Carbis Bay

I dozed and I daydreamed
How pleasant it was too
The skies were tranquil
My half closed eyes
Pictured them violet
Violet and blue

The waves rolled over
And over again
A surf so steady so true
I closed my eyes fully
And thought
Why not why not you

To be then at one
As the world drives
Drives straight on through
To be the captain or the caller
With wide eyes opened
Opened onto divinity's crew

If only so true
If only for you
If only if only we both knew

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Balcony

Take in the sea view
Waves lapping onto clean sands
Take in Oscar Wilde's The Soul of Man
Waves lapping in clasped hands

Take in the square upright back
Of the dirty plastic rattan chair
And the call of the gull
The staring eye the invasive glare

Take in the yacht moored just offshore
Bobbing up and down to the tune of the sea
Take in the steady stroll of the holidaymakers
As they step along the waters edge simply to be

Take in the racket not the racquet
Of the boom-bass up and down in and out fitness fanatics
Bouncing to the scream of the over enthusiastic instructor
Who seems to have forgotten just how early in the day it is

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Window Cleaners v Rotten Window Frames

You showed me the photographs of the storm
Which happened the day before my birthday two years ago

That day the substantial granite toppings to the sea walls had been forced off by the violent vigorous and immense spring tides
This day I rose early to sit out on that self same terrace to listen to the soft lapping of the gentle waves
That day the front windows were broken and caved in by the lashing of the fierce ferocious winds
This day a slight breeze takes up the aroma of the lavender from the large contemporary plant containers
And carries it effortlessly to my nostrils
This place pristine organised refined by years of practice and the care to want to do things absolutely correctly always

And then that other place where nothing quite worked
Where every day a few more points of fine detail had still not been attended to
Yet a place whose receptionist thought all was well
Which it wasn't
Which it isn't

Between the two places we were marginally excessive
Though how else to behave in the sunshine and in the rain

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Rain

Last night the rain came after several days of sunshine
Monotonous days of waking up to blue skies
And then the rain came
And didn't it half enter the fray
Before the days light had completely faded
I would have said torrential
Yet this morning it doesn't appear so
What with the delicate yellow sunflower
Still upstanding and smiling
Nevertheless the rain did fall straight
I think I've heard it said like stair-rods
And the rain it was heavy
Yet no sound of thunder
Nor any sight of lightning
Even the skies
Were not at all that dark
Neither were they threatening
So then this is just the earth
Cleansing itself in the same way
In which I will shortly shower
But first to tell you
This day it is still the sky is mostly blue
With only a few wisps of cloud
The grass isn't completely dry
But I guess it will be before this day is seen out

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Summer Shade Summer Sun

The sun is up the breeze is breathlessly calm
The sky is blue the birdsong it does no harm
Where the trees will grow there are single sticks
Pegs in the ground to line up the view of 2026

Next doors wisteria is hanging rather grand
Half in shade and half well I'll be damned
It looks just like the one we planted back-along
Crawling through the bower we threaded it on

The pampas grass suffered in a winter so rough
Yet its fresh shoots show how it is quite tough
You said to thin out or cut back the apple tree
I said only with you there for it's dangerous you see

The roses and the peonies they're both in bloom that one
From the garden centre on my way from my students room
The washing line contraption like your friends it's so bloody
Difficult to open how on earth might I ever make amends

There's fences there's hedges there's a clay tiled roof
There's a poet in the garden he often sits somewhat aloof
Watching the butterflies and their moving shadows of truth
A northern boy he's happy to rhyme shadder with gladder

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