyes of woman

This be a little book

Of a flowering of these Stars

That are lamps to man’s way

A Little Offering

To God

Because

He Made the World So Beautiful

And

To Father and Mother

Because

They Showed the Way

 Night took up the web of life and wove a star

of amethyst and silver glimmering.

So wove she into beauty the little failures of man,

but his successes she cast to Earth again.

Before the earth that we live on

Was come into being.

Now in the beginning Music was with God,

And Music dwelt In the heart of God.

And all new things that He made,

Were appointed a part; So that while yet

He was creating other worlds

The Stars held a cantata

in honor of this glory.

The Great Symphony

Was born that day.

And everywhere and all where

The Brotherhood of the Stars

Caught up the refrain and sang of UNITY.

The Cantata of the Stars

Lasted a trillion years,

 And many new worlds were begun,

Among them, our earth.

Then it was a little white altar flame

In the high hall of Heaven,

Born of the thought of God

and the Song of a Star.

Stars poem - Emily Bronte

Ah! why, because the dazzling sun
Restored our earth to joy
Have you departed, every one,
And left a desert sky?

All through the night, your glorious eyes

Were gazing down in mine,
And with a full heart's thankful sighs
I blessed that watch divine!

I was at peace, and drank your beams

As they were life to me
And revelled in my changeful dreams
Like petrel on the sea.
Thought followed thought star followed star
Through boundless regions on,
While one sweet influence, near and far,
Thrilled through and proved us one.

Why did the morning dawn to break

So great, so pure a spell,
And scorch with fire the tranquil cheek
Where your cool radiance fell?

Blood-red he rose, and arrow-straight

His fierce beams struck my brow:
The soul of Nature sprang elate,
But mine sank sad and low!
My lids closed down, yet through their veil
I saw him blazing still;
And steep in gold the misty dale
And flash upon the hill.

I turned me to the pillow then

To call back Night, and see
Your worlds of solemn light, again
Throb with my heart and me!

It would not do the pillow glowed

And glowed both roof and floor,
And birds sang loudly in the wood,
And fresh winds shook the door.

The curtains waved, the wakened flies

Were murmuring round my room,
Imprisoned there, till I should rise
And give them leave to roam.

O Stars and Dreams and Gentle Night;

O Night and Stars return!
And hide me from the hostile light
That does not warm, but burn

That drains the blood of suffering men;

Drinks tears, instead of dew:
Let me sleep through his blinding reign,
And only wake with you!