Forty-five valentines

Once many years ago a girl and a boy
in the pottery room with some clay
had a play fight, threw some and laughed
fell in love with each other that day

Grew into soulmates, kindred spirits to last
got married in the summer and then
saw many years together as one
and best and inseparable friends

So here in the year of the water rabbit
and forty-five valentines later
the boy to the girl in their sixty-fourth year
knows their love is now only the greater

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Back to i in the sky

2 of 12 in the ‘About Brighton’ series

Towering like a monolith
up into the sky
Brighton’s i-360
is really, really high
Dwarfing the remains
of the ruinous West Pier
it stands alone just waiting
for the summer to appear

Language of Substance

'For not' or 'not for'
in juxtaposition
two different meanings
for intent or for mission
Language of substance
for writer and poet
who will always exploit
as it's they who will know it

Wednesday Sedoka

Wednesday morning and
midweek meandering brings
the curl of lips and knowing
that the weekend looms
with time for being me and
for not suffering the fools

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

A CHRISTMAS MORNING MEMORY PARADE

By Charles Robert Lindholm

I
Sit In
Silence Wondering Where
All The Years Have
Fled

Christmas
Morning Memories
Parading In My
Head, With Santas In Red

Childhood
Days Relived
Moments And Memories
That Went By Too Fast

Fireplace
Flames, An
Old Man With
Coffee Cup Memories Of
Christmas

Copyright © 2022 Charles Robert Lindholm – The Reluctant Poet
All Rights Reserved

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to All!!! Please use today to enjoy and relive the gift of Christmas Memories from the past!! And the blessing of time spent with family and friends – time is precious and life is too short!!
Chuck

Please come and explore my archives here – search for chuck  And on The Reluctant Poet – search for – Charles Robert Lindholm

Of windows and gold (revisited)

11 of 12 in ‘The of…’ series from Jemverse 2022

We have a window
to look to the world
and watch every day
as life is unfurled
For me it’s a garden
as nature’s fair hand
paints changing pictures
of my bit of land

Winter II

It came so fast, the iron chill as winter took a hold
and shivering we huddled to hide from bitter cold
Sometimes we would venture out for food or other things
but mostly hibernation from the numb the winter brings

Overmorrow

Today's overmorrow Tuesday will be
and the week will just have begun
then two overmorrows thereafter we'll see
a week that is almost done
But three overmorrows, it's not long to wait
if a week you need to pass by
so take that to heart and you will find
that time will literally fly

A National Apple Pie Day Limerick

It amazes me that so many foods have their own day. But I have found that some are inspirational and I have had fun writing a limerick for those special days that capture my fancy. And as I am a pie lover, I love a pie limerick. Here’s one more.

A National Pie Day Limerick

Pie is great as a wonderful dessert or as a euphemism! Who wants pie?

A Will Rogers Learn By Doing (Or Not Doing) Limerick

Will Rogers is one of my idols. He had such a way of making sense of  politics, politicians and mankind in general, and he did it in such a clever, witty, yet not offensive manner. He was everything that pundits aren’t now.
I saw this picture and I had to “honor” it with a limerick.

Delectation tanka

For mid-November
a Sunday tanka I bring
Five short lines of verse
in thirty-one syllables
for your delectation here

A National Fast Food Day Limerick

Artwork by Donnie Purcell
Gibberish by Yours Truly

Uni sunt for summer

Where are the sunshine days
now winter's cold hand clasps?
Still there though faded now and weak
as summer never lasts

Yet there in the circle promise lies
and breath bated with a smile
knows with reassurance it
will come back in a while

October Snooze

Down from fourteen acre pond
in the valley by the Ouse
I sat and had a sandwich
and a sherbert and a snooze
And yes, it's late October
but you'd never credit that
as the warmth in this fine meadow
feels like summer for a fact
There's no-one else around me
save for sheep in the next field
so I'm quite within my element
in the heart of Sussex Weald

A walk in a painting

Went for a walk in a painting
the colours vibrant and bright
the artists' palette singing to me
as a I swooned in this wonderful sight

Reds and golds and yellows and pink
with green in the background were there
a wash of pale blue and a purple for depth
conveyed by the artist to share

When I’m free

Friday comes and here I find
myself in pensive mood
so it would be a sacrilege
and bordering on the rude
not to seize advantage of 
a day when I'm not working
and use it to fulfilment
not of squander or of shirking

Something from nothing

It doesn't look like much I know
but the satisfaction wrought
from half an hour of crafting
inspired by a simple thought
is pleasing and in fact replete
a sense of job well done
working with just what you find
whilst having lots of fun
And that in fact's the essence
of what this allotment brings
to each of us as time we spend
down here whilst growing things

Soaked

Just before the thunderstorm
yellow in the sky
as heavy black clouds gathered
ominous on high
And then the heavens opened
and from it buckets came
as underneath the waterfall
we got soaked by rain

Of oak leaves, glass and talented soulmates

Fresh out the kiln for autumn
oak leave inspired glass
bound for the stall in Lewes
purchased by those who pass

All crafted by my soulmate's hand
I'm hoping one will find
its way into my study
as I am that way inclined

Juxtaposition

We found it there neglected
and sadly overgrown
bindweed and brambles covered it
forlorn and on its own

But that did not take long to go
and banish it for good
the thing to do and done because
we really knew we should

Good cheer

I've probably said it and written it down
in a poem I've crafted before
Repetition aside though, I'll say it again
as this is what writing is for
A message in words with a syntax to flow
off the tongue as one reads it aloud
which as poet and wordsmith fills me with a joy
of which (I might add) I am proud

Peace found

Had ten days last month for wonderful things
to all bring a joy and pull at heartstrings
Places to visit and things to see there
taking photos to later re-live and re-share
Ten days of staycation what more could I need
when living in Sussex for this life that I lead?
As Sussex has all the 'joie de vivre' I desire
with its people and places and things I admire
So whenever a moment affords this release
I'm happy in Sussex as at home I find peace

Two thousand years

Two thousand years of weathering
this column's stub has seen
in situ still in Sussex where
in all that time it's been
A testament to Roman skill
and craftsmanship to see
that though but just a stub remains
it's here and long will be
So, looking up to Bignor Hill
this ancient land so fair
I stood to ponder that a while
and in that moment share

New lavender III

Its flowers were no more and it
was definitely past its prime
but it was going really cheap
so I paid and made it mine
then took it to the lotty where
I gave it pride of place
a new lavender for the herbal plot
its presence there to grace
And bedraggled though it may be
I will nurture it with care
as it promises next summer
lots more lavender to share

Stopham Bridge IV

At Stopham Bridge, late summer
with cool waters down below
as the Arun slowly trickles
on a turning tide quite slow

Sitting on the decking of the
White Hart across the way
this view is quite breathtaking
on this peaceful summer day

This place

Sat down at the allotment
in late summer sun
with a welcome can of ale
the weeding here all done
The no dog plots are looking good
and our labour is well spent
as everything is looking great
almost as if with intent