Waiting III

Sat in the hospital waiting room
there with Sal for moral support
on a very cold winters' morning
('cos it's the right thing and I ought)

Here for an eyesight inspection
post-op (trust everything's good)
'cos we're not as young as we were
and things don't work quite as they should

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Redwood gone

In October red I paused beneath
its lofty heights in wonder
at the absolute magnificence
of this redwood tree asunder

So imagine my dismay today
to find that storms with thunder
and a lightning strike reduced it
to a stump and piles of lumber

Yes, there's like still there but
its pride is lost for good
a sad, contrite reminder
of a once proud tall redwood

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

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

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

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

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

Of the sun (revisited)

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

Winter clung fast
to April’s last day
with rain and strong winds
to greet first of May

Yet there is still time
for the sunshine to come
with promise of summer
born of the sun

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

Of an evening (revisited)

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

Of an evening spent down by the sea
with waves lapping there quietly
I’ll let the silence encapsulate me
At the end of a wonderful day

Of an evening with the sky painted pink
as my toes in the sand slowly sink
I have time to ponder and think
At the end of a wonderful day

Of seagulls and seasons revisited

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

Throughout the year the seagulls
as seasons come and go
are always out there for me
be it sunshine, rain or snow

In the winter and the autumn
In the Springtime when it’s green
In the summer when it’s nice and warm
There are seagulls I’ll have seen

Always out there flying
or swooping ‘cross the sea
I’m so glad I have the seagulls
as they’re part of life for me

Of shillings and treasure revisited

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

I watched the shilling spinning
it was mine in no small measure
Enough to buy two Matchbox cars
to hold and keep and treasure
The fingers twisted blithely
as they caught and spun again
but I saw no abandon
found no one there to blame

Of sheep, walking and winter revisited

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

The sheep were in the upper field
I could see them on the hill
meandering whilst grazing
whilst winter grips us still
and though there is a part of me
with wanderlust that yearns
to tread those hills and join them
another part adjourns

Of rust and gold revisited

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

And to these days when all I hold
is flecked with rust or painted gold
I know which of these I prefer
So to the gold I will defer

The rust it takes a second place
Resting with its fall from grace
Yet not forgotten all these things
as each have given cause to sing

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

North Eastern pleasantries

I'm in Newcastle city again for the week
in situ at present here as we speak
so I thought it polite to give you a peek
of North Eastern pleasantries here

Verisimilitude

#2 in the ‘Colloquy’ series from Jemverse

It may be true, it may be not
in wintertime to feel quite hot
that actually would say a lot
as you may well be ill

Yet verisimilitudes may well
get in the way and seem to tell
that ailments are there to quell
with warmth opposed to chill

Sunshine after rain

It rained and rained and blew and blew
felt as it it almost knew
the sunshine there to long eschew
and me inside to stay

The puddles outside deepened still
they lake-like flowed and rippled til
the fickle weather made me ill
and added to the fray

But then the sunshine threw its toys
out of its pram and with good poise
revealed the warmth its strength employs
to welcome a new day

Wander for the day

Planned a walk, it was quite far
but the views would be spectacular
so there was little here to mar
our wander for the day

Yes, we'll be out for several hours
so hoping for some sun not showers
to claim the day and make it ours
in every single way

Life in words (reprise)

Concluding ‘The Word II’ series from Jemverse (10 of 10)

I like writing poems
I write one every day
‘Cos there’s lots in life to write about
and it’s nice to have a say
I’ll write about the sunshine
and I’ll write about the sea
I’ll write about ‘most anything
and sometimes simply me

The poet and some troublesome words (reprise)

9 of 10 in ‘The Word II’ series from Jemverse

As a candle burned into the night
the poet played a game
Chasing words that tried to hide
behind the flickering flame

But however hard the poet tried
he could not catch but one
The words were quick to disappear
as they were having fun

Bond of words (reprise)

8 of 12 in ‘The Word II’ series from Jemverse

Though similar paths each day I tread
there is always inspiration
in the things I see around me
to encourage recitation

But in case of memory lapses
my little notebook always carried
allows me to capture what I see
so that sights to words are married

My best words (reprise)

7 of 10 in ‘The Word II’ series from Jemverse

There’s a place close by where my best words are found
Sometimes it is close to the sea
But at others it is up on the hills where I walk
And most times where I happen to be
It’s a place of deep soul and of feelings and thought
and emotion wrapped up into one
For me it’s the exuberant quality of life
Born from a love of the sun

Wordsmith (reprise)

6 of 10 in ‘The Word II’ series from Jemverse

Deep in the silence of a warm summer night
I encountered a thought and held on to it tight
With lucidity born of an erudite mind
It was something quite special for me to find

For it spoke of a gift bequeathed to a few
Which, when spoken aloud gave birth to the new
The craft of a wordsmith writing a verse
Born of the one but to many dispersed

Just a few words (reprise)

5 of 10 in ‘The Word II’ series from Jemverse

Just a few words is all it takes
To change the way I feel
Escapism? Maybe sometimes
But they have the power to heal

In just a few words each morning
I will find a way to say
Something new to bring good cheer
And brighten up my day

Wordplay (reprise)

4 of 10 in ‘The Word II’ series from Jemverse

Wordplay is a marvellous thing
Finding ways to rhyme
It needs patience and vocabulary
And occasionally time

Syllabic sequencing is key
For some words just don’t fit
They need to flow right off the page
Needing humour, yes; and wit