I
I did not cross the bridge
For I remembered last year
When your mood overpowered me
You
You have not been with me so so often this time
Though when you do arrive
You do so with no less a force of magnitude
I had no choice
There were several hours
To be disturbed, distracted
Overcome, and somehow defeated
So I did cross that bridge
I walked up the cart track
To the five-bar gate
Where, last year
I had, on three occasions
Left my camera case behind
But today I keep my eyes
Firmly focussed
On the leaf
And nutshell-strewn ground
Only at the top of the hill do I wheeze
Wishing to share another cigarette with you
Most days I would try to write a poem; it is a practice, as I suppose is meditation, or smiling, or watching the world go by
Sunday 13 October 2019
Saturday 12 October 2019
Sat In The Sensory Garden (Without You)
Early afternoon
On the second day
Of this short personal retreat
Although I have retreated
From anything but my senses
Right now I hear the gulls
And the loud raucous laughter
Of the studious young Americans
Though to be honest
I am unsure what drew them here
Only one or two
Made it into the Abbey
Only one really, on a regular basis
But I did see a vacant-looking girl
Walking by the river
And in the cafeteria
I overheard two young men
Discussing the purpose of their lives
I tell you, they had a great deal
Of street-wise verbose
Even if occasionally
They stumbled
As I also, so so often stumble
To find the right words
To make the sense of which I am after
On the second day
Of this short personal retreat
Although I have retreated
From anything but my senses
Right now I hear the gulls
And the loud raucous laughter
Of the studious young Americans
Though to be honest
I am unsure what drew them here
Only one or two
Made it into the Abbey
Only one really, on a regular basis
But I did see a vacant-looking girl
Walking by the river
And in the cafeteria
I overheard two young men
Discussing the purpose of their lives
I tell you, they had a great deal
Of street-wise verbose
Even if occasionally
They stumbled
As I also, so so often stumble
To find the right words
To make the sense of which I am after
Friday 11 October 2019
Simpler Chapel (Still Without High Church)
That one smile
On that one face
That one fine place
To cause such mischief
That one time
On that one clock
That one sharp shock
To cause such mischief
That one sound
On that one wall
That one late last call
To cause such mischief
That one scent
From that one flower
That one strong power
To cause such mischief
That one breath
On that one nape nerve
That one distinct verve
To cause such mischief
On that one face
That one fine place
To cause such mischief
That one time
On that one clock
That one sharp shock
To cause such mischief
That one sound
On that one wall
That one late last call
To cause such mischief
That one scent
From that one flower
That one strong power
To cause such mischief
That one breath
On that one nape nerve
That one distinct verve
To cause such mischief
Thursday 10 October 2019
Complex Chapel (Without High Church)
That one smile
On that one face
That one irreducible place
To cause such mischief
That one time
On that one clock
That one irredeemable shock
To cause such mischief
That one sound
On that one wall
That one irretrievable last call
To cause such mischief
That one scent
From that one flower
That one irresponsible power
To cause such mischief
That one breath
On that one nape nerve
That irreplaceable verve
To cause such mischief
On that one face
That one irreducible place
To cause such mischief
That one time
On that one clock
That one irredeemable shock
To cause such mischief
That one sound
On that one wall
That one irretrievable last call
To cause such mischief
That one scent
From that one flower
That one irresponsible power
To cause such mischief
That one breath
On that one nape nerve
That irreplaceable verve
To cause such mischief
Wednesday 9 October 2019
Pictured (Without Being Framed)
I take photographs
To remind me of the light
To remind me of the season
To remind me of the vulnerability
To say to me
How good it would be if you were here
Sat, on this bench
As we sat on that bench, in Bilbao
Although today
At least here anyway
There are no flâneurs
There are no locals
Walking out to share a life
Dressed in their Sunday best
Deep in communal conversation
As though there really was no tomorrow
Of course, unlike some
We still have all, or at least most
Yes, for certain, some of our tomorrows
Which may well require a form of closer scrutiny
Perhaps a lazy, laconic, poetry video
Of the leaves, slowly drifting to the ground
At Buckfastleigh, or Buckfast Abbey
In the autumn of two-thousand-and-sixteen
To remind me of the light
To remind me of the season
To remind me of the vulnerability
To say to me
How good it would be if you were here
Sat, on this bench
As we sat on that bench, in Bilbao
Although today
At least here anyway
There are no flâneurs
There are no locals
Walking out to share a life
Dressed in their Sunday best
Deep in communal conversation
As though there really was no tomorrow
Of course, unlike some
We still have all, or at least most
Yes, for certain, some of our tomorrows
Which may well require a form of closer scrutiny
Perhaps a lazy, laconic, poetry video
Of the leaves, slowly drifting to the ground
At Buckfastleigh, or Buckfast Abbey
In the autumn of two-thousand-and-sixteen
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