seasons

Autumn From The Kitchen Window

Maple leaves are falling        like          flames
touch-paper thin and crisp dry
perfect kindling for burning 
              the last vestige of summer.

Brambles bruised as a boxer's eye
are being wrangled by magpies and jays 
blue tail-feathers glisten 
with every blood-spattered                     bite.

 Furnace-chested robins stare menacingly 
        their smouldering coal claws 
seem melted to the gatepost 
soul-bound guardians 
                      - a comforting presence. 

The arrival of a delivery van 
steals my view
       -      ambushes my catatonia.

Advent Calendar Poem #12 : A Sky Full Of Stars


The sky is full of stars
in the winter chill 
they resemble snowflakes 
trapped on an indigo canvas
and although they won’t fall
to give hot frozen kisses 
never melting on the earth 
or rosy cheeks
they act as a beacon 
a beacon of hope for
childhood fun 
and nostalgia 
- snow is a possibility.

Thanks for reading today. I hope your week is off to a great start.

Feliz Navidad,

Paul

Advent Calendar Poem #11: Joy

Cheeks burning 
from snowflake kisses 
frozen tears trapped 
like salty rock pools 
this is joy painting my face
at the wonder of winter.

I hope you have enjoyed your weekend, I definitely have. I can’t believe in two weeks Santa will have done his years work!

Thanks for stopping by and reading the advent calendar.

Merry December 11th

Paul

Advent Calendar Poem #10: Peace

Frosted rooftops glinting 
in the lazy     low winter sun 
tiny footprints of the blackbird 
stand frozen in time 
if only for a moment 
the chimneys sigh 
giving the milky blue sky 
its only clouds for the day 
the stillness feels safe 
the stillness feels peaceful 
the stillness feels hopeful.

I can’t believe it’s already December 10th. Only two more weeks worth of poems in this years advent calendar. Have you had chance to read many of the collection so far?

Have a fantastically festive weekend,

Paul

Advent Calendar Poem #4: Woodland Wisdom

Holly berries gleam 
in the bewitching winter blue-light
ruby red and      alive 
held tightly in the arms  
of emerald flames burning    darkly  
all along        the hedgerow  
reminding passers-by  
to live with passion  
            and warmth.

Thanks for stopping by to check out day 4 of the Advent Calendar of Poems I’m creating.

I hope you’re enjoying the weekend so far…

Take It Easy,

Paul

Advent Calendar Haiku #13

Welcome to day thirteen of the Haiku Advent Calendar and the start of a fresh week.

I hope you’re weekend was fun, we put up the tree, had some mulled wine and mince pies and watched an episode of Only Fools and Horses. Cushty!!!

Today’s haiku is…

We startled the doe,
boots crunching through frozen leaves;
tender snowflakes fall.

Thanks and remember to come back tomorrow for your next installment of the Haiku Advent Calendar.


Take It Easy

Paul

Advent Calendar Haiku #8

Where is the time going? It’s day eight of the Haiku Advent Calendar and I can’t believe it’s Wednesday already.

Today’s haiku was written in annoyance that no matter how hard I try I am sometimes (actually oftentimes) clumsy such as breakfast today.

So without further ado…

My Nordic jumper
is stained with clementine juice;
sleet flurries outside.

Have you had any mishaps so far this December? Let me know.

Take It Easy

Paul

Mothers & Daughters

Demeter wailed on the autumn’s eve
and all the gods could do
was to plant lavender clouds to soothe her
and comfort her
as the sky filled pink
to match her tear-stained cheeks
the same tears that roared to earth
as the last of the summer rain
Persephone was the last to hold Demeter
her bags already packed to return to Hades
she whispered sweetly and secretly
a skill her husband had taught her well
holding her mother’s slender fingers
she told her to watch for a robin
and when one flew across land below
to feed it with berries the colour of her heart
and the robin will accept graciously
so when Persephone returns she will be strong
and spring & summer will be theirs alone
their green dresses will sparkle with gold
woven by the sun itself
and they will dance as they’ve never danced before.

Thanks for taking the time to read this poem. Greek Mythology is something quite different for me to work with in terms of conveying a message and I hope I’ve done it justice.

Take It Easy

Paul

(Picture credit: unsplash Faiuan Saari)