Of pizzas and pubs

And so it is to Bradford
on another winter night
I find myself at Noble Comb
with time to sit and write
It’s fairly packed this evening
with families eating out
and workers sharing pints of beer
their voices raised to shout

The sunshine promise

I lived a little broken
like an old grey bag of bones
and despite the life around me
felt a long, long way from home
Abandoned to no purpose
each day was like the rest
and although the sun gave promise
it felt like second best

The voice of the sea

Calling out to me, the voice of the sea
my friend through all of these years
A solace and comfort, understanding and wise
conquering all of my fears

Dalit IV (reverence)

Yes, this eloquence is precious
not for squandering or for waste
Revered as a diamond
with immeasurable value

Dalit III (precious)

Though fleeting with some beauty
precious is this captured moment
My soliloquy for the day
to seize and hold onto and keep

Dalit II (eloquence)

Though dawn has yet to break a thought
surfaces and must be spoken
Repeated here lest I forget
and squander this moment again

Dalit I (introducing)

From the Philippines I derive
Dalit is my name; short my form
Four lines in typicality
Each comprising eight syllables

Tri-sedoka III (hope and promise)

n these early days
with hope and promise still fresh
from new year resolution
The light is still bright
as we raise an arm to shield
Squinting up into brightness

An ode to Autumn

4 of 4

Pale-white shrinking golden glow
hovers over water slow
and morning waking slumber stays
as it peers slowly from the haze
Whimsy holds removed I see
a world at distance wistfully
as summer fades to distant glow
and cooler days I soon will know
A curtain call as evening falls
and summer into winter calls
Yet tangible with treasure hold
the Autumn swan-song bathed in gold

An ode to Summer

3 of 4

Momentum carries me forward
into the heat of the day
for a warmth that summer belongs to
with feeling mere words cannot say
It’s the season I always long for
Its comfort a tangible thing
Its presence to hold and cling onto
for a smile and a reason to sing

An ode to Spring

2 of 4

Winter’s grey-cast clouds have passed
and Summer’s child is here
to bring us hope and merriment
and fill our hearts with cheer
This child is full of freedom
speaking freshly of the truth
which every year around this time
gives nature’s hand its youth
Summer’s child will not stay long
but with a flair and fling
as seasons through the years have sung
for Summer’s child is Spring

An ode to Winter

1 of 4

Crystalline clarity out there today
in the treeline over the way
A frosting has covered the fields overnight
with beauty mere words can’t portray
So I’ll not waste them here but contented instead
I’ll quietly stand here for a while
and let Winter’s wonder embellish instead
that picture in mind for a smile

December beaches

On the beach a lone kite-surfer came
to brave December chill
as a wintry and forgotten sun
sat in a low sky still

Bright it was in yellow sky
and despite the brittle air
The beauty of that moment
was really special there

Lost and found

We lost the baby Jesus
for several years one time
‘Til Emily found him in a vase
one Spring, so now it’s fine
The nativity is whole once more
so at Christmas time each year
It finds its home upon the shelf
to bring its festive cheer

Carols at Christmas

We all went up to London
to the Royal Albert Hall
Voices ready to sing loud
proclaiming Christmas call

The Philharmonic orchestra
was wonderful to hear
five thousaand people joining in
with rousing festive cheer

And the mexican wave was something else
all adding to the thing
this unique celebration gave
with carols there to sing

Jolly japes and cheer

Today I guess if truth be told
I start my holiday
Christmas and New Year, two weeks
Hip Hip, Hip Hip, Hooray!
I’m quite relaxed but that’s just me
as with most happenstance
I’m always up for jolly japes
when given half a chance
Two weeks to celebrate the joy
that Christmas brings each year
When we as family as one
have jolly japes and cheer

 

Lassait Faire

Now with December in full fling
the year draws to a close
a decade ending in two weeks
swiftly the time it goes
Twenty twenty vision clear
I wonder, will that be
when in a fortnight New Year comes
I guess we soon will see

Tri-haiku XXVI (patience)

Earlier it comes
every year it seems to me
Sunshine and Christmas

And yet I still wait
as anticipation grows
until the right time

The waiting is good
as all good things come to those
with rewarding here

Of rainbows and promise

The promise over our house today
in the sky right after the rain
gave us both a feeling of joy
when it with its radiance came

The colour was vivid, the arc of it wide
and though brevity saw its demise
its purpose was clear, one of promise and hope
beneath it revealed to the wise

My little book

I’m down to the last few pages
in this little book of mine
It’s done me proud since April
which is really quite a long time

And over two hundred poems
written and drafted in here
some over several pages
when their syntax wasn’t that clear

Underworld

Excitement builds, anticipation
for this spectacle I’ll see
with Mr Gwilliam, my friend
who will be there with me
We’ve waited now for ages
but the time is here at last
as off to Wembley we both go
for jollies and a blast
Underworld (‘Born Slippy’)
‘Tiny Holes’ and drumming loud
along with several thousand others
we will be there in the crowd

In winter

I’ve stood by this river in Summer
and early Spring and in fall
but in spite of the chill in the winter
the view is the best one of all

For the sun is low in its apex
and as it shines through the trees to the east
the way it catches the water
provides here a visual feast

Safely asleep

The dawn’s not yet broken
and I’m travelling again
on the road for one more business trip
With birds still asleep
as the night is yet deep
I tip toe up the road lest I slip

Perfect bliss

The autumn carpet
starts to lay
on this fine Lincoln
autumn day
Gold beneath
my crunching feet
as I go walking
life is sweet

Bramber

Bramber castle in the rain
just as dusk was falling
walking in the muddy moat
as the night came calling

The tower was quite ethereal
with moonlight shadow cast
An image we’ll remember
as a memory to last

Dormouse

Walking out for coffee
I spied down at my feet
a tiny little dormouse
looking rather sweet
He seemed quite oblivious
to me as I stood there
so I watched him for a little
whilst he was unaware

Split II

12 of 12 in ‘The Adriatic Affair’ series from Jemverse

Sitting on deck six
with Split across the way
Picturing all the things
that have made this holiday

It has been all we hoped for
and though we fly home on the morrow
It is with happiness we’re leaving
and not one tinged with sorrow

For we’ve criss-crossed the Adriatic
seen sunshine and some rain
Visited new places and
been back to some again

An unexpected tricycle ride

11 of 12 in ‘The Adriatic Affair’ series from Jemverse

Mario on his tricycle
caught us with his grin
Charmed us so much that we
agreed to go with him

Took us up through Marjan Park
round the headland of the bay
Showed us lots of things that
we’d have never seen today