Category: wisdom

The Wise Old Tailor

On By jovisgoesIn Fun, Poetry, wisdomLeave a comment
Rinaldo Rinaldi
Rinaldo Rinaldi

He sits cross-legged with fingers poised
His needle threaded with fine silken cord
As a bright new pattern takes over all thought
He starts a new coat very soon to be bought.

In each and every coat that he’s made
A customer’s future has been finely inlaid
For the tailor is also a very wise man
And he makes people happier whenever he can.

This maker of scarves and coats of all sizes
Won praise from the King, who gave him nice prizes
The new coat he’s making is for the King’s son
And he’ll sew in much wisdom and lots of good fun.

When the day comes that the boy takes the throne
He’ll be filled with such wisdom as never he’s known
The tailor talks not of such things, he won’t tell
He just smiles to himself to see all that is well.

©Joe Wilson – The Wise Old Tailor 2014

Written for children to enjoy

The Master

On By jovisgoesIn Education, Friendship, Life, Poetry, wisdom, WritingLeave a comment

KESS
King Edward VI Grammar School, Stafford. My old school.
We were just a bunch of teenage boys
Who’d grown up playing with Dinky toys
Who now sat in this Master’s class
Exams upcoming we had to pass.

With Fowler’s Usage in his hand
He strode amongst our hapless band
And taught us all of composition
And how to use a preposition.

He always wore a teacher’s gown
That seemed to match his careworn frown
With his long chin we called him Drac
While flirting ink-bombs at his back.

His language classes were of renown
And in them none would play the clown
He made it ever seem such fun
Including always everyone.

He also taught us English Lit
The class that was my favourite bit
Though as most favoured Shakespearean pickings
My personal choice was always Dickens.

While Edward Lear wrote tales of Nonsense
Charles Dickens had a social conscience
Writing tales of deprivation
Still he entertained the nation.

Our Master taught me all of this
And lost in books I am in bliss
And I thank Tom Davis for it was he
Who opened my eyes and set me free.

©Joe Wilson – The Master 2014

Frailty

On By jovisgoesIn Illness, Life, Loss, old age, Poetry, Regret, wisdomLeave a comment

“I think therefore I am” Descartes once said
But with no thought left is one then dead?
For now, my head is full of thought
Some is random and some was taught
I fight so hard to keep it full
Against inevitable ageing’s pull
I’ll write my words, do crosswords too
Anything that will stir my stew
I’ll fight it every which way too
By always finding things to do
But if it finally comes to pass
You’ll find me in the old long grass.

In the warren that is my mind
I remember that I must be kind
Ere long will I remember that
Growing frail is such a twat!

©Joe Wilson – Frailty… 2014

“Cogito ergo sum” “Je pense, donc je suis”
Rene Descartes (31 March 1596 – 11 February 1650)

…it will never stop…

On By jovisgoesIn heroes, Life, Loss, old age, Poetry, War, wisdomLeave a comment

old-man-reading-200x200

He sits there reading, happy enough now in his own company
what is it he reads -ah yes – a Tale of Two Cities
a favourite, but one which evokes an old memory
of long ago when he was just a young man.

Of a time when war raged across Europe like a plague
when it was in the grip of a madman bent
on seizing power everywhere and not caring how
and men like him and many of his friends went.

But then there seemed a real purpose to it
and besides, he met Françoise and loved her so
and later with many of his friends now dead
it was over so he went back home with Françoise instead.

Now she also is no more, killed by muggers who were armed
and he sits all alone, no girls, no sons
wondering why his country’s leaders
can never see the futility of all the guns.

Once more the planet rages with war
once more there will be unnecessary deaths
he finds himself wishing the impossible thought
the non-invention of guns, and it leaves him short of breath.

Sadly men would have just found another way to kill each other
– and that is the real problem. It never goes away.

 

©Joe Wilson – …it will never stop…2014

Tender is the heart…

On By jovisgoesIn Life, Loss, Love, Poetry, Regret, wisdomLeave a comment

NiePytajONic
Artwork by NiePytajONic
Tender is the heart that breaks at night
when hurt will come and cause such ache
and sleep will never come to stop
the tears that fill the deep dark lake.

A kindly word could change things
but so rarely is it heard
it would show the pain is understood
but she never hears a word.

He lies there too in his own thoughts
not beginning to understand
they loved each so much one time
their life now is not as was planned.

But how very different it could have been
if only they had both spoken
it had only needed some kindness
and now both their hearts are broken.

Tender is the heart at night that loves
as it searches for its soul-mate
it needs to feel that it is cherished
before it suddenly gets too late.

Tender is the lonely heart
tender the lonely soul
pride can make you drift apart
but your heart will bear the toll.

 

©Joe Wilson – Tender is the heart…2014

Keeping faith

On By jovisgoesIn Belief, Life, Love, Poetry, wisdomLeave a comment

Woven throughout the passage of time
a life image of every soul
each setting out on its journey
and striving to reach the goal.

Often falling along the way
each choice a test of fate
and wrong decisions that will be made
results we don’t anticipate.

A bitter word here, a kind word there
differences that we settle
choices for peace or violence
oft put us on our mettle.

Encounters on the way we make
can cause us so much ill
but choices that we make for good
will linger with us still.

And so we make our journey
each move is new and fresh
the aim to be true to one’s self
from that day we leave the crèche.

Perhaps we choose a mate ere long
to help and guide us through
the best ones are the ones we love
they help to keep us true.

We have our faith, a private thing
it helps us as we travel
and when we stumble and we fall
we sometimes will unravel.

It’s then we test in our belief
and sometimes we’re found wanting
but guidance from within the faith
can make our tasks less daunting.

And so we pick our way again
our faith perhaps restored
and certainty that lives well spent
are blessed and never bored.

If we work hard and we believe
and keeping faith try not to stray
a time will come at journey’s end
when we will see the better day.

©Joe Wilson – Keeping faith 2014

We just keep going

On By jovisgoesIn Poetry, wisdom, WritingLeave a comment

Power of Words

Wasted moments ere we tarry
Time  not always on our side
Making plans but not completing
They get swallowed in the tide.

Of life that seems to sweep before us
Courage fails to stir our soul
Ideas falling by the wayside
Stay the hand from touching goal.

And chance may come to make our mark
We reach to grasp the offered boon
By working hard for gifts so rare
Success may come, but not too soon.

And so we plough the furrow long
All working at our chosen craft
The joy of being published shines
Especially if you’ve next work’s draft.

©Joe Wilson –  2014

The Strive

On By jovisgoesIn Poetry, wisdom, WritingLeave a comment

quill

Weaving our way out of obscurity
side-stepping the positively bland
we seek to bypass mediocrity
and strive for supreme quality
in the hope of making our stand.

Sitting, quills, pens, or fingers poised
we wait, we wait, as thoughts emerge
then off we gallop, focussed, keen
often lost within our thoughts
patiently creative, the ideas converge.

Looking perhaps to distant past
chance could we upon a worded track
down which the writers have all moved forth
noting down with deft learnt skills
they raise their voice and don’t look back.

That we can match such contribution
the aim of all who follow along
the thoughts that all need writing down
ere minds play tricks and they get forgotten
Transcribed then and to us they belong.

©Joe Wilson – The strive 2014

Drunk in beauty

On By jovisgoesIn Poetry, Point of View, wisdomLeave a comment

I‘m drunk
I’m drunk
I’m drunk on the possibilities of life and those that choose to live it
I’m drunk with the goodness of some and how they shine out like a beacon
I’m drunk on the wonders of good books and the pleasures they bring to the reader
I’m drunk with the beauty of music and the excitement and peace it can evoke
I’m drunk by the way a thought can just pop into my head and allow me expression
I’m drunk by the beauty of nature and how it can beguile me in its diversity
But I’m captivated by the person who would take the trouble
To see another struggle and ask if they might help in some way.
That is far more honest than any of our politicians or most celebrities
It is one person at the basic unspoilt level of humanity
that we sadly rarely encounter, and much less embrace in our busy lives.

©Joe Wilson – Drunk in beauty 2014

wisdom

On By jovisgoesIn Poetry, wisdomLeave a comment

wisdom1

the acid just burns away at your guts
it is the commonest feature of bile
it grabs at the chest and causes such pain
from carrying the hatred all that while.

it was carried about for so many years
and it tore at the heart feelings too
leaving a husk that was almost burnt out
and inside that husk – there is you.

such bitter thoughts have followed you
and anger at what they had done
so now you’ve returned for what purpose
– to finish what they had begun?

they thought they’d done right, they were wrong
they exiled you once – and will again
for the genes that run right through your bloodline
make you different to all other men.

try forgiveness – they’ve ignorance on their side
but you’re an intellect with no such excuse
one man turned his face against such menace once
and showed courage in the face of abuse.

let go of the anger that’s within you
or ignorance will win – yet again
for it will always fall to the wisest
to stand up to malevolent men.

©Joe Wilson – wisdom 2014