-- Invisible Things --

John Herlihy

We have an uneasy relationship with invisible things,

Whether buried in the earth or flying high upon wings.

Some of those invisible things we can see, oh so ready;

Many other invisible things we see not, oh so unready.

The touch of love so profound that we can easily feel,

A true vision of loveliness standing before me as real.

The footprints of nimble birds left behind in the snow,

The emerging beauty of flowers as they begin to grow.

Stunning rainbows that materialize on a stormy day,

Mirages that draw us forward as we make our way.

For a few brief moments, the invisible becomes visible,

Until conditions alter and the visible turns again invisible.

The wind is invisible, but does anyone deny it is there?

Its howling real enough while its whispers utter prayer.

The darkness invisible, but does anyone deny the night?

The moon and stars are visible, making night visibly light.

Our hopes are intangible yet in our minds sparkle bright;

Our dreams a livid reminder of what we can see at night.

Our desires take on the worldly shapes of things physical;

Beloved memories swarm before us as night mist ethereal.

Who claims the invisible cannot readily be seen as visible,

When dreams and desires live in the realm of the invisible.

Our memories are real enough hiding behind veils of mind,

Our emotions soothe our tender hearts in ways most kind.

Our imagination has swallows sleeping snugly in their nest;

Our good sense lays us down in repose when we need to rest.

We reach out in prayer whenever we pass thru dark days;

Our conscience speaks words of wisdom against bad ways.

Yet, there you have it, some people only dig their own hole;

They believe in the visibility of the world but not of the soul.

They listen to, smell and savor what they hear, touch, taste;

Anything to hint of the world of spirit they run from in haste.

We readily believe in the visible since it leaves behind traces;

The fortunate believe in the invisible that leaves behind graces.

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Copyright © John Herlihy

Wednesday 12 January 2022