Red letter day

Red letter day 

Lockdown days are groundhog
repetitious 
over again over again 
Monday to Sunday monotony
hard to distinguish, one from another 
no red letter days remain 
no change of scene, routine 
over again over again 
all colour leached, washed out
bleached
life become monochrome 

How precious then a call from a friend 
a virtual date for a coffee, high tea, apéros  
a birthday party by Zoom 
or WhatsApp chat 
baking together, biscuits or buns 
quizzes for fun, haikus and limericks 
artistic endeavours, challenges, cheer 
a call from a friend, lifting the gloom
via Zoom 
relieving the monochrome 
electric connections, sparkle and shine 
rainbows in a prism
sent down the line 
full spectrum flooding the monochrome the grey 
from out of the paintbox 
hurrah for the highlight
the floodlight 
red letter day 

April 21st 2020 Hounoux 

The merciful lee

The merciful lee

Three weeks now since I walked this way 
though it’s permitted, new world order 
from the front door, in the merciful lee
the house a bulwark, windbreak 
while the Marin howls and buffets 
damp from the east, persistent 
even the tallest, pine, acacia, 
bent to its caprice, ill-will. 
But here in the calm the sun is warming 
bright on the flags, Iris, goddess of the rainbow, 
her tall white stems tumbled in disarray 
with tulips too, yellow streaked red
Catalonia’s colours 
and an edge of heather, seriously pink presence 
after all these years, the once small twig 
confidently grown. 

And so the sun, the wind not battering 
light and bright, warm as summer 
focus on flowers in splashes. 
Inhale exhale smile in the moment
the merciful, lovely, lee.

April 7th 2020 Hounoux

The lockdown days

The lockdown days 

These are the days the lockdown days
Monday to Sunday muddled, unclear 
even the months conjoined
all dates significant and signposts, blending and blurred
timetables mostly suspended. 
And now instead there’s green or red 
doctors differentiating
graph upon graph, not flattening 
numbers that make us gasp
fearful progression, monstrous 
NHS staff, esteemed at last
doing their duty, brave 
and scientists experts enlisted, implored 
what must we do to be saved? 
Plus the numberless workers, suddenly key
as now we see
‘tis they keep the world’s wheels turning. 
Oh what can we do in Corona time
the contactless separate lockdown days
all of us waiting, suspended? 

Go with Joe Wicks, strive to stay fit
deep breaths and yoga, keep calm 
take up a challenge, paintbrush or dance 
clear out the loft or cellar? 
Garden for Britain battle those weeds 
in hope for the future, plant seeds? 

For these are the days, the lockdown days
does this virus come with a warning? 
When all of the world is turned on its head
and systems of value, shattered, dead
maybe time for a rethink, shake-up, wake-up
time to review, re-evaluate
reflect on what’s precious, held dear
what’s prized beyond rubies and gold. 
As we long for the touch and the comfort of love 
and in hope for the future, plant seeds. 

3rd April, locked down in Hounoux.