31st March 2015

Last daily poem
run out of inspiration
fun while it lasted.

30th March 2015

Spiteful gusts of wind
demolishing trees that have
stood for centuries.

29th March 2015

The clocks spring forward
by an hour, lighter at night
just an illusion.

28th March 2015

Kind
Inspirational
Reliable
Sixty
Truthful
Youthful

Warm
Intrepid
Laughing
Sympathetic
Original
Noble

27th March 2015

Cinquain


Forget

names and faces.

Days spent in a grey fog.

The person you are now hidden

from view.

26th March 2015

Seagulls wheeling round
a small red tractor ploughing
up the rich brown earth.

25th March 2015

Platform 9 Clapham Junction

It's here they leave me waiting. No hardship in this place
I always feel at home here though no familiar face
to greet me in this steamy room where travellers come and go
look up to see a TV screen a children's puppet show.

 One end dingy  benches where a couple kiss farewell
though chairs by the refreshment bar more suited to hotel.
At the counter young girl asks 'what would you like with tea'?
'A breakfast muffin' the reply, I  have been up since 3.00.

'Have this seat' the young man says with a friendly smile
Football fan puts the sports papers in a pile.
Look through smeary windows safe from the icy rain
All too soon time to go here comes the Weymouth train.

24th March 2015

Ishie

Independent
Self sufficient
Highland pony
Inclined towards anything
Edible

23rd March 2015

Senses
-always a man of few words
I'm glad of that now
as you stutter and stumble
trying hard to explain
as I bend my head to hear you
and comprehend your shame.

Stooped in your armchair
old, frail and blind
the past left behind
a life almost finished
except in my memory
where nothing's diminished.

22nd March 2015

Black crow on the branch
Swaying in time to the wind
ruffling its feathers.

21st March 2015

Instead of tidying the house - that can wait,
go out into the winter gloom
long dark days swallowing the light.
How bare the branches of the storm blown trees
making cages for the stars.

20th March 2015

Warm March afternoon.
To celebrate spring's coming
the birds are singing.

19th March 2015

Frosted mountain tops
thaw out into waterfalls
the earth springs to life.

18th March 2015

I miss you when I'm with you

Rock pools hide their secret depths, star anemones
renewed, refreshed by constant change, heated by light
diluted by rain. Miniature ocean washed over by wave.
Tide turns sea blanket lifts as small creatures take flight.

Scend of sea surging seaweed strewn over sand,
salty tang pervading senses sea and shore collide.
Heading back, the endless roar and rush of waves
shadow my footsteps, long since vanished in the roll of tide.

17th March 2015

An early pansy
peeping shyly from the verge,
smiling up at me.

16th March 2015

Two hares on their back
legs having a boxing match.
Who won that round?

15th March 2015

Frosty March morning,
picking late snowdrops for an
early Mother's Day.

14th March 2015

City of London.
Everyone in a hurry
a long way from home

13th March 2015

How bare the branches
on the storm blown trees making
cages for the stars

12th March 2015

A gaggle of geese
flying in kite formation,
spring is on the way.

11th March 2015

Unable to care for himself
too frail to be left alone,
days spent in a sleepy haze
dozing quietly at home.

How hard it is to grow old
when the body starts its decline
but the mind is still as sharp
and is telling him it is time.

10th March 2015

Washing on the line.
Flapping in the gentle breeze
welcoming the spring.

9th March 2015

Purple
prickly upstart
unwanted at the show,
a weed.  Virtue undiscovered
just yet.

8th March 2015

Just Grass

Moles push up through it
blindly seeking light.
Roots search down through it
seeking darkness to cling to.
Worms waiting for the early bird
wind damply round its roots.
Wild flowers hide through it,
first primrose waiting shyly in the wings.
Moss lichen carpet anchors it to earth
in autumn transformed to purple haze.

7th March 2015

Slippers
Highland pony
Quirky young gelding who
needs more than I can give him let
him down.

6th March 2015

Cinquain

Gloomy
One of those days
curled up in misery.
No light shines at the end of this
tunnel.

5th March 2015

Jester
Eager to please with a
Surprising sense of humour
Talented at carriage driving
Endeared himself to all, a
Remarkable horse who'll be sadly missed.

4th March 2015

pickup
drunken fumblings,
quickie in the churchyard
watched by tombstones gravely keeping
secrets

3rd March 2015

around closing time
watching the hack of smokers
pour out of the pub

2nd March 2015

can't get off to sleep
ideas buzzing round my brain
disturbing the peace

1st March 2015

Reformed
the Baptist Church.
What was it before - Wild?
If it was it would attract more
sinners.

28th February 2015

When did looking forward change to looking back?
When did having all the time in the world change to
how long have I got? Or at least how long will I be able?

When did I become part of the older generation
worrying about pensions and heating bills
and people give up seats for me as if I were unable?

When did my hands turn into my Grandmother's
wrinkled with liver spots and deep blue veins?
I look in my mirror on the dressing table

When did I grow old?

27th February 2015

Slippers

I try so hard to do my best for you
simply wanting you to be content
at ease in your surroundings
my intentions all well meant.

Why has it gone wrong, you on edge
taking off at top speed without thought?
Flooring me as if you don't care at all
my happy plans have come to naught.

I can't keep getting this so wrong
I will give it one last try
If it's not really meant to be
do we have to say goodbye?

26th February 2015

creative writing
scribbling words onto a pad
not making much sense!

25th February 2015

line of leafless trees
swaying in the evening breeze
the birds flown away

24th February 2015

'What walking aids do you want'? She asks.
'Only you' he replies reaching for her arm,
the morning walk, love's small rituals.

Seventy years since they took their first walk.
In those days she held his arm as a trophy,
her handsome sailor boy home from the sea.

Over time their love has changed. Evolved into
daily rituals, dependence on each other, and
a dread, never discussed, of one of them dying.

When that time comes, as it must come to us all
so many small rituals undertaken without a word
will be missed. Most of all the morning walk.

23rd February

Religious differences drove us apart,
I really don't mean to be flippant.
A beautiful friendship now on the rocks
He thought he was God and I didn't.

22nd February 2015

what is poetry
but the language of the heart
written on paper

21st February 2015

A string of pearls given to celebrate her birth,
gifted by a maiden aunt who'd worn them
as a betrothal gift from her young man
who did not survive the Somme.

As a child she would play with the pearls
winding them round the neck of dolly
until her mother locked them away
far too precious for play.

Her thoughts went to her long dead aunt as
her mother placed the pearls around her neck.
Now a grown up girl on her wedding morn
Pearls kept safe for her first born.

20 February 2015

hidden in notebooks
left to age like fine wine is
their time has not yet come

19th February 2015

Wordsmith revisited

Practicing your alchemy, wooing me with words,
changing leaden lumpy verse into streams of gold,
you enthrall me, hypnotise me, weave me in your spell
within the hidden meanings my fate you will foretell.

Your honeyed tongue caresses, brings me to my knees
bewitches and beguiles do with me as you please
I walk in dreams, my head is filled with words meant just for me
pour molten gold into my soul for all eternity.

18th February 2015

Wordsmith

Practicing your alchemy, wooing me with words,
changing leaden lumpy text into streams of gold,
you enthrall me, hypnotise me, weave me in your spell
within the hidden meanings my fate you will foretell.

'Fine words butter no parsnips' Granny used to say,
she was wrong, the passion strong, my life no longer grey.
I walk in dreams, my head is filled with words meant just for me
pour molten gold into my soul for all eternity.

17 February 2015

old horse in the field
looking back with sightless eyes
into his own past

16 February 2015

shipwrecked seaweed, strewn
carelessly by a restless
wave at my bare feet

15 February 2015

I didn't think it would be simple
and now I'm wanting to say
I'm finding it more and more difficult
to come up with a poem a day

My muse is very much jaded
and all of my fires have failed
The first month it was easy
I thought I had it nailed

Other than haiku's I'm struggling
My well's running dry I think
I'm trying to seek inspiration
Or else I'm turning to drink!

14 February 2015

riding in the woods
breaking ice on the small pond
spooking at the noise

13th February 2015

friday the thirteenth
walk around the ladder to
avoid tempting fate

12 February 2015

large red skinned apple
it reminds me of Snow White
do I dare eat it?

11 February 2015

Claire's Jig

Years later out of nowhere  it hits you
that photo  half remembered, a sunny day
although all days were sunny then.

Claire dancing on the grass  a flying vortex of colour
laughing uncontrollably, before rolling down the bank
a tumbling bundle of delight

It's different now no walking on the grass allowed.
Once more the past will fade, memories dim
on those days that can never come again.

10 February 2015

gleaming gold new moon
lighting up the winter night
holding me spellbound

9th February 2015

storm clouds gathering
looking darkly down to earth
choosing their target

8th February 2015

Cinquain

river
hurried restless
curving crashing rushing
endlessly searching for its source
water

7th February 2015

that daft young collie
chasing the car off his land
then letting it go

6th February 2015

Draft of yet another independence poem

Driving down the road excitement in the pit of my stomach

watching those blue white flags waving proudly in the breeze

always higher up and larger than their No cousins

who seemed half-hearted barely fluttering ill at ease.

Yes much more positive than No lets take a chance, give it a go

they seemed to say. On the day a cock crowed the answer was nope

tears in the eye, hard to accept it, sticks in the throat

when what it came down to was fear over hope.

5th February 2015

Years later out of nowhere it  hits you,
that photo, half remembered, a sunny day,
although all days were sunny then.

With luminous clarity you are aware
once more the past will fade, memory dim
on those days that can never be again.

4th February 2015

curled up in the chair
should be getting on with things
read my book instead

3rd February 2015

Teasle

His eyes misting over as mine fill with tears
sweet breath becomes laboured my throat dry with fear.

Now all that's left an aching void, a wound that's deep and raw
would that his soft and gentle mouth could brush my face once more.

2nd February 2015

bright red phone cover
easy to spot as it falls
out of my pocket

01 February 2015

Seeking Inspiration

Sometimes the images come first
how to turn it into verse?

Then again could be a thought
all my musings come to naught.

A memory of something past
the time to dwell goes by too fast.

I almost get it right sometimes
but then I find that nothing rhymes.

Gaze at the butterflies and birds
to find I'm left with words, words words,

how do I put them into order
without anxiety disorder?

My good intentions fall apart
rip up the page another start.

Hours pass head bent in sorrow
I'll have another stab tomorrow!

31 January 2015

storm clouds gathering
looking darkly down to earth
choosing their target

30th January 2015

Shredding Paper

All that history and angst consigned to the bin.
It's therapeutic letting go, free to do as I please,
walking away from the past and thinking
it all comes down to this - what a waste of trees!

29th January 2015

all that I yearn for
moves away just out of reach
of my fingertips

28th January 2015

warm summer sunshine

bees humming while hauling gold

dropping off to sleep

27th January 2015

Shoah (Hebrew word for catastrophe)

A failure of justice made the Jews inferior,
packed like cattle in the stinking train,
families clinging in desperation
trusting their prayers would not be in vain.

Children ripped from clinging arms
stripped of humanity, filthy despair.
lambs to the slaughter, how shall we remember?
Dusty museums with shoes, teeth and hair.

What have we learnt to stop it repeating?
All of the promises, truth rearranged.
Suffer our children while the world watches
walled up in ghettos nothing has changed.

26th January 2015

Fools if they think I'm coping, getting on with it as they say,
then they won't have to worry,  oh she'll be ok.
Brave face to the world, grief is private, though feels like I'm torn apart,
some little thing reminds me, and memories flood in the heart.

25 January 2015

rain lifts light returns
a rainbow arcs overhead
in silence we wait

24th January 2015

Ringing the call centre's driving me mad
Nobody answers the service so bad
The music was crass & when I got through
The guy that I spoke to did not have a clue

He said just a mo and put me on hold
I waited so long I began to grow old
My blood pressure rose, pains in my head
And all of a sudden the line it went dead

So dialled once again & tried to get through
I'm getting so cross, don't know what to do
Your customer service fills me with sorrow
I'm going to bed,  I'll ring back tomorrow!

23 January 2015

Poetry Workshop Offering

In the room above her father's pub
she would ask her sister to fetch the ladder,
with bare feet climb the treads
to gaze at the picture
half hidden on the dusty shelf.

Eggshell blue sky, curve of river,
children splashing in the water.
A world away from her grimy city life.

22nd January 2015

visit the library
two to take back
come out with four

21st January 2015

Oh Dear

What have we started
What have we done
Should we have left it
To go round in circles
Neither winning nor losing
No one gaining ground
The fallout to come
Before peace can be found

20th January 2015

Listen with Mother

The garden was her refuge
when she was on her own
not dwelling on the past
or of the love she'd known.

New Year she'd sort out seeds
for sowing in the spring
and tell me of her plans
I didn't hear a thing

In June the garden blazed
she'd go round gathering snails
I'd lie back in the shade
or answer some emails

Come autumn tidy round
how tall the plants have grown
she'd tell me how the roses were
but I'd be on the phone

Even in the winter
she'd potter to and fro
I wish now I had asked her
how does your garden grow?

19th January 2015

After grief, with luminous clarity
I see the road that lies ahead.
The hands that touched with tenderness
dreams dissolved the future dead.

A different story from the planned one
each chapter now I face with dread.
This brave new world of distances
meditation,  loss instead.

18th January 2015

lightening flashes
illuminate the night sky
face at the window

17th January 2015

musty garden shed
dust motes in a slant of light
hanging in the air

16th January 2015

small rust red squirrel
racing round and round the tree
like a mad march hare

15 January 2015

snowdrops
white nodding heads
peeping shyly outwards
milk flower carpeting the ground
harbinger of spring

14 January 2015

winter afternoon
indoors reading an old book
and drinking earl grey

13th January 2015

light of the new moon
with luminous clarity
shows me the right path

12 January 2015

after the rainfall
the scent of pine through the woods
freshening the day

11 January 2015

a winter robin
hopping along the pave stone
looking for a worm

10th January 2015

the tree's bare black boughs
stark against the winter sky
longing for the spring

9th January 2015

darkening sky drops
huge icy cold hailstones  hard
against the windscreen

8th January 2015

Charlie Hebdo

Who would think coloured pencils, weapons of mass creation,
were responsible for the carnage on a quiet Paris street?
This close on the heels of children butchered at their desks,
classrooms running red with blood, lives ending incomplete.

Outrage simmers, disbelief, for all those gone we mourn,
 no threat to any other, their right to freedom gone
by terrorists who live and die by barbarous violence sworn, not
comprehending the pen will always be mightier than the sword.

7th January 2015

poems sometimes show

the writer to the reader

more often they don't

6th January 2015

long past my bedtime
much too tired to go to bed
fall asleep right here

5th January 2015

raindrops
soaking the child
playing in her sandpit
oblivious to her mother's
calling

4th January 2015

Snowdrops

Secrets
that lie beneath
the drifting virgin snow
will be revealed when the snow melts
dead white

Snowdrops
1. A bulbous European herb, Galanthus invalid, of the amaryllis family, bearing nodding white flowers that often appear while the snow is on the ground.
2. Russian slang for a body that lies buried in the winter snow emerging in the thaw.

3rd January 2015

traffic lights turn red
a splash of colour in the
washed out winter day

2nd January 2015

Just another rescue dog
with a hidden past
looking for someone to love
not a lot to ask

Then someone saw your sad brown eyes
she'd lost a cherished friend
so took you home to care for you
Two broken hearts will mend

1st January 2015

end of year
looking back
from the future