Poems and Paintings created in October 2025
- Emma Major
- 1 day ago
- 13 min read
Below are most of the poems I wrote in October 2025, there are actually too many to fit in one post, with some of the paintings which accompanied them. You can find all the paintings at this link…
Inspired by the “Can these bones live?” Conference.
In wanderlust solitude nature speaks
A silver breath rises where the wilds calls
Bird songs tease my heart from shadowed peaks
Inviting me deeper into their thrall
The forest beckons with whispers so sweet
A chorus of life in each rustling leaf
Sober melodies echo beneath my feet
Guiding my soul from it's burden and grief
Wheels enter on paths both familiar and new
Chasing horizons wrapped in amber light
Home feels alive in each shade I pursue
Nature's soft voice makes the world feel right
So here I linger ‘neath branches that sway
In stillness of woods is where wanderers stay
...
Within the shadows
Ravens summon the sunlight
Weaving hopeful homes
...
Never judge a bird
By the colour of feathers
Listen to their song
...
Fledglings take their flight
Wings trembling on the dawn breeze
Sun whispers “believe”
...
The earliest birds
Concealed by smoke and shadows
Catch the breakfast worms
Caged birds long for their freedom
Even on these darkest days
...
Crows
Crafty and clever
Creating tools to solve tasks
Curating their grief
...
bird song as sun sets
sharing their harmonic thanks
welcoming the night
...
Constant uncertainty
Full of anxiety
Tears and sadness
Does anyone care less?
It's a normal reaction
It's ok to feel it
You don't have to hide it
Feel free to share it
Then pause for a moment
To notice the blessings
From bird song at dawn
To online connections
Focus on hope
On changes to come
When God enters the hearts
Of those who ignore us
For light still shines bright
In every dark dawn
We just need to hold on
Fearfully and lovingly
..
Finding hope as I listen to the birds sing at the break of dawn and draw prayerfully
...
Interrupted sleep
It awakens me again
Dawn chorus of pain
On a soundtrack of birdsong
I give thanks for the morning
...
When darkness descends
I remember "I will be...
Colourful again"
As the dawn breaks light
A friend whispers quietly
"You still shine brightly"
...
You weave your nests
Carefully
Creatively
Into homes of security
With abandoned sticks
Rejected
Discarded
Yet for your nest perfect
…
I truly believe
There is beauty in darkness
Though often unseen
Unobservable
Behind obscured shards
Of pervading pain
Sensing the light
Despite overwhelming fear
Shines hope into shadows
Glimpse by glimpse
Leading us onwards
Into each new dawn
...
The moon knows my truth
The unimaginable things
Unspeakable words
Unpaintable forms
Unbiddable feelings
Trapped under ice
Of frozen heartbreak
Hidden as ghosts
Of long lost promises
Caught in the night jar
Of lives lived from afar
There is no forgetting
Yet we forgive the beginning
The middling
The nostalgic ending
Until the sun starts rising
Devouring the pain within
...
Fall foliage blesses new life as it decomposes
Enriching the earth with seasons of experience
Reminding us that rotten years of pain exposes
Cradled hearts of hope growing victorious
...
Seeking paths of peace
Separating innocents
From those who terrorise hearts
Trails of hope beat breathlessly
Lit with acceptance and love
...
Storms leave me undone
Tears of pain raining sideways
Cleansing my anguish
...
Another day in pain
Begins with smile and strain
Curated by the brain
Destroying plans again
Enveloped with disdain
Fear rattles like a chain
Groaning in the rain
How am I staying sane?
I wish this torture would abstain
Just give up it's campaign
Knowingly I try not to complain
Life will not go down the drain
May I maintain
Not just restrain
Oscillating as I wane
Pulling against the grain
Querying the arcane
Rippling through the refrain
Shuddering as I contain
Tumultuously I refuse to be slain
Underneath I research and retrain
Villainous causes WILL be slain
Wisely I navigate the chicane
Xraying yet another sprain
You WILL find the eye of this hurricane
Zeroing in on a cure for pain
...
Sometimes my brain feels like it needs a restart
Other times as if it's instructing my body to fall apart
Other times like it's being infiltrated
Demoulded
Delineated
Defeated
As if the synapses are corrupted
Disrupted
Interrupted
Stunted
All the signals keep misfiring and overacting before distracting then subtracting my ability to...... where was I?
Some call this brain fog
But it feels more like a slog
Through a messed up catalogue
Read as a monologue
By an old dog
So I take it a day at a time
An hour at a time
A second at a time
And if just one minute is fine
I give thanks for the sublime
...
Your perpetual promises to change
Cast a shadow over our lived reality
Your words are hollow, all sparks and excitement
But now we know, you are morally monstrous
It would be easier to survive in the winter of cold confinement
Than dream of summers full of inclusion and improvement
But you spring your plans, colourful with hope
Before leaving them clinging lifeless, like a leaf on an autumn branch
...
Walking disaster
That's me. But sat in my wheels
I zoom around free
…
The tests conclude everything's ok
You must stop crying wolf
You say you're in pain but your smiling
You must stop crying wolf
All the scans are unremarkable
You must stop crying wolf
Your symptoms don't fit the text book
You must stop crying wolf
There there dear it's nothing
You must stop crying wolf
The years pass by
We no longer even try
To get them to hear our cry
We just struggle and sigh
Until quite by chance
Someone takes a glance
Notices our circumstance
Though we don't sing or dance
Has no one ever suggested "this"?
How could they be so remiss?
Why did everyone just dismiss?
So sorry you were left in the abyss!
I wish you'd advocated for yourself
Pushed harder to be diagnosed early
You shouldn't have been left on the shelf
A lot of damage can't be reversed sadly
Wait a minute or three
Why is the blame on me?
I was gaslit repeatedly
No one bothered to take it seriously
Oh yes we are very sorry
But you see
It wasn't me
So let's move forward gratefully
So we put aside anger and disappointment
Lay down the trauma and discontentment
Try to ignore the pain and deep resentment
And trust that the future will be transcendent
...
Pearly glint of stars so bright
Radiant sunsets warm and gold
Elegant memories of stories told
Caring hearts on darkest night
Inner peace of friendships hold
Offering solace turns dark to light
Unique moments pure and bold
Shining stars a timeless sight
...
As the longest night
Darkens the dawn of the day
Ghostly musings mourn
...
In golden light the memories bloom bright
When laughter danced upon the summer air
Each moment held as treasure in the night
The warmth of sun a canvas draped in light
We chased the waves our worries laid so bare
In golden light the memories bloom bright
With fireflies that twinkled in pure delight
We shared our dreams beneath the stars’ cool glare
Each moment held as treasure in the night
The scent of grass the sky a vivid sight
The sweet embrace of freedom everywhere
In golden light the memories bloom bright
Though time will pass and seasons take their flight
Those sun-kissed days with joy and no despair
Each moment held as treasure in the night
So here I stand with echoes clear and light
Forever framed in warmth beyond compare
In golden light the memories bloom bright
Each moment held as treasure in the night
...
Has a spider walked across this ink splattered page?
With delicate steps did it dance in a rage?
Each blot is a tale
In this wobbly detail
A story of art both wild and sage
...
Pain is a matter of fact but
Immeasurable
Even when understood
Unjustifiable
Despite endless endeavours
Unquantifiable
On any single day
Variable
As seasons change
Unstable
Researchers conclude it's
Paradoxical
Experienced by all yet
Uninterpretable
Physical but really
Neurological
We all agree it's
Reprehensible
...
Sapphire blue like skies
Sparkling with secrets untold
Depths of dreams reside
...
Like an old soul I lift my voice
Round the campfire of truth
Releasing streams of melodies
From the hidden places in my heart
As sly foxes awake and dance
Peace reminds us to rest
To look away from the rear view mirror
Focusing instead on the cornucopia of love
…
We nearly missed each other's vibrancy
As we raced through life so carelessly
Eyes on the horizon fearlessly
Whilst ignoring each moment's beauty
We were blind to the mystery
Of experiencing the immediacy
Thinking that the momentarily
Was imperceptibly ordinary
But thankfully
In a second of impetuosity
Our eyes met transparently
As we smiled in solidarity
Understanding life's irrationality
We seized the opportunity
To share our peculiarities honestly
The rest..... is history
...
Mirror mirror on the wall
Would I be welcome at the ball
I know I'm not young
And look half undone
But you're no beauty hung on that wall
...
Damaged goods
One previous careless owner
Needs some love and attention
Characterful bodywork
Heart broken but repairable
Lots of life left to enjoy
....
Gentle waves whisper
Footprints trace the sandy shore
Ocean's sigh lingers
...
Mindful Introspection
Achieves advanced comprehension
Of your inner apprehension
Whilst avoiding the suppression
Of emotional expression
Accepting this situation
Results in reduced agitation
With your future mutation
...
Dragon's hot anger
Devastates society
Fires burn fiercely
Fires burn fiercely
Cooling in clouds of hot steam
Snowfall brings new peace
Snowfall brings new peace
Inviting those who burrowed
To dare dream again
...
Noticing moments
As the seasons rise and fall
Past the equinox
...
You are the...
Asker of impossible questions
Challenger of assumptions
Holder of honesty
Follower of your heart
Player of basses
Learner of lessons
Explorer of truths
Roller of eyes
Whisperer of secrets
Fountain of laughter
You are the ... apple of my eye
…
I do not like watching scary movies
Thrillers are fab
As are mysteries moody
But the last thing I need
On nights feeling cozy
Is to be scared out of my skin
By films full of spooky
So please keep the grim
When my brain is off duty
Because watching the news
Is already too scary
...
Ever since you left it seems to me
That every event is haunted by you
The far flung holidays
Enjoying the view
The small celebrations
As the photos accrue
The afternoon tea
With one less for a brew
The nativity plays
With space on the pew
The kids parties
What a hullabaloo
The long lunches
Wine bottles to unscrew
The windy walks
With your hair all askew
The railway journeys
Stuck waiting at Crewe
The tiny cottages
Much too bijou
The local shops
With everyone you knew
The new experiences
That need your review
The motorway trips
With another long queue
So many moments
Not just a few
But I feel weird mentioning it
In case it's taboo
...
I didn't see the crash coming
The complete devastation of my energy ration
The collapse of my muscles
The crossed connections of my neurons
The shut down of normal
Leaving me wondering
Will I ever be able to see it coming?
.
I didn't see the crash coming
The quiet storm building
As it became overwhelming
Muscles unravelling
Neurons in disarray
Normalcy slipping away
Leaving shadows in my mind
Will I ever catch the signs?
...
In shadows dark the spirit wakes
A whisper soft which mystery makes
There stirs a force within the best
A silent song without a rest
The moonlight watches swings and sways
Whist many wander lost by haze
Each heartfelt gaze upon a star
A memory kindled from far
The tides of fate now softly blend
Leading thoughts around the bend
We search for signs that light the way
Whilst hidden truths in shadows play
Daily we listen to life's sound
Our restless hearts exploring ground
Searching for clues that make us whole
Whilst love works wonders in our souls
...
In the void where memories lie
Hollow stalks reach up to the sky
Ashes whisper as destiny calls
Wild hearts wander through shadowed halls
Chasing curses beneath the stars
With opal crowns and silent scars
Moonlit vines in autumn's glow
Harvesting happiness soft and slow
Each breath a note in the night’s sweet song
In the crypt of us where dreams belong
Though the path may twist and bend anew
Together we’ll find our way safely through
…
Don't open your eyes, allow stress to release
As the silence of the stars promises peace
Amidst the autumn mist share your hopeful stories
Resting beneath blankets stitched with the weight of your worries
...
Hidden in shadows
Protected from possession
On misty mornings
On misty mornings
The weight of bad memories
Heavy with tuirse
...
Killing time with the moon
Whilst shadows settle within my spine
Whispering malevolently
As the chill in the air pervades every joint
Tendrils of mist envelope soulful screams
Highlighting hauntingly hollow hopes
Whilst frosted breezes berate
The subtlety of silent suffering
...
In the twilight aftermath
The taste of grief fills the room
Until the crisp morning air
Allows hope to resume
Flowers still flower
Though they forget to bloom
As grief overwhelms hearts
Love heals love in the gloom
...
The harvest moon wilts the wilted apple of time
With shadows that dance on the whispering vine
Windswept hope plays in the twilight’s soft glow
While secrets of dusk in the gentle winds flow
In fields where the echoes of laughter reside
Imagination paints where the dreamers abide
Each breath of the night holds a story untold
As the heart of infinity wraps in silver and gold
So linger a moment as twilight takes flight
For magic is woven in the swell of the night
From the harvest moon's glow to the stars high above
We seek what we cherish and cherish with love
...
Wild horses enjoy
Exclusive isolation
Under the full moon
Under the full moon
Finding the far edge of hope
From cradle to grave
…
I sit with both sadness and hope
Dark and light
Fear and joy
At the intersection
Of imperfection
Balancing, or trying to, but often falling
Falling, not failing
Flailing wildly
Wasting energy
As I try to hold on to
Grasp on to
Positivity
Because my anxiety
Whispers "you might topple over
And loose your composure"
But anxiety doesn't realise
I'm learning not to catastrophise
To keep balancing
As a daily action
Of living and loving
Caring and grieving
Hoping and praying
And not dismaying
...
The darkness whispers tales of woe
While light ignites a vibrant glow
In fear I tremble night and day
Then hope arises to guide my way
I balance here on thinnest thread
Where laughter mingles with the dread
With every breath a tug I feel
On the tapestry of wounds to heal
...
Observing the leaves evolve
Changing their colours through the spectrum
Treats round the fire trick haunted bodies
Offering healing warmth
Berating weary souls who rest
Evading the ever ready malaise
Riding on the lick of flames
...
Leaves leave memories of those long gone
Through the veil that thins at Samhain
Timeless love in the glow of dawn
Flickering lights like whispers of rain
Dreamlike voices sing on the breeze
Watched by the moon and the ancient trees
Fears disappear as we bend an ear
To wild whispers of wisdom now clear
No decay in this cycle we see
Eternity's beauty a comforting song
In the heart of the night we shall be free
With cherished memories forever strong
Or as a haibun, haiku with prose:
Leaves leave memories of those long gone through the veil that thins at samhain. Timeless love is reflected in the glow of flickering lights. Dreamlike voices sing on the breeze watched by the moon and the trees. Fears disappear as we bend an ear to wild whispers of wisdom long forgotten. There is no decay in this evolving cycle, eternity is the beauty of constancy.
Leaves whisper of love
Flickering lights in the night
Sing dreamlike moon songs
...
Monsterous mayflies
Malevolently maurade
Maturing marrows
...
Like the last autumn leaf I cling
To branches worn and bare
My heart a song longing to sing
In the crisp sharp autumn air
The winds may howl and shadows creep
Yet here I make my stand
Against the cold and endless sweep
Of winter's chilling hand
With colours bright I dare to stay
And dance on twilight's breeze
I will not let life take away
This moment sweet and free
When all have turned to muted grey
I'll find my strength in light
For like the leaf last on display
I hold on through the night
...
Psalm 6 Sonnet
Dear God, I call to You when I'm in pain
These weary bones cry out for sweet relief
In shadows deep I search for hope again
Weak, sick, and sad, I wrestle with my grief
With heavy heart I long for Your embrace
Restore my joy and spirit, make me whole
In kindness let Your gentle light replace
The darkness that surrounds my tired soul
I yearn to share Your love with generosity
To lift my voice in endless praise anew
Though tears may fall You listen tenderly
Within the silence I always trust in You
Every prayer I speak You long to hear
You guide me through my suffering and fear
...
Psalm 6 Haiku
Heal my aching bones
With your unfailing love
Lord accept my prayer
...
How do I pray when I can't find the words?
When the needs are so many and everything hurts
I imagine each breath as the gentlest of prayer
Breathing in love and expelling to share
The joy and frustration, the thanks and requests
Trusting God ensures we're cared for and blessed
It is within these moments that tears tend to roll
Carrying frustration, sadness and all
The feelings that wrapped up my heart far too tight
Whilst I hid them within, safely out of sight
There in my weakness God shows me a way
A reminder that I'm never alone any day
...
Trapped by exhaustion
Overwhelming my body
Obstructing escape
...
In the shadows lay puddles of pain
Where aches are not soothed by the rain
With each splash and each tear
They reflect our fear
Reminders that hope still remains
...
Moonlit memories
Captivate creative souls
Lightening the load
...
My love never wanes
Decades of grief we retain
The candles remain
...
As I lay here in trouble and pain, I wonder to myself again
How you truly understand, our very human circumstance
We have been led to believe, that you had no pain to relieve
But despite your vitality, you must have had injury
Coming to Earth as a human being, it would have been part of your living
Then, as we read through the scriptures, we hear the gospel descriptors
Of your physical exhaustion, from over exertion
You often took yourself away, to rest, recover and pray
We know you got hungry, and you must have been thirsty
Feeding the thousands, along with your companions
And then there's the inner pain, and all of the mental strain
You cried out in Gethsemane, Lord why does this happen to me
In those moments you draw me near, despite my anguish and fear
Because you know our hard situations, as much as our celebrations
Oh God of love, hope and joy, who lived fully as man and boy
Thank you for demonstrating, the truth of fully living
As part of the trinity, your life was a divinity
But experiencing our reality, is a blessing for us to see
A reminder that you're by our side, and from you our pain needs not hide
...
Inner restlessness
Tormenting each night and day
Nature soothes the soul
...
Crisp air curates change
Leaves don their golden garments
October's first breath
Whispers through barren branches
Cleansing summer's heated hold
...
Scintillating scents
Stiffened by stormy struggles
Soar high in the sky
...
All I know is that
I know nothing of strangers
But I long to learn
To hear about their journey
As possible future friends
...
In playful moments laughter fills the air
A game or dance can lift the weight of woe
With every smile we shed our adult share
Embracing joy and fun can help us grow
Chasing friends through waves of wild sources
Creates a world alive with childhood dreams
Imagination galloping on horses
Bursts through stress as silver linings gleam
Let us play not live life as a race
With joy a thread in wondrous webs we weave
Creativity forms an imagination space
Where burdens lift and hearts learn to believe
Through play we find a boost to raise each day
In happiness all stress just fades away
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