Talisman for the Soul

Andrew Bell was born in Sheffield and lives in rural Nottinghamshire.Now retired, he has combined a varied career in legal practice, the Judiciary and Citizens Advice. His other interests span writing, the arts, the natural world and teaching, including Philosophy inspired by spiritual traditions and practices, grounded in techniques of meditation and mindfulness.Andrew's poems have appeared in a variety of media outlets including'The Yorkshire Post', 'The Journal of the Scientific and Medical Network' and newsletters published by the u3a.'Talisman for the Soul' is his first poetry collection.

• AcknowledgementsviiIntroductionixQuotation by Ben OkrixivTHE INNER POET 1Aspirations of a Young Poet2How to Read a Poem4Finding the Way to Go 6Keeping Afloat 9Taking Flight 11Surrender to the Muse 13Thanks 15Unlocking Poems 17Writing 19ENCOUNTERS WITH MOTHER NATURE21Doing Nothing22Pigeon 24Loss 26Source of Joy 28Snapshots of Summer30Crenelated Tower 32House Martins 34Rooks 36Viper 37Swans 39Bedtime Stories 40Dawn in the Paddock 42FAMILY AND OTHER RELATIONSHIPS43Touch 44The Letter 46Someone I may have known 50Beyond Appearance 52Waking up on Earth 54Time to Go 57The people I don't know58Released 60School Photo Shot 61Lost Causes 62Our Ukraine A message from Kyiv 64Why are we here? 66Words Within Worlds 68Old Flame 70God Speaks 71Taking Stock 73THE FURTHER REACHES75Touching the Void 76What we do to God 77Passing on78Being Human 79Brahman 80Going Back Home 82Having Been Born 83Holding Fast 85Letting Go 87Morning 90Rapping Home (after Kate Tempest) 91Return to the lost Planet 94Say What You Mean 1 96Say What You Mean 2 97Soul Searching 99Dialling Down 101The Word 102Transformation 104View from the Window 105What I Am 107What I Have Come to Know 108Freewheeling 111HAVING FUN113Terminal 9 114Mr. Verity 116Election Fever 118Imagine 120Ode to the Door Key 122Smart 123HAIKU 125