Reaching for the Sky: New and Selected Poems

By Roderick Grant

In Reaching for the Sky Rod Grant continues his search through the medium of his verse for meaning and beauty in the world around him and from his long personal experience. In Old he accepts the fact of his age and the choices he now faces. In the poem Reaching for the Sky from which the title of his book was taken he celebrates mankinds great achievements in space while noting the ultimate limits to his dream of reaching the stars. Included are selections from Rods previous books that show the broad sweep of his poetic vision.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Mar 16, 2015
• ISBN: 9781496974440

Roderick Grant

Roderick Grant was born in Forres, Morayshire, in 1941, where he attended the local academy. He has worked as a forestry worker, a journalist, a newspaper editor, a television presenter, a radio broadcaster, a bookshop manager and a postman. He has been published in both Britain and the USA.

Book preview

REACHING

FOR THE SKY

NEW AND SELECTED

POEMS

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By

RODERICK GRANT

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AuthorHouse™

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© 2015 Roderick Grant. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 07/22/2015

ISBN: 978-1-4969-7431-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-7444-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015903519

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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.

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Contents

REACHING FOR THE SKY

OLD

SPRING RAIN

THE CHARACTER OF MAN

NIGHT MUSIC

THE LOTTERY OF LIFE

HARBOR WATCH

AN INNER VISION

INSIGHT

EARLY SUMMER

A CANCER ON THE EARTH

MIDTERM

A GLANCE

MIND’S EYE

HINT OF AUTUMN

INFINITE LIFE

INTERLUDE

AUTUMN RAIN

DIMENSIONS

TURNING POINT

OBSESSION

REACHING FOR THE SKY

ON THE RIM OF TIME

CATHEDRAL

STRAIT LIGHTS

KNITTERS

DULLES

BUBBLES

THE SPOTTED OWL

ESCAPE

MISTRESS OF THE GLADE

AUTUMN

LAST YEAR’S LEAF

ONSET

XIAJIU LU

APRIL 5 LAURIE

A WILD BIRD IN MY OPEN HAND

DANDELION

THE COBBLER

FREE

SIAN KA’ AN

LATE WINTER

APRIL 5 MEMORIES

LAMENT

MATURITY

MORTALITY

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS

APRIL 5 DETRITUS

THE MEETING

APRIL 5 HOPE

PARIS BELLE DAME

PARIS LATIN QUARTER

PARIS ON THE QUAI

SERENITY

THE GATE TO UNDERSTANDING

NEW SPRING

VIOLIN CONCERTO

THE BROKEN

YESTERDAYS

LEAF DANCE

THE SCENT OF LILACS

VAGABOND

PROCRASTINATION

THE DOUBT

WANDERER

DEPARTURE

GION GEISHA

TO A DAUGHTER

WHO DIED YOUNG

APRIL 5 THE SPIT

THE GATE TO UNDERSTANDING

THE FINAL HIKE

A WISH FOR TOMORROW

NEW DAY

MOOD

PATHWAY

CROWDING

LIGHT WIND

SIZE

THE MASK

EARLY DAWN

THE ASHES OF TODAY

APRIL 5 THE FINAL HIKE

THE SOUL AT BAY

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

X

XI

XV

XIX

HARVEST

HARVEST

WORLDS

STARS

MERITING SURVIVAL

EVENING SHADOWS

NIGHT THOUGHTS

REQUIEM

THE DEAD OF WINTER

AGING

SOLTSTICE

To Laurie

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REACHING FOR THE SKY

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OLD

I did not ask to grow old

I just chose

not to die

So here I am

old

with the ills of old age

snapping at my heels

like a pack of wild dogs

searching for a weakness

to attack

But I must still

rouse up

and greet the dawn

of each new day

and face the choices

of how to use

my remaining time

whether to make an effort

to achieve diminished goals

or putter along

and let nature

take me to my end

I shall try

and leave my destiny

up to fate

SPRING RAIN

A gentle rain falls softly

from an overcast spring sky

bringing a welcome change

from recent winter chills

It is soothing

just to let

the cool raindrops

fall across my face

and on the skin

of my bare arms

nature can be harshly cruel

but also kindly

so I take the day

for what it gives me

and for the moment

it is good

as I blink away the raindrops

on a balmy April afternoon

THE CHARACTER OF MAN

The horrors continue

into the new millennium

as mankind has failed

to rise above

the bestiality

and aggressive greed

that has marked its

rapid ascendency

in the hierarchy

of Earth’s living things

but continues

with its slaughters, tortures, rapes and murders

of its fellow man

to gain advantage

in the savage struggle

for the power

to advance

its diverse tribal creeds

and religious beliefs

and its consuming appetites

that are