Poems by Scott Cooley
By Scott R. Cooley (written Jan. ’00)
When you lit the wick, the
flame flickered in the wind
Light casting shadows on the wall that danced through halls that were dim
Spirits from the afterlife matched their wits with our world’s form
Reminding us that life goes on when we die as replacement lives are born
As the wax melted and dripped, you dipped your finger tip in
You felt alive as it burned then turned to solid again on your skin
Like souls re-shaped and recycled, yet the balance forever changed
Fire in the Earth’s core will make everything new again
And when the candle was no more, its lifetime came to a close
You thought of people making a difference, and that’s the way it goes
The moment that you’ve shared your thoughts, the world’s a better place
And like the warmth and beauty of that candle, you’ve put a smile on someone’s
face
Driftwood on the Beach
By Scott Cooley, July 9th, 2006
Driftwood on the beach, I
wonder where you've been
You were once part of a living tree, but you’ve long since been dead
Did lightning make you fall off a limb, then get lifted by the wind
Did you make a big splash, did you crash or break or spin
Did a tornado drop you off miles from where you once grew
From stream to river to lake, were you once part of a canoe
You came in with the tide, once water logged and slimy
Now you’ve dried out in the wind under the sun that’s been shining
Maybe on some other sunny day a thousand years from now
You’ll become petrified like the rocks I find spread all around
And maybe in a million more, you’ll be scattered grains of sand
Like the ones you’re nestled in now, right here where I stand
I could pick you up and keep you, maybe start a new collection
Maybe your relatives will float along and I’ll attempt a resurrection
I could use you to make furniture, or perhaps a work of art
But you look so good just where you are, I don’t think I’d have the heart
Your reflection in the water sure does paint a pretty picture
Your travels must have been as slow as reading scripture
And as I stare at you and ponder the places you might’ve been
I can’t help but wonder all about the how and the when
No cross section rings could ever begin to tell your story
So I’ll simply let you be right here in all your natural glory
I’ll resist temptation, and spare you the pick up and toss
Driftwood on the beach, I’m glad our paths did cross
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