Her Fabrics

27/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



My aunt was a sewer

Always fabric strewn about the place

All manner of threads and weaves

From thick denim to delicate lace



She made teddy bears for charity

For children to cuddle tight

When away from family in hospital

And facing their toughest fight



She made jackets for women

Who lived in shelters near and far

When they’d left home without anything

To escape violence under the radar



She made costumes for schools

To clothe their performing arts

From drama ensembles to dancing troupes

Her skill was off the charts



She made blankets for all the babies

Born into our growing family

Not a one was ever forgotten

From Jonathon to Amelie



I wish I were a better sewer

But I never took the time

More interested in sports and games

Or which tree I should climb



But sitting there in her sewing room

Surrounded by fabrics of every hue

I had the urge to pay a homage

And I knew what I must do



Carefully I measured out a square

From every piece than I could find

Some big and some much smaller

But all chosen with a heart that’s kind



I lay them out upon the floor

Arranging them as best I could

Before pinning them together

A task I never imagined I would



I looked up on the internet

How to thread the sewing machine

And after a false start or ten

I felt like the sewing queen



The squares come together

A mammoth task I’d undertaken

But I would not be dissuaded

My plan wouldn’t be forsaken



Finally, I had a quilted blanket

Bigger than my arms would stretch

With seams a little crooked

And no mean price would it fetch



But I would never sell it

It was my reminder of her brilliance

A thousand little pieces

That tested my resilience



Every colour is a piece of her

Every thread a memory I hold dear

Never will she be far from me

With her fabrics always near

In Five Years

26/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



In five years, you’ll be 21

In your own place, maybe

Have a partner

Possibly have a degree

Or at least a qualification

And be out in the world.



I wonder what sort of job you’ll have,

Whether it’s a train driver

Like you imagined when you were little,

Or a meteorologist or historian

Like you want to be now

Or something completely different.



It doesn’t really matter what you do

Or who you love

As long as you’re happy

And know that whatever choices you make

I will always be there for you

In five years or in 50 years time.

Across the Street at Number 12

25/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation


There’s an old lady across the road,

She lives there on her own.

Her girlfriend passed a few years ago.

They’d been together for twenty-seven years

Ever since she came out to her husband,

And I don’t know how that went down

But I feel like it would have taken guts

To be married for so long

And have kids together

Then decide you not only don’t want to be married

But you want to date people of the same sex!



She’s the sweetest old lady I know,

Almost like a grandma to me.

She’d get me Christmas presents

When I was a little kid

With immaculate wrapping

And bows tied with care

Along with a card written in cursive,

Faintly smelling of her perfume

And maybe a hint on home-made cookies.



Now that I’m an adult, she invites me over

For whiskey sours and platters of cheese,

And conversations about the meaning of life

That last into the wee, small hours,

And Sunday trips in the city

With high tea over-looking the harbour

Eating cucumber sandwiches and chocolates

Before window shopping for all the things

That we can’t afford but wish we could.



Her children live interstate

But they visit when they can –

Christmas,

Easter,

The occasional birthday –

And I know she misses them a lot

So, when they’re not around I visit her

And she tells me about her life,

Full of ups and downs and round abouts

And more love than I could imagine.



She comes from a big family

But all her siblings have now passed away.

She keeps their memories alive

With pictures hanging on the wall

And visiting their resting places

And having one-sided chats with them.

She says she enjoys her chats

As she sits by their graveside,

It being the only time she wins an argument

With any of her sisters.



We’re planning her outfit for Mardi Gras –

She wants it even more outrageous than last.

You wouldn’t think to look at her

As she goes about her daily life

In her pants suits and demure shirts

That when the parade rolls around

She’ll be out there covered in sequins

And adorned in feathers galore,

Rainbow garb from head to toe

And flags of every description.



She’s of the very strong opinion

That life is for the living

And we should take every opportunity

To celebrate our diversity.

She lived too long hiding her true self

And, though she loved her husband dearly,

He wasn’t who she was supposed to be with

And when she met Louise that day

She knew it was now or never.



I think her husband always knew

And he took it very well

Unlike some others in the neighbourhood

Who couldn’t keep their opinions to themselves.

First, he moved into the spare room

While he looked for a place of his own

And, then, when he eventually found something

It was just around the corner.



He still pops round to do the gardening

Or put up a picture hook

Even though he’s now remarried

With another family to look after.

They all seem to get along

And his new kids love the fact

They’ve had an extra set of parents

And older sisters with whom to share the love.



So, if you’re ever passing by this way

More often than not

You’ll find me hanging out across the road

My own kids playing in the yard

With Faye’s step grandkids,

Which she babysits every other Saturday,

As we sip on whiskey sours

And watch the world go by.

It’s a constant reminder

That family is what you make it

And blood may be thicker than water

But love is the tie that binds.

The Night Shift

24/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



I hate it when you work the night shift.

The bed feels empty without you.

I don’t sleep properly not having you near

Though I slept for years on my own.



The kids have had their dinner

And I wonder if you’ll eat at all tonight

Because 6pm might be meal time here

But it’s the beginning of work for you.



I sometimes wish it would rain

So the crims would stay at home.

They’re no different from the rest of us,

They don’t want to be out in a storm.



Life here is dictated by routine,

By 9pm the babies are tucked up in bed,

But I don’t know where you are

Or what you’re having to face.



While I’m cleaning up the house

You’re cleaning vomit out of your car

From the drunk you’ve had to haul in

For picking a fight with a guy twice his size.



It’s just gone midnight but I can’t close my eyes.

You’re only half way through your shift

And I should be sound asleep

But there’s a feeling in my gut that won’t let me.



I will worry about you ‘til you return

And I can hold you safe in my arms.

My dreams are haunted when you’re away

Then I wake feeling like I haven’t slept.



I look at the clock and it’s not quite 3am.

Here, it is quiet and quiet can be

But I know you’re in the thick of it

And I wish you weren’t.



They say it gets easier to handle

But I can’t see how that is.

You are my world, my everything,

And I’d die without you here.



The 6am alarm is going off

But I’m already awake.

I think about hitting snooze

But I’m not sure there’s any point.



The sun is starting to rise now.

I know you’ll be home soon

But this is the time I fear most

Because last call outs are the worst.



But I know you’re in the right place

And you’ll come back to me each time.

I’ll get some restful sleep one day,

I just don’t know when that will be.

Yes

23/02/2021 - Poem a Day Compilation



Yes, I do want to wear a dress

Or, perhaps, a suit.

Maybe a skirt and jacket.

Or trousers and a shirt.



Yes, I do want to get dolled up

With make-up and accessories

But, also, not be bothered with any of it

Just because I can.



Yes, I want to go to the ballet

And clap very politely,

Then yell and scream my lungs out

Watching a football match.



Yes, I’d like to take extension Science

And advanced English, too, you know.

I’d really enjoy a Photography course

And learning Maths as well.



Yes, I’d like to ride motorbikes

Though dirt and mud and sand,

And I’d like to be chauffeured around

As the princess that I am.



Yes, I want to be taken care of

So I don’t have to cook and clean,

But I’m little miss independent, too

And can do this on my own.



Yes, I am full of contradictions,

They’re what make me me.

I don’t need to follow any rules

Just because I am a girl.

Without

22/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



I can’t live without air

I would die

Before most songs had finished



I can’t live without water

I would perish

Before the week is out



I can’t live without food

I would succumb

Before the moon has refilled



I can’t live without love

Yet here I am

Perhaps simply existing

The New Kid

21/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



Walking into school

Not knowing anyone

Far away from friends

And worried about everything

Because you don’t know

Which teachers are nice

And which kids to stay away from

Or where the best spots are

When you want to sit quietly and read.



Will the librarian be strict

Or let you take an extra book

Every now and then?



Is the sports teacher cool

Or a hard arse

Who only has eyes for the very best?



Will that boys beat me up

If I look at him funny

Or sit in his seat in class?



Is the pretty girl going to laugh

When I talk to her

Or accept me for who I am?



You don’t know what you’re getting

Until you walk through those gates

And the world closes in on you

While you find your feet

And your voice,

And maybe being different

Isn’t different here

And I’ll fit in just fine

Even though I’m the new kid.

Glühwein mit Schuβ

20/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



I’m not a big fan of red wine

It irks my tastebuds so

I prefer a spirit like whiskey

Or a liqueur to give me a glow



But let that red wine smoulder

And add some rum to taste

Along with a dash of cinnamon

And none will be going to waste



You could add some cloves if you like,

And I won’t say no to star anise

A sprinkling of sugar and a dash of vanilla

A slice of orange as the final piece



But it’s too hot here in Australia

To drink it at Christmas-time

So, I’ll save it for the depths of winter

When it really comes into its prime

In the future

19/02/2021 –  Poem a Day Compilation



For Joshua Garrett and his mother, Katt



In the future I will be brave

But right now, I want to scream 

I long to hold you in my arms

And hear your plaintiff cries



In the future I will remember you

When others just want to forget

Because thinking of you is hard

But forgetting would be worse



In the future I want to hear your name

Said with all the love in the world

Because you were here and I love you

Though you were barely two months old



In the future I want to reminisce

About the time we had with you

But people won’t even mention you

For fear of how they’ll feel



In the future I will still grieve

But I want there to be happy tears

When I think of that precious time we had

And not how you’re no longer here



In the future I want to celebrate you

And what you meant to me

Not hide your memory away inside

Like a secret of which to be ashamed



In the future I will say your name

For everyone to hear

For you are a part of me

To which I will never say goodbye

Why can’t girls …

18/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



        Darling daughter, you look sad

        What’s on your mind, my sweet?

        You seem a little upset, my dear,

        Is there something I can fix?



My friends at school were talking

About what their daddies do

And when I said I wanted to be like them

They said they were only jobs for dads.



        What type of jobs did they mention?

        I’m sure I’ve never seen a job

        That only men are qualified for,

        Let’s see this list of yours!



Why can’t girls play football?

I can run

And kick

And tackle.



        You can do all those things

        And you could be the next Sam Kerr

        Or maybe Daisy Pearce

        If you really wanted to.



Why can’t girls be software developers?

I can code

And am creative

And have an eye for detail.



        There are many women in software

        Just ask Jaime Gunther or Jane Chau

        And they’ll give you a long, long list

        If that’s what you want to do.



Why can’t girls be farmers?

I can sheet a sheep

And milk a cow

And plough a field.



        A lot has changed in this century

        And many women run farms

        I’m sure Lorraine Gordon

        Could shed a little light.



Why can’t girls work construction?

I can drive heavy machinery

And use power tools

And push a wheelbarrow.



        There’s no part of that you shouldn’t do

        If that’s your chosen profession

        If you want a female tradie

        Then Penny Petridis is the person to ask,



Why can’t girls be engineers?

I can design technological solutions

And test production lines

And analyse risks.



        You could be a chemical engineer like Marlene Kanga

        Or do infrastructure like Elizabeth Taylor

        Maybe defence engineering like Trish White

        Or take on the civil side like Mehreen Faruqi



Why can’t girls be astronauts?

I can study the planets

And work in microgravity

And be away from my family.



        Christina Koch and Jessica Meir

        Have done a lap or two

        Around this planet we call home

        And maybe you will, too



Why can’t girls be architects?

I can design skyscrapers

And be a visionary

And plan every step.



        Have you heard of Momoyo Kaijima?

        Well, you should probably look her up,

        I’m sure he was headstrong just like you

        When she was a little girl.



Why can’t girls be firefighters?

I can hold a hose

And carry more than my weight

And risk my life.



        We’ve got captains and assistant commissioners

        Who are in the fire service

        Like Louise Livermore and Rebel Talbert

        Not to mention all-female crews!



Why can’t girls be pilots?

I can understand meteorological information

And be calm under pressure

And remember what all the buttons do.



        Deborah Wardley was told she couldn’t

        But she proved them very wrong,

        And Nancy Bird Walton

        Is getting an airport named after her. 



Why can’t girls be judges?

I can study hard

And be impartial

And uphold the law.



        I hardly think Virginia Bell

        Let a man tell her she couldn’t be a judge

        Or he’d have been appearing before her

        In a supreme case of misogyny



Why can’t girls be CEOs?

I can run a business

And handle problems

And manage money.



        Melanie Perins didn’t let being a girl

        Stop her in her tracks

        When she started up her business

        That’s now massive in tech.



So, I can be anything

Just like all those other girls?

Do you really think it’s possible

For me to be like them?



        Not only is it possible,

        It’s practically a guarantee

        And don’t let anyone tell you

        You can’t because you’re a girl.

Lucky

17/02/2021 - Poem a Day Compilation



Don’t you know how lucky you are

With your four-leaf clover in your hand

That you found strolling through the park

On your way to listen to the band?



Don’t you know how lucky you are

With your horseshoes hung above the door

Making sure they’re the right way up

So all the luck doesn’t fall out?



Don’t you know how lucky you are

With your rabbit’s foot on a keychain

Given to you by your grandmother

After she found it in a thrift shop?



Don’t you know how lucky you are

With your wishbone from the chicken

Making sure your wish comes true

Regardless of how ridiculous it is?



Don’t you know how lucky you are

With your dreamcatcher over your bed

Catching those bad dream

And drip feeding you the good ones?



Don’t you know how lucky you are?

        Funny.

        I don’t feel lucky.

        I just feel poor and alone.

The Starry Night

16/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



I stare at the swirls of the night sky

Lost in the starlight

Bathed in the glow of the moon

Captivated by the shadows

Of trees and mountains

And a town, not so distant,

But far from mind

As I stare, still, at those strokes



Its just a print I bought at the gallery,

The real thing far beyond my meagre salary

But the love I have for its curves and lines

Is no mere reproduction

But fills my heart and mind

And my eyes well with tears

Over a thing of such beauty

But deemed a failure by its creator



Drawn, perhaps, to the tortured soul

I wonder what if would be like

To allow the master to see through the eyes

Of a humble admirer

Oft in awe of the power of their creation

To evoke a soothing calm

And a howling terror

Yet remain a thing of beauty



The fluid mix of reality and the abstract,

The seen and the remembered,

The dark and the light

Bearing the weight of the world

Down upon the viewer

And lifting them up,

Exalting them

Beyond anything they’ve ever known



I cannot imagine life without its magnificence

Its dark tendrils reaching out for me

Dragging me in for one more viewing

Always, just one more

But never just one more

As I embrace its hold on me,

At one with the looming cypress

And the forever breaking dawn

Professor

15/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



I wish I’d had a professor

Who took an interest in my work

And encouraged me to pursue my dream

Rather than just give me marks.



I wish they’d been more human,

Not just a figure giving a lecture,

And somehow more approachable

When I lost my way.



I wish I’d had a professor

Like the ones I’ve met online

Who communicate so nicely

Across the world wide web



I wish they’d been less old fashioned

And embraced the changing times

Of collaborative education

Where I could not just learn but thrive.

Valentine

14/02/2021 - Poem a Day Compilation



I don’t want dozens of roses

If you’re only buying them

Because it’s Valentine’s Day



Pick a dandelion on the way home

Because the colour reminded you

Of that new top I wore last weekend



I don’t want to go to a fancy restaurant

If you’re only taking me

Because it’s Valentine’s Day



Take me to the beach

For fish and chips wrapped in paper

With ice cream for dessert



I don’t want expensive jewellery

If you’re only giving it

Because it’s Valentine’s Day



Make me a daisy chain

While we sit listening to music

In the middle of the park



I don’t want a cuddly toy

If you’re only reason is

Because it’s Valentine’s Day



I’d much prefer your warm embrace

Every other day of the year

And twice on Sundays



I don’t want commercial displays of affection

That fill a CEO’s pockets

Because it’s Valentine’s Day



I want an every-day valentine

Who shows the world their love for me

In ways too rich to put a price on

A Perfect Day

13/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



Is there such a thing as a perfect day?

Is it just something that people say?



You might want the great outdoors,

But that perfection is simply yours.



Mine might be very different,

So, don’t be so vociferant.



I might want the rainy weather,

Perfect for snuggling up together.



You might crave the city lights,

The sparkle and shine of crazy nights.



I might prefer reading under covers,

Wondering if characters are friends or lovers.



You might want adventure and daring

Coming to together in the perfect pairing.



While I might need something more sedate,

Maybe watching a movie while staying up late.



You might rather steak and chips

Or buffalo wings with various dips.



I might be more partial to a seafood platter

Or crepes that could not get any flatter.



But no matter what it is we do

I know it’s perfect if it’s with you.

Lately

12/02/2021 - Poem a Day Compilation



Lately, I’ve thought of you and didn’t cry

The idea of you didn’t even make me sigh

I realised I would never know the reasons why

And it was time to finally say goodbye



Lately, the sense of loss has escaped me

The pain of rejection has let me be

I’ve opened up my eye and can now see

The memory of you has set me free



Lately, I have been able to move on

No longer needing a crutch to lean upon

Spreading wings more powerful than a swan

The weight of regret now completely gone

The Photograph

11/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



Images tell a story

When words aren’t enough

They speak for those who cannot

And when words are too rough



They capture the moments

Too big to have to explain

That change the word entirely

Long after the words they will remain



They seize those intimate instances

That no one else would see

And lifts them up before us

And in doing so sets them free



They catch our breath at the humanity

Held within its frame

From life to death and all between

Without thought of fortune or fame



They encapsulate history

Like no retelling ever could

And showcase all that we are –

The bad, the ugly and the good



They depict those who have left us

That we might remember their smile

Or never forget the evil

That causes such revile



They sum up all our hopes and dreams,

Our triumphs and our joys,

The devastating grief and loss,

The stoicism and the poise



They portray the world around us –

The near and very far –

The ant upon a shining leaf

And the twinkle of a distant star



They denote the very best of us

And the worst that we could face,

The funny and the furious,

The absurdity and the grace



So, cherish all those images

And the stories that they tell

Because sometimes words aren’t enough

And the photo casts a spell

The Hide

10/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



I looked at the hide

And sighed one of those sighs

That said to everyone around

That I did not want to be there



Last time I’d been in one of these

I’d been a small child

Dragged along by my father

And told to be quiet all the time



I remember sitting in the dark

For hours on end

With nothing to do

But stare at the walls



I wasn’t even allowed

To alleviate my boredom

To look through the binoculars

At the passing birds



Even in the half light

From the barely open hatch

I could just make out the pictures

That covered the inside walls



I knew every parrot, lorikeet, cockatoo

Every wading bird and bird of prey

All the ducks and gulls that might fly by

And every other bird besides



I’d only said in passing, you know,

That I had gone birding with my dad

But that was enough to once again

Be dragged to sit for the longest time



We stepped inside and that familiar smell

Filled my nostrils and my lungs

Memories flashed of my father’s voice

Telling me what birds to tick off



But you didn’t have a little book

To tick off birds that you’d seen

Your bag was filled with different gear

For a different generation of enthusiast



You pulled out a pair of binoculars

And hung them around your slender neck

Then reached into the bag again

And handed your pride and joy



A camera with the biggest lens

That I had seen an amateur wield

And I cradled it gently as you explained

The basics and set the auto-focus



The hide was not so boring now

It was filled with excitement under wraps

As kingfishers swooped to steal a fish

And fairy wrens flitted by



Before too long sunset came

And the hide was filled with noises new

And I knew I was hooked

Just as my dad had been before

In Twenty Years

09/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



Imagine not having to carry keys

That any lock could be opened

Simply by a fingerprint

Or an iris scan

And you could never lose access

To you your car

Or your house

Or your secret diary under the bed



The same could be said for passwords,

Given we can use our fingerprints

To open our phones

And access apps from the online store

But this could extend

To all our passwords

From emails and websites

To online banking functions



All the rev heads will argue

That driverless cars will never take off

But for the vast majority

They will be a godsend

Giving more time to catch up on

Reading that can’t put down book,

Finishing homework or assignments,

Or getting in an extra nap



And, then, by taking driving

Out of the hands of the public

And putting it in the virtual hands

Of the car itself

And the vast shared network

Of interconnectivity

We should expect less traffic

And, hopefully, less accidents



We might say goodbye to cash

As we move to a paperless society

With every purchase cashless,

A simple transfer of funds,

And physical coins and notes

Will soar in value

As their numbers decrease,

Outperforming their face value



But, now, let’s take that a step further

And get rid of credit cards

And all forms of payment cards

Though not the idea behind the cards,

With all our payments possible

Through a phone, a watch

Or some other electronic device

From which we can’t be parted.



But what happens when that one device

Which contains the entirety of our lives

Is stolen by some unscrupulous sort

Or will muggings become even more violent

Than simply demanding your phone or wallet

And demand a pound of flesh instead

Or a finger at the very least

To gain access to all your worldly goods?

We, Revolutionaries

08/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



The taste of freedom is sweet,

Built on the burnt remains

Of plantations worked by slaves

To profit foreign masters

Who raped the land

And the women enslaved

By virtue of their colour,

Deemed less than human,

Never equal,

A commodity to be used

And abused

Until death did take them

By violence or disease.



The taste of freedom is sweet

In comparison to the smell of burning flesh,

The metallic tang of blood

From beatings and whippings

Meant to keep the downtrodden in line

But instead instilling a conviction

That the caged would one day soar

And be masters of their own domain,

Not buying their freedoms

From owners of human flesh

Or inheriting their freedom

From fathers engaged in brutality

While mothers remained bound.



The taste of freedom is sweet,

Cut from the hatred and distrust

Of so many generations

From so many castes

At each other’s throats

For no good reason

Save selfishness and greed,

And a persecution

Based on perceived inferiority –

That some could not rule themselves,

And lacked the ability

To achieve their own freedom

Despite evidence to the contrary.



The taste of freedom is sweet,

And a pleasure to enlightened tongues,

Bridging the divide

Between the haves and the have nots,

But it is hard fought reward

For those who battled

Ambiguous declarations

Made by distant rulers

With no care for its far-flung subjects

Nor their subjugated army of workers

Poised for a different future

Than that faced by their fathers

And feared by their mothers.



The taste of freedom is sweet

Created out of the impending storm

That came to fruition late one night

As the thunder rolled in

And lightning sparked the sky

With violence begetting violence,

The tables turned,

The oppressed rising

To take the means of their oppression

And seek revenge

On their oppressors

To the same extent as that violence

Was waged against them for so long.



The taste of freedom is sweet,

Drawn from the conflict

Between warring nations

Using colonies as pawns

In troubles that don’t involve them

Not for the betterment

Of those who do the fighting

But for the prestige of the elites

In claiming victory

In meaningless squabbles

When those considered less than

Are fighting for their right

To be seen as human beings.



The taste of freedom is sweet,

Without distinction of colour,

And the emancipation of men

Is but the beginning of the story

Because forces pushed and pulled

From all quarters,

Imported leaders vying for control

Of a land not their own

And over a people

Imported to be exploited

For their labour

And for their women

To be misused.



The taste of freedom is sweet,

But cooked among the ashes

Of burning bridges

And smouldering cities,

Scorched earth

And blackened skies,

Coloured by yellow fever,

White supremacy

And black revolt

Against tyranny from afar

Under dictators and demons

Who see colour as a means

Of exerting their control.



The taste of freedom is sweet

But a long time in the making,

Constructed over many years

With blood, sweat and tears

Littering the paths of good intentions

And leaving behind a trail of death

That lives on in the history

Which others fail to learn from

But which established a country

Ruled by its people for its people

Yet brought no end to the turmoil

Faced by the population

In search of that elusive freedom.

A Sign

07/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



Give me a sign

And I will move mountains



Give me a sign

And I will fight any battle



Give me a sign

And I will love you forever



Give me a sign

And I will give myself to you

The Addict

06/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



When I first felt it –

The adrenalin rush

Coursing through me –

I knew I needed it.



I came back,

Week after week,

Wanting more

Each time I felt it.



The desire grew

And I could not stop;

I needed to feel

That insane buzz.



I would binge

On the weekends

Then during the week,

Sometimes every day.



If I couldn’t get it

I would crash

Lusting for the thrill

On edge without it.



I was helpless

Trying to suck people in

So I wasn’t alone

In my addiction.



Now, it is over,

And I am lost,

Knowing I must survive

Until the next season.

In the summer

05/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



In the hot, hot summer

I often hide away

With fans and air-con blowing,

And ice-cold drinks.



I take off clothes

As much as I dare

And have cold showers

Or soak in cooling baths.



I eat watermelon

And read in the pool,

A giant sun umbrella

Shading my pasty skin.



And I try to imagine

It not so hot

And not so humid

So my brain doesn’t melt

The Expedition

04/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



A long time ago

Far, far away

A ship sailed for more

Than a year and a day



To find new lands

Discover new treasures

Uncover new cultures

Encounter new pleasures



The captain was smart

The most noble of men

Even moreso than the lords

Who sent him adventuring again



He searched not for fables

But real-world artifacts

That were listed in

Deeds and contracts



But, somehow, he was co-opted

Into a tale of mystery

His endeavours exploited

Passed down through history



Perhaps it was to discredit

A respected naval man

Out of spite and jealousy

Of his obvious elan



The fountain of youth elusive

To all who searched for it

And foisted upon those

Of whom it wasn’t in their remit



So, when you hear the tales of yore

Lend a sceptical ear

The stories may differ wildly

From what you actually hear

Still Life

03/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



I sat on the bench,

It’s soft cushions such comfort

After a long trek

Through the years gone by

From Bellini to Bronzino –

The portraits standing tall,

The landscapes sweeping.



Parents trying to show their children

The masters of art new and old,

As their sprogs cast bored eyes

Over pieces worth a pretty penny

But which don’t do anything

And cannot hold the attention

Of the young film generation.



Old couples contemplate modern works

Turning their heads quizzically,

Trying to understand the abstract forms

Of random shapes and lines

With colours clashing and jarring

Discussing the subtle meaning

Of indiscriminate images.



But here I sit, still and unmoving,

Lost in thought

As the hues wash over me,

Transporting me

And capturing me

With nothing more than a chair

Or a vase with fifteen sunflowers.

Reliance

02/02/2021 - Poem a Day Compilation



I don’t like reliance.

The dawning dread

Of people placing their trust

Upon my wee, small head.



The expectation placed

At my feet

That I will live up to

The task at hand.



I don’t like reliance.

The need to include

Other people in my plans

Because I lack something.



I like to do things

My own way

In my own time

Without compromise.



I don’t like reliance.

But I accept it

And live with it

Because I have to.

The Dialogue

01/02/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



Can you hear me?

        Yes, I can hear you.

I feel so alone.

        What would you like me to do?

Sit with me.

        But you won’t be able to see me.

That’s ok, I know you’re there.

         What do you want to talk about?

How much I miss you.

        I’m always here with you.

It’s not the same, though.

        I’m sorry you’re sad.

It’s not your fault.

        But I left you.

You were taken from me.

        I didn’t fight hard enough.

You fought as hard as anyone.

        I didn’t want to go.

You’re still here.



In my mind.