child's work

washing sticks in puddles
is serious business

tornado 2

a tall swirl of dried leaves and rubbish appears momentarily in centre of the road
abruptly dispersed by a passing car

tornado 1

a swarm of shrieking children circle the playground
drowning out even the wind

Robin

a robin in the dark contributes a tuneless trill
to the uncertain overtures of the dawn chorus

the moon

the moon has delusions of grandeur
eschewing the habitual timid glimmer
its light fills the sky
and beams steal around the curtains 
to illuminate the bedroom

walking on ice

the gentle creak of footsteps on snow has been replaced 
by the crunch of treacherous ice

more snow

it may be gone in the morning
so Creature goes out in the dark
and twirls under the streetlight in the falling flakes
leaving her handprints on the pavement

unicorn

you enter to a subtle, enticing blend of herbs and spices
the recipe for a real food shop

(Unicorn Grocery)

in foreign at the station

a young Japanese couple cuddle and giggle
on the seats next to mine
their words unintelligible
the meaning unmistakable 

snow tracks

delicate trails of blackbirds criss-crossing each other across the garden
a squirrel bounds leaving a neat group of four paws
two in, two out
the small peanut impression of a child's wellies
and down a dark street, the meandering route of a bike
that I follow on mine over the bridge and round the corner to the office

Neighbours

neighbours shouting beyond the living room wall
the words unintelligible
but the meaning unmistakable

Snow 2

one of the pleasures of winter
making a neat set of footprints across the virgin snow

Snow 1

Under the streetlights the pavement is a twinkling expanse
small melted spots become like black holes in a white sky

Early again

It's still pitch black, though there is no frost,
but a lone blackbird thinks there is something to sing about.

Early morning

Across the lightly frosted garden
the neighbour's stained glass bathroom window glows warm

Magie

a lonesome magpie perches high on a skeletal tree
silhouetted against a pale frosty sky

Nostalgia moment

Sitting in the van listening to The Carpenters
warmed by the heater and mellowed by the music

hot lemon

the steam from my cup of hot lemon fogs my glasses
I have to pause and wait between sips before I can read again.

From the train 2

I close my eyes in Cheltenham station
and open them to find bedraggled fields vanishing into the fog

From the train 1

a cohort of bicycles stands in ranks on the platform
awaiting their marching orders

Dartmoor 3

we rattle over the cattle grid and promptly re-enter civilisation
I like the sign that reads:
thank you for taking moor care

Dartmoor 2

a couple of knobbly kneed lambs shelter behind
shaggy coated mothers

Dartmoor 1

swathes of the dark chocolate brown of dead bracken 
and the deep green of heather 
stretch out across the rain sodden expanse

Dancing

They play some big band jazz and
mum and dad jive between the tables.
I'm not sure I ever realised they had a life before I was born.
I watch and smile, and try not to cry.

not-snow

a delicate drift of white in the gutter covers the rotting leaves
but as it blows down the street
I realise they are polystyrene balls from a burst bean bag.

seagulls

a gang gathers on the goal for a gossip

Pink

Pink bubble car, like a vehicle from Oz,
pootles down the monotonous grey street

flats seen from the tram

washing dries on balconies
and a lone smoker watches the world go by

Leaving

A welcome blue sky streaked with white aeroplane trails
all converging on the distant vanishing point

dog again

boundless enthusiasm, bounding along the cycle track
tongue not just lolling out but streaming behind

dog at the supermarket

tail tucked under 
waiting disconsolate in the rain
big dark watery eyes follow me as I walk past

more rain

the lightest of misty rains brushes my cheeks
and leaves my eyelashes damp

New Year Resolutions

January joggers are earnest and determined,
cheerful despite the rain.

Midnight moonlight

Walking home to a cacophony of fireworks and car horns
a line of Chinese lanterns drift into the clouds ahead