We sat in sun

 We sat in sun

We sat in sun, improbably warm 

February, sipping summer 

looking for chooks gone roaming. 

Then lunch and through the window all the long chain 

lovely- distant mountains shone. 

So all that afternoon, noon til curfew

we talked of books and films and family 

our preferences and pasts. 

After isolation, separation, gathered only virtually

not real 

how glad we were for lunch, lovingly prepared 

and friends carefully together,

laughing in the sun. 

18th February 2021, Hounoux, for Ros and Andy 

And look perhaps at lichen

And look perhaps at lichen

Walk slowly he said, the entomologist 

and look perhaps at lichen

amble, ramble. 

How marvellous the mini beasts in motion

scurry/skitter, fly/ flitter 

walk slowly, crouch and peer 

what’s hidden here? 

Some insect digs or spins

in damp or dry, in dark or light

solo or teaming, cooperation. 

See when you slow and amble, ramble 

cut the speed and stare, 

observe and wonder, world in miniature 

entomologist’s delight 

and look perhaps at lichen. 

Hounoux February 11th 2021 

February tulips flop

 February tulips flop 

February tulips flop, lounging languid

casual as an artist’s nude, chaise-longue

reclining 

and effortless, all unaware 

the bare-faced beauties stun. 

So lift my heart and sing my soul

as February tulips flop. 

Hounoux 4th February 2021,

What will you give me?

 What will you give me? 

Japanese  poems 

Liquid gold poured in the cracks 

Haiku perfection 

A haiku’s a thought

Winging straight as an arrow 

Clarified clearly 

What will you give me for this verse, this small quite neatly formed 

this thought-provoking piece of poetry 

in haiku form? 

I wrote it yesterday when feeling flat 

In need of cheer and occupation. 

It took perhaps an hour, not much more, including polishing and shine 

till it felt mine 

In haiku form 

So what will you give me for this verse 

the price of a juicy pear? 

Or flowers, hyacinths in pots, emerging from the dark 

or woolly socks, hand-made in stripes 

or a song to sing to sleep? 

I’d have to concur if you would suggest 

pricing poetry’s really tricky

and ditto of course for painting or pot 

for aria symphony song 

If you’re starving or shivering, lacking shelter or home 

what use is the product of art? 

Could a sonnet be priceless, an ode full of love 

a haiku clarify clearly? 

So what will you give me for this verse 

are you tempted to make an offer? 

I’m sending it off, no pressure no cost 

consider it gifted, it’s yours, with a smile. 

28th January 2021 Hounoux 

Harbingers

Harbingers  

January sky grey scale 

landscape unlovely, in battleground fatigues

dun drear drab 

though snow has sugar-iced the Pyrenees 

and tiny hopeful harbingers, three snowdrops 

signal Spring 

26th January 2021 Hounoux 

Climate changing here

 Climate changing here 

The climate changing in our garden

this midwinter

encouraged unwise plants in pots

summer’s marguerites, impatiens

perkily in pink, and lobelia 

( who normally will flag and shrivel, fragile flowers). 

All however bloomed and brightened autumn months 

quite wrong, but lovely as we locked ourselves in winter 

not much cheer. 

Till sudden snow fell

cold blanket, beautiful killer 

chiller on the terrace 

crime scene, climate changing here. 

26th January 2021 Hounoux

All-weather man

 All-weather man 

Monty strides, pack leader, dogs eddying 

all passion and purpose 

Longmeadow presently bewintered 

pleached limes, rimed

bare arms outstretched 

hard earth iron ring/ sing 

all-weather man. 

Quietly he pots and plans cutting and curbing 

where hoodlums rampage, overrun 

his quiet vision sowing, growing 

foot on spade, fingers in the soil. 

Monty strides, on a mission 

Longmeadow’s all-weather man.    

16th January 2021 Hounoux