joelakepoet

I live in Tasmania, in Burnie with my wife, Judy. I am about to publish my fourth book of poetry called, Sonnets, Other Poems And Letters From God. Here is a sample of one of my poems, an ode:

Ode To Relay For Life
This relayed life moves on from one to one
Through ever-passing hands from day to day
To walk the oval we’re not alone.
Focused on the rising moon in its decay
As we walk on determined for a cure.
To raise some funds to soothe the pain’s dismay.
The survivors lead; they must endure;
Each like a scouting soldier ventures forth.
The first lap is defiant yet demure.
This rally of regardless mirth, this source
To honour those who rally to the fight
With steadfast stride to hold the present course
This relay must progress throughout the night
Towards the rising sun that will shine bright.
All the survivors wear a purple sash
Just like the spearhead of a faith’s reliance
To turn determination into cash,
The baton moves within the team’s defiance
As angels line the running track’s first lap
And then applaud the relay life’s compliance.
There, candle bags with tributes fill the gap
To illuminate the path that all must take
Like landing lights at night, a guiding map
With shining tributes for life’s hopeful sake
We write on candle bags our incantation
Of love that keeps the memory awake.
These relayed rallies are a demonstration
By friends and families’ co-ordination.
You dreamers with your loved ones and your friends
Walk on beside the messages that glow,
Then stand to face the light by holding hands.
A hymn, a minute’s silence that may show
The service as a hopeful carer’s dream
Who rally here against the cancer foe.
The river damned, but then, as stream,
The walkers move as one another
Determined to relay this sacred scheme.
Each feeling as a sister and a brother
As candle bags’ their tributes clearly say,
"We remember Dad, the child, the mother."
All through the night the candles light the way
To Relay For Life and raise hope for the day.
*******
We raised 1,250,000 Dollars in March for the Cancer Council Tasmania of which I am a volunteer in their shop in Burnie once a week, mainly on Monday. I have prostate cancer but am at the moment in remission.
It is getting colder in Tasmania this time of year as we are approaching autumn. Cold here, means 15 degrees celsius as night and about 20 degrees in daytime. It gets as low as 10.