Of sheep, walking and winter

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

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Too cold in the field

Too cold in the field
in the rain yesterday
as my legs are quite short
in a small canine way
alright for my humans
in warm coats and hats
but a different thing
for small furry chaps
so we didn't stay long
just a short trot around
for a sniff and a wee
on the water-logged ground

Sunset in symmetry

Sunset in full symmetry
over Shoreham yesterday
as we drive back down from Lewes
heading homeward on our way
Golden beams across the sea
from sunshine in the cloud
made for a special moment
and announcement there aloud

Delight

Bleak this green into the grey
a salt-laced winter wind
from a prevailing westerly
full in the face that grinned
and shivering at the whitened shore
to far horizon seen
the figure hunched to winter cold
knows full where he has been

Still too cold in the winter

Concluding the Jemverse Winter 22 series ‘Brittle Days’ [10 of 10]

Neglected in winter
gets quite overgrown
Too cold to sit out there
grass stays unmown
Trees shed their leaves
and they fall to the ground
and because I’m not out there
they just lie around
And I know that I should
and one day I will
Just not today thank you
‘Cos I can’t stand the chill

Back to January’s Shivering Smile

9 of 10 in the Jemverse Winter 22 series ‘Brittle Days’

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

Thinking of summer when cold (reprise)

8 of 10 in the Jemverse Winter 22 series ‘Brittle Days’

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

Adur valley beauty revisited

7 of 10 in the Jemverse Winter 22 series ‘Brittle Days’

Today the river mirrors
The pale blue of the sky
As whitened Sussex fields
In frosted splendour lie

Lancing college chapel
Proud as always on the hill
Overlooks the Adur valley
Quiet and beautifully still

And as I gaze upon this vista
Briefly from the train
I am reminded that I live here
And a smile returns again

A cheery thought revisited

6 of 10 in the Jemverse Winter 22 series ‘Brittle Days’

In the depths of winter howling winds
And nasty pouring rain
My thoughts turn to the summer
And to warmer days again

It is good to have a cheery thought
When you’re shivering in the cold
For summer keeps you younger
Whilst the winter makes you old

Winter chills are wearing. They are
dour and pretty grim
But the merest thought of summer
Never fails to bring a grin

Like a whisper…again

5 of 10 in the Jemverse winter 22 series ‘Brittle Days’

Icing sugar on the road
a dusting overnight
the sun glow in the eastern sky
still a glorious sight

Cold there is no doubt of that
minus six and falling
but the crystal air is lovely
on this chilly winter morning

Back to wonderment

4 of 10 in the Jemverse Winter 22 series ‘Brittle Days’

Cloudy breath and crystal-coated
Water pools beneath my feet
Jumpers, hats and scarves and gloves
And other things keep in the heat

Marvelling at this white-clad wonder
Sunglare glinting through the trees
Everywhere a special moment
Captured by this winter freeze

Cold again

3 of 10 in the Jemverse Winter 22 series ‘Brittle Days’

Long shadows on a blanket, white
Laid silent from a still, clear night
Harsh lying in the morning light
Cold against my brow

Iced fingers on a shimmering morn
Crystals on the covered lawn
Stark reminder, chilling born
The winter with me now

White…again

2 of 10 in the Jemverse Winter 22 series ‘Brittle Days’

In white there’s essence of the new
January starts the year afresh
As we from hibernation
awaken from our winter rest

In white there’s hope and promise
Galanthus for a New Year’s day
Echoed in these few short lines
Capture all I have to say

Back to first frost

1 of 10 in the Jemverse Winter 22 series ‘Brittle Days’

Sunshine like water, diluted and pale
Greets me on this cold winter’s day
Bereft of its warmth, there’s a sadness there
Its exuberance fading away

Yet in the long shadows of the first morning frost
Its magic remains in clear view
A glistening white vista across Sussex fields
Ice diamonds replace summer dew

Fickle weather

Fickle this weather
this grey time of year
one day it is icy
the next day it's clear
almost quite balmy
first thing today
took me by surprise
after chill yesterday
So I'm never quite sure
if long johns I'll need
or a raincoat or shorts
and sunshades indeed

Icing Days

First hard frost I've seen this year
with icing on the cars
Jack Frost has called here overnight
beneath the twinkling stars
and painted white all that he sees
on windows and on grass
for wonder come the break of day
when shivering humans pass

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