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Wednesday, 20 January 2016

Seat Towards the Water

The old silver-birch
Its leaves, tilted by the breeze
As though the time had come
To wave brightly at the blue sky

The groundsman
He has done the groundsman's job
As though knowing of my nostrils needs
For the tinge of newly-mown grass

The blackbird soars
In a territory of its own making
As if to take me back to the stories
Of Jonathan Livingston Seagull

I am also conscious that flies
And midges share this space
As if they had been invited
By the sounds of the bullfrog

You are on the steps
Saying goodbye to the scouser
As if your empathy with mankind
Could become never-ending

And of course the butterfly
All dressed in cream & damsel
As if the meadows are about to beckon
With the flight, and call, of the partridge


Available on Kindle

Tuesday, 19 January 2016

Start Again

There is a roof light
Yet it is the electric light
Whose glow is cast
Onto the vase of flowers
The candles
At either side of the mirror
An awkward height for lighting
Or for light to go into the bedroom
A place I can sort of see
Through a glass panelled door
With engravings of pheasants
Where more light is flowing
Artificial, ruby red light
And white, natural daylight
The night-time is over
The morning is with us
I can hear the birds
I can hear the gas boiler
All seemed clearer
Yesterday, though without
Wine and conversation
It becomes more difficult
Today, to piece together
The many divergent strands


Available on Kindle

Monday, 18 January 2016

Ruling Class - Working Class

Distinguished guests
Also Those Less Distinguished

We welcome you
Please help the world
Forget past hatreds, also wrongdoings

Search out peace
And peaceful propaganda
Be thankful, for food on the table

Be mindful
Of wine, women & song
Follow the shadows, through the gardens

Watch the waves
Of the summer leaves
Say hello to you, say thank you to yourself

For these are the better days
After the Good Year for the Roses


Available on Kindle

Sunday, 17 January 2016

Your Castle Awaits You

On the top
Up above Alston Moor
Away from the river
Away from the bridge
On the floor of the valley

I sit, I think
It's a thinking sitting thing
We drink champagne
We drink gin
It's a gin & champagne thing


Available on Kindle

Saturday, 16 January 2016

Spirals & Staircases

I left few marks
None that you'd notice
I saw that white green grass
On the sunlit Sunday evening

The bark of dog, and song of bird
Muffled words overheard
I have watched that leaf
Throughout the season

Only with reason and mastery unplanned
Do I misunderstand the photographs
The bric-a-brac on white windowsills
Chilled still wine with plain Roman blinds

See the signs of middle class
The traps of middle-aged nostalgia
We are now acquiring vases
At quite a rate of knots

Inkblots are found to be fake psychology
Or so it seems, as some mean spirited
Writer tries to crush my dreams
With few marks left

Least none that you'd notice


Available on Kindle