She hath wings

Learning to soar above life's storms

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I have enjoyed writing poetry since childhood and I am hoping to find a wider audience on my blog, sharing the hope that I have and connecting with others.

  • Crucified

    How could You have stood there,

    Without a word to say,

    As they jeered and mocked and bound You up

    Leading You away.

    I would have had a thousand words

    To silence all their lies,

    But every word You didn’t say

    Was spoken through Your eyes;

    For while they made a fool of You,

    And whipped You without cause,

    Your heart was full of love for them –

    Their sins became Your sores.

    They led You through the temple courts

    And brought You before the crowd –

    People just like me were there,

    Shouting out aloud.

    And not one spoke at Your defence,

    Though You had done no wrong;

    They wanted someone else released

    And You did not have long.

    In just a little while, You were flogged some more –

    Beaten to the ground;

    Flogged and battered till You were crushed,

    Yet no sin in You was found.

    On and on they led You through

    The streets where You had spread your fame –

    They made You carry a heavy cross

     Though You were not to blame.

    The journey was long and Your strength had waned

    As You drew near to the place,

    So they chose a man to share Your load –

    Your burden, to embrace;

    But none could imagine the agony You felt

    Nor the pain of each new blow –

    The torment as each nail drove through Your flesh 

    I will never know.

    They hoisted You up for all to see

    And stripped Your dignity bare;

    Your enemies and friends together, looked on,

    As they crucified You there.

    © M. Patterson 2004

  • Round and Round

    My family and I decided to check out an annual food, music and wine festival tonight. The kids played on the playground and we bumped into some old friends we hadn’t seen for a while. We heard two bands and then my hubby and son rode the dodgem cars together. It was wonderful giving my kids an experience similar to what I had enjoyed as a child. When we first arrived at the festival and saw the carnival rides, we noticed the big Ferris wheel and I longed to go on it as a whole family. Hubby wasn’t keen to spend the money, preferring to go on the Melbourne Star, but somehow I managed to convince him it was worth it. What I didn’t know, was that this was his very first Ferris wheel ride! I hadn’t been on one since my teens. As a joke, I suggested that this could be part of my birthday present.

    We got on and as we reached the top and looked down to the road, I was very glad I hadn’t gone on alone with my daughter. I find heights difficult – surprising, I know (!) that I chose a Ferris wheel ride! I just wanted to be with my family having fun all together. We certainly achieved that … instead of stopping after 2 or 3 rounds as we expected, that Ferris wheel went round about 15-20 times!!! It was quite fast too, much to our amusement! If my husband was worried about value for money (it was $25 for the four of us to go on as a family) he needn’t have been!!! Round and round we went, almost as if they had forgotten to unload everyone! We had a wonderful view of all the carnival rides and the sun getting ready to set as we looked across the marina. What a wonderful way to finish the evening. We will remember those many rounds for years to come- an amusing experience for us four!

  • The Concert

    Standing there under warm lights,

    Violin raised and bow drawn,

    I found you in that sea of faces

    At sweet, innocent, fifteen.

    I’d never seen you through that lens

    And perhaps never will again;

    A thrill not equalled on that stage-

    Proud moment standing still.

    As I played, you did not know

    The ballad became my theme-

    “I’d die for you”, the test;

    The music still reprises.

    Long gone, but not forgotten-

    It hurt because I loved;

    Too close to your warmth, I fell-

    Wings fairly crumpled.

    Although you said goodbye,

    I know I’ll see your face once more-

    (I hope the one I played for,

    Not the one you became!)

    Close to my heart always,

    I’ll save a spot for you-

    When I take the stage last time,

    May my song not be in vain!

    ©️ M. Patterson 12.2.20

  • Being Present

    Being Present

    What a busy start to the school year- I had already returned to work the week prior to when my son returned. My daughter has been super clingy and my son has been struggling to fall asleep till late- so much in his mind. I have had a tendency to brush off their neediness, so drained of mental energy myself. Many times I had wished for some silence to process my thoughts but stress rose in the constant clamour. Then came a bit of a dollar-dropping moment.

    This intense mum season will get quieter, but so will the requests to play with me or for me to listen to another story about Mr B’s Minecraft hobby or to decipher some cutey phrase that Miss A is trying to compose. The time is now! My agenda needs to move over so that my kids feel loved. I need to take time out for myself, but I need to shower my kids with a whole lot of love also. I needn’t be half present- if I’m there, I need to be all in. They know when I’m not really connected. They also learn what I do, more than what I say or write in a birthday card.

    Are you fully present with your loved ones when you visit them or have meals with them? Do you count down the hours to solitude or are you grateful that somebody needs you? It takes work sometimes, but it is a worthy investment of time.

  • A Christmas Reflection

    A Christmas Reflection

    As the Christmas lights dim and carolling ceases,

    Children’s toys litter the floor in pieces –

    My reflective mood comes to the surface again;

    Time to stop and pick up the pen!

    I’m too old to believe in fairytale life,

    As I read of bushfires and growing strife,

    Yet there’s something that gives me hope for the ‘morrow –

    Setting my confidence, parting from sorrow.

    I keep coming back, knowing once more,

    I must share these thoughts, each heart I implore;

    That babe in the manger not weak as we thought –

    He took on hell and in power he fought –

    His death stamping out the sting in our own;

    We no longer had to go it alone.

    Hope came to us that Christmas night –

    And when all has gone dark, He will be our light.

    Traditions come and go but His love will remain,

    Holding us through seasons of joy and pain;

    Guiding us when our way is unclear –

    Steadfast every day of the year.

    © M. Patterson 2.1.20

  • Cat Cafe in Pictures

    It has been about a month since I posted about The Cat Cafe in Melbourne. As promised, very late in the piece, here are some pictures!

  • Tommy’s Ears

    When I was just a few years old, I had something big weighing on my mind. I was feeling extremely guilty – not for something I had done as a once-off, but for a repeated offence. What was worse, Tommy seemed to be affected in the long-term  from what I had done only a handful of times. It was innocent at first – placing clothes pegs on the ears of the family cat seemed a logical place to me. But then I got hooked. I kept doing it, because it was such a comical thing to see the cat’s ears drooping with the weight of the plastic clothes pegs! It was no longer laughable when I was aged five and a half. Not long before Christmas, Dad was backing the car into the driveway and tragically ran over Tommy, who died on the way to the vet.

    I was shunted inside pretty quickly after running outside to investigate, but I remember the spattering of blood on the path. For quite sometime later, I blamed myself. You see, Tommy was deaf.  I mistakenly thought that it was because I had placed pegs on his ears, when I was just a pre-schooler.

    It wasn’t until perhaps a year or two down the track, when we were discussing the matter at the dinner table, that I blurted out my confession. I couldn’t understand why the family was in stitches – to me this was very serious; I had indirectly caused the death of the family cat, or so I thought. Mum and Dad set the record straight, and I can’t tell you how relieved I was.

    Isn’t it funny how one tiny thought can turn into an unnecessary burden, if left unchecked!

    (Originally posted in 2014 on an old blog).

  • Saturday At The Cat Cafe!

    My son and I had a long-awaited visit to Melbourne’s only Cat Cafe on Saturday. It is situated in Guildford lane, only a few minutes walk from Melbourne Central Station. We travelled to Flinders Street station, catching a 59 (Airport West) tram from Elizabeth Street up to Melbourne Central. We could have taken a train from platforms 1, 2 or 3 to stations in the City Loop instead.

    I booked online a couple of months in advance, securing an 11am session. You pay for entry and if you would like basic food (such as a muffin) or a drink, this is extra or included in a package deal. Whilst they accept walk-ins during quiet periods on weekdays, it is advisable to book to avoid disappointment. We confirmed our food order (it is brought out at a certain time so that the cats don’t find it first!) and had it upstairs halfway through the one hour session. There are 2 hour and 3 hour sessions available too, but it is best to try one hour first to see if you like it there.

    Upon arrival, we were greeted by a young lady of gentle temperament and spotted three spoilt felines “on duty”. Arnold (half Maine Coon) guarded the little containers of cat biscuits which can be purchased for $2, knocking a few off unapologetically as he made himself comfortable on the reception desk. Ruby looked like she was constantly winking at me, but it turned out that she had only one eye! We perused the little souvenir shop and waited until it was time to enter, making sure that no kitties escaped when we did go through.

    The bottom level had low chairs to sit in as well as some regular sized ones, all positioned around the edge of the room, enabling the cats to move about freely. I was struck by the ambience in the room; the quiet meditative music and the soft lighting including Christmas tree lights. There was no shortage of cat trees for the cats to play in or sleep on top of. A number of cat toys were available to entice the cats and kittens to play and it was relaxing patting them and seeing them move about freely. Visitors are asked not to pick up the cats but can gently pat them if the cats don’t mind.

    On our way to the top level, we came out to the reception desk and had the option of washing our hands at the little wash basin there before eating or there was alchohol cleaner in pump packs on the desk. We walked up the stairs and there were a couple of cats sitting on the stairs, much to my son’s amusement. One strode along the top of the stair landing, very much in ownership of the place!

    The cats could move between the two levels through a little hole at the top of the stairs (little shelves built into the wall which they could climb on). Up the top level were more cats (some were sleeping and others walking around). Daylight streamed in through a number of windows and the cats could even sit on a balcony protected by strong chicken wire if they desired. There was a bridge across the roof enabling the cats to move from the steps on the wall to the cat trees on the other side. There was also a wooden tree in the middle with cosy cat beds at the bottom. It was fun to read the profiles of the resident cats on the wall and to sit in multiple places on that level, taking it all in.

    The hour went too quickly but it was just enough to slow down and enjoy the simple pleasure of patting and playing with beautiful rescued cats. It was a well run establishment and the cats are so fortunate to have had a new start in life. The cats did not clamber onto me (apart from when I deliberately put a couple of cat biscuits on my lap!) and it was a non-threatening environment for my son to observe and befriend some cats. He wanted to go back as soon as possible and at least once a year!

    I recommend this place to every cat lover one the age of eight. It is a hidden gem in a tiny pedestrian lane, but well worth the visit.

    PHOTOS TO FOLLOW! (See this later post for the pictures )