Poetry

Secret Admirers

There’s a touch of romance 
in the garden 
the fence posts led 		 by coy breezes 
in a gentle dance 		
between 			         secret admirers
until the mood turns 
and the wind becomes 	 belligerent 
destroying something	         beautiful 
simply because 
                                 - it can.

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Thanks for taking the time to read my poem today, I hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to check out my other pieces across the website. Any comments or critiques you have, I welcome.

Take it easy,

Paul

Calm

I welcome the storm 
         she’s                an old            friend
kissing 	     fire                      into my lungs 
until  I'm   breathless 
they          blame her                     for destruction 
but I simply offer thanks
for 	breaking 			down 			the clutter
                 in my mind
	giving me 
                          focus.

Thanks for taking the time to read my poem. It has been a while since I’ve posted however I’m squirrelling away working on a couple of projects.

Let me know what you think in the comments.

Take it easy,

Paul

Daybreaking

A gang of indigo clouds  
        are swaggering
	       across the flamingo-pink skies this morning
distracting everyone’s gaze 
        it takes a while for the greyness of conformity to rush in 
	      and chase the hope of daybreak away
in the mire, we stand 
        sinking in acceptance of the now
	       wishing, we were those indigo clouds
moving on from normality.

Thanks for taking the time to read my poem.
As always, I welcome any feedback and comments that you may have.

Take It Easy

Paul

Morbid Voyeur

The sneering wind 
flays the sycamore tree of limp,	 weak-willed branches
and their 	lichen tapestries  -		pearl and straw-yellow
while I stand		 watching,
a voyeur 			of death and violence
the wind doesn't want me to watch
howls at 	me 	to 	turn away
                        howls of 	shame
                        howls of 			embarrassment 
                        howls of 						       guilt
It ramps things up 
tearing down 		an elderly fence
that's been 	grey 	and withered 		for a while
Shock tactics.
But it doesn't shock me.
                         I’m still standing. Still watching.

Thanks for taking the time to read my poem. Did you like it? Feel free to leave a comment below or any constructive criticism.

Take It Easy

Paul.

A Lament

The   sky   shows   no   blue   today
	only        the 		dullness 
                 of     burnt     steel
                          brittle   cracks   form
       drizzle falls 
                    lying static       in        the      air
tears    to mourn  an unwell world
         even the gulls are silent in respect.

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Thanks for taking the time to read what is a sombre poem. 
I hope you're well and having a great January so far. It feels like it has lasted forever. 

Take it Easy,

Paul

8:12 AM

The schoolchildren seem happy 
chattering as they skip and walk by the front window
	a raft of ducks navigating 
a concrete river littered with outgrown hedges
 	their parents seldom looking over their shoulders
- early lessons in personal safety.

Thanks for taking the time to read a further adventure in imagist poetry. I’m finding the practice and method quite liberating.

I hope your January is going well so far.

Take It Easy,

Paul

The Commute

The platform is wet from last nights rain
          but this morning
the sun has wove threads of gold
sewing itself to the soft cloud
a handful of people smile at tiny escaping strands of light
         the look of hope on their faces
scores of others turn away looking down
              cheekbones rigid with anguish
a reminder of the darkness in their life
and I’m people watching
wondering what type of person
          will sit next to me on today’s journey.

Thanks for taking the time to read this poem. It’s my first piece of 2022, I’ve been mega busy.

Take It Easy

Paul

The Calm of Boxing Day Morning

Holding hands in fresh gloves
we walk the Winter woods;
it’s quiet on Boxing Day morning;
probably too many bad heads sleeping it off.

The essence of Chris is still hanging in the air,
from the tall pine sentries lining our route,
watching us in the scarves wrapped around our faces;
the same scarves muffling our voices,
and the words we get wrong,
singing the Christmas songs everyone knows.

We ask each other to name their favourite part of Christmas so far;
I say spending time with you;
I know I say the same thing every year but it’s the truth;
and you say the same.

I’m lost in your hazelnut eyes when snow begins to fall;
I wonder what it would be like to be frozen in time;
right here, right now, in this very moment;
but when the soft snowflake hits my cheek;
I wake up from my festive fog,
and we walk on
– destination unknown.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Festive Good Fortune,

Paul

Cosy at Christmas

It’s a grim, murky grey out in the world;
as the waving flames from the birchwood fire keeps us warm indoors –
our cheeks rosy, rosier than Santa’s hat;
Bing’s on the radio,
his voice velvet and relaxing;
amid the rustling Holly and ivy wrapping paper,
and tearing kraft-tape;
the Christmas lights could send me to sleep,
twinkling slowly, mesmerising;
but there’s prep to do;
a ginger cake to bake,
and toffee sauce to create,
– both from scratch;
the temptation of a powenap is stronger still;
the Nordic Sherpa blanket’s just been draped over me;
and I’m toastier than a marshmallow;

– well 5 minutes of snoozing won’t hurt,
I’ll just have a couple more quality street first.



I hope you enjoyed this poem and my Haiku Advent Calender. I’ll be releasing another poem on Christmas Eve along with a final haiku.

I’d just like to say a huge Merry Christmas and a Feliz Navidad.

Take It Easy

Paul

Christmas Holiday Daredevils

The snow fell softly, silently,
blanketing the town before daybreak;
it was deep enough to sledge in – and lose a boot;
out the window, a march had already begun,
street kids trailing sledges and inner tubes from old tractor tyres,
towards the hills of the golf course and their hills;
the walk took us past the bare hedgerows,
showing the families already there;
a dad and daughter skimming down on a black binliner,
and some of the older lads on an old car bonnet
spinning every which way.

At the entrance, scrambling over stile,
I was ready to tackle the hill,
dodging bodies to reach the top and the quick queue,
quicker than I’d ever seen;
it was tradition to share the first trip down with Ni;
he handled the steering, as we sped in a bullet-straight line,
all the way to the bottom,
so we went again and again and again – together and apart,
until my final solo descent, which was
headfirst, full of fear and peer pressure;
I almost made it until I ate a wedge of snow, hurting my arm;
one of the car bonnet boys had to pull me out of the way,
as the dad and daughter sped past my feet, binliner shredded to pieces,
their fun finished as well;
my brother left to trail the sledge
as we laughed all the way home;
full of childhood adrenaline, arctic air
and last night’s snow.