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

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Of rainbows and promise (revisited)

9 of 12 in ‘The Of…’ series from Jemverse 2022

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

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

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

A revitalisation of cheer

Hiding in long shadows
of a small gig still I stood
listening to the music
but wishing that I could
find there the enjoyment
that my friends and others there
clearly understood as in
the moment there they shared

Yet despite the disappointment
in the long shadows here with me
a certain feeling lingered
that I knew with certainty
Said I was meant to be here
as this venue and this place
was testament and evidence
of promise born from grace

Beginning VII (aka Tri-tanka VIII – beginning)

7 of 12 in the Jemverse ’12 months IV’ series

(& 1 of 7 for Tri-tanka week)

And so March begins
The promises multiply
from nature and man
for spring time and other things
providing wisdom remains

And so March is here
with sunshine already strong
its lack-lustre passed
as it pushes to summer
encouraging new growth

And so March begins
May we please use it wisely
and bring fruition
for it has been a long year
and we are so very close

Summer to share

The warmth on my shoulder
as I sit here and write
is really quite lovely
in this winter sunlight
It feels just like summer
and if I close my eyes
I can see myself there
with no little surprise

For when winter is done

A shaft of the sun
hit our north-facing garden
with a word just to say
for a beg of my pardon
A brief glimpse of promise
when the winter is over
and the sun is back out there
for days bathed in clover

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

Beginning V

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

To the New Year a promise
here made to ones self
to remain true to form
and with all of my wealth
to capture from life
one day at a time
its essence in words
and transpose to line

2020

Reminiscing at conclusion
of this year that has now been
I think back over all that we
have done and all we’ve seen
As it started fairly normally
at the beginning of the year
when none had any reason
to think we’d shed a tear

But just a few weeks later
all the pubs and shops were closed
with people social distanced
diametrically opposed
the world ran out of toilet rolls
and pasta which was strange
as to a locked-in world
our lives we re-arranged

This time last year III

This time last year
rather innocently
we went up to London
town where did we
gather therein at
the Royal Alert Hall
to raise a loud voice
with glad anthem call
for Christmas carols
there with the throng
as myriad voices
joined there in song

Beginning IV

4 of 12 in the Jemverse ’12 months IV’ series

A ‘beginning’ verse to end the year
with the coming of December
The twelfth month dawns and starts today
in this year we’ll all remember
And though one filled with tragedy
Twenty-twenty ends with hope
for with December comes a vaccine
to help the world to cope

Seasons song

I have a mind’s eye picture
of autumn here to find
which I’d like to share with you
and hope that you don’t mind
For though it’s one of fading
from a summer that’s now passed
it’s also one of hope
which I know is set to last

The Optimist

It’s the last day of the month
so these lines they should reflect
something of what’s taken place
and I can recollect

Of things we’ve done and visited
of how the weather’s been
of how we’ve coped and managed
of what we’ve felt and seen

But actually instead I feel
like I’m inclined to view
the promise of a month ahead
and something bright and new

Adaptation

Adaptation is a precious thing
as it proves that we are able
to make the very best of things
when cards are on the table
I speak of course of Covid
and the lockdown and the change
it’s brought worldwide to all of us
as we all re-arrange
There’s been loss and there’s been sadness
as the pandemic’s taken hold
taking toll from everyone
from young to very old

Serendipity

I found myself writing
About somewhere I’d been
And all of the wonderful
Things there I’d seen
The joy and the richness
Of life beyond measure
Captured and held just
Like having treasure

Freedom promise

I had a little dream
about the things I used to do
not so very long ago
but now complete taboo
Simple things like walking out
to town and wandering round
taking pleasure in the things
which in a charity shop I’d found

Sedoka week VI (Friday)

6 of 7

Remaining steadfast
we look to hope to save us
with its enduring promise
For it is comfort
a solace to have and hold
for reassurance today

Tuesday

And when Monday was finished
with Tuesday begun
the February sunshine arrived
Still weak with the winter
bereft yet of warmth
at least it could say that it tried

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

Cobweb III

Whilst the year was still an infant
I looked up to the blue
when morning broke with sunshine
upon a year brand new
And the crystal strands of cobweb
caught right there in morning light
clarified that moment
for a truly lovely sight
Spoke to me of truth and hope
and of many joys to come
in this first year of the decade
which has only just begun

Cobweb II

Whilst the year was still an infant
at the beginning of the year
a latticework of cobweb
I cam across out here
It was clearly now abandoned
yet retained a beauty there
so striking and so poignant
that I knew I had to share
For this is quite symbolic
the new from old begun
changing like the spider
and the many webs now spun

Cobweb I

Whilst the year was still an infant
I spied a cobweb freshly spun
Reminded me of what was past
and what had just begun
Spoke to me of promise
and something fresh and new
The ‘gone before’ forgotten
with a dose of morning dew

In times such as these

A long shaft of sunlight
peirced the gloom
and lit up an otherwise
darkly clad room
It spoke of a promise
born on a smile
with a voice full of hope
I’d not heard in a while

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

Days gone by (Auld Lang Syne)

And so these few words
at the end of ten years
to wrap up a decade
of laughter and tears

We’re all ten years older
with the wisdom that brings
and we all must have seen
many wonderful things

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