Bull In A China Shop

‘all breakages must be paid for’

She told the bull in the china shop

As he stamped his hooves impatiently

And snorted through his ringed nostrils

So he tiptoed around glass cabinets

Admiring the fine white porcelain

The delicate hand painted vases

The plates and cup and saucers

Until he saw the red beating heart

Pumping rhythmically...

Read and leave comments (2)

In Another Place

a soft breeze

drifting through an open window

hung with net curtains

the faint perfume

escaping

from an open book

the creak of a floorboard

cracking

above you

the shadows

caught dancing through the doorway

in a dim lit room

the taste of honey

clinging

on a teaspoon

the feel of a scarf

on your face

...

Read and leave comments (0)

A Bracelet Of Daisies

She made me a daisy bracelet

And twisted the stems round my wrist

We swore we would never forget

the sun slowly set as we kissed

And for a short while that was true

love blossomed like that daisy chain

but those white petals never grew

the green shoots were twisted in pain

It hurts when you’re given a heart

that unnourished withers and ...

Read and leave comments (0)

The Side Kick

A purring cat

Sat before a raging fire

The smell of cinnamon buns

Outside the snow falls

Rubbing away ice on a window

Looking out into the whiteness

A smile caught

In the reflected dusk

New buds bursting

From green shoots

The blue sky

Flecked with white clouds

Raindrops dripping from trees

The fresh cool air

Mirrors in the pond

Read and leave comments (0)

Daily Howl

A quiet boy -

he painted rainbows,

got lost in the words

of ancient poets,

spoke with respect,

offered up his seat

and his place in the world

to the unfortunates.

He smiled,

he laughed,

he spoke in words

of love and peace

with passion

and humility.

His voice

a pacifier.

Sometimes,

when the world was cruel,

he cried

Read and leave comments (1)

Painkiller

This world is brutal in its bitter way,

destroying beauty, tarnishing the good,

Hurting the carers, harming those who would

do better with their lives each passing day -

those who, despite all that the doctors say,

take back some control – if only they could

get up from where they drown beneath the flood

of good intentions. So today I pray:

when you’re hu...

Read and leave comments (1)

Back To The Park

It’s mid July,

a summer’s day.

School is just

a memory away.

We lay on grass

and watch the sky

and count the clouds

as they pass by.

We talk of bands

we’d like to see -

Led Zeppelin, Quo,

Sabbath and Free.

Insects buzz,

a distant bark,

children playing

In the park.

You turn to me

and kiss my lips

and move in close,

h...

Read and leave comments (6)

Old Romantic

The roses gave her hay fever,

the chocolates made her fat,

if I were to believe her

that would be the end of that.

She complained the wine was bitter

and the card was over priced,

my verse didn’t raise a titter

‘cos it wasn’t very nice.

The lingerie was far too tight,

misunderstood agendas,

I looked a proper sight

in the stockings and suspender...

Read and leave comments (4)

Cold Hearted

the calming time

cotton wool squeak

beneath my feet

the air

crisp with cold

crystal palaces

cut from ice

nose and mouth

streaming mist

vivid blue sky

the lake cupped

by mountain hands

in a caring gesture

frozen feet deep

covered with snow

the calming time

distant voices

carried on a

biting breeze

cheeks frost rouged

Read and leave comments (1)

Saint Valentine’s Day Mascara

She cried when I forgot.
She cried when I remembered,
her tears like silver arrows
to my heart,
her eyes black-lined with sorrow.

The ink, barely dried,
smudged with liquid joy.
A big wet splash on the ‘o’
turning ‘love’ into ‘live’
and crowning my name
like a liquid tiara
for a princess
in a cruel land.

Granting wishes
like kisses.
So I wished s...

Read and leave comments (1)

steam asylum

clockwork heart
beats and whirs
scalpel fingers
titanium spurs
tiffany lenses
rainbow eyes
steaming valves
sulphur skies

arabesque is brittle
she collects his spittle
in bell jars of ancient glass
sealed with valves of brass
he reciprocates
storing her tears of hate
in little silvers vials
that power system dials

lubricated slick
old joints rust
creaking slowl...

Read and leave comments (0)

Circe’s Antidote

you crawl from the damp earth
where we buried you last year
your gnarled fingers scraping
away from the soil
reaching for the skies
who tip their tears upon your
outstretched pleading aspirations
dying ice crystals melt around
your roots chilling your heart
turning your petals to snow
you dance a lazy swaying waltz
urged on by an insistent breeze
blanching the green...

Read and leave comments (1)

stroke

no words

blood ricocheting

in all directions

going places

where blood should

smoothly flow

not rush headlong

apologies

made by sign

for dragging me

seventy miles

to see

your broken body

no words

thinking

is this it?

is this all there is?

will I live

the rest of my life

motherless?

no wor...

Read and leave comments (2)

Alien Feelings

Shattered, splinters of midnight

caressing and glancing off skin.

White, frozen beams of moonlight

that spotlight two strangers dancing.

Electric blue, cutting through mist

as a small, fair hand is held near –

then a blinding flash as two lovers kiss

and a slow, gentle, ebbing of fear.

Eyes drawing near, then cutting like lasers

...

Read and leave comments (9)

The Sparkle

The Sparkle,

silver starlight in your eyes,

a soft touch

before we say goodbye.

It’s over too fast,

I hope this feeling will last

until the morning

The Sparkle

of teardrops on your cheek.

All my tears,

the happiness I seek

was over so fast,

I hope this pain won’t last

until the morning

The Sparkle,

our...

Read and leave comments (2)

Noticed

I lived my life, most often, like a ghost,

ethereal, drifting from room to room,

a chill chasing me from pillar to post.

Rippling across the senses of those whom,

in solitude, sought meaning in their life

before they passed beyond it to the tomb.

I was not noticed by them, or my wife

who gladly let me rest in silent shade

whilst stab...

Read and leave comments (3)

The Cause Celebre.

I felt it was fait accompli

that I would make a faux pas.

There would be something I didn’t see

and I would become her bête noire.

But I thought - Oh well – c’est la vie,

I had missed that je ne sais quoi

 ‘You never talk French to me!”

- her barbed coup de grace.

Read and leave comments (4)

The Clown

This make-up’s dried upon my face,

gone cracked with age and wear.

I can’t remove this absurd mask.

You’ll never know how much I care.

The girl with pretty eyes will smile,

the clown, so sad, will sigh.

Another chance has passed away.

Another star lights the sky.

You see the clown and laugh at him,

I turn away and cry,

‘cos...

Read and leave comments (5)

Gathering Winter Fuel

Return to me and bring your loving flame,

despite your sparks my kindling rarely smokes.

Without you life will never be the same..

Between us lies a frozen lake of blame,

through which only a twig of passion pokes.

Return to me and bring your loving flame.

Unless we mend our ways the fates will claim

the pyre where our prid...

Read and leave comments (0)