I ran and I ran

There was ice in my field
round the tree in the middle
most of it solid
but some of it brittle
But I didn’t mind ‘cos
the ground it was firm
so my paws found their grip
with less squither and squirm
And I ran and I ran
my ears all at random
exploring three acres
in sheer joy abandon

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

Magical III

It’s magical this snow-cast light
the icing sugar dust
as slowly things are covered
and capture it I must

Iron-chill the Northern blast
makes minus five feel raw
yet still the child within me yearns
for snow on snow and more

Househound here the nation wanes
to bleak midwinter flow
But doesn’t really mind because
there’s nowhere else to go

Snow n me

It wasn’t very nice
in my field this week you know
Cos my paws felt very cold
in some white stuff they call snow

I had a double layer
(my red jumper and a coat)
but my paws still feel the cold
(I’m just saying, make a note)

Sussex snows

I said no snow
in Sussex fell
but spoke too soon
(how could I tell)?
the temperature
would fall so quick
and the isobars
take such a dip
allowing white stuff
here to fall
at beckon to
the winter’s call

No snow Sussex

In Yorkshire it was snowing
I heard online today
whereas down south in Sussex
it was simply dull and grey
In fact I can’t remember
the last time snow I saw
must have been some years ago
before a winter’s thaw

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

Frosted Teazles

The teasels through the fence
had had a frosting overnight
and now in three-tree field
they were caught in pale sunlight
And as the sheep in lower field
paused and looked so I did too
to gaze upon this wonder
well, you would now, wouldn’t you?

For bliss

Ice cold here yet beautiful
Jack’s frosted strands they cling
with brittle fronds of loveliness
to cover everything
Too cold to stand here very long
yet there is time for this
rare spectacle of wonder
at this time of year for bliss

They said there’d be snow (again)

10 of 10 in ‘The winter series’ from Jemverse

They said there’d be snow
Well, its cold enough
and there’s frost over all every day
But the sea air down here
on these southern shores
always seems to get well in the way

All is white again

9 of 10 in ‘The winter series’ from Jemverse

I wrap up warm against the cold
I feel it now I’m getting old
There’s white on everything around
The air is crystal n’er a sound.

Suppress a shiver to the chill
I take this in and have my fill
For only winter brings this sight
This wonderment when all is white

Tri-haiku XI (winter blue returns)

8 of 10 in ‘The Winter series’ from Jemverse

I am winter blue
Born to December, I chill
to iron cold bone

I am winter blue
To brittle January
icy fingers spread

I am winter blue
But with yellow I will change
to the green of Spring

The safe warmth of home again

7 of 10 in ‘The winter series’ from Jemverse

Steel grey seas with iron chill
it’s with whimsy that I peer
at the beach I know so well
in summer brings such cheer

Yet now the winter’s icy hand
has me firmly in its grip
As grey green waters frenzied churn
with northern winds are whipped

So I with best foot forward
march swiftly ‘cross these stones
No lingering in winter times
for the safe warmth of home

Winter with me now (again)

6 of 10 in ‘The winter series’ from Jemverse

Eight line stanza thinking of
the winter with me now
Brittle chill, not warming sun
cold upon my brow
But dressed up warm it’s good to brace
the iron winter chill
for as it passes Springtime looms
and ever closer still

Winter days again

5 of 10 in ‘The winter series’ from Jemverse

These cold weekends of winter
keep us warm indoors most days
For it is frigid out there
devoid of warming rays

So we’d rather stay here snug and warm
with music, books and cheer
in our jumpers and our slippers
our staple winter gear

The winter bully returns

4 of 10 in ‘The winter series’ from Jemverse

Breath escapes in tiny clouds
a whisper to the chill
as icy iron fingers grab
and hassle me at will

I’m minding my own business
A summer’s child adrift
Lost in this cold wilderness
and feeling somewhat miffed

Sunshine like water (again)

3 of 10 in ‘The winter series’ from Jemverse

Like water the sunshine, diluted and pale
greets this cold winter’s day
Its warmth has long gone and despite a brave face
Its exuberance has faded away
But its low zenith in the January sky
brings a glare from its fragility
Highlighting a beauty in all it shines on
which is very pleasing to me

Winter’s smile again

2 of 10 in ‘The winter series’ from Jemverse

There’s a crystalline clarity out here today
in the trees there over the way
A ground frost has visited the fields overnight
And it’s more beautiful than I can say

So I’ll not waste my words and contented instead
Just quietly stand here awhile
Allow winter’s wonder to embellish again
with a picture in mind for a smile

Thinking of summer when cold returns

1 of 10 in ‘The Winter Series’ from Jemverse

When it’s cold in the winter
I will look to the sun
and think back to the summer
as I have always done
Back to the days
of whimsy and breeze
when a cool wisp is welcome
rustling quiet through the leaves

Winter sun

The sun made an appearance
not seen it in a while
so its warmth upon my shoulder
brought again to me a smile
Polite again as always
it asked my where it should
and my reply as ever was
that anywhere was good

The cast of winter’s die

The teezles look to fields beyond
lacklustre yet still fine
whilst sheep in woolly jumpers
graze the green on which they dine

Winter shrugs its shoulders
resolute to Nature’s hand
as hibernating creatures rest
in England’s pleasant land

In Sussex

Rainshadow on November sea
braced against the weather we
into strong sou’ westerly
In Sussex where we live

A reflection of winter

I caught an oak’s reflection
in a puddle Friday last
whilst walking in a field
by a tree that I went past

It reminded me that winter
on this chill November day
was close as from its branches
all the leaves had gone away

So I didn’t dilly dally
but paused there just enough
to ponder that reflection
of the tall oak there above

The November cast

The November cast belittles
with sunshine seldom seen
so when it makes appearance
I’m the best I’ve ever been
For I have never been a fan
of rain or winter cold
It brings a sag of shoulders
with a promise seldom sold

Sunshine bright II

Sunshine bright streams through my window
at the beginning of the day
its warmth there on my shoulder
very welcoming I’d say

Especially now it’s winter
and it’s rather cold outside
and though the sun’s still out there
its heat it tends to hide

The winter months

And now it’s turning colder
with a frost out there today
the first white stuff I’ve seen for months
has come it seems to stay
And I’m not enamoured by that
if truth be told I’d say
as I would rather have the warmth
of summertime, but hey!

In Stanmer Woods

In Stanmer Woods the trees stand tall
and sheltered down below
I stand as if on tippy-toe
as I’m quietly in the know
For up above the wind blows free
with frigid winter blast
yet down upon the bracken floor
there’s stillness here to last

Moon of the moment

Crescent moon up in the blue
bright shining in the sky
on a brittle winter morning
really caught my eye

Ethereal there through the trees
daylight just a whisper
I stood and watched her for a while
just in case I missed her