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Jane Carter Poem
As illness spread across the land, and our lives began to spiral,
A Captain and his charitable plan was a tale that soon went viral.
A centenarian walking laps, distracted us from Covid stats and charts,
And the route he took around his home led him straight into our hearts.
As we battled with the virus, he evoked the fighting spirit of another time,
An avuncular figure bringing comfort to the nation, a gentleman sublime.
His grit and humour in the face of adversity, filled us all with admiration,
And as the funds began to grow, he seized the collective imagination.
He was filled with joy and love, and living in the moment was his aim,
He took his achievements in his stride, awed and delighted by his fame.
When life was at his grimmest, his words of strength helped us to survive,
His sunny disposition broke through the dark clouds, keeping hope alive.
Now, as we gather to give thanks for him, we recall his words of wisdom and we pray,
“That we shall get through this, things will get better and tomorrow will be a good day”.
Copyright © Jane Carter | Year Posted 2021
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Jane Carter Poem
As the vaccination programme speeds along, and the end is getting near,
I find myself reflecting on the year a virus came, bringing suffering and fear.
For twelve long months we were in quarantine, banned by law to roam,
Spending time locked inside, becoming institutionalised at home.
As illness and mortality figures rose, we were all affected, both me and you,
Death was a mutual experience, shared openly with others, no longer a taboo.
But even in our darkest hours the human spirit grew bright and strong,
Thursday nights we stood outside and cheered health care workers on.
We clung to every feel good story and loved a man walking in his grounds,
And fun gym sessions with Joe Wickes, whose energy knew no bounds.
One day, historians will write about the different crazes used to fill the time,
Of bread made from bananas, sewing masks and finding words that rhyme.
A time when ‘zoom’ was no longer just a verb, and dress codes were misplaced,
And we attended virtual meetings, only dressed in office clothes above the waist.
As this chapter closes we will recover, sorrow and anxiety will start to heal,
We’ll soon be back with friends and family, sitting down together for a meal.
We are duty bound, to live our lives in honour of those we’ve lost along the way,
Appreciate every second, be grateful every moment, and always seize the day.
Copyright © Jane Carter | Year Posted 2021
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Jane Carter Poem
Placed against my heart I breathe you in
wrapped in a crocheted shawl
and I remember
Rocked to a forgotten rhythm within my soul
snuggled safe within my arms
and I remember
Caressed with the touch of a loving memory
skin as smooth as alabaster
and I remember
Held tight in a vice-like grip, bound together
an unbreakable bond
and I remember
I see in you the image of others I have loved
promises of joy relived
and memories new
Copyright © Jane Carter | Year Posted 2021
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Jane Carter Poem
Tears rained down and clouds turned black as coal,
As the heavens opened, to receive your noble soul.
A familiar stranger, admired by all throughout the years,
A beautiful smile in every home, stamped on notes and souvenirs.
You were always there, a celebrity before the term was coined,
Our nation has lost a mother, and in grief we all are joined.
We remember your devotion, and give thanks despite our pain,
And relive the loss of others we have loved, and weep again.
As the world marks your final journey, the church bells ring,
We turn our faces to the sun, and cry ‘God save the King’.
Copyright © Jane Carter | Year Posted 2022
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Jane Carter Poem
When my allotted time is spent, and Death arrives to claim me,
Don’t lay me in a field of stones, beneath an ancient yew tree.
Find a place where vibrant flowers grow and joy and love abound,
And there below the fragrant blooms, set my ashes in the ground.
I know your heart is breaking, you bear a pain as sharp as glass,
But ride the changing waves of grief, and know this too shall pass.
Don’t spend time wishing for a different past, and mourning all I’ll miss,
I’m in a place outside the pull of human care, far beyond the precipice.
My mortal coil has shuffled off and all that’s left are memories for you.
Don’t bury me in sorrow, remember me with love and let me live anew.
So, share stories of my time on Earth, talk about my life in all its parts,
And with every smile and laugh I’ll exist again, deep within your hearts.
Copyright © Jane Carter | Year Posted 2021
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Jane Carter Poem
Snuggled tight within your arms I start to heal
Sparks of joy ignite the dying embers of my soul
Embracing hope, the pain of separation is extinguished.
Wrapped within a cwtch, I am alive once more
I hug you close, breathe you in and am comforted
My fractured heart is mended and I can smile again.
My beautiful child, my love, my bubble.
Copyright © Jane Carter | Year Posted 2021
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Jane Carter Poem
We stand apart on pavements, heads bowed as you pass by,
towards the dappled graveyard where with God, in peace you’ll lie.
Before you were a stranger, but in death you’re so much more,
a fallen comrade who fought our mortal enemy in a terrifying war.
We come together, a kingdom united in battle against a common foe.
and mourn with all who loved you, a national family joined in woe.
A warrior true, we won’t allow the life you gave in conflict to be discounted.
You’re one of us, a person to be remembered, not a number to be counted.
As brothers we’ll fight until the virus is defeated, you’ll not have died in vain.
In victory we’ll celebrate the lives of all the fallen, bring comfort to those in pain.
And as we watch your lonely, final progress we hear the church bells peel.
We ask for whom the bell tolls. It rings for us, it marks our shared ordeal.
Copyright © Jane Carter | Year Posted 2021
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