Strange Meeting
Sat in Pret a Manger
collapsible cup containing
half-priced coffee (70p)
flipped open poetry book
time to kill (a bird, not
Russian invasion)
Creative Café at Theatre,
later
Royally seated – no stairs,
no travellers –
elderly gent beside himself
myself/herself/theirself,
refuelling…
friendly nostalgia of 94
years:
Cockney
born and bred
joined
Navy at 16
Shakespeare;
Chaucer
Pearly
Kings and Queens
Norwich
his nowhere place
Retired,
apartment in city
activities
on doorstep daily
Mid-flow
his lady returned
chatting
for old England.
Scribbled words, spark,
poetry, joy
Writing poetry, are you?
Verse
poured out his mouth,
a Tsunami.
Learned at school?
Oh, no. It’s mine.
Creative class awaits no
poet…
I did not catch his name.
It’s Winter Solstice,
nothing’s pushing
through the sod, irritating
human spirits into pearls
snowdrops
stay in bed all year.
Crocus crowns in gold or
white or purple
to Candlemas Saint Valentine
by heart
simply waiting time.
Spring Equinox,
Narcissi-fresh, lightening sky
pooled idiots admire
reflections
many
cousin shades of blossom.
Tulip season, jewels breed a
crown
human parties spread like
wakes
time to dance.
Beltane flags hoisted, roots
spread damp mud
Oriental poppies on strike,
Californian wilds breed
feral orange seeds to earth.
Summer Solstice greens rage
on
Delphiniums dahlias, begonias
sulk
Seeds setting, nights draw round.
Samhain preys late Autumn
delights
sedums, agapanthus, asters,
chrysanths
hide absences in perennial beds.
Winter Solstice hurries to
closure
naked ladies, pyrocantha
berries, thorns
mandrake falls.
Sleep winter warm in vivid
hues of stars
full moon, root Yggdrasil’s
tree upside-down
Strike
Yule flame; spark Phoenix bees from ashes.
June’s Cold (Pantoum)
Cold fields are waving likely
riotous breeze,
raising vigorous green shoots
of barley play,
sounding shimmered glories of
summer trees
startling the blackbird of a
fresh new day.
Raising vigorous green shoots
of barley play,
vast fields of wheat all
poppy-army bright,
startling the blackbird of a
fresh new day.
Mud-grizzled sky releases
little light.
Vast fields of wheat all
poppy-army bright,
café’s Routemaster bus too
far to walk.
Mud-grizzled sky releases
little light,
I scribble and can only talk
the talk.
Café’s Routemaster bus too
far to walk
hunkered in Swardeston’s
churchyard: sun beams through.
I scribble and can only talk
the talk:
there’s one who walks the
walk, has much to do.
Hunkered in Swardeston’s
churchyard, sun beams through,
my love/my life ploughs on to
find the car.
There’s one who walks the
walk, has much to do;
a ‘waiting rescue’ lunch,
dream fields afar.
My love/my life ploughs on to
find the car,
sounding shimmered glories of
summer trees.
Awaiting rescue, lunch, dream
fields afar,
cold fields are waving likely
riotous breeze.
Bringing Woodland Indoors/Out (Pantoum)
The sun is shining as it did
before,
violent storm’s outrageous
dark shored in.
Moon’s left there, without
woman to adore,
this howling gale will not
raw-peal its skin.
Violent storm’s outrageous
dark shored in,
wild birds are flitting
through the skies like peace.
This howling gale will not
raw-peal its skin,
scraped up from dirty bowls
that never cease.
Wild birds are flitting
through the skies like peace,
as yesterday’s old newsprint
in the bog.
Scraped up from dirty bowls
that never cease
float-floral breeding
woodland-tripping log.
As yesterdays, old newsprint
in the bog,
still papier mâché sculpted
into fox.
Float-floral breeding
woodland-tripping log,
with vixen/cubs that dreaming
soon unlocks.
Still papier mâché sculpted
into fox,
framed on the windowsill,
leads inside/out
with vixen/cubs that dreaming
soon unlocks
for memories of moments’
roundabout.
Framed on the windowsill
(leads inside, out),
moon’s left there without
woman to adore
for memories of moments
round-about.
The sun is shining as it did
before.
Sailing into the Storm (Pantoum)
You say that you can’t speak, it’s early, yet
the outboard is attached, the anchor raised.
Latterly, no mobile phone horizons;
supplies are stashed below deck; motor out,
The outboard is attached, the anchor raised;
fenders are lifted, placed, crew motor past.
Supplies are stashed below deck. Motor out
into the wide slack river’s open flow.
Fenders are lifted, placed. Crew motor past
the riverbank where there’s no signal. Log
into the wide slack river’s open flow.
Drifting, the tide timetable’s skimmed aloud.
The riverbank, where there’s no signal/log,
marine craft all at sea; tourists sleep on.
Drifting, the tide timetable’s skimmed aloud;
raising mainsail, ropes tied; flapping wildly.
Marine craft all at sea, tourists sleep on,
the bow’s rolled into wind, the jib rope taut.
Raising mainsail (ropes tied), flapping wildly,
reefed in, the ready-about’s… exciting!
The bow’s rolled into wind, the jib rope taut,
tacking, then a long reach – leap – downriver.
Reefed in, the ready- about’s exciting!
No time for mobiles. Concentration’s all.
Tacking, then a long reach leap downriver…
moored up beside the windmill’s peaceful dream.
No time for mobiles, concentration’s all,
the red/green channel markers narrow choice.
Moored up beside the windmills - peaceful dream –
wild water’s broad and grounded, skimmed to wait.
The red/green channel markers’ narrow choice.
Bridge is lifted. Surge, hold back. Stern visage.
Wild water’s broad (and grounded), skimmed to wait,
controlled wild horses, estuaries of holes.
Bridge is lifted, surge. Hold back stern visage;
we say that we can’t speak, it’s getting late.
Controlled wild horses, estuaries of holes?
Too late to raise the storm jib, reef in tighter.
We say that we can’t speak it’s
getting late,
you’re skipper on your own now night breaks through.
Too late to raise the storm jib, reef in tighter;
latterly, no mobile phone horizons.
You’re skipper, on your own now night breaks through:
you say that you can’t speak, it’s early yet.
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