Not Cupid teasing

I’m a lucky man

Jovial gods are smiling

Countless dreams tease me

You lean over me

The scent of your warm body

Has me chasing you

Propelling me on

Through fields of new spring flowers

To your loving heart

Fluid grace as you walk

Through this my imagining

Our lovers’ terrain

Who launched this affair?

Surely not Cupid teasing

Sturdy wicked child

No! T’was you yourself

Your eyes paved their loving way

To my loneliness

Image from Chiropracticlife.com

The blush of Spring

It’s the blush of Spring

When I see her waiting there

Under the awning

Youthful and glowing

Edible just like a peach

But can she see me?

I stand and watch her

Her eyes look like precious gems

Shame they’re not for me

But then she looks up

And sees me staring at her

Grins, shakes her finger

My girlfriend

My friend she’s feisty

Pint sized and a real cutie

Flirts with anyone

Where is her right side?

I’ve not been stabbed in the back

I’m a lucky one

My meddlesome miss

May not be worth the trouble

But I still love her

Dum and Grunt have a different view (Dum tales 20)

Forgive me for not catching up with Dum and Yum for the last few weeks

but I managed to visit them the other day to see what they were up to. 

Grunt's bird trap

It had rained for several days and Dum and Yum had watched the creek fill as the thunder rumbled and lightning crashed and lit up the sky both by day and night as the rain poured down. The people in the cave had little food put by and Dum or one of the other men had to brave the rain to go down to the fish trap to gather what they could and bring it back for everyone to share.

There was no fresh meat and they were lucky that they managed to keep a fire going by the entrance to the cave even though their wood was damp and smoke found its way inside and everyone was miserable.

Strangely what was absent were flies and other insects as they did not fare well in the rain sodden atmosphere either. After Dum and Grunt had walked down to the fish traps once more the women could clearly see their baskets were heavy and bulging with fish. They were pleased they would not go hungry but clearly there was only so much fish they could eat. No one grumbled though as it was better to eat fish than starve even it was the same thing every day. All except Grunt that is who complained all the time wanted something with fur or feathers on.

Yum could see that Dum was in a close conversation with Grunt about catching other food as he was drawing with a stick on the floor of the cave obviously wanting to try something out. Grunt was a doer rather than a thinker and clearly he didn't agree with Dum.

Later that night as they lay together Yum was uncomfortable with the new baby in her tummy making it difficult to adopt her normal sleeping position. She finally found a position that she happy with by lying half on top of Dum. “What were talking to Grunt about?” she asked. “Catching birds” Dum said simply, “He disagreed how on it should be done.” Yum tried to say something but as she was so comfortable now and Dum was stroking her she just mumbled and fell asleep.

In the morning Dum was up early as was Grunt and they were soon outside gathering long lengths of tree saplings for each to construct something.

“What are they doing?” Grunts wife Dong, asked Yum who was sitting in the entrance of the cave watching them. Yum laughed “They both think they can build a better bird trap than the other. This is so we can eat something different to the fish we have all the time now.”

Later that day they had both completed their traps. “Tomorrow we will test them out,” said Grunt.

Dum nodded “Good, I will bait mine then still go to get the fish to eat, but you will have to stay by yours all day long.”

                                          Dum's bird trap

Two pearls

Last week there was a request for a sequel to the story "The girl in the reeds" this is it. 

Gor’s face showed his sorrow

picked up by a mother’ concern

as she surveyed his eyes

She knew at once he was in love

and wanted to wrap him in her arms

so pleased that he spoke to her

“Do I know her”, she asked

“Is she one from the village?”

He bowed and shook his head then spoke

“I should not have looked on her

nor she on me, but we did.

Bel comes from the hills to the north”

The mother laid her hand on his face

“You needs meet her again son

to show her you are strong and brave

Dare to visit her people Gor,

and take an offering for her parents

to show them of your respect”

Gor shook his head again in doubt

“They’ll refuse me and the gift I offer

and then they will surely punish me.”

Gor’s mother denied this and laughed

“I have something they will not refuse”

Showing him a pair of pearls from the sea

“Go soon and I will tell your father

lest he dissuade you with men’s tales

for I see nor harm in this, only good

Better to cross that river with a gift and a smile

than to take an empty angry fist and be stuck

in the foul mud of anger and deceit”

It took some time for Gor to climb

high into the forested mountains

where even bird calls could be that of men

Was that a pigeon, is that crow?

Gor alert, thought that meant he’d been seen,

but still no-one barred his passage

Smoke scent signaled habitation

his heart now fluttered with fear

each sound, each squeak was a puzzle

Then the ripple of children's laughter

relaxed his mind as the camp fires’ scent

showed him he was almost there

The children ran off to report his coming

soon a querulous crowd surrounded him

“May I speak to Bel’s father?”

Thus he came and looked Gor up and down

then indicated that he should follow him

where he was seated on a mat

Before he could speak, a finger

went to the father’s lips then in the air

indicating they wait for another

Then Bel and her mother entered

surprise showed on the girls bowed face

as well as a touch of fear

“You were expected” her mother said

“Bel told me that you would be sure to come

but we did not think that would be so.”

“You speak our language well” Gor said.

“As well I might, as I too am from the shore

And now you want to return a part of me there.”

“I do, I want Bel to be my wife”

The mother then spoke to the father

who looked at Gor and shook his head in doubt

Gor then took the pearls from their bag

He placed one in each hand

And opened them for the father

“I come in friendship with a gift"

He looked at Bel "should she be willing”

Both father and daughter nodded and agreed 

O whisper to me

O whisper to me

Tell me you are here with me

And loving me still

Darling walk with me

Let me hold you pretty hand

So I feel your warmth

If I kiss your lips

And breathe in the scent of you

Will I see you here?

Dearest one come back

To lie down with me again

I’ve missed you so much

My deep love for you

You can see it in my eyes

The return of hope


Image from galleryhip.com

Tintern Abbey

They walked in the rain

Ancient ruins beckoned

Peering through the mist

Not a soul was there

Still, quiet, secrets lurking

None that they could see

Massive walls told tales

They strained to hear the choir

Of long dead phantoms

The girl in the reeds

Her skin was like alabaster
Eyes pale as an early morning
She was from across the river

He knew he shouldn't look at her
She came from the high mountains
There altitude made breathing difficult.

They spoke a different language
They were warned not to speak
For they are not like us

His parents had warned him
Talk to them and there will be chaos
But she was so beautiful

As he looked through the reeds
He saw her with her family gathering clay
To make pots as there was none in the hills

Although he kept still and hidden
They were still alert watching
Like wild animals sniffing the air

So he moved not one muscle
Scarcely breathing, the girl came close
Plucking the flowers that grew there

Then she turned and stumbled upon him
Her expression changed from alert
To that of an overwhelming fear

He put his finger to his lips
Signaling, pleading silence from her
Graphically reflected his own fear

He glanced first at her face then down
Her feet squishing in the plastic mud
Where she stood staring at him

Finally she uttered her word for “Mine”
She clutched the flowers to her breast
Nodding in agreement he smiled at her

With this she visible relaxed
And stooped down to where he hid
Staring wonderingly at him

He offered a hunk of bread from his satchel
Doubtfully she took it from him
Nibbled it, looking at him all the while

“Gor” he said pointing to himself
Silent for a moment she then said “Bel”
“Bel’ he nodded approvingly

He held his hands open, palms up
Instead of doing the same
Bel nodded and placed her hands in his

Then almost in an instant she changed
She had heard her people calling
She cried out in reply “I am coming”

Sadly Gor nodded in despair
Reached up and touched her pale face 
As she was so beautiful

He uttered a one word question “Why?”
She lowered her eyes, then rose up
Returning to rejoin her family

She pushed back through the reeds
Watching, Gor willed her to turn around
To look back at him again

The force of his love was so great
That just as he was giving up hope
She did so and smiled for him.

Image from luria-xxii.deviantart.com

Lucy Lu

Lucy Lu

Was in a stew

She had a pebble in her shoe

And didn’t know what to do

What to do?

She was in the street

Going to the bus it hurt her feet

Poor hobbling Lucy Lu

Lucy Lu had a clue,

“Help me please” she called out

The handsome man had no doubt

He’d help poor Lucy Lu

Lucy Lu

Is now no longer poor

She could wish for nothing more

From that pebble in her shoe

image www.businesstocommunity.com

The writer in the cafe

                                         

The girl with dark eyes

takes my order, “The usual?

She knows I like her

She lowers her eyes

Aware that I look at her

Yet they still tease me

“Hello says the blonde”

Her eyes sparkle with fun

“I’m your favorite”

“Don’t flirt,” I protest

She then comes close teasing me

Walks up with my cake.

I groan inwardly

The regular they all know

Coffee, cake, observe

And this absurd farce

Always brightens each day

My beautiful life

Image by cupcino.com

Love vanishes

 

Your love vanishes

Like fond dreams of the morning

Now axed from my mind

Love shatters like glass

Broken with my clumsy words

Listen to my song

I rub my old wounds

And seek your name on my heart

Gone, gone with the wind

Can I settle in this land?

Knowing I see the same sky

That lights up your face

Image found at torange.us

Drifting through my dreams

Drifting through my dreams

I have such fond memories

Of gentle kisses

Of breathing your breath

And desiring your body

Of chasing our dreams

And I remember

An old newspaper tells me

Of the day we wed

And how proud we were

Of so much laughter and joy

Now there is sadness

Winds whisper your name

The sea gives me your tidings

And sun shines your smile

And you smile shyly

I burn with a fire

I've fallen in love again

Your eyes bewitch me

 

Have I no morals?

I so want to possess you

And you smile shyly

 

You ask what I’d like

The hue of your skin thrills me

“Cappuccino, please”

Dum's Dream (Dum tales 19)

                                   
                                                Dum's dream

For some time Dum had been pondering the problem of regular supplies of food so that they could stay in the cave all the time and not have to wander too far from safety to catch animals in the forest or fish for other creatures in the sea to eat. The problem was that land animals were not plentiful but had to be searched for and often you were competing with other tribes of people or worse still larger animals that considered you edible too.

Each animal seemed to have their season to be plentiful then wouldn’t be seen again for months and the cave dwellers would get thin again. No far from their cave down a short trail through the trees was a smaller cavern that they stored the carcasses of the animals until they went rotten and started to crawl with maggots or worse still were stolen by other predators.

Yum could tolerate smelly meat and didn’t mind so much as she would eat anything but with only one eye Dum’s other senses were enhanced and he would shake his head and moan “Bad” if he thought it was too much to stomach even when nearly burnt black by the fire.

One day when the smell in the storage cave was really bad they set fire to some branches of wood still green to make it smell better and detract animals. They then put in their fresh meat from the recent kills back in the cave even though it was still smoky in there. They placed the carcasses and other meat up off the floor on timber racks to stop the insects and small animals finding it.

Later when some women went in to fetch some meat to eat they found the cavern filled with smoke that had wafted into the cave. This caused the meat on the racks to dry out and change colour. The women were cross that the meat had been spoiled by the smoke and didn’t use it.  They told Yum who in turn told Dum who went to have a look. The fire was still burning weakly in the enclosed space and it was difficult to see inside.

Eventually Dum went into the cave and found that some of the meat had changed colour but didn’t smell bad at all. Even though it was still quite hot he managed to put some in one of his baskets for Yum to see. They found that although the meat had changed colour it did not smell bad and when they tasted it was good to eat. When cooked it tasted even better.

Dum thought about this a lot and nudging Yum one night and grunted to her “Shall we try to smoke fish dry too?”  Yum laughed and shook her head but pulled him closer to her. Dum was silent for as bit then said “I think I have another idea”. 

Yum then said “Are you thinking of drying fish or pleasing me?” 

“Both” said Dum, who then pictured what he thought they should do.

Image from buttonsoup.ca

Soaring with angels

You make me feel free

Those eyes a gift of moment

I fear not the night

The blackbird wakes me

Arise my heart you are sent

To fill my whole life

And you are my wings

With you I soar to the heights

To see the world’s light

When I am broken

Dead to this beautiful land

I will still have you

Photo by Pixgood.com

Letting you go

Standing there weeping                                                    

He saw the young girl he’d wed

Many years ago

trusting eyes 

full of love

looking shyly

alone in the crowd         

of jovial guests                                                                    

of tenderness

of belonging

of bonding

creating a family                                                                  

working together

laughing at nonsense

walking in the rain

of touching                                                                                                               

of breathing

of creating

of caring

swimming in the sea                                                         

strolling on the sand

enjoying the family

now letting you go

Then the oration                                                                 

Looking over the coffin 

And saying goodbye