ASHWORTH, Donna

Don’t Prioritize Your Looks

Don’t prioritize your looks my friend,

as they won’t last the journey.

Your sense of humor though,

will only get better with age.

Your intuition will grow and expand

like a majestic cloak of wisdom.

Your ability to choose your battles,

will be fine-tuned to perfection.

Your capacity for stillness,

for living in the now, will blossom.

Your desire to live each and every moment

will transcend all other wants.

Your instinct for knowing what (and who) is worth your time,

will grow and flourish, like ivy on a castle wall.

Don’t prioritize your looks my friend,

they will change forevermore,

that pursuit is one of much sadness and disappointment.

Prioritize the uniqueness that make you you,

and the invisible magnet that draws in other like-minded souls

to dance in your orbit.

These are the things which will only get better.

She

I have been her

I have been she

I have been them

And now I’m me.

I have been out

And I’ve been in

I’ve felt defeat

I’ve known the win.

I have held joy

and shouldered grief

I’ve had my share

Of changed beliefs.

I have been hurt

and I’ve been high

I heard the answers

to what and to why.

I know the loss

and I know the gain

I know that we

all bleed the same.

I have been her

I have been she

I have been them

And now I’m me.

History will Remember

History will remember when the world stopped

And the flights stayed on the ground

And the cars parked in the street

And the trains didn't run.

History will remember when the schools closed

And the children stayed indoors

And the medical staff walked towards the fire

And they didn't run.

History will remember when the people sang

On their balconies, in isolation

But so very much together

In courage and song.

History will remember when the people fought

For their old and their weak

Protected the vulnerable

By doing nothing at all.

History will remember when the virus left

And the houses opened

And the people came out

And hugged and kissed

And started again

Kinder than before.

When I go

When I go,
don’t learn to live without me,
just learn to live with my love,
in a different way.

And if you need to see me,
close your eyes,
or look in your shadow,
when the sun shines,

I’m there.

Sit with me in the quiet and you will know,
that I did not leave.

There is no leaving when a soul is blended with another.

When I go,
don’t learn to live without me,
just learn to look for me in the moments.

I will be there.

Don’t miss me more than once a day,

For life is moving fast.

Don’t wish all of your time away,

Dreaming of the past.

Don’t waste the moment looking at,

The things I left behind me.

I’m not within those walls or boxes

The heart is where you’ll find me.

Don’t dread to say my name, sweet one,

Don’t fear the wrath of sadness.

Just take the love you had for me,

And turn it into gladness.

Don’t worry when my birthday comes

Don’t feel me missing more.

I’m filled with love you’re sending me,

Just as I was before.

Some days your anger will rush out,

Your tears will find their way.

To me, wherever I am then.

I’ll soothe them all away.

When I am gone don’t miss me more,

Than once, or twice a day.

There’s so much life to live, my love.

I’m with you, all the way .

I’m in the rain

I’m in the rain
I’m in the pain
I’m in the blood within your veins
I’m in the air
My favourite chair
I’m in the soulful way you care
I’m in the night
I’m in your sight
I’m in your heart and holding tight
I’m in the skies
The children’s eyes
I’m in your sobs and in your sighs
I’m in your life
The cause of strife
And that thought cuts me like a knife
My darling one
My moon, my sun
Please don’t let all I was become
Your daily sadness
Source of madness
I used to be a font of gladness
If you can hear
When I am near
Please let me take away the fear
And bring back love
I’m not above
I’m close around you like a glove
So breathe me in
Let life begin
Loss will fade but love will win

You don’t just lose someone once

You lose them over and over,
sometimes in the same day.
When the loss, momentarily forgotten,
creeps up,
and attacks you from behind.
Fresh waves of grief as the realisation hits home,
they are gone.
Again .
You don’t just lose someone once,
you lose them every time you open your eyes to a new dawn,
and as you awaken,
so does your memory,
so does the jolting bolt of lightning that rips into your heart,
they are gone.
Again .
Losing someone is a journey,
not a one-off.
There is no end to the loss,
there is only a learned skill on how to stay afloat,
when it washes over.
Be kind to those who are sailing this stormy sea,
they have a journey ahead of them,
and a daily shock to the system each time they realise,
they are gone,
Again .
You don’t just lose someone once,
you lose them every day,
for a lifetime.

One Day

Today, I dared to let myself dream,

That the world will one day open again.

That the locks will loosen, the walls will fall,

The doors will fly open and reunite us all.

I dared to imagine the warmth of a cuddle,

A group of my friends all locked in a huddle.

I felt all the heartbeats, drumming with mine,

I heard all the laughter, I tasted the wine.

I thought of the feelings I’ve missed for long,

The room full of music, united by song.

The freedom to roam, to plan and to meet

To hold someone’s hand, to meet, to greet.

Just for a moment I dared to dream of,

The flights I would board to the places I love.

The moment those eyes would meet mine at the gate,

The feeling of joy after so long a wait.

Today, I dared to let myself dream,

That the life we once had would happen again.

That we’d no longer fear the danger of air,

That our lives would not depend on such care.

They say that we mustn’t wish time away,

But it’s hard, my friend, when faced with a day,

So long in blank hours and so wiped of laughter,

It’s tempting to drift away to thereafter.

So yes, I dared to dream just a while,

Of life coming back, it brought me a smile.

One day I know, this will be in the past,

And hugs will be free, again, at last.

Love came first

You don’t move on after loss, but
you must move with. You must
shake hands with grief, welcome
her in, for she lives with you now.
Pull her a chair at the table and
offer her comfort. She is not the
monster, you first thought her to
be. She is love. And she will walk
with you now, stay with you now,
peacefully, if you let her. And on
the days when your anger is high,
remember who she represents.
Remember. Grief came to you my
friend because love came first.