Contentment in an Englishman’s castle

Yes I’m an Englishman and it is said
that his home is his castle indeed
And I do declare
and here freely share
that I’m happy to stand by that creed

Jab

Got the text on Monday morning
best news I have had
as today in just a little while
I’ll have had the job
And yes, we’ll still be careful
but if you need a thing
to put a smile upon your face
and give you cause to sing
Then this is up there at the top
of all the things to give
Something truly wonderful
allowing all to live

Zeppelin

zany zippers, zany zeal
zingy zaftig, zippy zeroes
zoom zebus, zebrafishes

For Pops

Look at me now Pops, I’m an older man now
I’m past sixty, the years have flown by
That slap in the face
has long turned to grace
yet still on this day I will cry

Nineteenth of February nineteen seventy-four
etched in my mind for all time
The day that you left
leaving family bereft
although all these years later we’re fine

Holiday VI

Five days off, I can scarce believe it
it’s been a tough few weeks
The hours I’ve worked
have been berserk
few troughs but many peaks

Relaxation guaranteed
the most I’ll make of this
There’ll be some sounds
and walks with hounds
in five days of pure bliss

Virtual beers

From Liverpool to Shoreham
quite a distance any day
but in these days of lockdown
seems a million miles away
But that distance is diminished
at a stroke with all good cheer
when we friends WhatsApp together
to share a virtual beer

Xian

xoana
xats
xysts
xenial

xian

New tree

Obi found a little tree
over by the fence
and as it had gone unnoticed
we all paid recompense
Obi ran around a bit
as we thought how nice it was
to plant a new tree in this place
for sustenance because
it really is a lovely field
so what could be a better way
to celebrate it being here
than this new tree today

A haiku for Sunday

Quality of life
seized in every moment of
this Sunday of rest

Weavers

wise winds, wired words
wide wilderness, wispy wait
wonder worms, wilted wars
wedged worlds, woven wings

For je ne sais quoi moments

I stood still in the meadow with winter around me
a hand raised there to the sun
My shadow still long
tho’ now bright my song
with a feeling that Spring had begun

LONE WOLF

By Charles Robert Lindholm

The Lone Wolf Lives
In Solitary Silence
He Lays Down
Alone
At Night

A Master Hunter
An Endless Hunger
An Aching Need
He Has To Fight

Stories from ‘The Dreaming Sites’

Emily Kame Kngwarreye
loved colour with a passion
with acrylic paint to canvas
like it was going out of fashion
and in eight years to an end of life
she captured there ‘the dreaming’
three thousand plus enlightenments
and each with hidden meaning

Velvet Vipers

violet veins, violet venom
verdant vials, vicious verses
vermillion vest, vicarious vampires
verdant voices, velvet vipers

I know what I am

I know what I am
and I’m comfortable with it
Yes I have regrets
but they’ll not make me fidget
For I am just me
and you get what you get
so it’s probably best
to accept and not fret
And I hope when you find
what being me means

When it’s safe

When it’s safe I will be out there
in the Sussex I hold dear
on the byways and the beach
where the air is ever clear

When it’s safe I will have music
live and loud as it should be
with songs that sing of life
which will then be Covid-free

When it’s safe I will be hugged
and will hug my loved ones too
replenishing that feeling
of the love I long to do

Universes

unborn universes, unknown Unicorn
unfed urchins, unread Ulysses
unsorted ulcers, unheard Ukulele
unfold utterances, unfold urges

Baking

Thought I’d do some baking
not baked in quite a while
as after all a fresh new loaf
is bound to bring a smile
So I found all the ingredients
and kneaded it and proved
then floured it and dusted
with the washing-up removed
Then with half an hour’s baking
a new loaf proudly stood
bringing with it satisfaction
and the smile I knew it would

For the bringing of joy

A song which brings a tingle
Grayson Perry on TV
two little things in life
which bring joie de vivre to me

Something coloured yellow
Yaki Udon, ginger spice
A really lovely beer
Marmite crisps (they’re very nice)

Oranges

Vibrant these oranges
capture the light
looking lovely for photos
and my appetite
But for this still life
I have to confess
that the picture you see
is one orange less

Days Passing

These days each day is similar
but I don’t really mind
as there is much to occupy
and fill them all I find
I rise at four when it’s still dark
and spend an hour writing
updating all my poetry blogs
which I find quite exciting
Then weekdays I will work through two
on my window to the world
my laptop there connected
for daily tasks unfurled

With all that you read here

It didn’t trouble Wordsworth
or Longfellow or Dahl
as I’m sure when they were writing
you would never hear a snarl

So I won’t let it trouble me
for there is much in life
to write some joyful lines about
avoiding all the strife

So here to make that very point
though I’ll need to be quite snappy
are several lines to bring a smile
and leave you feeling happy

Sedate

shimmer soft, sedate stories
slither sounds, supine spaces
silent strikes, sublime stars

Rounded Rays

rounded rays, ringed rain
rusted reflection, rueful roses
rivers rugged, roosters red
ridged rosewood, Roman rocks

The world outside my window

The world outside my window
changes by the day
Sometimes it’s bright and sunny
and other times there’s rain

South facing from the east
I can see the rising sun
and later on out to the west
the glow when it is done

The wisdom of the sea

The water looked like crystal
as it sparkled in the sun
Like glass its light refracted
for a New Year just begun

A ‘je ne sais quoi’ said something
as a whisper silently
caught and carried by the breeze
across the windless sea

I think it was a promise
though I’m not completely sure
so I will come here every day
to listen out for more

Questions

quarantined questions, quilted quarters
queues, quakes, quintessential quivers
quips, quests, quotidian Quixotes
quelled quack, quaint queens

Christmas week VII

7 of 7 in the Jemverse ‘Christmas week’ series

The Christmas week now
today sees its end
with just five days to go
before this year we’ll send

On its way with relief
as really we should
as let’s face it, it’s truly
not been that good

But before it’s sent packing
we still have some December
to fill with good things
for us to remember