My Spirit Is Like the Eagle

By Roy Forrester

My Spirit Is Like the Eagle begins with a poem sharing its title with the book. The central image of the poet as an eagle provides a unique introduction to the variety of themes in this poetry collection. Some verses soar high above the landscape, while others swoop down from the heights to grasp the small gestures that make up daily life.

Poet Roy Forrester has Parkinsons disease, and it has changed his world dramatically. What began as a poem to his wife expressing his love for her has turned into a dynamic collection of poetry on many different topics, from love and passion to humour. He also writes of the frustrations he encounters with his disease. This debut poetry collection represents the end of a long journey for Forrester, and he invites you to join him in considering that journey.

My spirit is like the eagle.

It is an illusion that I am bound to this earth by an aging body.

It is an illusion, as is life itself.

It is an illusion that this existence is finite.

My spirit is like the eagle.

I, too, scan the earth below,

and though I search for sustenance,

sustenance for my soul,

it is the beauty of the journey which fulfils me.

from My Spirit Is Like the Eagle

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press AU
• Release date: Mar 15, 2013
• ISBN: 9781452508696

Roy Forrester

ROY FORRESTER was born on the WIRRAL (North West England). His father was an RSM with the British Army, and he had an enormous effect on Roy’s life. In addition to teaching Roy to be a musician, he also taught his son a love of poetry, both of which live on today. This is Roy’s first book.

Book preview

Copyright © 2013 Roy Forrester

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Balboa Press

A Division of Hay House

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.balboapress.com.au

1-[phone]

ISBN: 978-1-4525-0868-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4525-0869-6 (e)

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Balboa Press rev. date: 04/08/15

CONTENTS

Foreword

Foreword by Christina

My Spirit Is Like the Eagle

She Is My Life

Bureaucracy

Time Together

Winter

The Storm

Her Healing Touch

On the Back Seat

Gaia’s Revenge

Love, Glue of the Universe!

Temptation

Ode to Computers and Poetry

Everything I Touch

Who Knows Where?

To A Courageous Friend (Passed away from MS)

Doctor, Please Can’t You Fix What Ails Me?

Getting Old

Butterfly’s Wing

My Favourite Things

The Butterfly Effect

From Where Comes Genius?

Justice Is Not Death

Man’s Imagination

Figaro

Cats

Brain Chemistry

Life

‘Joy’ And ‘Pleasure’

The Ginger Cat

Maths Genius

Well I Asked For A Feisty One Didn’t I?

Perfection and Imperfection

Bad Dreams

Eye Contact

Life’s Tough!

She Still Loves Me

Fear of Commitment

Seconds of Joy

The Death of a Tree

What is Consciousness?

What Is Love Supposed To Be?

Whatever We Do

Who Is Responsible?

Australia Oh! Australia,

Coffs Harbour

Bushfire

Turn Off the City at Night

Xanana & Kirsty

You and I

Your Warmth and Solace

Oh! How We Waltzed

The Red Honeymoon Dress

The Infinite Universe (Existence)

J.S. Bach & Pink Floyd

The Golden Cage

Why Is My Spirit Troubled?

Sci–fi (The Formula)

In The Forest

I Grieve For a Bird

Would That You Never Fell In Love (Memoirs of a past liaison)

The Eagle and the Crow

The Humpbacks

Whales

Violin Student

The Power of Prayer

Oh! Such Beauty

Xmas at Moonee Beach

I Knew That She Was Angry

The Black Dog

WHO?—Dr. Who?

The Truth

Where Do You Draw The Line?

Didgery Doo . . . .

Significant

Blood Lust

More Poetry

FOREWORD

Parkinson’s Disease can have diabolical effects on those touched by it, often making it impossible to rise above its unremitting struggles. Every day with Parkinson’s is a day climbing Everest: waking wearily early at base camp, facing a long and less-travelled road. It is indeed remarkable that Roy has managed to soar high above the illusion of an imperfect, Parkinsonian body—and take pleasure in the journey.

A lesson for us all; make the most of every day’s journey, even the chaos brought by a butterfly’s wing. So, delve deeper and meditate on Roy’s metered insights; reflect and perhaps regret, "till human voices wake us, and we drown.

Neil Mahant

Sydney, 2012

Dr Neil Mahant MBBS PhD FRACP

Neurologist and Neurophysiologist.

FOREWORD

BY

CHRISTINA

I have watched while Parkinson’s Disease has taken Roy from a vibrant, energetic, full of life and attentive partner to a man that has been robbed of movement and clear thought. This disease muddles the emotions, produces pain through the body and spirit and isolates the person from the rest of the world. Roy knows what this disease has in store for him and he has to live with that thought for the rest of his life.

Roy can no longer do what many of you take for granted. It is difficult to socialise. He used to play in a jazz band, big band and in the orchestra apart from working in IT. All that is gone! Is is now difficult for him to use a computer keyboard.

It took determination, and belief in self to accomplish this volume of poetry. Much of the person he is and his struggles, come through in the poems.

You get to know the heart and soul of this beautiful man.

Enjoy the poems!

Christina

Roy’s muse, friend, lover,

wife and carer until death do us part.

MY SPIRIT IS LIKE THE EAGLE

My spirit is like the eagle.

Like the eagle I scan the earth from my lofty station.

Some may think the eagle only searches for prey,

They do not fly with the eagle’s awareness.

They do not