A National Popcorn Day Limerick

Sports and movies are things Americans treasure.

Advertisement

Angel II

An angel perched close by our side
in the branches of a tree
as there we sat beside the lake
with flapjacks and cup of tea
He tweeted sweet a little song
reminding us in case
we needed that, though it was clear
by his exuded grace
He stayed there just a little while
before fluttering away
an angel on his angel rounds
on this fine winter's day

An Ode To Beethoven’s Movement #2

Artwork by Donnie Purcell

The music world waited with anticipation.
Would Beethoven overcome his creative constipation?

Thinking of summer when cold revisited

Concluding the ‘Brittle 23’ series (10 of 10)

When I’m cold in the winter
I will think of the days
when the warmth of the summer
smothers every malaise
Back to the times
when unencumbered and free
I can wander in sunshine
and quite simply be me

Paste

A paste of sparkling, sticky snow
clings to the leafless trees.
The sky is cloudy blue and cold.
My eyes look on all these.

This all reflects the mystery
that we are here to see.

That’s when the prophet stopped to praise
with thankfulness and we.
Well, we as well began to praise
with thanks for all we see.

Steel Grey revisited

9 of 10 in the ‘Brittle 23’ series

Mirrored under morning sky
Steel grey silent waters lie
Cold and motionless are they
Heralding a winter’s day

Pinching Crabs

Joint Poetry by Venkataraman L.N. and Joseph Kurian

---

Technology Pours Life

Joint Poetry by Venkataraman L.N. and Joseph Kurian

---

January’s shivering smile revisited

8 of 10 in the ‘Brittle 23’ series

Tangible this winter chill
In January’s raw intent
As beneath these spectred morning veils
the silent mist is sent

Intrusive to beleaguered calm
Whispers like a shout
I’m a stranger in an iron-clad still
with no one else about

Yet frigid though the air might be
January serves to bring
A shivering smile through chattering teeth
that it will soon be Spring

Bequeathed by Grace revisited

7 of 10 in the ‘Brittle 23’ series

Bereft of foliage great trees stand
proudly gracing England’s land
There amongst the winter green
the rolling landscape clearly seen
And pausing here before this view
we are completely thrilled anew
This is England where we live
where nature has so much to give
And we feel a peace when in this place
bequeathed to us by simple grace

Long mile return revisited

6 of 10 in the ‘Brittle 23’ series from Jemverse

Watching winter setting sun
on the beach from the long mile
A perfect ending to the day
I stayed there for quite a while
An ebbing tide, a lapping sea
with gold reflected there
On the long mile I breathed my thanks
for all this in a prayer

An unwelcome guest revisited

5 of 10 in the ‘Brittle 23’ series from Jemverse

Winter’s overstayed its welcome
and we’d prefer it now to go
‘Cos we’re fed up to the gills with cold
and howling winds and snow
It’s been staying with us now for months
and whereas we didn’t mind at first
We need the room for Springtime
now the former’s done its worst

A treasure revisited

4 of 10 in the ‘Brittle 23’ series from Jemverse

Winter greyness seldom sun
Brittle chill for everyone
Daylight precious shorter now
Nighttime lingers on somehow
Yet still to find and bring some cheer
Despite the chill a beauty here
As winter hides but brings to fore
a treasure kept for us in store

Pea Soup Days revisited

3 of 10 in the ‘Brittle 23’ series from Jemverse

The wonder of this winter view
as it fell to minus seven
with clouded breath escaping gave
a little glimpse of heaven
White on fields and white on trees
on verge and hedgerow too
As if with one cold overnight
the world was formed anew

White revisited

2 of 10 in the ‘Brittle 23’ series from Jemverse

As shorter days draw in
with colder climes and
a pale sun often hiding,
a white rose of Spring
reminds me that,
behind the curtain of winter
waiting there with bated breath
comfort awaits, next in line.
And it is only the shadow
of the winter chill that
keeps its warmth away from me

Dichotomy revisited

1 of 10 in the ‘Brittle 23’ series from Jemverse

Yes, there’s beauty in winter
I’ll give you that
But, no brainer given the choice
As between both of these
Quite opposed to the freeze
it’s the summer in which I rejoice

Erf

No.5 in the ‘Colloquy’ series

This twenty rod* plot, our 'erf', our realm
our saving grace, our haven
is such to bring a 'joie de vivre'
and oft a cause for 'pavan'*
As though each year we toil for long
to dig and plant and sow
the reward of produce that it brings
gives reason more to grow

Letter Saga

Joint Poetry by Venkataraman L.N. and Joseph Kurian

---

Beeching’s Blunder III

Forlorn now this iron leads to nowhere
save to a shortsighted whim
synonymous to abandoned towns
where Beeching's blunder echos still

Yet testament still here they lie
as memory fades with brittle truth reminder
tracking to long lost connections
and a politician's gain

Circumstance

The circumstance of words
from a pen there to flow
is something which only
a thought comes to know
But when committed to paper
as ink passes through
these words take on meaning
as they come into view
And the curl of a smile
from the poet reveals
the wisdom he shares
from the thoughts that he feels

Resolve

In the silent refraction of a New Year sun
as slowly in the thin Eastern sky
its distant yellow rays struggled,
January arrived to a silent world

Almost as if in slow motion, life passed
as through my window with early eyes
a perception of a whispered promise
echoed across a vacant sky

And the curl of a smile gathered pace
calming like a summer breeze
spoke long vicissitudes
with wisdom to a sleepy morning

Puzzlegate

Framed by aging iron posts
the ancient steps behind
the padlocked gate lead nowhere
(least no place I could find)

Mysterious the setting
with the undergrowth and tree
left me puzzled and a-wondering
at what it all could mean

Coddiwomple

No. 4 in the ‘Colloquy’ series

We coddiwompled in the mud
up at Barcombe Mills
all eight of us together
amidst the Sussex hills

The rain held off but underfoot
the mud was thick and wet
but we all had the best of times
so never cause to fret

The thick and the thin

Around a table with Cluedo and Red Leicester cheese
with good conversation, precious days these
Laughter and merriment the six of us here
these are the days for which we all cheer
As it's all about family and closeness together
for the bad times and good, the known and whatever
For we all are as one, best of friends and of kin
arms linked with a smile through the thick and the thin

Start V

5 of 12 in the Jemverse series ’12 months VI’

January first of twenty-three
hip hip hip hooray
a brand new year to celebrate
right here on New Year's Day
And we welcome it together
with anticipated hope
the fortitude of eons
mechanism there to cope
The resilience of humankind
to rise above and prosper
whatever this year brings our way
a happiness to foster

Last Day II

So to thirty first December and
the last day of the year
Twenty two has been and gone
as twenty three appears

There have been many moments
with emotions running rife
as is the wont of passing time
this c'est la vie, this life

But there are still remaining hours
to finish it for good
so on this New Years' Eve we will
enjoy it as we should

Winter V

And this morning sheen replacing white
as winter's iron grip with softer hands
takes ice away with rain.
And we welcomed that. Not quite yet
the warmth we clamour for
in these long months of hibernation,
bit still enough to ebb the chill
and bring semblance of a curl
to downward facing lips

Floccinaucinihilipilification not

[No.3 in the ‘Colloquy’ series]

Twenty-nine letters; testament to the fact
that in estimation and to be exact
the action describing this noun in these words
is so far from worthless as to be absurd