Cliffs

Unsteady
In the July sun
Looking out across the blue across the deep deep blue

Already
As the gannets fly trefoil gliding gracefully on the thermals
My legs gently begin to quiver it's all in the mind of course

As well as the reality
Of being suspended on a cantilever platform
With no indication of its weight limit

Or the depth of the fall
Should the whole thing collapse
Into the big blue below the bigger big blue below

Where the plentiful life within feeds the seasonal migration
Sufficient it seems for a quarter of a million seabirds
Who frequent this short stretch of coastline

Now back in the cafe
Once more on terra-firma the steadiness gradually grows
As we take tea outdoors in the mid-July sun

buy the book at createspace

listen to christopher read on bandcamp

Thyme

In search of one space we found another for by chance as much as hope we discovered the hidden garden

I beg your pardon says I to the horticulturalist but are you open on Friday for that is when we leave and we would like to take some of your plants with us

For instance the grapefruit mint and the strawberry or banana mints o and yes yes the orange thyme

I've already thought of a place to place to put them it will need a bit of clearing up and a modicum of brickwork construction

But I promise they will be cared for as I intend in the fullness of time of course to begin making my own perfumes and a range of aromatherapy oils

I've read about base notes and high notes and those other notes in between

So you see your notes are just the beginning of a new lifetimes passion at least that is what I most sincerely hope for in this particular moment

buy the book at createspace

listen to christopher read on bandcamp

Seashore

Steps down to the beach
To take photographs
Of chalk-white pebbles
And a sea which merges into a sky
At that point formerly known as the horizon

A wall on which to sit
To have photographs taken
Portraits of each other
Exposed in turn with the cliff
And the rampant vegetation as a backdrop

Then striding-out along the sands
Towards the town a mile or so away
Past the seventy year old man with his wife
Digging in the sand for fishing bait
He is due in Filey tomorrow if the weather holds
As it sort of holds today that is
Until we reach the Road Train terminus

I have taken photographs of the surf of the beach
Of the waves of the sea and of the fisherman soon to be
I compare and contrast this afternoon
Of the place of the environment of the emotion
I settle on gratefulness especially for the laughter

buy the book at createspace

listen to christopher read on bandcamp

Tears

One girl
For no apparent reason
Is crying inconsolably

Her teacher tries to calm her
But with little success
So then she turns

To another child
Who she says is always good humoured
And asks could she cheer up the sad girl

Who does in fact steady herself
But fails to allow a smile
Which ought to be the natural reaction

To her friends expression of fun
And joy and willingness to care
For the deeply distraught youngster

How deep is her hurt
Where does the pain arrive from
How many years before she is released

buy the book at createspace

listen to christopher read on bandcamp

Zoo

Filled with school-children
All wearing fluorescent yellow
Hazard-warning waistcoats

Here for feeding time
One group from which school I wonder
Are paired off in couples and walk around holding hands

Also grandparents and parents
And pre-school children
In brightly coloured perambulators

Stopping
To look at the dramatically coloured exotic birds
Whose gaiety they are soon set to mimic

Now it is the time to gather up the bairns
For this year's group photograph
Before the twenty-eight juniors

Of the class of 2016 exit for the day
While the grey clouds approach
To cover over their once clear blue sky

buy the book at createspace

listen to christopher read on bandcamp