Soon the snowdrops will.......
The riddle of covid
continues to confound.
Uncertainty reigns supreme.
Meanwhile nature
faithfully adheres
to its preordained cycle.
The first snow
of the year
heralds the
renewal of life.
Soon the snowdrops
will emerge
to gladden the eyes
and lift the spirits.
Saturday 5th December 2020 12:39 pm
The future is bleak
Time thou march on relentlessly.
And influence everthing under the sun.
Seasons change upon thy command.
Nature seems normal.
Human life is anything but normal.
The future is bleak.
Saturday 31st October 2020 7:38 pm
Divine forgiveness
"I forgive you"; she said.
The mother with a golden heart.
She forgave the killer of her only son.
He was the sunshine of her life.
Those divine words made me
burst out in tears.
She harboured no animosity
towards her son's assassin.
She created no shrine
to lock herself away
to worship her dead son.
She cherishes fond memories
of her son; and, leads a
...Friday 16th October 2020 2:13 pm
Will Christmas 2020 happen?
Autumn natures bounty gifts.
Hedgerow fruits in season come.
Sweetest blackberries are ready for picking.
The dog rose bows with heavy red orange rosehip clusters.
Damascence plums beg to be made into jam.
Hazelnuts fallen under hazel tree send squirrels into nut cracking frenzy.
Amber coated falling beech leaves a deep leaf litter create.
Soon it will be time to hun...
Thursday 1st October 2020 10:03 pm
Tread gently
Tread gently
through the graveyard.
Beneath your feet
a dreamland lies.
The fortunate who
dwell in it
are free of all
worldly pains and sufferings.
They bask in eternal rest.
Tread gently
through the graveyard.
Friday 25th September 2020 8:46 pm
Silenced
The violent storm
has uprooted the last tree
standing high above
the hill top.
The singing of
the rustling leaves
is now silenced.
The emerald canopy
has curled into a
dead grey mass.
The eroded hill top
rendered barren
is now unsuitable
for sustaining life.
Sadly the magical
sight of unfurling
of buds and the
melodic sound of ...
Sunday 20th September 2020 10:24 pm
Fall from grace
The leaves once so pretty
flirted shamelessly with
every gentle breeze
and how gracefully
they danced in the
bright glow of every sunshine.
Now touched by the
cold autumn wind
the leaves break free
from the trees
to hide their wrinkles
and fall from grace
into a roadside ditch.
Saturday 12th September 2020 2:07 pm
Floral dance
The lupin crowned with pink blossom,
Is peering through the earth.
The early September sun,
showers it with a thousand kisses.
A hundred bees are attracted by
the blushing pink flowers.
And they joyfully do the
floral dance waltzing through
the tall spikes of the pink flowers.
Friday 4th September 2020 8:27 pm
Escape August's veil
The summer's turned into autumn
by this August's sorcery.
It had wrapped the sun
in a dark blanket
and drained its warmth away.
Deceived by the cold breath
of August's treachery
nature has begun to go into lockdown.
Alas yesterday's colourful landscape
is now a wilting canvass.
I pray that the sun shall
soon escape from August's veil
its warmth to spre...
Sunday 30th August 2020 12:12 am
Wild August
August has turned wild.
Mighty trees feel its rage.
Driving rain and swirling winds
send a thousand tears
cascading down to the earth
and weave them
into a carpet of dead leaves.
Wednesday 26th August 2020 7:07 pm
Pilgrim's progress
the pilgrim
to the holy shrine
in bare feet
set off walking
rough terrain
and scorching heat
will test his
resolve along the way
to the distant shrine
it will take
several soul searching days
to realize
a life times desire
and his faith
will be sorely tested
the pilgrim
will rely upon
the hospitality of strangers
to fulfil his dr...
Wednesday 19th August 2020 9:25 pm
Happiness
he lives alone
but he is not lonely
he heaps mountains
of kindness on others
his humanity
brings him riches
that earthly wealth
cannot buy_
peace of mind
and happiness
Sunday 16th August 2020 11:31 am
Tide waits for no one
The sea
she stirred no waves
and crept in silently.
The angler
he lost track of the time
and the sight of the tide.
The sea
she soon circled
his rocky perch.
He stared
death in the face
and she stared back
solemnly at him.
Panic stricken
he waved his arms
wildly at the people
gathered on the shore.
In a friendly gesture
...Friday 14th August 2020 11:42 pm
Spiralling downhill
Hope and memory
journey through life
in a downhill spiral.
It all begins wiith
hopes of memories
and rapidly
descends towards
memories of hope.
Wednesday 12th August 2020 4:42 pm
Imagination running wild
I stood besides
the bridge
by the cycle track.
Beneath it
flowed a gentle stream.
Around it
insects flew about
and swooped
to caress the
surface of
the water below.
Then I saw
a leaf
float gracefully
riding the rolling waters.
How I wished then
that I were weightless
and was able to
glide and land softly
on that leaf.
...
Tuesday 11th August 2020 8:58 pm
What light from yonder window shone?
I sat in darkness
to rest my sore eyes.
The curtains were open.
Darkness reigned outside.
Then I saw a slanting light
come out of the night sky
appear through a lit up
giant Ash Tree.
It was a watery Moon
firing rays of light
that came flooding through
the window pane.
I watched the spectacle
in wonder for a while.
Then the moon
circled o...
Sunday 9th August 2020 8:07 pm
Curse of social distancing
Oh Lord how I miss her touch and hugs.
I close my eyes and yearn to hold her hands and hug her.
But when I reopen my eyes I see an ocean of social distancing separating us.
How long God before I can once more feel her healing hands and warm hugs?
Please God end this madness soon lest I 'm driven insane.
Friday 7th August 2020 9:53 pm
Sunshine smile
the tip of her tongue
protrudes slightly
through the gap
between her sparkling
pearl white front teeth
and when she smiles
she sets the world
aglow with sunshine
Thursday 6th August 2020 10:01 pm
The oblivious world
He used to bring her flowers when he came wooing her
He used to give her lavish gifts when he came wooing her
He used to to take her to the theatre when he come wooing her
And take her to fancy restaurants afterwards
He gave her a ring as a token of his friendship
She wore it with pride
There were just the two of them in this idyllic relationship
Then he married her
The bli...
Wednesday 5th August 2020 8:39 pm
It was____
I sat under
the Acer
besides the pond
for hours today
watching
fleeting reflections
floating by.
Then I saw
a still reflection
of a face
that I knew
linger in my mind
and a river of tears
cascaded down my cheeks.
It was___
Monday 3rd August 2020 9:46 pm
A Masterpiece
The Rowan Tree is so beautiful now.
Its green cloak
is be-decked in a thousand
tiny Ruby bobbles.
Saturday 1st August 2020 10:57 pm
AS YET UNBORN
Parents obligingly feed me
Teachers dutifully mould me
Between the two they slowly kill me
None of them remembers me
Not one has seen the problems facing me
No one knows the struggle that both put me through
To parents I'm a museum piece
And teachers treat me like a laboratory mice
Both so distant from me
Who cannot yet speak
Please learn the language of today and loc...
Saturday 1st August 2020 11:03 am
A Comforting Thought
Life
is a supreme journey.
Nobody knows of its countless surprises
till one inevitable day
Death
arrives.
The station where the
Soul
departs at its journeys end
to find a new breathing space.
Why be afraid of such places
when nobody knows what happens
there.
AA 5 August 1974
Thursday 30th July 2020 9:27 pm
LOOKING AT THE MIRROR
I look in the glass;
that reflects my image.
My thought turns back a page,
and my age stares me in my face.
Each line on my forehead has
has a story of my life to tell.
Every wrinkle in my face has
a time for me to tell.
The hours I search my memory to tax.
The minutes I find my mind to torture.
And the seconds I see my days to number.
AA 30 November...
Wednesday 29th July 2020 11:23 am
At The Seaside
Here I spend countless hours
encouraged by the vast sea
to train my mind.
Its rolling waves jeously surrender
unchartered space
upon reaching their crest
suddenly
they break
revealing enormous possibilities
punctuated by unconcluded thoughts.
As the new waves form
time lends itself
to consider previous propositions
and bring them to their
fruitfu...
Monday 27th July 2020 3:32 pm
A Dream
Blow gently cold wind
I am a stranger and lost in this desert
The sun has been cruel
And the sand dunes have concealed the water from my thirsty lips
I have no map
Nor a compass to guide me.
Blow gently cold wind
Till darkness surrounds the horizon
And the North Star appears mercifully
to guide me through this barren land
Like a sheep dog come to lead the
stra...
Saturday 25th July 2020 9:34 pm
The servant of the land
It hasn't rained for days.
And the harvest season is nearing its end.
The crop isn't ripe.
It is ruined yet for another year.
Last year it was the rain.
And this year it is the drought.
The weary farmer is patient.
He has seen many a crop ruined.
He has laboured to witness it yet again.
The weary weather battler won't give up.
He isn't beaten yet.
He prep...
Saturday 25th July 2020 11:05 am
A Fairy Tale
In spring times
all day long
he dances besides
the stream
where the faries
dwell in the trees
that line the bank
of the rushing waters
All night long
he gazes at
the twinkling stars
and dreams of
touching them
and soothes
himself to sleep
in summer times
all day long
he merrily marches
up and down the
glen with the faries
gather...
Thursday 23rd July 2020 2:56 pm
Scintillating conversation
shall we put an end
to our dull conversations
of late?
why don't we go away
and learn some poetry?
then we shall enjoy
scintillating conversation
next time
Tuesday 21st July 2020 9:04 pm
Blessed Boris
Alas poor Boris.
He's out of his depth.
He lives under a mushroom.
His mind is sieved of ideas.
He's lead by impulsive behaviour.
Habitually blurts out policies on the hoof.
Yesterday Boris confidently rejected ideas adopted by others.
Today he embraces them as sound concepts.
Surely this is no way to run a chip shop?
Yet the gormless Boris merrily bungles thro...
Tuesday 14th July 2020 12:59 pm
Play temptation
he's always been
a good and honest man
acquainted with true love
he's happy
and blessed with good health
toils for a living
lives within his means
Satan enjoys a challlenge
singles him out
and invites him
to play temptation
a game of dice
win and you
shall have three wishes
lose and I'll
have your soul
he graciously declined
in...
Sunday 12th July 2020 10:28 pm
Equilibrium of mind
if my mind should
ever aflame
to a deserted
place in nature
I shall retreat
there free
and devoid of attachments
I shall be happy
by my self
here cocooned inside
natures comforting womb
the fluid depths
of my futile concerns
will be laid bare to
to see
then mother nature
with her hyptonic potions
shall melt
my anxieties away
...
Thursday 9th July 2020 2:17 pm
Rosy future
yesterday
his dreams
were filled with
optimism
and he felt alive
today dark clouds
of despair
float across
his tormented mind
and
he sees
a bleak future
and wishes that
he were dead
tomorrow
rising floods
from cloud bursts
will drown
all his yesterday's
bright hopes
and
he shall forever
dwell in the darkness
created in ...
Wednesday 8th July 2020 9:27 pm
A banquet spread out in the night sky
Now the day has ended.
Darkness triumphs over light.
Deep inside the womb of a cave,
bats with paper thin wings,
hinged with claws
and hanging upside down,
begin to stir from their sleep.
Suddenly the flying animals,
half the size of a five pound note,
let out a hunting cry.
Then they flutter out of the cave,
in an up draft,
that flows like the gu...
Monday 6th July 2020 11:13 pm
The mirror only now reflects
The mirror only now reflects.
It neither flatters.
Nor does it tell lies.
It has no concept of the past or the future.
The past etched in the beholder's memory,
the mirror cannot reflect.
The future only time will tell.
The mirror only now reflects.
Sunday 5th July 2020 11:58 am
Monkeys filled the vacuum
Covid-19 was frightening.
The public expected their elected representatives to help keep them safe.
The inept politicians acted with assured certainty and abnegated their responsibilities towards the public with uttter contempt.
Monkeys filled the vacuum and treated the public with utter disdain.
Exempted themselves from following the advice issued to the public.
The monkeys now ful...
Friday 3rd July 2020 10:44 pm
A well planned return
Headteachers are far from thrilled.
It is not a joke.
When September comes,
the school bells,
will summon children back,
to historically overcrowded schools.
Williamson expects teachers to keep classes
and whole year groups apart,
in separate bubbles without,
giving any thought on how,
learning will take place.
Children will mingle freely,
in the magic...
Thursday 2nd July 2020 10:38 pm
No humans live here
in my dream
I follow a Shepherd
without a flock
to a far away land
beyond the blue remembered hills
we do not speak
l'm guided along
with signals made with his crook
I obediently follow
there appears before us
a foreign place
bathed in golden light
I saw no human habitations
stretched out in front of us
countless mounds of earth
neat...
Tuesday 30th June 2020 9:03 pm
Post card from Spain
Here I'm in charming Granada
Shaded by palm trees
Drinking sangaria
You're stuck in Devon
What awful pictures shown on the news
Of the crowded Bournemouth beach
It must be frightening
Now that Boris has eased restrictions
Saw this nice post card
Of the heavenly Alhambra
And thought of you
Don't you wish
That you were here
Monday 29th June 2020 11:51 am
Joyful gardening bliss
The garden is adorned with,
sculptures and statues of,
different forms and sizes.
They are neither cast of bronze.
Nor are they chiselled from marble.
Here there are no sculptures,
created by famous artists.
Nor are there any statues,
made by known sculptors.
But the garden is full,
of priceless abstracts.
Some stand proudly tall.
Some spread out their...
Sunday 28th June 2020 1:16 pm
I shall not go there again
I shall not go there again. No more shall I walk the purple embroidered heather hills.
The majestic peregrine falcon no more graces the far horizon. The local gamekeeper poisioned it to protect his lordship's grouse.
I shall not go there again. The hitherto distant horizon clear is darkened and echoes with the dying peregrine's haunting wail.
I shall not go there again. Soon the horizon w...
Thursday 25th June 2020 10:37 pm
A poor sacrifice
Adam,
he were a novice chess player.
He were pitted against God,
the Grandmaster.
In the deciding game Adam,
he made an monumental blunder.
He sacrificed his immortality,
in exchange for death.
Adam and his second had,
developed this flawed stretegy,
during their pre-tournament discussions.
The Grandmaster,
He wasn't,
surprised by the move.
...Wednesday 24th June 2020 9:08 pm
Pyrrhic victory
Oh envy!
You're singularly driven by your jealousy.
You rob the talented.
You deny them well deserved acclaim.
You slaughter rising stars,
with your sharpened words.
You drown their artistic endeavours,
in your bile filled pool.
When you awaken at dawn,
and read the account of,
your harsh criticism driven by envy,
will you proudly boast,
of your pyrrhi...
Tuesday 23rd June 2020 9:57 pm
Fondly remembered
I'm an orphan.
I've no father,
to say happy father's day to.
And no mother,
to send flowers to,
on mother's day.
Both my parents,
brought me up to respect
my fellow human beings.
And taught me the difference between right and wrong.
This has stood me in good stead,
all my life.
I shall always have fond and happy,
memories of my parents.
Happy fat...
Sunday 21st June 2020 9:16 pm
The return of the sunshine days of yore
She is a happy soul.
One day in late March,
silence strayed into her life.
By imposed solitude upon her.
Neither silence nor solitude intimidates her.
She loves her home.
She shares it with her tabby cat.
The home is full of happy memories.
She remembers the golden days,
before that fateful March day,
the door bell regularly heralded,
the arrival of frien...
Saturday 20th June 2020 11:13 pm
Friends will come out to play
This nightmare will be over.
The fog of uncertainty will lift.
The sun will shine tomorrow.
Friends will come out to play.
What joy it will be, once again,
to hear the voices that,
never fail to make you smile
and sometimes weep.
They will shower you,
with hugs and kisses.
And share a glass or two of wine.
What a day to savour it will be.
Wednesday 17th June 2020 10:54 am
What's the fuss all about?
What's the fuss all about?
Its always been this, that and the other.
This in now.
That was then.
And the other is a journey into the unknown.
What's the fuss all about?
Its always been this, that and the other.
This is life.
That is what it may have been.
The other is wishing time away.
What's the fuss all about?
Its always been this, that and the other.
...Tuesday 16th June 2020 3:49 pm
Yearning for the freedom of the open skies
everyday in the
sapping heat
of the desert noon
the host
and his retinue
retire to the
tranquil reception hall
in his house of wonders
the hall faces the
interior courtyard garden
its shuttered windows
create a magical calming
atmosphere
candle light scents
and burning incense perfumes
fill the hall
full of eastern promises
its wall...
Monday 15th June 2020 4:35 pm
Soul and body purified
I had walked for miles
my feet were sore
I sat on the bank
of the little brook
rumbling through
the woodland
and rested for awhile
I took my boots
and socks off
then I dipped my
weary feet
in the saddle tan
coloured waters
of the stream
a shoal of
curious minnows
came and sweept
the soles of my feet
giving me an instant
tickli...
Friday 12th June 2020 6:59 pm
Tempting smile
be not seduced
by her inky smiling eyes
that ignite her scarlet lips
to whisper sweet
alluring promises
gaze into
those dark eyes
at your own peril
lest you drown
in her tears
and disappear
into the deep recesses
of those black eyes.
Wednesday 10th June 2020 8:11 pm
Rain turned into wine
the naked earth
by April's
ceaseless heat baked
now bathes
in June's
dancing tears
savouring the pirouetting tears
now fermented into
vintage wine
makes plants blush
in myriad shiny colours
and much greener glow
Sunday 7th June 2020 10:41 am
A true Leprechauns tale?
my kitchen window
offers me
an uninterupted view
of the open countryside
and distant hills
to the west
through it I see
the setting sun
dip lower
as it approaches
the hills
for a fleeting moment
it glorifies the hills
by crowning them
with a golden halo
before disappearing over
to the other side
leaving a trail
of darkness behind
...
Saturday 6th June 2020 4:15 pm
Where do I begin?
hark
listen
do you hear
the rythm of
life
and
death
beat between
the first sunrise
and
the last sunset?
at the first sunrise
the first breath
is inhaled
the first tears
of joy are shed
and the eyes
first open to death
at the last sunset
the last goodbye
is whispered
a last faint sigh
is heard
and the eyes
shut the fi...
Friday 5th June 2020 12:22 pm
Requiem mass
cemetery lane
in Earby
is an unstable track
pressing on one side
a dry stone wall
and the other
a row of poplars
the proud
tall ladies
glittering in slightest wind
were rehearsing a Requiem mass
at the open air concert hall
on the hills across silvery haze
accompanied by humming of
rustling leaves
with nettle and wild rose towers
clapp...
Monday 1st June 2020 7:33 pm
Spooked
someone spread
a black shawl
over the sun
the long day
became night
the moon crept
inside the dark sky
in a hush
and cast stolen
soft sunlight around
an owl calling loud and deep
flew into sight
and spooked
dreamy watch-dogs
to disturb the calm of the night
Sunday 31st May 2020 12:51 pm
Kingfisher betrayed
I went outside
and entered that
timeless natural world
full of surprises
from afar I caught
a glimpse of
I know not
what
there it was
motionless on
a branch overhanging
the river
I crept closer
without making a sound
until I reached the tree
still it didn't stir
then suddenly
startled by approaching noisy ramblers
A turquois...
Saturday 30th May 2020 12:05 pm
The night the Milky Way disappeared
it was past midnight
on a balmy night
I lay back
on a comomile lawn
there lay before me
a creamy feast for the eyes
luminous bands of stars
stretching across the sky
the charming seven sisters beaming with broad smiles
a five jewelled glistening harp
the northern cross disguised as a beautiful swan shimmering in the milky sky
the lion shining bright makin...
Thursday 28th May 2020 11:31 pm
Just another lie
explicit was the government's lockdown guidance
the senior aide had his own twist
whilst the rest obeyed the rules
he drove to Durham in a mist
no use complaining about double standards
politicians are blind as well as deaf
public vents its anger in vain
you can't shout foul they're the ref
rulers deceive with shameless ease
it is just another lie
subjects a...
Tuesday 26th May 2020 9:48 pm
Busy rearing the young
the apple tree in its full glory
the Robin on blossom deep
foraging for its chicks
insects and grubs gathered in its beak
it glides onto the thorny hedge below
surveys for dangers to heed
assured darts off to a concealed nest
its hungry brood to feed
the Robin will tirelessly performs this duty
without fail everyday from dawn till dusk
to the day the young a...
Saturday 23rd May 2020 4:25 pm
Silence reigned in the end
with rain pouring
from his sad eyes
the old man
told to me
his lifes story
in a trembling voice
when a child
he'd plenty of time
to endlessly explore
the puzzling pathways
around him
to find the key
to open the door
and uncover
the secrets of
of his universe
he saw the world
through optimistic eyes
As a youth he was rebellious
he r...
Thursday 21st May 2020 3:46 pm
Will we meet again?
she came upon me
in daylight clear
with large watery
hazel eyes
and a beaming smile
that magically lit up
the universe
she had a
commanding presence
she whispered quietly
and said to me
let me take you
by the hand
and guide you
to the place
where I go
in my dreams
she held my hand
in her warm
comforting hand
and lead me
to a ...
Tuesday 19th May 2020 1:36 pm
Face to face with gentle giants
Today's walk
took me
to the land
where giants
in fairy tale
come to life
there were three
magnificent horses
in a field
abundant with
golden buttercups
jealously guarding
the green grass
a shire horse
and two gypsy cobs
existed in harmony
in a secure field
perched high above
Barrowford Park
the enormous
ebonied shire
ha...
Sunday 17th May 2020 6:56 pm
Uplifting walk
into the woodland
I stepped
from the west end
of the mile tunnel
on Leeds/Liverpool canal
at Barrowford today.
Saw willow
and holly
and oak
and beech
all still in delicate
pale shades
of spring
holly excepting
the slanting sun's rays
filtered through
boughs and branches
shone on
blue bell soldiers
in sparkling sapphire uniforms
...
Saturday 16th May 2020 6:59 pm
Life and death companions
birth of life
heralds death's beginning
death shadows
life's journey
life walks side
by side with death
death's cup fills
as life's empties
life is transient
death is inevitable
death's duty is done
life is just beginning
that's natures way
life is nothing
without death
as a companion
obsession with death
life diminishes
Thursday 14th May 2020 8:57 pm
What would you rather be?
Lovers slip away to Paris,
each other to discover.
Bees skip flower to flower,
nectar to gather.
Lovers in Paris seek
cultural,
artistic; and,
culinary
self gratification.
Bees among flowers,
flirt with pollen laden kisses,
to nurture farmers toil
to fruition
for nectar alone.
Lovers in Paris,
swig champagne.
Bees among the ...
Monday 11th May 2020 12:22 pm
Lockdown gift
Oh! what joy,
this lockdown bestows.
I feel, I stand alone,
in the garden of Eden
surrounded by natural beauty.
I smell natures intoxicating scents.
And almost hear,
its heart beat,
echo across the silent;
deserted landscape.
In this quiet,
awe inspiring idyll,
I hear whispers;
of better things to come,
ring out loud and clear.
Saturday 9th May 2020 2:33 pm
No more
No more
toll
the Church bells
for the dead
No more
held the death rituals
prayers and remembrance
to honour them
No more
mass gatherings
to say goodbyes
to them
No more
friends can come
to say final farewell
to them
No more
reverential
burial service for
them
No more
than a few
close relatives to the
ceme...
Thursday 7th May 2020 12:36 pm
For love
Why does she
in an empty room retreat
on this day
year after year?
In that far Autumn of 1968
she saw her dreams
shattered
by sacrifice asked to make
Her love was
wedded to his work
promotion was
in the pipeline
Time wasn't right
a family to raise
planning in future
more sense would make
Tomorrow came
but nature had slipped
...
Sunday 3rd May 2020 9:19 pm
Sonnet_ Love and Lust
Shall I stain Love and Lust with the same brush?
It is truely noble and enduring.
The Cherry Blossom in April sunshine blush.
And Lust's dance is over in a fling.
Thus strong desires guides the moral compass awry.
The craving satisfied is oft short lived.
And the experience is soon denied.
And never again should such an affair ever be sized.
But the gift of love s...
Friday 1st May 2020 10:47 am
It will take time to clear the mess.
The moon stirs anger in the sea.
Gale force winds gust with menace.
Together they whip up colossal waves,
wrecking the ancient sea defences.
Harbour is a boiling couldron,
fuelled by horizontal rain.
Boats are torn from their safe moorings,
and are reduced to fragments.
Rapid rivers leap over their banks,
uprooting trees in a rage,
transforming land into ins...
Tuesday 28th April 2020 3:06 pm
Prayer for the safety of the old man
He used to sit in that doorway.
Had a paper cup in his hand.
The entrance has long been blocked.
No one has seen him recently.
His companions have vanished too.
Where can one start to look for him?
No one monitors the homeless.
There is no refuge for his like.
Is a kind soul caring for him?
I pray that the old man is safe.
Saturday 25th April 2020 10:17 pm
Natures healing powers
I wondered aimlessly
along the meandering lane
far away from civilization
to empty my mind
of all things coronavirus
Then without any warning
my eyes feasted upon
a vast sea of grass
gilded with hundreds of dandelions
swaying in perfect harmony in a field
The masses of dandelions
were gazing admiringly at the blue skies
and were showered with
the be...
Friday 24th April 2020 8:43 pm
Life long friendship
Do you remember the day we first met?
It was in a queue
Outside a school
One dull September day
We were two frightened little boys
Holding our mothers hand for comfort
There were other boys too
But they didn't appear daunted
Our names were called out
Mothers whispered reassuring words
And encouraged us to cross the Rubicon
To begin our life long learning ...
Thursday 23rd April 2020 10:57 pm
Incarcerated indefinately
"Worse still to come"
WHO issued this bleak virus warning?
I don't know
Someone with too much time
To speculate I suppose?
I'm too busy keeping out of
The cordoned off Coronavirus Way
If anyone asks
Say I'm on a holiday
But the truth is
I'm currently incarcerated
At HMP Self Isolation
Being held in solitary confinement
Indefinately at HM Government...
Tuesday 21st April 2020 6:06 pm
Noise isn't always intrusive
He used to stand
At his window
And stare at the
World and its wife
Go by
Forever complained
About the din
Created by
People and cars
Rushing past
Now he has ceased
To stand and stare
A strict round the clock
Curfew imposed has
A ghost town created
No more shouting
Laughter
Or sounds of traffic
Invade his privacy
Finds this unb...
Monday 20th April 2020 2:35 pm
The Bridge Grandmaster
He's in his 90's
You know?
New members are told
On their first visit
Has a well lived in face
Kindly eyes
Disarming smile
Welcoming warm handshake
Is untidy of appearance
Weeks food splashed
Stained clothes
Wears two different socks on feet
Of lifes experiences
Remembers all yesterdays vividly
Vague about todays
Tomorrows are oblivious
...Monday 20th April 2020 12:15 am
Service only fit for a mother
An old woman
Entered the exclusive
High Street cafe
Hesitantly
She wore a simple dress
Had sparkling eyes
Narrow lips
And no makeup
Made her way slowly
To an empty table
Sat down gracefully
With beady eyes honed on her
The waitress came
Her order to take
Just a glass of water
Politely requested
She went away
Returned to
Fulf...
Saturday 18th April 2020 8:47 pm
Eureka
Archimedes Hardaker
A burly Yorkshire coal miner
Came home clammy and dusty
Filled the bath with hot water
Plunged in to have a soak
Lost in thoughts got disorientated
When conscious again
Climbed out of the bath
Shouted EUREKA at the top of his voice
Adding by eck that were a reet relaxing bath
Saturday 18th April 2020 11:40 am
Walking in your foot steps
Half a century ago
I set my eyes upon you
For the first time
In this woodland
The tall trees shaded
A host of delicate plants
Painted in many
Colours of the rainbow
Many varieties of insects were
Buzzing from plant to plant
Feeding greedily
On plant nectar.
Spieces of different birds
Perched high on the grand stage
Each out singing the other
...Wednesday 15th April 2020 5:05 pm
Not any different
With such ease
Judgements made
Cursory evidence
From first impressions
Life long
Prejudices determine
Outwards appearance
The judgement weighs heavy
With no desire
To peel veneers
Truth beneath
Surface to seek
Listen in silence
The heart beats
And circulates blood
Lungs pump
Air flows
In all alike
Irrespective of who
Monday 13th April 2020 2:31 pm
It were nowt but a dream
Sun drenched
Pitiless blue skies
Greeted
Good Friday morning
Felt a strong desire
Acted upon it
Rang my bossom pal
"Sorry unavailable" the answerphone blurted
Gambled
Ventured out to her resting place
Saw a notice pinned on the headstone
Reading
Sorry I'm not in
Rather busy today
_ gathering wildflowers in the meadows
_ rehearsing songs o...
Friday 10th April 2020 4:59 pm
Thank god for a welcome companion
My garden bound
By a hedge
Consisting of
Reawakened hawthorns
Splendid in delicate green dresses
Evergreen yews
With light coloured
Needled fans from the
Old dark growth emerging
And the prickly
Shiny hollys
With red berries
In sun's warming
Cloak drapped
Perennials in various
Verdant Hues
Peer out of the earth
Lemon yellow glowing
Se...
Tuesday 7th April 2020 1:43 pm
Picture of hope and dream
I beseech thee
Do not cruelly ask me
To compare the young man
Frozen in a fleeting moment
In that potrait
And the image reflected
In the mirror
That you hold in your hand
His is the ebonied face
In the potrait
Crowned with long flowing
Black hair
His eyes sparkle
With a thousand glints
Of HOPE
Has a beaming smile
That would melt
The coldest h...
Saturday 4th April 2020 5:14 pm
What's it called?
The invisible
Arrived uninvited
Silently spinning
The world into chaos
Merciless
And indiscriminating
Mows down young and old
Alike
Halt its spread
The scientist say
Contactless existence
And self confinement
May just break its back
That simple _ really?
Thursday 2nd April 2020 6:22 pm
Just the two of us captured
Flicking through images
Time had confined to history
Memory rewinds and fast forwards
The past to the present
Captured on Morecambe Bay's
Stone jetty
Our shadows
By sun's sorcery cast
The canvass appears incomplete
A flock of people _
Painted out
A squabble of seagulls _
Erased
A stew of oystercatcher _
Brushed out
Just the two of us _
Capt...
Sunday 29th March 2020 10:07 pm
Shall we be friends?
Skippy
A ginger tom
Loves
Outdoors
Spends
Hours
Prowling
In the garden
At dawn
This Spring morning
Distracted by a noise
Stops to investigate
Curiosity aroused
Sniffs the air
Ears honed in
Stares skywards
Recognizes sound floating
High above emanates from
A bird box
Home to Blue Tits chicks
Weighs up odds of netti...
Friday 27th March 2020 4:19 pm
Judge not too harsly
In the twlight of his life
The dishevelled old man
Spends his day time sitting on pavements
With a plastic cup in his hand
He sleeps on door steps
On piles of cardboards for a bed
He wears a shirt frayed at the collar and cuffs
_Patch work mosaic trousers
_Socks darned with multicoloured threads
The soles of his shoes are full of holes
His blazer is repaired with...
Wednesday 25th March 2020 3:56 pm
I would be nothing without you
I was nothing
Then you held my hand
Guided me through lifes maze
And gave me an identity
Watching you closely
Trusting you implicitly
Imitating you faithfully
Was all that was necessary to mould me
I would have been nothing
If there was no you to teach me
Sunday 22nd March 2020 8:48 pm
Really _ the dead woman was her mother!
Why is this infantile woman,
unleashing a frenzied
verbal attack,
on the dead woman?
Her barbed tongue can no longer,
inflict suffering,
and pain,
upon her victim.
Jesus cleansed her soul.
He liberated her from all her earthly suffering and pain.
He took her to His Father’s mansion
and charged the Angels to look after her.
I pray that GOD will shi...
Thursday 19th March 2020 11:46 am
The Rainbow
The yonder Green Hill
Sits starkly framed
Beneath a dark rain laden
empty sky
The Sun
A disguised alchemist
Places a tiara
high above the elevated area
The Triple Crown
Bedecked with myriads of
Vapours refracted colours
Illuminates the gloomy surroundings
Soon the sky deluged with rains
Of the sun’s kisses
Is awakened
Heralding the return...
Thursday 19th March 2020 11:10 am
The drop of water that made the Silver Birch blush
The majestic Silver Birch
Adorning its winter regalia
Was bathing in bright sunshine
It stood in a calm pool of water
A lonely leaf was still
Attached to one of its branches
Hanging on for dear life
It had clung on to it
Grimly through the winter’s ravages
The rain had just ceased
A single drop of water
Skated across the leaf
Upon nearing the edge of t...
Tuesday 17th March 2020 10:31 am
The final destination
All roads lead to it.
Waste no time to look for paths to avoid the terminal station.
Fulfil your ambitions and dreams along the avenues
that life’s supreme journey takes you.
Rue not whether you took the right route.
We’ll all arrive at the journey’s end one day.
Thursday 12th March 2020 12:18 pm
Silence isn't always golden!
Alas a creeping curse
Ignited into a fickle feud
An absurd argument started it all
It soon hatched into hatred.
The ensuing guilt gnaws away
And gives birth to stubborn silence
It blossoms into a deathly deafening stalemate
The festering deadlock is hope destroying.
Thus lost in a labyrinth
The mind explores ways out of it
Concluding that the silence has to ...
Wednesday 11th March 2020 11:16 am
Was it really she?
As I walk down the Cemetery Lane,
A woman appears besides me.
She looks familiar.
The dark curly hair and smiling eyes
It can’t be she.
The one I once knew had vanished into the
unknown void long ago.
She whispers to me in a recognizable dulcet voice
tales that only my friend and I knew.
It can’t be she.
The one I once knew had departed from this
mortal coil m...
Wednesday 11th March 2020 11:03 am
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