True Nature # 9

THE FIERCE SPRING GALES

The fierce spring gales
Howl all through the night
Whipping up the seas
And turning wave tops white
The poor souls at sea
On the dark spring night
In the teeth of the tempest
Feel it’s savage bite
And pray to their gods
To save them from their plight
As the gale blows through
On the dark spring night

IN THE DEWY SPRING MEADOW

In the dewy spring meadow
I watch the dawn’s first rays
Beginning to evaporate the mist
In the majesty of the spring days

BENEATH THE GREY SKIES

Beneath the grey skies
In the crisp morning air
An over confident fox
Chases after a march Hare

IN A COUNTRY LANE

In a country lane
Where the noise of a highway
Is thought too fanciful
A wagon carries bales of hay
As the farmer heads home
At the end of the day

True Nature # 8

THE FIERCE WINTER GALES

The fierce winter gales
Howl all through the night
Whipping up the seas
And turning wave tops white
The poor souls at sea
On the dark winter night
In the teeth of the tempest
Feel it’s savage bite
And pray to their gods
To save them from their plight
As the gale blows through
On the dark winter night

IN THE DEWY WINTER MEADOW

In the dewy winter meadow
I watch the dawn’s first rays
Beginning to evaporate the mist
In the majesty of winter days

A CAVE

A cave, in the face of the cliff
Like a mouth, wild and mad,
Snarling like a demon
Across the barren land
From where a wind blew
Into the cavernous mouth
and howled like a Ghost
Calling out in despair

AN OAK

An Oak, tall as a cathedral spire
Cast a mighty shadow
As the setting of the sun
Turns the western sky to fire

True Nature # 7

THE FIERCE SUMMER GALES

The fierce summer gales
Howl all through the night
Whipping up the seas
And turning wave tops white
The poor souls at sea
On the dark summer night
In the teeth of the tempest
Feel it’s savage bite
And pray to their gods
To save them from their plight
As the gale blows through
On the dark summer night

IN THE DEWY SUMMER MEADOW

In the dewy summer meadow
I watch the dawn’s first rays
Beginning to evaporate the mist
In the majesty of summer days

BENEATH AZURE BLUE SKIES

Beneath azure blue skies
Beside a silent pool
A bird sings in the stillness
Its sweet song drifting
On the lemon scented breeze
As evening approached

WATERY WORLD

In a river, barely worthy of the name,
Where the gentle water trickles back
Towards a greater watery world,
Lives the humble little stickleback

Potpourri

DOING WHAT YOU LIKE

Doing what you like
Does bring happiness for you
But the true source of joy
Is in liking what you do

HOPE SITS PATIENTLY

Hope sits patiently
Upon its primordial throne
A reassuring constant,
In a sea of change
Always there
Available to all
Like a beacon in the dark
To lost souls at sea
Pure unremitting Hope
An unquenchable thirst
An unsatisfied yearning
An unscratchable itch
There for everyone
When all else fails
Hope waits for us all
Sitting patiently
Upon its primordial throne
Since time immemorial
And until the end of time

THE ACCIDENTAL VILLAIN

I am the smoke
That simply floats away
On a convenient breeze
Drifting away
Powerless to stop
And at the mercy of the wind

I am the smoke and there is
A kind of beauty about me
But also there is danger in me

I am the smoke and I am mercurial
Appearing in many forms
I am thick like pea soup fog
Or thin and translucent like a veil

I am the smoke and
I have no purpose
I am only an after thought
A bi product of something useful
I am the smoke
And I am the villain

ENDSHIP

OldfriEND or New FriEND,
BoyfriEND or GirlfriEND,
BestFRIEND or FriEND,
They all have an END
So if you’re looking for longevity
Look no further than family

SWALK IS AN ACRONYM FOR

SWALK is an acronym for
“Sealed with a loving kiss”
Used when writing letters
To loved ones we miss

I SIT WITH A MIRROR STRAIGHT AHEAD OF ME

I sit with a mirror straight ahead of me
And another one placed behind me
So my image is repeated in perpetuity
That way I don’t feel so lonely

PUZZLING

How should I begin to describe you?
Well you are 13 down,
Without exception, and always 2 across
But you have never been 1 down
And sadly not once 19 across
You are four letters
Starting with a S and ending with a Y
You are coffee time and an acrostic too
As well as being cryptic
Let’s try 11 down followed by three across
Which is what might describe you
But I have never known you to be 7 down
A dictionary won’t help me, nor a thesaurus
You are Mind-bendingly vexatious, unfathomable
Inscrutable and infuriating enigmatic
And like most women I have known
You are an unsolvable puzzle to me

ON THAT BEAUTIFUL SUNLIT DAY IN JUNE

On that beautiful sunlit day in June
When they played that familiar tune
My heart was filled with happiness
When I saw you in the big white dress

I stole a sideways glance at you
And found you looking at me too
It was quite goofy we smiled so much
I took your hand and felt your tender touch

Proudly we stood together side by side
As before God the knot was tied
My heart filled again with happiness
As I wed the girl in the big white dress

If pride is a sin then I’ve sinned too much
I’ve felt it when I’ve felt your loving touch
I’ve felt it at our happiest and our saddest
And when I saw you in a maternity dress

Oh how I remember that day in June
When they played that familiar tune
And my heart was filled with happiness
When I saw you in the big white dress

And now as I look back across the years
To the times of laughter and of tears
I wish to tell it to the world and shout it loud
I’ve never said “I love you” and not felt proud

ILLUMINATED SUNSET CLOUDS

Illuminated sunset clouds, lit
Like smoke in a funeral pyre
In red and orange shades
As the sky burns with fire

THE TRUTH ABOUT FAMILY

Have you noticed that
Family Contains I L Y
Which stands for “I Love You”
And no one asks why

True Nature # 6

THE SUFFOLK PUNCH

The Suffolk Punch
Heavy draught horse
Beautiful Chestnut beast
Solid and dependable
With energetic gait
Known as “good doers”
The Suffolk Punch
Work horse of the land

HEAVEN SENT APRIL SHOWERS

Heaven sent April showers
Will bring the May flowers
And after spring has begun
Soon comes the summer sun

SWEET MEMORIES OF OUR CHILDHOOD # 1

Sweet memories of our childhood
Those days of youth were the best
Golden Septembers in the fields
Gathering the bounty of the harvest

AS THE LENGTHENING DAYS WARM UP

As the lengthening days warm up
When the north is on the cusp
The ice begins to speak or sing
Heralding the arrival of spring

SWEET MEMORIES OF OUR CHILDHOOD # 2

Sweet memories of our childhood
Sunny days bright and pleasant
Cold crisp Novembers on the heath
Beating the bracken for the Pheasant

ON THE PLANTATION

On the plantation
Nothing can be finer
Than a bevy of Quail
In South Carolina

IN THE AUTUMN

In the Autumn
The shoot is very pleasant
And we end the day
With a bevy of pheasant

UP ON THE MOOR

Up on the Moor
The birds take flight
On the glorious 12th
They leave the hill
With a bevy of Grouse
The trappings of wealth

THE SUN BURSTS THROUGH THE CURTAINS

The sun bursts through the curtains
As dawn brings forth another day
And bids us waken from our rest
With every golden warming ray

THE SUFFOLK HORSE

The Suffolk Horse
Heavy draught horse
Beautiful Chestnut beast
Solid and dependable
With energetic gait
Known as “good doers”
The Suffolk Horse
Work horse of the land

IN SHADES OF RED AND ORANGE

In shades of red and orange
The sky burns with fire
Clouds in sunset are illuminated
Like smoke in a funeral pyre

BEYOND THE SNOW-CAPPED MOUNTAINS

Beyond the snow-capped mountains
A brand new dawn breaks
Night moved onward into light
Across the land and the lakes

THEY CLIMB WITH STRENGTH AND GRACE

They climb with strength and grace
And ramble wide and free
They stand alone as Floribunda
Standard or Hybrid Tea
The glorious English rose
Beautiful flower of history

WHEN WINTERS BITE IS TAMED

When winters bite is tamed
Spring brings forth the shoots
Then summer scents the flowers
And the autumn earns the fruits

LET THE WIND HOWL

Let the wind howl
Let the tempest blow
Bring forth the rain
Bring forth the snow
Then let the frost bite
Let the ice crack
Then we can get
The winter sun back

THE SUFFOLK SORREL

The Suffolk Sorrel
Heavy draught horse
Beautiful Chestnut beast
Solid and dependable
With energetic gait
Known as “good doers”
The Suffolk Sorrel
Work horse of the land

True Nature # 5

BEE’S ATTENDED TO THE ROSES

Bee’s attended to the Roses
As Butterflies fluttered by
The great artist mixed his blue
And with it painted the sky
And the sweet scent of lavender
Lingered long on the afternoon air
Should we ask for better?
I don’t think we dare

THE CHAFFINCH

She builds her nest
In the time of spring
And then to find a mate
She must patiently sing

Chaffinch sing your song
So charmingly
From your high branch
Up in the chestnut tree

BABBLING STREAM INTO RIVER

Babbling stream into river
Flows on through the lea
skirting woodland as it winds
On the move constantly
Cutting thru meadow sweet
On its journey to the sea

HERALDING AN APPROACHING STORM

Heralding an approaching storm
Lightening lit the far horizon
As thunder rumbled
Around the valley
Then louder and louder it grew
Closer and closer it came
Until it was overhead

True Nature # 4

NORTH WESTERN MISSION BELLS

The Mission bells
Blooming herb
Of the north western states
With green-and-purple
Bell-shaped flowers

SOUTH WESTERN MISSION BELL

The Mission bells
Blooming herb
Of the south-western States
With dark purple
Bell-shaped flowers
Mottled with green

CALIFORNIA YELLOW BELLS

California Yellow bells
Inhabiting the arid places
With pendulous bell like
Yellow flowers
Blooming in the desert

YELLOW BELLS

The Yellow bells
The viscid herb
Inhabiting the arid places
With its sticky leaves
And pendulous bell like
Yellow flowers
Blooming in the desert
Of the south-western states

WHISPERING BELLS

Whispering bells
The viscid herb
Inhabiting the arid places
With its sticky leaves
And pendulous bell like
Yellow flowers
Blooming in the desert
Of the south-western states

SWEET BELLS

Sweet bells
Long racemes
Of pinkish flowers
Abundant on
Bushy Deciduous shrubs
Across eastern States

PEACH BELLS

Peach Bells
European perennial
Bellflower with racemose
Of white or blue

BROWN BELLS

Brown bells
Californian herb
With brownish-purple
Bell-shaped flowers

OUR HOUSE WAS POOR

Our house was poor
But the land was rich
Mother Nature’s
Bountiful abundance
Rich in leaf and bud
Enriched in flowers
Many a summers’ day
I lay amongst grasses
And the wild flower stems
In scented meadows
That leaves me dazed
As the summer sun
Set alight the burning gem’s

THE WIND IN THE TREES

The wind in the trees
Sang a sad song
A plaintive sound
Like a crying child
And as it blew through
The crying leaves
On the rainy morn
Shed tears that fell
To the forest floor

TRANQUILLITY DESCENDS

Tranquillity descends
And sunshine reigns
When the storm abates
And peace remains

BETWEEN THE SEASONS

Although the sun
Shone high
In the dying
Summer sky
The east wind,
Strong and shrill
Carried in an
Early autumn chill

DARK CLOUDS CONCEALED

Dark clouds concealed
The firmament
The moon and stars
Still shone
Though not apparent
And heavens jewels
Remained, unseen

DAYLIGHT WAS DECLINING

Daylight was declining
As twilight loomed
As behind the horizon
The sun was consumed

WIND AND TEMPEST

Wind and tempest
Rain and flood
The chimney falls
With a thud
After the lightning storm
And booming thunder
Uprooted trees
Roofs torn asunder
But in the calm
As we convalesce
In the aftermath
There is a cleanness

True Nature # 3

BLUEBELLS IN THE WOOD

Bluebells in the wood
Sway in the dappled shade
To the tune of Spring

THISTLEDOWN, IN IDLE FLIGHT

Thistledown, in idle flight
Drifts upon the highland wind
Like ancestral spirits

BATHED IN SUMMER SUNSHINE

Bathed in summer sunshine
Gentle breezes stir the stems
But above in the golden sun
Grow an array of perfect gems

ICE AND RAIN

Ice and rain
Sleet and hail
Storm and tempest
Wind and gale
The rugged rock
Cannot prevail

THE SUMMER IS ENDING

The summer is ending
The flowers are dying
The meadows are still
And the geese are flying

SUMMER FLOWERS ARE BLOOMING

Summer flowers are blooming
In the scented meadows
Are the sun slowly sets
Lengthening the shadows

THE PEACEFUL VILLAGE

The peaceful village
In the frozen valley
Lay quietly beneath
Its winter cloak

BENDING IN THE BREEZE

Bending in the breeze
White stalks sway
Flower heads dancing
On a summer day

THE WINTER LAND LIES

The winter land lies
In suspended animation
Part of life’s eternal cycle
And with it, paused
Is its Infinite variety
But As the earth turns
Mother natures seed waits
Beneath the February snows

VOLCANOES ARE TERRIFYING

Volcanoes are terrifying
Just the thought of them is frightful
But pyroclastic eruptions
That’s just Nature at its most spiteful

Bits and pieces

UNDER A SLATE GREY SKY

Under a slate grey sky
Or against a back drop of blue
Crossing bridges
Over river and stream
Thru woods and fields
Onward and upward
Over hill and vale
Riding the rails
The Locomotive speeds
Across the countryside
The marvel of the age

IT’S THE END OF MY AUTUMN DAYS

It’s the end of my autumn days
When heavens siren sings
And amidst a russet dawn
I hear deaths silent wings

A HOUSE IS STILL JUST A HOUSE

A house is still just a house
Made of brick and plaster
It takes something else
If it’s a home that you’re after

And making the transition
Now that is the real trick
And whether you do it or not
Depends on the partner you pick

THE OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY WAS IN FULL SWING

The office Christmas party
Was in full swing
Cheap plonk and nibbles
That kind of thing
From someone’s iPod
Loud Music played
And to that music
Eager bodies swayed

ALAS MEL SMITH

Melvin Kenneth "Mel" Smith (3 December 1952 – 19 July 2013)

Mel Smith
Comedian and writer,
Film director,
Producer and actor
Jack of all trades
Master of all

ENTER THE GARDEN HUMBLE BIRD

Enter the garden
Humble bird
Sing the sweetest
I have heard
Sing loves song
Upon the breeze
To your mate
Up in the trees
Bid her come
Courting on the wing
And with her
Brightly sing

HELLO MY LITTLE BUZZY BEE

Hello my little Buzzy bee
Amidst the flowers flying free
Gathering the Pollen busily
Make sweet honey just for me

AT THE END OF HIS LONG LIFE

At the end of his long life
A Godly man passes into heaven
Where he sits with God
And revues their Journey again

While he looked back
Sitting at Gods right hand
He saw it represented by
Two sets of footprints in the sand

But he noticed that at times
There was just one set
When he was at his lowest
And he was very upset

So he spoke to God and asked
That in the scene he was shown
Why at the hardest times
He walked the path alone

No my son you are mistaken
At those times God said
I thought it would be more fun
If we hopped instead

True Nature # 2

True Nature # 2

RED BERRIES

Red Berries grow
In abundance
On the holly bush
As the snow falls
Nature’s bounty
On the bough
Mother Nature
Stocking her Larder
For the long bitter
Winter to come

WHITE BERRIES

White berries grow
In abundance
On the mistletoe
As the snow falls
Nature’s bounty
On the bough
Mother Nature
Stocking her Larder
For the long bitter
Winter to come

RED BREASTED ROBIN

Red Breasted Robin
Sitting on the fence
With snow falling
God that bird is dense

Sitting out there exposed
Out in all weathers
Trying to look cute
As it freezes its feathers

True Nature # 1

BENEATH THE FOREST CANOPY

Beneath the forest canopy
In the Emerald darkness
Of the ancient wood
It was refreshingly cool
But shadow soon gave way
To the dappled shade
Where the sun pierced
The leafy veil
Littering the floor
With Golden discs of light
And when the forest thinned
We came upon a Deer
Grazing in a forest glade

IN THE DEW FRESH MEADOW

In the dew fresh meadow
I watch the dawn’s first rays
Appear to evaporate the mist
In the majesty of Autumn days

STUNG BY HAIL AND RAIN

Stung by hail and rain
And colds numbing bite
And cut through like a knife
By the east-wind’s spite

THE SUN BURNS BRIGHT ABOVE THE BLUE

The sun burns bright above the blue
From above the clouds up high
Shining brightly through the rain
Painting rainbows across the sky

MOONLIGHT GLINTS

Moonlight glints
On the silent vales
Dressed crisply
In winters cloak
Lying like rippled silk
On the frozen land

THE WONDROUS BEAUTY

The wondrous beauty
Of your pale white skin,
That seductive landscape
Pure as exotic silk
Fresh as winter snow
And as cold as your heart

THE WIND WHISTLES

The wind whistles
The frozen rain bites
And the chill runs deep
And we must escape
To shelter safe inside
Where the barn owls sleep

THE HEATHERS CLOAK THE HILLSIDE

The Heathers cloak the hillside
And Buttercups dot the meadow
The Bluebells carpet the woods
And Orchids pepper the hedgerow
In an understatement of radiance
Where the wild flowers grow

LITTLE BIRD BRING TO US

Little bird bring to us
Your sweet song
Bring it cheerily
With the spring
To the woodland
And to the meadow
And with your
Sweet melody
Usher in another
Blessed summer

THE SAVAGE NATURAL SCENE

The savage natural scene
In the winter meadow
Where the Falcon feeds
His talons red in the snow

BENEATH THE LEAFY CANOPY

Beneath the leafy canopy
Moonlight pierced the darkness
And shafts of lunar light
Like a brilliant laser show
Illuminated the forest floor

THE SUN RULES IN DAYLIGHT HOURS

The Sun rules in daylight hours
Shining light across the shadow
The Moon rules over the tides
In their perpetual ebb and flow
But God rules in the heavens
In benevolence over all below

TIGER, TIGER, BURNING BRIGHT

Tiger, Tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night
Poachers perform their rite
And leave a bloody sight

WINTER MAIDEN

Winter maiden
Draped afresh
In a pure white
Unsullied cloak
Hugging her contours
Uncorrupted
In its perfect purity
Her Pristine draperies
Like crisp white linen
Lying undisturbed
Natures maiden
In her winter coat

Nature Days

HUMMINGBIRD FLY

Hummingbird fly
On vibrant wings
Sip, iridescent beauty
From trumpet blooms
The nectar sweet
With long slender bill
In flower deep

FROM THE BREAK OF EACH NEW DAWN

From the break of each new dawn
When heralding the new day
The sun crests the horizon
To Paint the eastern sky
With natures orange glow
Until it sets again
In majestic splendour
Beyond the western hills
And is swallowed by the darkness
It gives life with its benevolent light

FLAME TREES

Flame trees in the jungle
Petals like tongues of fire
Burning bright in paradise

ON THE CUSP OF SPRING AND SUMMER

On the cusp of spring and summer
Hawthorn hedgerows bloom
And produce their fruity haws
Before the autumns gathering gloom

THE FADING LIGHT OF THE EVENING

The fading light of the evening
Mirrors the slow diminishing
Of my own dwindling light
As we both head towards the night

A DEW DROP SLOWLY ROLLS

A dew drop slowly rolls along the broad leaf
Like a perfect pearl, it moves on its journey brief
Before dropping off the edge to a rivulet below
And the pearl disappears into the mercurial flow

ON A STORMY NIGHT

On a stormy night
As strangers slumber
Around the gables
The wild wind howled
And rain hit the panes
Like thrown gravel
As the lightning struck
And thunder growled

THE HEATHERS ON THE HILLSIDE

The Heathers on the hillside
And Buttercups in the meadow
The Bluebells in the woods
And Orchids in the hedgerow
What a green and pleasant land
Where the wild flowers grow

AS THE EVENING LIGHT FADES

As the evening light fades
The sky takes on a twilight hue
Until the stars appear above
And the moon comes into view

RED ADMIRAL

Red admiral flutter by
You Beautiful butterfly
Drink from the buddleia
Lovely Vanessa atalanta

THE RED KITE

The Red Kite
Beautiful in flight
In the cape verde sky
Raptor flying high

THE RED SQUIRREL

The red squirrel
Cute arboreal Character
Once abundant in our woodland
Now small in number
Only survive in small pockets
Thanks to the grey intruder

LITTLE BIRD BRING US

Little bird bring us
Your sweet song
To woodland
And to meadow
Usher in another
Blessed summer

AMIDST THE MYRIAD STARS

Amidst the myriad stars
The bright crescent moon
Hangs in the midnight sky
And palely paints the ocean
With its gentle lunar light

A DAZZLING ARRAY OF STARS

A dazzling array of stars
Carpet the night sky
Enlivening the heart
And making spirits fly

Just Nature

WEST OF KINTYRE # 1

On the Mull of Kintyre
I stood atop the steep cliffs
Looking out across the sea
To the distant misty shores
Of Antrim far away

THE SWIFT

The familiar forked tail
And crescent wing
Of the agile Swift in sky
Performing aerobatics
Above the fields of gold
So pleasing to the eye

WISPS OF WHITE

Wisps of White
Decorate the azure blue
Like absent minded stokes
Of an artist’s brush
While the sun bathes the land
With its benevolence

BUTTERFLIES FLUTTER BY # 1

Butterflies flutter by
In Magnolia melancholy
On gossamer wings

IN SPRINGTIME

In springtime
I walk in dappled shade
Down along
A woodland brook
Where Narcissi grow
And bow their heads
In deference
To the singing stream

WEST OF KINTYRE # 2

On the Mull of Kintyre
I stood atop the steep cliffs
On a day so crisp and clear
And looked out towards the west
Where it was possible to see
Rathlin Island clear as day
And Ballycastle just beyond

LONG TAILED LINNET

Long tailed Linnet
Sweet flying Finch
Trill and twitter
Your pleasant song
All Summer long

THE AIR WAS SULTRY AND STALE

The air was sultry and stale
The heat oppressive
I sought the sanctity of the shade
Embracing its coolness
I walked beneath the leafy canopy
Where the silence welcomed
Contented I walked
In the leafy summer forest
Until within a glade
I came upon a woodland pool
its still dark waters
Looking glass flat.
I peered through my own reflection
Into the charismatic depths
And felt unnervingly as if
I were staring into the depths
Of my own soul
And for the first time
On that sultry summers afternoon
My skin felt cold

IN THE SUMMER FOREST

In the summer forest
I stared into the silent waters
Of the mirrored pool
It was a place spoken oft in lore
An eerie haunted place
The stillest place I’d known
To stand too long
Appreciating its tranquillity
Could cost you your soul
There were no fish
To break the surface
No insect ventured near
Bird song fell silent at its edge
And no creature quenched its thirst
No one knew if its waters were deep
Or merely murky shallows
It was not an inviting place
But if you stared too long
Into its mesmeric shadows
You would not tell the tale

THE PURPLE DEPTHS

The purple depths
Of heather on the hill
Looked down at their reflections
In the watery shadows
Of the timeless loch

BECALMED

We sat becalmed on the cold ocean
I wished to see the waters move
But they remained mirror flat
Still as a silent thought
Lost in the absent echo
As we remained motionless
Beneath a relentless sun

WEST OF KINTYRE # 3

On the Mull of Kintyre
I stood atop the steep cliffs
On a day so crisp and clear
And looked out towards the west
Where it was possible to make out
Malin Head in Donegal

KINGFISHER, KINGFISHER

Kingfisher, Kingfisher
A glint of silver
Catches your eye
And like an arrow
You dart with purpose
Beneath the water
With barely a splash
Disappearing for a moment
Before returning
With the silver prize

LEAVING WINTERS SHADOW

When we come out
Of winters shadow
And it’s finally spring
There is fire in my heart.
And a lightness in my step
And the world seems full
Of infinite possibilities

THE RICH FED GROUSE THRIVE ON THE MOOR

The rich fed grouse thrive on the moor
The golden hare lives on the valley floor
In the meadow you’ll find rabbits there
While the fox sits patiently in his lair

A BUMBLE BEE BUSIES

A bumble bee busies
A Butterfly rises and dips
And there amid velvet petals
A single hummingbird sips

THE PIERCING OF THE WIND

The piercing of the wind
Iced like the mountain peaks
Brought water to my eyes
And a stinging to my cheeks
It left hands too cold to grip
And lips to numb to speak
It cut through my cloak
And made the outlook bleak

THE STORM RAGED

The storm raged
Thunder roared
And lightning flashed
As rain fell unrestrained
From leaden skies
Like liquid knives
Dropping into the sodden land
Night came early
Beneath the slate grey
Until a tear in the fabric
Of the unremitting deluge
A perfect patch of blue
Showing through the heavy sky
Brought tranquillity
With a glimpse of heaven
Through the darkness
A beam of heavens light
Shone down upon the land
A beacon from above
To let us know
We are not forsaken

THE CHILL WIND

The chill wind
Bitter and biting
Buffeted the house
Rattling the windows
And whistling at the door
Exploiting every weakness
Exposing every crack
To chill us to our bones

THE SPRING MELT

The heavily laden
Mountain slopes
Slowly shed their winter coat
Beginning the slow spring melt
The snow and ice
Releasing the water
Imprisoned within it
Metamorphosing as it seeps
Into every crevice
Rivulets gently trickling
Into dormant streams
Gaining volume and momentum
As it tumbles downward
Swelling and growing
Feeding cascading waterfalls
And white water rapids
As it races to the valleys below

EAST OF KINTYRE

On the Mull of Kintyre
I stood atop the steep cliffs
On a day so crisp and clear
And looked out towards the east
And it was possible to see
The mystical Ailsa Craig
And the Ayrshire coast beyond

THE CHERRY BLOSSOM

The cherry blossom
Filled the tree
A brief spectacle
Of perfect beauty
Until the petals fell
Like pink snowflakes
And in the breeze
Danced like confetti
Outside the church
On our wedding day

WHITE AS LUNAR LIGHT

White as Lunar light
Moonshine birds fly lonely skies
Where echoes can’t be heard

SNOWDROPS IN WINTER

Snowdrops in winter
Mother natures heralds
Of the coming spring
BUTTERFLIES FLUTTER BY # 2

Butterflies flutter by
On pale Cabbage white wings,
Heralds of beauty

JOYOUS SENSUALITY

Joyous sensuality
In summers scented garden
Under temperate sky

SPRING RAIN IS POURING

Spring rain is pouring
Battered blossoms falling
Pink snow is lying

A NATURE SELECTION

IS IT THE ANGER OF PETULANT GODS?

Is it the anger of petulant Gods?
In their Olympian Penthouse
Exploding their volcanic wrath
Down a molten hillside
Or an angry planet
From deep within
Trying to cleanse the earth
Of it’s unworthy guardians

AUTUMN LEAVES ARE GATHERING

Autumn leaves are gathering
Golden in the hedgerows
As the sun sits lower in the sky
Shadows lengthen across the landscape
Heralding winters approach

ABOVE A MOONLIT MEADOW

Above a moonlit meadow
The stars begin to shine
As I plight my troth in earnest
And hope to make you mine

AMIDST THE REEDS AND RUSHES

Amidst the reeds and rushes
Dragonflies hover by the river still
Where the weeping willows
Drooping branches spill

IN THE WATER MEADOW

In the water meadow
The Mayflies pirouette
On gossamer wings.
A pair performs a duet
As they dance their
Ephemeral vignette

THROUGH GREEN-WOODS AND MEADOWS

Through green-woods and meadows
The happy travellers wend
Along the meandering river
Until they reached journeys end

BUSY BEE

Under a sky of periwinkle blue
The honey bee sips the morning dew
Then she spends the daylight hours
Humming amidst the meadow flowers

The Natural World

WHEN THE WIND IS IN THE EAST

When the wind is in the east,
Is the time I like the least
When the wind is in the east,
Then winter has been unleashed

WHEN MOTHER NATURE DONS

When Mother Nature dons
Her spring gown of splendour
She decorates with beauties
Normally reserved for heaven
And bestows upon the earth
Those perfect gifts from God

DAYS OUT ON THE WATER

Days out on the water
Windswept with rime
Watery sunshine above a
Putty coloured sea
As I sailed the estuary
With dad at the helm

WHEN THE WIND IS IN THE NORTH

When the wind is in the north,
It blows me back and forth
When the wind is in the north,
I stay indoors thenceforth

THE FIERCE AUTUMN GALES

The fierce autumn gales
Howl all through the night
Whipping up the seas
And turning wave tops white
The pour souls at sea
On the dark autumnal night
In the teeth of the tempest
Feel its savage bite
And pray to their gods
To save them from their plight
As the gale blows through
On the dark autumnal night

THE SKIES OF ENDLESS AZURE

The skies of endless azure
Stretch to the distant horizon
And in fond embrace they kiss
The iridescent blue ocean

WHEN THE WIND IS IN THE SOUTH

When the wind is in the south,
And the sun is in the sky
This is the time I like most well
And my spirits are very high

RICH TROPICAL SCENTS FILL THE AIR

Rich tropical scents fill the air
And are carried on the breeze
As the waters of the pacific
Lap at the sands of perfect white

THE SCENTED TROPICAL BREEZE

The scented tropical breeze
Blows offshore, gently
Carrying exotic fragrances
Of paradise out to sea

WHEN THE WIND IS IN THE WEST

When the wind is in the west,
Is the time I like the best
When the wind is in the west,
I know I can shed my vest

NATURE

SAVAGE SEA

All at sea, all at sea
In the teeth of a gale
Under a savage sky,
Black as night,
The wind blows unabated
Rain stings the flesh
And drowns the spirit.
Rolling black waves
Crash like thunder
All around us
As nature displays
Her awesome power
We pray to our Gods
Our course changed
By great waves of doom
Driving us on
Against our rudders will
To end us on a shallow reef

MOTHER NATURE DRESSED

Mother Nature dressed
In her splendorous gown
Brings forth the beauty
Of springs abundant pallet
Awakening the meadows
From winters slumber
Bathing them in sunlight
Drawing the flowers forth

THE LIGHT SPRING BREEZE PLAYED

The light spring breeze played
An enchanting wind chime symphony
But as the breeze became a gale
It soon turned to a cacophony

AFTER THE ICE STORM

After the ice storm
The world was transformed
A hushed silence had descended
And the landscape
Had change shape
Every thing had softened
The ice rimed trees
Stood like great ice pillars
In the a snow queens cathedral
Fountains cascaded no more
The waterfalls became abstract art
And fresh snow was falling
Like confetti at a winter wedding
Outside an ice sculpted church

WINTERS FURY

The wind howled around the house
And whistled through the trees
Bringing snow in blizzards
The strong winds across the rooftops
Whipped up the loose grains
And chased them like white ribbon
Across the grey slate
It wasn’t pretty snow
Nor did it present a pretty scene
Not at all picturesque
Or picture postcard
Snow was blown in horizontally
With great ferocity
And as I drew the drapes
It spattered the casement windows
I shivered and thanked God
I was safely home

SOME CRUMBS OF BREAD

Some crumbs of bread
Some bacon rind
Perhaps some nuts
Might be kind
It’s up to you
To decide what’s best
To set upon the table
For Robin red breast

THE SHARP-EYED SPARROWS

The sharp-eyed sparrows
Darting too and fro
Examine the soil
Disturbed by the hoe
Picking out a morsel
And off they go

WATERFOWL

So ungainly on the ground
Quite displeasing to the eye
But when they effortlessly
Spread their wings and fly
They perform a graceful ballet
Across the bright blue sky

THE MILLPOND WATER

The millpond water
In the sultry air
Stood eerily still
its mirrored surface
Reflected its image
In crystal clarity
So perfectly still
That the millpond water
Could have been
A looking glass
For young Alice
To enter wonderland

LIKE WIND BLOWN PETALS

Like wind blown petals
The snow fell in gentle swirls
Settling on the landscape
To delight the boys and girls

AS LENGTHENING SUMMER SHADOWS

As lengthening summer shadows
Give way to Autumnal shades
The last snows of winter
Are but a heartbeat away

INHABITING THE MARGINS

Inhabiting the margins
Of the waters edge
The waterfowl are found
Hid amongst the sedge

THE OPAQUE MISTS

The opaque mists
Blur and soften
Disguising the landscape
Hiding from sight
Until the sun warms
And burns the mist away

AS BITTER WINTER DISAPPEARS

As bitter winter disappears
The springtime cheers
As with each new flower
The season grows in power
Spring is here again
Stirring the souls of men

The Natural World

THE SEASONS COME AND GO - SPRING

The seasons come and go
Almost monotonous I know
One after another, as planned
Like the sweep of a clock hand
Each season reminding us all
That from winter to the fall
Is yet another year slipped by
A step closer to when we die
A depressing thought I know
But let the seasons come and go
For I think it would be a crime
If their was to be no springtime

BE GENTLE WITH THE EARTH

Be gentle with the earth
It matters such a lot
Look at the landscape
And don’t be the blot
Be gentle with the earth
It’s the only one we’ve got

THE SEASONS COME AND GO - SUMMER

The seasons come and go
Almost monotonous I know
One after another, as planned
Like the sweep of a clock hand
Each season reminding us all
That from winter to the fall
Is yet another year slipped by
A step closer to when we die
A depressing thought I know
But let the seasons come and go
For I think it would be a crime
If their was to be no summertime

CLOAK OF FOG

A thick winter cloak of fog
Settles deep into the valley
Making everywhere anonymous
Obscuring every lane and ally
And for those poor souls abroad
Found it was not a night to dally

THE SEASONS COME AND GO - AUTUMN

The seasons come and go
Almost monotonous I know
One after another, as planned
Like the sweep of a clock hand
Each season reminding us all
That from winter to the fall
Is yet another year slipped by
A step closer to when we die
A depressing thought I know
But let the seasons come and go
For I think it would be a crime
If their was to be no autumn time

LITTLE ROBIN REDBREAST

“Little Robin redbreast
Where can you be?
Dear little Robin
Come and say hello to me”

“I can’t “says the Robin
“The winter is preventing me”

“Little Robin redbreast
Where can you be?
Dear little Robin
Come and say hello to me”

“I can’t say hello to you
Because I’m frozen to this tree”

THE SEASONS COME AND GO - WINTER

The seasons come and go
Almost monotonous I know
One after another, as planned
Like the sweep of a clock hand
Each season reminding us all
That from winter to the fall
Is yet another year slipped by
A step closer to when we die
A depressing thought I know
But let the seasons come and go
For I think it would be a crime
If their was to be no wintertime

NATURE POEMS

BEAUTEOUS ROSE

Beauteous Rose in summer dress
In scented splendour
The courtly bees attends thee
Thy fragrant demeanour
In sunlit display
Leaves all nature in awe

THE NIGHT IS STILL

The night is still
And summer flowers sleep
To awake with dawn

A NEW DAY DAWNING

On the distant horizon
The embers of the dawn
Brightly glow
As God blows gentle breath
Upon the glowing coals
And lights up another day

WANE BITTER SEASON

Wane bitter season,
dare Snowdrops to appear, before
winters lingering bite

SPRING WAKES

Spring wakes from lazy
slumber, finding the Crocus heads
already on display

NATURE

RUDDY MALLARD

Ruddy Mallard
Ruddy Duck
Ruddy complexioned
Ruddy birdwatchers

SUCCUMBING

Though a cool day
The spring sunshine,
Was hot through the glass
And combined with the wine
And an excellent lunch
It wouldn’t be long methinks
Before I slowly succumbed
To the long blinks

PERVADING SCENTS

Drifting on the breeze
Pervading scents of nature
Tell the summer tale

TALES OF THE RIVERBANK

A bee sipping nectar from a flower
A sparrow sipping dew from a leaf
A butterfly on his way to somewhere
Pays us a visit but it was only brief

A duck quacks out on the water
And we hear a Kingfisher splash
An elegant swan glides effortlessly by
And the dragonfly makes a dash

Abiding Nature

EERIE MISTS

Eerie mists of the dawn
Hug the land like a cloak
Till they melt away

PINK CONFETTI

Dancing on the breeze
Cherry blossom pink confetti
Tells the spring tale

SUMMER RAIN

It rained an hour ago
Short and sharp
Now in its wake
The air is clean, fresh
Summers rich scent
Heavy in the evening air
And from the tree tops
Moving gently in the breeze
Undelivered rain drops fall
Like a maidens tears

EARLY MORN

Stepping into the garden,
The wet grass beneath my feet
Everywhere fresh with morning dew
The air honeysuckle sweet
The dew drops glistening,
The sunlight weakly warming
It’s so good to be alive
At the dawn of another morning

FLAKES OF GOLD

Dancing on the breeze
Magical flakes of gold
Tell the autumn tale

LINGERING AUTUMN

In the forest,
The skeletal trees
Herald winters imminent approach
But for now
The autumn lingers
But the fruiting brambles bushes
Will soon feel winters icy fingers
On the leaf carpeted floor
Life continues
And the forest creatures
Go about their work
For today it is still autumn
And tomorrow is another day

JACK FROST

On the north winds edge
Jack Frost rides the icy crest
And winter follows

NORTH WIND

The north wind blows in
Leaving winter in its wake
Till spring reawakens

FATHER FROST

Father Frost, with icy fingers
Holds winter in his frozen grasp
And spreads it wide across the land
Till it wears his thick winter cloak

WINTERS GRIP

The snow has settled on us
Like a shroud.
Each day growing deeper
Silence fills the emptiness of the landscape
But for the ghostly sound of the wind
High in the tree tops
The meadows and fields have vanished
The river flows mute beneath the ice
The next valley is unreachable
The mountains as unattainable as the Moon
But soon spring will release the land
From its icy captor
And the winter we be no more
Than remembered conversations
Beside the roaring hearth