Robert has so far been Viva 70’s only poet contributor and his work was published in May 2019..a treasure. I’m hoping to persuade Robert to create more poems for us in the future. Thank you Robert on this Viva 70’s walk down memory lane……….Here’s the article and his thought – provoking poetry….

A chance meeting with friends in a cafe recently created a conversation with the talented Robert Mierisch. Here’s a semi-retired engineer, researcher, co-founder of companies dealing with renewable energy. Robert and his family spent many years living in California and he has now embraced a tree change life in rural Victoria, Australia. He continues to be passionately developing rural residence energy systems using solar thermal energy. Robert also writes beautiful poetry and has undertaken extensive research into his family history. This week we bring you, with thanks, two of Robert’s poems.

Through Time

Look forward to the times of our descendants.

Wish them well.

We cannot see their future, see them ponder.

As in their time they look to us and wonder.

They won’t see.

But they will feel our wishes; give us credence.

We can’t know.

 

The places we inhabit and our actions,

May be lost.

But our intentions should be clear to them.

As in their time they think of us and then,

They will know.

We wish them well whatever their directions,

And we care.

 

Look backwards at the lives of your ancestors,

Try to see.

You can’t know all about the things they valued.

But you can know their number if you want.

One twenty six,

Just in the six preceding generations;

Maybe less.

 

Look backward to the forward-looking faces.

Don’t be sad.

You can’t know all the detail of their dreams.

Just that they wish you well, and so it seems

That quite a crowd,

Has walked the same path leading to the places

Of our dreams.

Robert Charles Mierisch  – 1997

Transparent Coals

 Gaze into an open fire, seek the yellow of the coals

The light is bright around the edges.

Dancing waves of soft flames lick the air.

Every feeling softens there.

 

The wood returns the sunlight’s gift.

Ignition sets the trigger.

Flames dance and cast soft shadows,

There is no way to figure.

 

Esthetics limit bricks and stones.

Mud or mortar holds the blocks.

Builder’s skills and time that hones,

Shaped the structure’s form.

 

When the fire is burning brightly,

All our stress begins to ebb.

All the fuel that feeds the fire,

Binds the watchers like a web.

Robert Mierisch, 2014

 

Thank you Robert. We love your work and I look forward to delighting Viva 70 readers with more of your writing in weeks to come.