I dry my eyes

How confused one gets in these Covid days

It's summer again in Australia

And the sea beckons me as I drive by

The beach is almost empty (mingling not good)

I sit in my car and I view the scene

"Take off your shoes and come in for quick swim"

Whispers the teasing crested waves to me

My toes wriggle with anticipation

So I look and yearn for those long gone days

Still lingering there and undecided

Watching others walk along far apart

Next time I'll take my bathers from the closet

Find a secluded beach in a little cove

My mind is already shedding laced shoes

Now I am wriggling my toes again

But I'm still in the car dreaming away

Imagining lifesavers flag flapping there

And bikini clad girls playing around

Gulls squawk, I awake from my reverie

Start the car, taking one last look down there

Already feel flat and disappointed

Like a kid denied a trip, crying out loud

So I dry my eyes...the sea breeze does that!

 Illustration from www.Pixabay.com

 

In the woods

 

As we walked in the woods

Fir trees whispered to us

We sat down in a glen

The sun set, stars came out

Silver specks far away

Some close by, some apart

We rested there in the wood

Leaning back I kissed her

Looking back to the fields

Quietly by its trunk

Telling secrets to me

On well worn forest path

Comet then chased up high

As it did what it should

Soon all was quiet now

Summers warm night nodded

So removed all our clothes

And quite naked thus made love

Grinning over the fields

Hand in hand walked away

Happy loving all's good

Image found at www.pixabay.com

After ten years

Never used to look like this, you won't recall me

I caused innocent cute girl to die years ago

A young thing who sweet looks would break anyone's heart

Her untimely death was entirely up to me

When I was driving oh so many years ago

Butcher from hell they called me putting fear in all

When driving that foggy day too fast (so they say)

Peering through the mist following sedan in front

When in the dimness this girl tried to cross the road

Brushed against sedan which not a soul did see

He didn't stop, didn't care one bit, all left to me

I called ambulance, cops came too unknown to me

The girl died before they got to hospital

No witnesses, no details of the death, just me

Was arrested as they checked details of the site

Court decided twelve years the time for me

I got out after ten years which was a bonus

I didn't need disguise but did reshape my life

Swept the past under the carpet as they say

Church rector wed wife and me; my past swept away

Image found at www.pixabay.com

Note the words given (all used) curiously wrote the story for me!

A walk on the beach

Yum was busy with her new baby, her little girl. It wasn't long before her boy Wah-Wah was toddling everywhere so a baby sling was used for her baby so Yum and Dong could go out together with their children either in the scrubland or on the beach. As they wandered on the beach the tide was out. Bonk, Dong's little boy ran on ahead and Wah-Wah now toddling after him. They had walked a long way and the boys were jumping over seaweed that had washed up on the sand and even letting the sea cover their feet as it was low tide. Yum then noticing a woman gathering seaweed in her basket farther away urged Dong to catch up with them to ensure the boys were safe. 

Dong ran after the boys and when she got there the woman was showing the boys they could squeeze the bobble covered weed and make it pop. They were laughing each time she did it but weren't strong enough to do it themselves. When Yum caught up with them Bonk was wearing some weed on his head pretending he was a sea monster. The woman explained to Yum she collected seaweed, cleaned it in fresh water and cooked it like a vegetable. She then went on to say it was sometimes good to heal wounds and sore throats. Dong however merely shook her head in disbelief. Yum however nodded and said she would try some. She then said her name was Yum; pointed to Dong and said "Dong". The woman smiled and said "My name is "Song". 

Song then pointed to the children in turn and said "Bonk" and then turned to Wah-Wah and said "Wah-Wah"  but when she looked at Yum's baby she looked quizzically at Yum.

"This is Lah-Lah"" Yum said shyly. 

Yum and Dong often went walking on the beach to meet Song the woman from a different clan who knew about cures for sicknesses. As it was summer time they travelled further afield sometimes finding her singing in the woods or talking to the streams. 

(345 words)

Down in my bones

Oh it's down in my bones I feel

I'm not the man I used to be  

Where is that boy that ran about 

And lived a life full of energy

Yet now I am but a pale visage

I find it hard to walk down the street

But I still love life it is so sweet

I would feel grateful in my bones

But they moan a lot when I walk

And I seem to groan as I talk

With my walking stick in right hand

I'm shorter too sinking in quick sand

Or that is how it seems to me

Wishing for life as it used to be

Image found at www.shutterstock.com

Yum's new baby

Yum was edgy as her second baby's time was due. Sometimes she'd sleep next to Dum sometimes apart. Early one morning Dum woke to find little Wah-Wah was snuggled up to him and Yum gone. 

Dum knew at once baby was on its way so took Wah-Wah to Dong and Grunt to care for him. Dong guessed Yum was having the baby and nodded knowing Dum was unlike any man she knew, questioning every rule. 

Dum went down to the wooded area that women used for birthing and could see a group of women round Yum as she puffed and panted delivering her new child. When she cried out in pain Dum could stand it no longer and knelt down and supported her brushing hair from her face. "I am never going to lose you Dum, am I?" she laughed "Baby's nearly here".

The women grumbled a bit but with baby's head emerging they had work to do. "One more push, Yum" the old woman in charge said. So Yum holding tight to Dum's arm brought a new baby girl into the world. The women wiped the baby clean and wrapped it in flax cloth and placed it in Yums arms. Dum wanted to touch the baby too but Yum shook her hear saying "She must smell me first and then get to know you later" as she checked babies breathing and one woman was tying some flax round the cord.

The old woman said to Dum "Go now and tell no-one what you have seen; this is women's business." Yum nodding, agreed that he should go.

"I'll go and check the fish trap " Dum said walking down to the beach crying from his one eye as the sun came up over the horizon. Later Grunt came up and said "There's talk that Yum has had her baby. Do you still want to collect the fish?"

Dum grinned, "Yes I think so, Grunt".

(318 words)

Illustration from www.shutterstock.com

Family Christmas

Kids all love Christmas and always have

Anticipation of gifts to come

With all the goodies in front of them

And baby in manger on display

For Christ was born on this very day

Brother and I liked everything

Peppermints, brandysnaps, carols too

Turkey, gingerbread and deck of cards

Crash in the kitchen who did what where?

Don't worry it's Christmas we don't care

We are called to the table for it's time

To pull the crackers and sip some wine

We wear paper hats we always do 

Dad's broken his thumbnail...no surprise

Have I got room for more mince pies?

We go in Lounge to sit in arm chairs

As youngest child hands presents from tree

These gifts once given are torn open

Us kids eager to see what we've got

Let' us hope that no-ones been forgot

It's time now to fetch the Christmas cake

Mum did the icing just yesterday

Now Granddad tells of fables long past

More drinks are poured but that's no surprise

Kids spin bottle and hope for a prize

Image found at www.pixabay.com

The tricky regime

Initially I didn't panic when I started as I ingested the idea of writing this idiotic form of poetic work. I have always tried to abide with poetic rules and regulations. In the end it just didn't work. I felt like a jerk. It was impossibly hard in fact but curiously challenging in an interesting way!

But like every little teasing test it is just like doing something inimical in fact, meaning tending to harm or be hostile, which is quite opposite to what I am in fact. This is quite interesting being a person hiding inside when it rains!

This year is one which hiding inside has been a sensible thing to do during the Covid crisis which has millions intensely worried by its consequences, with people unrecognizable in their masks. Worse still to witness silly idiots without masks daring the virus to infect them! I hate to see idiotic people do this as if challenging this way will help.

I hope that this virus's tricky regime will disappear within the northern winter or spring. As for Australia I'm glad to say it is weakening now in fact. 

Number of L's - 123

Words 176

Image found at www.pixabay.com

Moving day

The amount of people in the cave had risen causing grumbling by some that they would move away. Dum called them the wanderers, as they searched for somehwere better than the caves. 

The problem with staying was that food had to be found close by all year round. Animals and birds came and went with each season as they searched for food too. 

Grunt and his wife Dong were tempted to go but Yum felt safe with Dum who kept coming up with ways of finding food. He had invented the fish trap and the basket and rid the cave of bears; even the other men made stone axes like him rather than use just their spears. The spear was good but not always able to be retrieved from an angry animal who was hungry too! In fact many men carried more than one spear with them hunting. 

Dum and Yum talked about moving but Yum shook her head. "If we wander like the others it is hard with mothers with young children and worse with toddlers like Wah-Wah who are heavy to carry but cannot keep up with adults. We feed ourselves well here and with few going hunting close by will become easier.

He bent over and touched her face with his fingers. She looked up at him and smiled "There is one more thing, we have another baby on the way".

"Good" he said simply, stroking the hair on her head; as she closed her eyes and lay her head on his chest..

When Grunt's wife Dong heard Yum was staying she looked a little disappointed. Then quietly said "Perhaps little Bonk and I will stay with you too. Dum will look after us both won't he?"

Yum shook her head laughing, "No! Not in that way he won't!"

Dong blushed and shook her head. "No of course Grunt will stay as well, he likes Dum. We have never gone hungry with Dum around".

327 words

Image found at www.pixabay.com

I'll catch up with you

The air was cool and the candle flickered

Remembering kissing your lips one last time

And that was oh so many years ago

Holding you tight under the mistletoe

You ditched your boyfriend, so that pleased me

I was no dancer in fact you led me

Nodding your head like a referee

Following your footsteps, that's if I could

With my face looking like a piece of wood

We married of course, had kids one, two, three

But sadly I know those days are long gone

For your beautiful eyes no longer shone

You closed your sleepy eyes one last time

Now I'm lonely, lurking, hearing bells chime

I'll catch up with you I will guarantee

Blursday on my mind

I've never known a year to go so quick

As each day now speeds by clickety click

Australia's winter was but months ago

Now I am Christmas shopping don't you know?

Still carry a mask wherever I go

It's summer now as they said so

We are told it's safer but I'm not so sure

Breathing old breath I really do abjure

But one thing though that really pleases me

Are the girls eyes I regularly see

They know not that seeing them hides my grin

Covid is bad but this point feels like a win