On the night of the at first slow rising
numinous, low in the south east
full and orange
enchantment
floating just above the pin parasol
the few lit windows of Bellegarde
a saturated sky veiled the stars
so Perseid showers shot by unseen
though he waited head-tilted, staring past Orion
Hounoux 12th August 2022
Like summer rain
Early awake as the dawn is pinking
peach in streaks in the lovely light
hurrah for the gentler warmth I’m thinking
instead of the sweat of the high sun’s might
all earth’s creatures frazzled, shrinking
impossible day and tropical night
my soul’s sapped and sinking sinking
fretting the future, the planet’s plight.
But in the dear day’s glamorous dawning
artist tinting the window pane
I find the poet’s ‘New every morning’
Take heart she says, begin again
and salve for the fevered frights and warnings
her words of hope like summer rain
30th July 2022, Hounoux, on reading Susan Coolidge, ‘New every morning’
Sounding the alarm
There’s a warning loud in the air today
garden slowly crisping curled, ungreening
where the sun’s ferocious flattening the large-leaved
hydrangeas, Christmas rose gasping
even the sages struggling, the sparrows silenced
cacophony not after all ceaseless
when the thermometer’s dreadfully high
the heatwave graphics fire-engine red
barely a merciful breeze
all will sapped
cicada chorus buzzing louder louder
sounding the alarm
July 13th 2022,Hounoux.
A spell to bind me
From under the spread of the olive tree
its sturdy limbs’ fine canopy
the world reduced to greens and blues
skies and oceans cooler hues
I thought of Marvell’s luscious ode
of green on green in mystic mode
annihilating, as he wrote, all that’s made
to a green thought in a green shade
and understood the poet’s meaning
when all the world’s a dream of greening.
Between the earth and thrush egg sky
heedless poised to float or fly
midsummer bliss a solstice gift
a spell to bind me as I drift
July 3rd 2022, Hounoux, on reading Marvell and Charles Causely
Petrichor moment
All day my hand has yearned for pen on untouched page
to spill the words in circle-dancing
linked and spinning, whoop and twirl.
Odd, for the day’s a leaden ghost, still statue
in spite of midsummer solstice, uninspired
silent save the ceaseless sparrows
but suddenly a thunder grumble lightening flash
and at long last drip and splash
soft raindrop patter / blessed scent of petrichor
for all the breathless land baked hard
is soothed and soaked splash and gush
lush and lovely
the longed-for sweet relief, the rain
June 22nd 2022 Hounoux
On the hill’s height perched, tall house
where the sea salts the air
parasol pines on rocks and sand, cover the land
dense, and everywhere a birdsong cacophony
sparrow warbler nightingale, hoopoe hoops
sometimes swifts as they swoop squealing
such speed by name and nature, sickles
sea and sky blue on darker blue
Pugwash sea monster become an island, petrified.
Nine of us together, family’s oldest to youngest
splash and dive, ping pong, pool
pizza paella pasta
anniversary entirely golden
forever blessèd souvenir.
June 3rd 2022, Begur, Spain
Fashionably wild
Roses I thought and honeysuckle just in flower
perfuming the air still hot at dusk
high heat for May and all the garden gasping, early and late
the hose and sprinkling, cans.
Though the sky grumbles half-heartedly, no rain comes.
Warblers and a cuckoo weeks now calling for a mate
we saw him swaying on the tamarisk, calling calling,
and in the evening’s thick air a frog chorus
one in the pool, demonstrating breast stroke.
This year’s newcomer scarlet flax randomly sown, mixed packet thrown
no trimming, untamed - fashionably wild-
but chance and serendipity
perfection
May 22nd 2022 Hounoux, for Carol and John
