Christine Farrington ⁽⁵⁵⁾

“My philosophy is: What people say about me is none of my business, I am who I am do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. And that makes life easier. We live in a world where funerals are more important than the…

Somewhere between what she’d survived and who she was becoming was exactly where she was meant to be. She was beginning to love the journey, finding comfort in the quietest corners of her wildest dreams. They say people don’t change. . . Well. . .

Do not stand By my grave, and weep. I am not there I do not sleep. I am the thousand winds that blow I am the diamond glints in snow I am the sunlight on ripened grain, I am the gentle autumn rain. As you…

“Come you masters of war. You that build all the guns. You that build the death planes. You that build all the big bombs. You that hide behind walls. You that hide behind desks. I just want you to know I can see through your…

“And I’ll dance with you in Vienna, I’ll be wearing a river’s disguise. The hyacinth wild on my shoulder my mouth on the dew of your thighs. And I’ll bury my soul in a scrapbook, with the photographs there and the moss. And I’ll yield…

I arrived in St Ives on the 31st May 2024 for my usual two month break in the UK from my home in South Africa. I primarily choose these two months to get away from the South African winter and enjoy the summer months of…

“Loving the earth, seeing what has to be done to it, I grow sharp, I grow cold. Where will the trilliums go, and the coltsfoot? Where will the pond lilies go to continue living their simple , penniless lives, lifting their faces of gold? Impossible…

Then said a rich man, Speak to us of giving. And he answered: You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give. For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard…

It was only a sunny smile, and little it cost in the giving, but like morning light it scattered the night and made the day worth living.” F. Scott Fitzgerald

“All that is gold does not glitter, not all who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring; renewed…

You and I have spoken all these words, but as for the way we have to go, words are no preparation. There is no getting ready, other than grace. Very little grows on jagged rock. Be ground. Be crumbled, so wildflowers will come up where…

Nobody cared a bit, folks said, When the wicked old man at the gate lay dead. He had no kith, and he had no kin, And nobody cared his love to win: Nobody thought of him kindly, none, For many a cruel thing he’d done;…

Remember me when I am gone away, Gone far away into that silent land; When you can no more hold me by the hand, Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay. Remember me when no more day by day You tell me of…

Love is a ripe plum Growing on a purple tree Taste it once And the spell of its enchantment Will never let you be Love is a bright star Glowing in far Southern skies Look too hard And its burning flame Will always hurt your…

Well, I never thought in a million years that when I arrived in the UK from South Africa on the 1st June 2023 that the forthcoming weeks would become a successful milestone in my life. Having written a book “St Ives Unframed” about my years…

First published in The Stanford Spectator September 2023 issue.

First published in The Stanford Spectator September 2023 issue

First published in The Stanford Spectator July 2023 issue

First published in The Stanford Spectator June 2023 issue

First published in The Stanford Spectator June 2023 issue

First published in The Stanford Spectator May 2023 issue

First published in The Stanford Spectator April 2023 issue

First published in The Stanford Spectator March issue 2023

Love is not love when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove. O no! it is an ever fixed mark That looks on tempests and is never shaken; It is the start to every wandering bark, Whose worth’s unknown, although his height…

Smug, self-satisfied smile. Rictus sardonicus twisting the truth, Appeasing the old, appealing to youth. Hand-shaking, head-shaking, hiding behind The smug self-satisfied smile. Promises, promises, meaningless rant Maintaining the can, denying the can’t Rule-bending, lie-bending, tested and tried The smug self-satisfied smile. Blue, green or red,…

There is sorrow enough in the natural way From men and women to fill our day; And when we are certain of sorrow in store, Why do we always arrange for more? Brothers and sisters , I bid you beware Of giving your heart to…

Just one more day Before you go away One more day To laugh and play We’ve been friends for so long Now you’ve gone the world seems so wrong One more day to hear your song One voice only can sing that song One more…

Time on earth is running out As man pollutes the air Rainforest, Wildlife all extinct There is no future there Rivers of blood run deep and wide Famine, drought and disease All helped along by mans own hand With only himself to please Hunger, thirst,…

I do not think it matters much what I may think If what I think is that which matters not And isn’t worth too much of passing thought But I think it matters much what I may think When what I think flows from what…

There are three guides for the life of man. First is principle, which has been long and carefully tested; the second is experience, strengthened by long practice; and third, the authority of those ancients who could not have been easily deceived by anyone, and who…

Rage, rage at the sight of devastation Violent noise hisses past me as I scrabble to clear bricks. A child appears from nowhere in shocked disbelief, the chubby legs unsteady. An arm reaches out but it can no longer touch the small figure, as a…

Watching winter pools take me to the sea Carried by the wind sighing feeling free On the beach alone seabirds circle there above me Lonely winter day makes me want to stay There where I belong Where I am real, where I can feel sounds…

Running hard towards what used to be Losing ground in changes sliding endlessly Reaching out for mirrors hidden in the web Painting lines upon your face inside instead Sounds so bad the music’s flat on every line Songs of blackened lace know you’re dying all…

Come along with me Down into the world of seeing Come and you’ll be free Take the time to find the feeling See everything on it’s own And you’ll find you know the way And you’ll know the things you’re shown Owe everything to do…

Travel the days of freedom Roads leading everywhere Come with me now And show how you care Follow the dying embers Cross on the paths they lay Breath of the past The earth’s yesterday Clear your mind, maybe you will find That the past is…

Philo = Love Sofia = Wisdom The Past, Present and Future are totally, irretrievably and inseparably intertwined. The Past to assist you in the present and The Present to guide us into the future. The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity,…

WOODLEIGH 11th June 2010 Beautiful redhead watch where you go, the stream deep and wooded, follows the contour of fields full of daisies. In the dark and dank you scamper about. You know I know this place don’t you? The urge to move on is…

When you have acquired a taste for the dust and the scent of our first rain you’re hooked for life on Africa, and you’ll not be right again. Until you can watch the setting sun and hear the jackals bark, and know they are around…

Before me the sea swells up, it rises and comes towards me. There is a breeze starting now and the calm of the day loses its edge That pale blue unblemished sky will not be for long. I feel clouds descending through the mountains. The…

Beautiful dreamer somewhere out there Where do you fly to and what do you care Wings of fine feathers soaring above Delighting us all with a passion like love Miraculous colours appear from nowhere And perch on our branches and make us all stare This…

I love you like a stream Flowing restless to the sea See you like the mist Touches clouds, touches me See you in the stars Wherever you may be I think of you If ever you’re near And have some time to spend I love…

No words can describe these moments in time So special, so precious Last night the dark indigo water encircled us with the horizon Lit up like burning fire, lighting our senses Capturing our imagination I am at peace here with you. Your presence is perpetuating…

We met a long, long time ago When we were young and new It was a long, long time ago But I never forgot you We have travelled down the byways Across the seas and back Climbed the highest mountains Explored the dusty track I…

A Song Hold me tonight before I go to sea Love me tonight and let me be free As I sail away from your harbour so fair Wherever I am I will wish I was there. Oh Cape Town I really love you Cape Town…

This my friend is your great day I am glad to be with you. We have travelled many years together and sung songs. We have laughed together and drunk fine wine. We have spoken in great wisdom. We have cried. I hope the years ahead…

What do you know about conscience pray? When the peace I thought we once had Was taken in a violent flight of destruction That tore our hearts apart and shocked our very souls. Will the light of Christmas be in our minds? Or will the…

A novice of the sea undaunted, undoubtedly was she. “Buy a boat” that’ll sort the skill-less fix, add a few lessons on the briny – that’ll do the tricks! Bobbin’ about in a boat – easy-peasy. Nothing to it really…..not even queasy! Competition – that’s…

I was born in love with you. You, not yet a twinkle in your fathers’ eye. Unborn – your destiny was made. I waited for you. Before we met I knew you were there. Being drawn like a magnet to a place I needed to…

A gentle breeze drifts slowly through the trees The sea ripples softly on the horizon, The birds sing sweetly, and there is peace, perfect peace. I walk along the white deserted beach, the sea is blue, The sea is green, the waves lap playfully around…

Thinking of you as I walked on the moor. Through the bright yellow gorse, where the wild swaying grasses bend to the whisper of the wind. Rushing here, dashing there, following scents everywhere. That was you dear Brock, that was you my friend. Shaggy wool…

No words can describe these moments in time So special, so precious We are sailing in the South Atlantic Ocean Last night the indigo sea encircled us The horizon alight with burning fires Lighting up our senses, capturing our imagination I am at peace here…

Waves crash down on the shimmering sand. Spumeing white horses explode and disband. The spray whispers across beach and land Boards float in wait on the icy cold sea Wait and wait for that elusive wave powerful and majestic A wave to ride high back…

At last the long night dawn arrives, the cold is bitter through and through, above the threadbare blanket now my breath curls up to meet the dew. The body aches the strife is worn another day of life is born. I hear the slow clicking…

When life touches us we are but a fragile creature The wind and the rain fall upon us and we shrivel away An illness sanctifies us being alive And the drudge of work every day Keeps us from going into that forgotten land Our hearts…

Whimsical Widgeon the cat about town where is he off to tonight. Stalking the street like a cop on the beat, whirling his tail at a mouse or a snail. Old Mr Fat Rat appears on the scene, twitching his whiskers and feeling supreme he’s…