MARK ANDREW HEATHCOTE

 

Playing The Hand Of God

 

To divert the wind, wouldn't that be good

to turn back the tide; remove the torrent?

Wouldn't that be me playing the hand of God?

Wouldn’t that be virtuous, not abhorrent?

 

Life is a little slow at times pedestrian

but when chaos presents itself, it comes

like a bolt from the blue on a chariot

in a head-on collision course, it comes

 

Ah, it comes to level the playing field

and flatten our sandcastles, meaningless

we're all standing in its path of stand or yield

inquiring if it'll be redeeming us?

 

But I wouldn't want to play the hand of God

change-will-come, come as it-must-for-us all.

To divert the wind wouldn't be that good

it would just be another kind of curveball.

 

Be Who God Wants You To Be

 

Be who God wants you to be

walk in his footprints; it's your vocation in life

to follow in these simple footsteps

whom you are-meant-to-be.

 

Look, this isn't just some form-of-happenstance

perchance, it was the wrong way.

You'll get warning signs every step of the way

Karma has a funny way of turning us around.

 

And if we don't listen, then the chips are face down

and like a weak swimmer, you'll-certainly-drown.

 

God's Own Time Zone

 

I haven't climbed mountains to be benevolent.

I haven't crossed this river to tie your shoelaces

I didn't fall in and out of love to become a pessimist

I didn't sleep to overlook you in wide-open spaces

I haven't walked over hot coals to wave goodbye

I didn't work my fingers to the bone, baring my soul

-my heart to learn or forget how to smile or cry

'God, I didn't cross this or any other Time zone

to be simply here or there, then live or die alone.'

 

MARK ANDREW HEATHCOTE

 

MARK ANDREW HEATHCOTE is adult learning difficulties support worker. He has poems published in journals, magazines, and anthologies both online and in print. He resides in the UK, and is from Manchester. Mark is the author of “In Perpetuity” and “Back on Earth,” two books of poems published by Creative Talents Unleashed.