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Best Poems Written by Sarah Heath

Below are the all-time best Sarah Heath poems as chosen by PoetrySoup members

Details | Sarah Heath Poem

Old Soldier

Unnoticed, he blends into the grey park bench,
eyes clouded and watering,
permanent tears for friends lost in a trench
not quite enough of a life-time ago.
Will anyone acknowledge him? 
Smile at him? Say hello?
How many people walk past without seeing?
Are they afraid to take a look 
at their future being?
Can see past hands on a walking cane, shaking,
which once held arms straight, which killed
as he dreamed of his mother holding him
close in a muddy field in France, dug in, 
his only perspective – the sky – looking up,
imagining his Victoria Cross moment, 
which never came.
His history has died with those he has loved:
he exists alone now, his life stored in his head,
musty albums in an abandoned attic.
His film is ending, subtitles about to roll,
last moments of anticipation, will his story change 
before the last curtain call?
Was he the star of his own show, his life?
Would that he had been so invisible then, 
in that giant gutter, repelling the end
but now the magnet has turned, 
death - an indecisive friend.
Ninety odd birthday's leave a stuttering heart 
and a once-red poppy, grey.
On a bench, sad fingers trace the brass 
in which his wife's name is interred
hearing aid off so his sweetheart's voice
can be clearly heard.
As there will be no 'hello' today.
That's all he wants. 
A quiet hello.
So he knows he's not already a ghost.

Details | Sarah Heath Poem

Two Sisters

Sister. No sweeter sounding word
Ever spoken. Ever heard

Two flowers growing on one tree
Bestowed with beauty equally

Two moonbeam smiles hand-in-hand
Secrets shared in fairyland

Younger shadow mirrors the older
Little girl tears on a big girl's shoulder

Lives diminished without your guidance
I am your sister, I carry your silence

Four pillars prevail, one father, one mother
I am one sister and you are the other

Details | Sarah Heath Poem

Sounds of My Father

You leave no self that I can see,
Though sounds of you are still around me.
The sound of a car on a gravel drive,
Moments watching rugby live.
A pint of beer being slowly poured,
The radio announcing the cricket scores.
My brother’s tone when he speaks a word
Not your voice, but your voice heard.
Your terrible music which I now love too,
Just because it reminds me of you.
Though the loveliest sound, I won’t hear again:
Joy in Mum’s voice when you called her name.
She’s wrapped in our family for you from hereafter
Hearing my children carry your laughter.
As a child you thought I was deaf to your will,
But I was listening Dad, and I’m listening still.

Details | Sarah Heath Poem

Lionhearts

A rose engraved on every breast, pierces brave but quaking hearts.
Adrenalin ignites the men in white, for home the sweet chariot departs.
Strong as ancient oaks on England’s pleasant pastures rooted,
Dragons and wolves to their knees will fall; the lion will be saluted.
Pretenders come! With your envy of our might in ancient history past.
To crash swords with England’s lionhearts; your time has come at last.
St George’s men in this crusade, cradled by soft English turf;
Protected by land loyal, to where the game first had its birth.
And in the highest seat, way up in nervous skies,
Webb Ellis soon wants home his Herculean prize.
Jerusalem is here, in this hallowed dome.
Twickenham the stronghold - this is England: this is home.

Details | Sarah Heath Poem

My River Friend

Nearby my friend the river flows
Today, for me, in sorrow…slows
She looks to see my empty chair
For I no longer will be there.

Tears roll down the river's face
As this was such a happy place
So many came to stay a while
Always leaving with a smile

The clearest pictures in her waters
Show reflections of my daughters
As children of their children followed
More and more of life I borrowed

Eighteen hearts which came from mine
I hope forever intertwine
For I am now the river breeze
To carry our joint memories

Peaceful in my last repose
I wonder where the river goes?
The river and her constancy
Will now remind you all of me.

Details | Sarah Heath Poem

Benny's Mountain

Did you soften the rocks under our feet?
Create a breeze to lessen the heat?
To help us reach a peak way up in the sky.
Did you want your mother nearby?

Did you drop a white feather to show you were near?
Loving stories told of your life - did you hear?
We followed your mother's courageous tracks
Could we carry the weight of her grief on our backs?

Did you pull us all up to see what you see?
A world so open, where spirits fly free
At such a great height with a breathtaking view
Your mum's searching eyes only saw you.

At she turned to descend, head held with such poise
Did we hear you laughing with other small boys?
With them, we hoped you turned away first
Goodbyes and I-love-you's, gently dispersed

And though those peaks will be climbed by so many
That mountain will always be yours, sweetest Benny.

Details | Sarah Heath Poem

One Less Mountain To Climb

A peak too high to see;
A quiet place,
Where courage lives,
And is sun-kissed before all else.
The first golden light demanding from above:
How hard is hard?
Striving alone? No sight of the end?
For how long does a shadow live?
Doubt’s cold hand squeezes my heart:
Where is my mother?
Where is my father?
They are not here now.
I am but me, a child.

Yet a gentle smile appears,
And a universal mother breathes:
‘I will help you’.
‘I will climb your mountain’.
‘A hundred of my steps and you will eat’
‘A thousand, and you have shoes on your feet’.
My mother would have looked you in the eyes,
To expose her perfect thanks within.
Knowing your fight for breath eases my fight to live;
Your aching feet lighten my aching soul.
We are together you and I;
Strangers stretching for the skies.
The top of your mountain is also the top of mine.
Though you reaching your peak,
I, sun-kissed by your grace,
Have one mountain less to climb.