spring

Resurgency

The terrace-surrounded oak is reclaiming its land.

Unseen subterranean tentacular incursions
move through mychorrhizal maps and attack .

Successful missions lift the grip of tarmac from pavement and road,
opening arteries and veins like a villain in a horror movie.

Saplings encamp along front lines;
fortifications of shoots climb slowly and
self-seeded wildflowers and mercenary-moss
shore up defences.

A hi-viz council kill squad
arrives at the battlefield too late. 
The war has already been won. 
A new country has emerged despite attempts to suffocate progress.

Their wasp-cry chainsaw lays claim to trunk. 
An undignified toppling of a head of state. 
In their minds, man must always win 
however hollow a victory.


Photo by Collab Media on Unsplash

Taihaku Joypiloting at Alnwick Garden

We launch, feet pushing from worn grass. 
Our thick sleeper-swing, dampscented by 
April showers hitting heavy rope, 
cradles us under the boutique of Taihaku blossom.

A tender spring whisperbreeze rustles,
swirling silken kisses around the orchard. 
Calm wonderstruck coos echo from fellow joypilots.

Knees propel us further into the vortex, 
paperlight white-pink petals dress us, 
accidentally feed us. 

Bitter tastes are fleeting chasing contentment storms.

We slow,
our legs heavy in a serotonin lake,
flooded with vanilla-cherry pheromones.

A blissful embrace.

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)