Reflections of Life

By Elaine Nicoll

Many of these poems acknowledge the impact of my Christian faith on my life and my thinking but they also have attempted to show it as a humble relationship rather than a religious rulebook. But life is sometimes messy and as I listened to other people’s stories, I felt driven to capture their hopes, despairs, joys and frustrations in the distilled style that is poetry. I would like to think that there is a challenge in each poem to see things from other people’s perspective and help us all to help each other through the journey.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris UK
• Release date: Aug 11, 2020
• ISBN: 9781664112285

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Copyright © 2020 by Elaine Nicoll.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 08/11/2020

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CONTENTS

NOT OF THIS WORLD

HOMELESS

DIVERSE AND DIVIDED

PARTNERS

ALMOST HEAVEN

WE’RE ALL PERFECT

ALL OR NOTHING

BAD MOTHER

CIRCLES

WEDDING JOY

CHRISTMAS WISHES

TWILIGHT

PANDEMIC

CHRISTMAS CRY

TO BE A STREET PASTOR

CHRISTMAS CHEER

DAY BY DAY

ENTITLED

HOW TO EAT AN ELEPHANT

I AM

LEST WE BE JUDGED

ODE TO MY WELLIES

LEST WE FORGET

SAILING

SEASONS

LONELY

NEMESIS

NEW STREET PASTOR

PARTY GLASS

REALITY CHECK

SADNESS

S.I.N.

SISTER

SLOW STICK

STRUGGLES

TAKING A CHANCE

THE FINAL JOURNEY

THE LAST NIGHT

CHURCH

THE WHIRLPOOL

THERE IS A GREEN HILL

UNITY

WE WILL REMEMBER

WHEN I REACH HEAVEN I WILL CRY

WHY SUFFER

YOUR WILL, OH LORD

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUSBAND

THE RIVER

DEPRESSION

TAKE THE CHANCE

THE DIRTY GLASS

A CHANGE OF LIFE

YOU ARE LOVED

SPRING

THE LORD’SMY SHEPHERD

JARS OF CLAY

STAY STRONG, MY SISTERS

EXPERIENCE

HEART ATTACK

PEACE

WONDERFUL SON

OUR CHOICE

THE MINISTER’S JOB DESCRIPTION

HIDDEN AILMENTS

AUTUMN

DIVINE ARTIST

THE JOY OF SLEEP

THE MAGICIAN

THE BRICK

A LEAP OF FAITH

PRAYER

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

A PUPPY’S PRAYER

KILLING HATE

REFUGEES

THE HANGING TREE

SITTING ON THE FENCE

FEAR

MINDFULNESS

UNIMAGINABLE

THE STAR AND THE CROSS

JUST LET ME BE ME

SILVER LININGS

THE RAINBOW OF LIFE

IT’S THE LAW!

NHS

BREATH

GRATITUDE

NATURAL DISASTER

WE WERE WARNED!

STRESS

SO MUCH LOVE

RETIREMENT

TO A SOCK (sorry Mr Burns!)

39295.png NOT OF THIS WORLD

It’s a strange, strange world where I sit today

As I look for guidance to find the right way

To keep this life on the straight and narrow

To plough up my field with an even furrow.

I think that I see how we all try so hard

To deal out the hand and play the right card

My head tells me ‘wrong’ and my heart says ‘all right’

And I churn it around in the darkness of night.

I feel like a stranger looking out of my eyes

Seeing people so honest all spouting their lies.

We’re searching for wholeness in a life made of lace

And trying to clean out our living disgrace

So I search out the peace and the loving embrace

I look for forgiveness and heavenly grace

To fill out the space that the world cannot fill

To heal up the scars and cure my deep ill.

And now I can see that the endless desire

To eat, drink, be merry and still play with fire

Are things of this earth that will always be there

For as long as there’s want and people don’t care.

If I look far away for the answers to life

Will I see how my shadow is split by a knife?

To leave part on the earth to remain with my friends

While part is in heaven and a life without end.

39295.png HOMELESS

So what is it to you, that I sit here alone

As you walk by, intent on your phone?

I’m nothing at all; I have no worth

To each one of you, I’m lower than earth.

My life’s full of hate- from you and from me

What is there to love? I’m sure you can see

Nothing of worth. So I expect you

To walk by and ignore me like everyone else too.

Yes, I take drugs - tell me why not!

I know that they harm me and make my teeth rot

But nobody cares. Not really. I know

By your actions. True love would show.

The best that I have is a friend on the street.

An understanding soul who helps me to meet

My needs and addictions, a person who gives

An ear to my sorrows and knows how I live.

I look at your faces, sometimes, to see

Just what you’re thinking as you’re looking at me.

Get out and get working! You’re faces all say

As you judge without knowledge and pass on your way.

You can’t know my life or you’d be sitting here too!

The pain and the hurt that would break you in two.

They hated me there and it drove me out here

To a