Overnight the land prepared autumn
trimmed all the hedges’ beards
combed the fields to neatness
and coloured the trees’ hair.
It picked the blackberries and apples
and whisked the clouds to fluffy cream.
Monthly Archives: September 2017
Stamford goes Georgian
At 9am the skies are grey
the car park stands quite empty
we wander round but little sound
is heard from waking gentry.
*
By half past ten the drizzle stops
and things are looking lively
some gents and dames in Georgian dress
are posing – very stylish.
*
Our luck is in, the rain holds off
the stalls set out to sell stuff
a regiment of ne’er do wells
are drilled till they are good ’nuff.
*
A punch and judy show begins
the children call and giggle
and serving wenches ply their trade,
acrobats jump and juggle.
*
The carousel keeps turning round,
the music loud and cheery.
Its wooden horses ride the waves –
their paint is gleaming sweetly
*
A pedlar with his tray of silks
shouts his wares with gusto,
then turns into a highwayman –
tells tales of derring-do.
*
All weekend the crowds come in,
all ages shapes and sizes –
we walks and chats and buys or sells
we plays, eats, drinks or gazes.
*
On Monday all the tents have gone
the meadows look well polished,
The town has done a sterling job
the festival has vanished.
Atlanta – not my problem
A city of contrasts, like so many others,
the leafy streets of Midtown,
spacious houses, friendly cafes
parks, art galleries
a few odd people dozing in the park
Close to downtown
missions for the homeless
who drag their life in shopping carts
and black plastic bags.
Some sit listlessly
holding out a beggar’s coffee cup.
There’s little risk of freezing to death
this sultry summer.
There are places to sit,
and even socialise . . .
but I’m apprehensive,
I rationalise –
ten dollars or a thousand will solve nothing
they’ll spend on booze or drugs
“society” must find a solution …
I cannot allow these people to be human
the world is insane, not me.
Fox in a museum
Now, fox – when did you die?
hands removed your skin
and treated it
constructed a skeleton frame
inserted glass eyes
arranged your expression
almost lifelike
almost curious and cunning
fitted your legs like socks
on artificial limbs
and posed you on a plinth.
Today we’ve drawn you,
lots of us
attracted to the idea of fox
and dead animals don’t move
but have three dimensions
unlike photographs
We give you some new life
you look cute
or fierce
or inquisitive.
Are you plotting some mischief
on chicken coop or rabbit den?
We each made
with our looking,
drawing
some kind of memorial
or mnemonic
of a fox.
this air mists so cool
this air mists so cool was the last line of the preceding haiku in a ‘haiku train’
My response:
this air mists so cold
condensing water on leaves
a cloud forest thrives
Alle Menschen werden Brüder
Eating a veggie burger
sitting in a cafe bar
in North Carolina
listening to some old guys jamming
there’s a pause and then –
on the harmonica
thin strains of a familiar tune
Beethoven’s notes
Freude, a man says,
it means joy
North Carolina, August 2017
We left the steamy city
in an air-conditioned car,
*
natural coolness
fresh air
was hard to imagine…
but now a breeze
slides through the open doorway.
*
We watch
evening sunlight filter gently
through tall oaks
reaching skyward
from the hillside.
*
In the morning
a humming bird comes to the feeder
quick, hover, in, out, away.
Two rocking chairs on the porch
high above the ground
we float almost in the canopy.
*
We’re here for the eclipse …
the clouds disperse
the sky delivers,
its promise kept.
*
And now…
we revel in this glorious countryside
wave upon wave of wooded mountains
fading to blue horizons.
Autumn
The promise of gold entices –
not the metal whose glow
deceived and flattered
and trapped old Midas,
but the promise of the sun,
rudbeckia flowers, hedgerow fruits,
the first hint of turning leaves
an invigorating breeze.
But no – the foxgloves bow to the wind
I dress in wool to face the grey chill
seeking the mental alchemy
to convince myself that summer lingers.
counting lengths
counting lengths
cadmium, indium, tin
49’s tricky
poedoodles 