August Bank Holiday (for Rose)

thistledown dandelion speedwell and dock

Lovely pink lady in pink summer frock

picked a sour greengage, threw it away,

all on a hot august bank holiday

dandelion thistledown nettle and rue

where will she wander, what will she do? 

down in the fields where the greengages grow

watching the seeds and the butterflies blow

nettle and speedwell, thistle and dock

wish upon wish upon dandelion clock

walk in a rhythm, tread in a rhyme  

on this sweet day in the sweet summertime

spring fields and summer sun

deep daffodil days 

and lemon sours, 

cold milky sap

and sharp clear sound

at dawn

now sing to me 

of journeys to be made 

the orange long 

of summer days 

to come

Five Easter Poems 2017

Judas

nothing can undo

the time

this noose

my folly

my sin

no one could forgive

me ever

or pity

my horror

my pain

never again

his smile

his eyes

his holy bread

his  wine

no more love

or clan

no hope

just this body 

and this rope

Joseph

who heard my cry 

my son? my wife?

this broken jar?

my longing and despair

and I stood witness

to my son, my wife,

the soldiers, Cesar, God

and all my love

and all my hate

was there

Magdalen

no woman's land

no place for tears

this empty silence very loud

these holes, so black and deep

an awful wish

that he would not

have been "the one"

because he is

and all is love and all is gone

and all and all and all is one

and never will I find him

alive again for me 

Mary on the Sabbath

torn hollow heart

won't beat

my chest a cave of blood 

my son 

warm 

life and breath ?

with fear

I shape his name

Thomas

the wound

tasted of iron,

old blood,

pain;

but still.. 

the eyes 

so changed, 

keen, clear,

cold;

not him..

said "Thomas"

shook my shoulder,

smiled

again,

I knew him then.

 END

Mermaid (1)

                                                                                                                                              31 Aug 2016

Falling

This dark deep water
drawing the granite from the rock
has no more sound than murmur
and tipping, falling, knowing,
I dive slowly in
expand and drinking swim
all entered entering

Mermaid (2)

Heartbeat

my mouth your mouth 

my love my passion

your being and body and breath

my breath your breath

my body my being

your passion my love

my love

 5 Oct 2016

Mermaid (3)

Negative Space

 counting waves

this one, next one, this one
breaking moment,

then two then one

then one then two

breathless dancing, breathing, 

not me and you, 

but you and you and you,

and me and me, 

two and three

now in turn we spin

outward in 

three and four

our time place world 

our home no more

                                                                                                               30 Oct 2016

Mermaid (4)

Tears

gasping for water

sharp bare sea bed

cold cold rock

I will fill this pit with tears 

then swim away

  30 Nov 2016

Mermaid (5)

Caught

This woven prison pulls us 

stolen passengers 

claws and clatters

fish and fin

unhappy swell

let me out

let me in

  20 Feb 2017

Mermaid (6)

Bleeding

how to separate

how to sew up

stop the flow

how to never know

walk swim sleep long

nothing there nothing wrong

no song

no

find another one

find a self that can

long and long and long for you

carelessly again 

 March 2017