Earn it!

Earn it!

You cannot chastise me
Frowning with displeasure or disdain
Who are you to judge or pass comment?
You are nothing but a legend in your own mind

I seek not to please you or meet your standards
I have my own and they are of greater value
I am no jigsaw piece for you to place
I am not a part of your picture

Do you not see that?

You want me to fit
You try to shape me and fail
You try to lure me into your frame
You present yourself with false interest

You do not want my freedom of thought
You cannot handle my myriad of understanding
You feel naked in the light of my soul
You feel less than in the measuring of honesty

Can you not own that?

You feel unable to compete in the true light
You present as a puzzle to be solved
The bait on the hook that pierces the flesh of the fish
Do you honestly expect me to bite?

Do you genuinely believe your games are unseen?
You convince yourself that you’re the smartest in the room?
Are you aware of your narcissism or would it be a surprise?
Do you know your M.O. is obvious?

You need to wake up to this truth

It takes no courage to present a false face
It carries no empathy when you manipulate to gain
It requires no decency to raise the hopes of a heart
It requires no soul to keep the focus on yourself

Life and love desire connections
Love and living are truthful bedfellows
Promises and follow-through should match reliably
Your word should have an unshakable value

This should be your ‘self-expectation’

Tomorrow is yet to become history
Today is making the transition as we speak
Yesterday is a good library, but a poor home
What you do right now will determine all things

Did you truly seek what you said you sought?
Were those words of any value at all
Were they just appropriate sounds at the appropriate times?
Does what you say have any discernible value as truth?

Have the courage to be who you are!

You certainly fooled me for a while
Until your patterns became clear
Are you aware of it all, I am not so sure?
You may be somewhat lost in your own lies

Non-malicious manipulation is better, but no excuse
I wanted what you pretended to offer, and for a while, I could not see!
The trickle of soothing water softened my heart
Until I realised that acid also flows

You have chosen the darkness over the light

There is only one path to true love
There is no darkness in its landscapes
Soft shadows yes, but no caverns of hate and self-loathing
The light of truth requires no hiding places

I can protect my soul from you, but you need to own yours
The right time is always now!
I don’t know if you have the courage, but time will tell
A future you want lays ahead of you changing

What you desire, comes with the responsibility to earn it…

© Iain Merchant 2020

300

300

Leonidas holds no sway here
The Persians hordes did not pass this way
Thermopylae echoes in a different land
The immortals guard no God-King at this spot

Titles can indeed send the mind off in a myriad of directions
Searching for meaning and understanding before reading
Attempting to unpick the poets’ mind
To steal a yard of comprehension

Move Xerxes from your thinking
The God here is natural, not titled
Mother nature casting a spell
That bound a young boy’s heart forever

The map here is in my mind and engrained on my soul
The location is no secret, but the secret is a location
If you are genuinely cared for, it will have been shared
For it is now your church too

It is teacher and student, classroom, and playground
It is listener and speaker in the language of the World
Tomorrow will always be in its field of view
The past is forgiven, and the soul is loved

Quantifying its importance would be an exercise in futility
Some things are meant to be and are best accepted as such
The science of ‘HOW’, is not always required
The power of ‘NOW’ is the key to unlocking the treasure

I have faith in certain people
I have faith in certain places
I have faith in my own essence
I have faith in the soul of the world

Imaginary deities hold no sway in my sight
Controlling, subjugating, dogmatic asphyxiators of truth
Natural beauty requires no manufactured support
When you touch the soul of the world, you need no guide

We are the Universal dust of ancient supernovas
We are the amalgamation of time and chance
We are the eyes of our own existence
We are proof that we are here

Stand at 300 and witness love
Hope at 300 and witness chance
Cry at 300 and witness empathy
Love at 300 and witness life

When my time comes, and I transform into the echo of me
The ashes of life moved by the smallest of breezes
I want no marker of stone, no location carved in words
Those that know me well, also know where to visit

I will be invisible to most, just as in life
I will be available to those I love forever
I will be waiting for you by the wall of truth
I will be 300

© Iain Merchant 2020

Unadorned Honesty

Unadorned Honesty

Naked truth cast in sharp light

Mirrors reflection does not flatter

           Soul is faced with facts, not hopes

                     There is no relief, respite nor excuse

You and your truths are alone

Walk through the flames with your head high

Walk the road you own with vigour in your step

You are never alone… Your shadow is your mimic

Consider yesterday

Engage today

Sculpt tomorrow

© Iain Merchant 2020

Tide’s Out!

Tide’s Out!

Right place, wrong time
Right time, wrong place
Right words, wrong rhyme
Right skills, wrong face

Right goal, wrong move
Right move, wrong goal
Right beat, wrong groove
Right face, wrong soul

Right day, wrong minute
Right step, wrong way
Right push, wrong limit
Right minute, wrong day

Right coat, wrong cover
Right feet, wrong shoes
Right love, wrong lover
Right punch, wrong bruise

Right thought, wrong action
Right question, wrong clue
Right drive, wrong traction
Right colour, wrong blue

Right Country, wrong town
Right language, wrong word
Right smile, wrong frown
Right intended, wrong occurred

Right thinking, wrong thought
Right phrases, wrong tone
Right rescinded, wrong sought
Right number, wrong phone

Right aspiration, wrong aim
Right target, wrong shot
Right truth, wrong blame
Right rope, wrong knot

Right light, wrong sky
Right stars, wrong night
Right care, wrong lie
Right shine, wrong light

Right stare, wrong eyes
Right volume, wrong shout
Right intention, wrong surprise
Right lips, wrong pout

Right arms, wrong cuddle
Right absence, wrong miss
Right confusion, wrong muddle
Right person, wrong kiss

Right hope, wrong sorrow
Right silence, wrong say
Right planning, wrong tomorrow
Right need, wrong today

Right second, wrong emotion
Right instant, wrong word
Right attention, wrong devotion
Right quarter, wrong third

Right silence, wrong mime
Right polish, wrong chrome
Right instinct, wrong time
Right angel, right home

© Iain Merchant 2020

Truth is…

Truth is…

Life – Evolves

The past is a – Library

Pain is – Inevitable

Suffering is – Optional

Memories – Fade

Moments are – Fleeting

Yesterday is – What was

Tomorrow is – What could be

Today is – What you make it

Love is – Yours to give

Hope is – Yours to share

Joy is – Yours to exude

What you do next is – Your Choice…

© Iain Merchant 2020

Dancing along the treeline

Dancing along the Treeline

The sentient forest of the self
Where each tree is a truth of who you are
This canopy stride holds only realities, not dreams
It is present, prescient, and purposeful

Not all are brave enough to face a walk amongst the truths
Where the mirror you see has only the piercing eyes of honesty
Blinking ceases and self-awareness fills the void
You are utterly alone with your true self

There are pretenders that tell you they walk the forest
They articulate deep and, seemingly, meaningful thoughts
Many are impressed by their awareness and search for truth
They are convincing to others because they have convinced themselves

But they are not forest walkers who pass between meadow and shade
They are not deep thinkers who seek the truth in the language of the world
They are not soul searchers on a quest to understand their place in the Universe
They are vampires of the soul and use their articulated tongues to feed off the unwary

They are parasites of the mind, who tiptoe around the truth with vague specifics
They seek the spotlight of sympathy with a façade of empathy
They steal the moments of truth and wrap them up in uncertainty
They draw the eye of the truth-seeker, in their attire of iridescent lies

The pure can be easily duped by these dancers
They are practised at drawing the spotlight
They have honed their self-deprecating skills
They instinctively know your weaknesses

Just as any predator knows the patterns of its prey

The hunt is their real pleasure, not the proffered destination
They, like many predators, play the long game
The slow drip of the tap is apt to fool the deep thinkers

Deep thinking has its trapdoors
It is also often unaware it can be fooled
It is this very flaw that the predator exploits

There are none so blind as those that will not see

Lessons come from errors
Experience is the result
Wisdom comes from age + experience
That is why predators prey on the younger prey

Where they can hide in the gaps of awareness
Skip between the shadows of inexperience
Feed off the preys’ desire to understand
Deplete the energy of the target through emotional theft

Some people live permanently in the meadows of life
The forest is just a distant border they have no desire to see
Ignorance may indeed be a form of ignorant bliss
Forever diminished by a lack of awareness & truth

There are those that are happy to live near the forest
So that they may visit whenever they choose
To bask in the cool shade of honesty and truth,
and as such, appreciate the sunlit meadow and their place in it

These are the truth seekers
The powerfully vulnerable amongst us
These are the gifted few who speak to the soul of the world
These are the warriors of light

They are the guides for others wishing to navigate the forest
They are the certainty’s in other people’s eyes
They are the significant moments in others’ worlds
They are the reflections of love for the true world around us

They have true energy, fresh from the source
They have a glow that not all can quite see
They have a purpose that drives them to seek
They have the mark of the sorrow experienced

They are the seekers of a personal legend

The interpreters of the language of love

                              The well of honesty for others to drink from

The compass for wanderers to borrow

                          The pole star for daydreamers to follow

The sage for the guided to quote

                                 The memory that never will fade

The honesty you do not want to hear

                                  The mirror that removes all the make-up

The soul that will heal your heart

                                   The heart that replenishes your soul

Those that wait at the edge of the forest,
for their guide to appear amongst the shade of the trees
Will often see the shadows of the predators,
as they too wait for the forest walkers to appear, so that they may start their façade

Many predators of this world have honour in their souls
The Wolf has integrity and code
The Tiger has the mothering gift
The Grizzly Bear has a playful soul

But our predator of the mind has none of these qualities
It has neither the courage to enter the forest alone,
nor the courage to live in the light

It is a shadow creature with no discernible qualities of note

It simply seeks to steal your energy from the true source
With an insatiable appetite for feeding
With a whirlpool of deception to keep you attached to the undercurrent,
and a twisting, writhing, contorting, communication style to avoid you disconnecting its food source

Keep your eye out for these foul creatures as you leave the forest of truth

Shield your eyes from the sun in the meadow as you leave the shade

Look not for these foul beasts in the distance, as the true seekers gather for guidance, for that is not where they will be

Be aware in the periphery of your vision, for they will be found dancing along the treeline

© Iain Merchant 2020

The Path

The Path

Powdered sentiment dispersed by the winds
Meaningful truths wrapped around like new skin
Vibrations of the soul are sent out on one frequency
Transmitters & receivers sharing space and time

Alone is only a physical concept
Together eternally for the sharers of souls
Home is your heart’s truth
Your heart’s truth is ‘home’

Certainty of transcendent love
Significance of this rarest of gifts
Honesty is the light of the soul
Language of the world is whispered

Whispers are shouts to the true listeners
Expressions are paragraphs of explored meanings
Open arms of the heart, proximity in the senses
Topography holds no power over synchronistic conviction

Hold me

Heal me

Hear me

Time is a construct that holds no sway over truth
Speak your truth in the silent language of the world
Be your truth in the love you offer openly
Vulnerability is your strength to those that matter

Fold me

Feel me

Know me as you know yourself
I am your heart, reflected in the rivers of time

Wake with me each dawn and feel complete,
yet with much still to accomplish

Offer an index finger to be held with love,
whilst sleep submerges you with bliss

Tomorrow will find you soon enough
Yesterday will never leave you
Only today do you have the now

Feel my hand gently run down your face
Safety of soul guaranteed
In the twilight of day see my shadow envelop
Feel the heat of my heart warm your truth

I exist where you choose me to be
Realities are flexible at the deepest level of self
Know me for I am with you, and shall always be
Use me, for that is my legend and purpose

Truth has no need of ‘Geography’ or ‘Distance’ in soul speak
Time is a measure that makes no sense to the heart
No language will ever accurately define the truth of a soul
Important truths are simply known, not spoken

Search for me in the silence of the night
Seek me out in the spaces between thoughts
Catch me out of the corner of your eye, when I fill your mind
Hear me in the whisper of a summer breeze
Feel my warmth on the coldest of days

The fire inside has an eternal fuel source
That cannot be extinguished by any man-made construct
The physics of quantum connections are known but not understood
We are in awe of that which we feel & know

Explanations are folly
Acceptance is all
Gratitude is healthy
Reverence is wise

Turn up the volume and show your true colours

Live in the light that you own
Speak with your voice through the soul of the world
Send out your vibrations in search of those who share your frequency

Resonate and dissonate with the truth that you live
Connect and disconnect as is in line with your path
Some will shield their eyes because you are too bright
Others will Bask in the radiance you provide and feed…

Occasionally some will join you and add their light to your own
These are your fellow travellers, and you will know them immediately
For although you needed to meet them, you have always known them in your soul

And you will know them for the rest of time

You have only one true focus

Walk the path that you own

&

own the path that you walk…

© Iain Merchant 2020

Remembered

Remembered

I glimpse your shadow everywhere I go…

I catch your aroma on every intake of breath

I hear your whisper in every silence

I feel your touch on every breeze

I close my eyes and bring you to mind

I see your colours and your energy

Once again, I hear your wisdom and your care

The veil is thin between the worlds

I open my eyes and you are gone

No more colours, no energy, no smile

Just a whisper on the wind that blows my memories into focus

I miss you; I grieve you, and I am so blessed I knew you

I remember you, and in my heart, you still live

Now rest, and thank you for being…

© Iain Merchant 2020

Invisible Bars

Invisible Bars

There are no bars or boundaries predicted
in any solid unmoveable form
Yet possibilities exist as restricted
In this negative psychological norm

No ability to see what could possibly be
The absence of hope at every turn
With wide-open eyes that fail to see
And a like mind that fails to learn

The inevitable pain that comes from a life
Where the option to suffer is choice
The negativity reigns turning joy into strife
By taking hope and removing her voice

Nobody else can ever alter your mind
Only you have the keys to that need
Empathy & sympathy are offered, and kind
But are never the answer, only the seed

If you want to feel sunlight turn your face to its heat
Rather than only look up when it’s clouded
Conquer the misery and leave it in defeat
And see the hope that is no longer shrouded

The prison you live in was built by your hand
With a cement of perceptions and lies
You are the keyholder, and you must understand
If you stay within it, all hope you have dies

So, don’t wait for another to show you the way
For they know not all the trapdoors you’ve set
Have the courage to wake up and to simply greet the day
And denounce the negativity you’ve met

Any boundaries you have are not real
All the bars you hold onto are fake
The thief of time is you, and you steal
The thief of hope is you, and you take

So, tomorrow will be as you make it
It is not destined or written in stone
Till it’s natural, you may need to fake it
But then at least to life’s hope, you’ll atone

Impossible you think when I’m possible is true
It is a choice, nothing more nothing less
What you do next is of course up to you
But your prison you need to address.

© Iain Merchant 2020

Clarity in the Eye of the Storm

Clarity in the Eye of the Storm

Unmentioned feelings gather to confuse
Wasted moments of sacred contact
Prayer like focus in the soul of the heart

Meaning is all

Tomorrow is to be decided by action and fate
Kismet cannot be underestimated, avoided, or ignored
Today is directed by your heart
Yesterday is an echo of your truth

Paths are chosen

Connections are rare
Often fleeting
Rarely solid
The treasure of the soul

The definition of certainty

Re-flection

Un-ease

Dis-ease

Un-worthy

Power exists in combinations

The world is on fire
Both fuelled and cooled by the winds
Flames destroying and cleansing
A furnace of fear

The shimmering haze of honesty

Visions of beauty and hope
The soul’s calm in connections
Manifesting dreams
Painting our perceptions of tomorrow

Clarity is pristine

The juxtaposition of chance & destiny
The correlation of causation & coincidence
The examination of subconscious intervention
The investigation of desire, hope, & determination

You are connected to your true path

The hint of a promise unspoken
The aroma of a synchronistic soul
The audible ability of your heart
The texture of truth as you feel it settle

One, need not be singular

The language of life in the eyes of the speaker
The dialect of truth in the heart of the listener
The grammar of intent in the space between the words
The words in the real language of the world

Namaste… I see you

The alchemy of connected souls
The coalescence of kindred spirits
The amalgamation of minds
The unification of thought

Ego intellego te – I understand you

The exquisitely unpleasant pain of absence
The deafening inert silence of solitude
The multitude of insistent voices in the void
The cacophony of visions in the cinema of the soul

Nos quidem alligati sunt in anima – we are connected in the soul

Elasticity of time displays in both presence and absence
Abolition of time in the unspoken truth
Preservation of time in the memories of all
Creation of time in imagined tomorrows

Reality and experience are subjective truths

A maelstrom of possibilities on the journey to home
A Whirlwind of chaotic wrong turns in the search to be whole
A beating of sharp rain to face of the seeker
The calm is in the heart for those brave enough to stay the course

As with all things, the truth is in the eye

© Iain Merchant 2020