It was raining

Like a three act play
Writing the words that I speak
Changing my garments

Though it was raining
Thought I'd walk along the beach
To wave to the sea

I love the silence
Just the patter of raindrops
And swish of the tide

Small patch of blue sky
Gave sun a chance to beam goodbye
Bowing out sadly

How I love this Earth
At any time of the year
It fires up my soul

Walking the forest
Or climbing hills and mountains
Thus finding myself

Image found at https://unsplash.com/search/photos/wind-tree

Sun's shining face

Oh Spring come along
Where are your blue skies aglow?
And Sun's shining face

We need rainfall too
So that our seeds can all thrive
Then farmers can smile

Busy bees please come
There's much work for you to do
Fertilize this plants

Much thanks go to you
For the work all you have done
Fine harvest we'll reap

Image found at:https://pixabay.com/en/agriculture-field-food-farm-bauer-1646560/

When I was courting

When I was courting
We often used her front room
Just the two of us

There we might listen 
To her classical music
And we would unwind

Amid sighs of joy
We'd listen to Ludwig's ninth
And other movements

At the slightest sound
I would control my ardour
Switch from bold to cold

Skeptical sister 
Would then burst through the doorway
Grin on her young face

"Can I come in here?
It's boring out there with them
I've drink and cookies!"

No sword defeated
A great battle plan so well
As that kid sister

Image found at https://thoughtcatalog.com/


This poem from 2013 has been been waiting for a rerun so this is it's chance

I gazed at the gate

The light was dimming
Sun sank over horizon
Moon's sad face now seen

The air was cooling 
After a sweltering day
Felt strange without you

I gazed at the gate 
Willing you to come back home
While sun's last rays died

I checked the iPhone
To scroll through the messages
No missed calls or text

Forward to nothing
Hateful taste of loneliness
Just where have you gone?

My boot's toe kicks grass
I see dust on horizon
And glint of car's lights

Hope you forgive me
We'll talk about it in bed
It is warmer there

Image found at https://www.countrystyletimberfarmgates.com.au/

Bad day in Paris

Michel, his mother and his aunt had just visited the Academie Francais. It was a present for passing his exams and he was allowed to buy a comic at the newstand opposite the entrance. Suddenly there was an explosion and a blast of hot air slammed into their backs. A man on his cycle fell off and another jumped into the channel of the Seine to escape. Meanwhile others raced off anywhere to get away. Injured people crawled about crying and Michel's aunt had lost her hearing and was pressing her ears. He looked back at the building and gendarmes were gathered stopping and checking everyone as suspects. His mother then said "Our best chance is to cross the river and catch the Metro at "Le Pont Neuf" that will link with ours".

                                           He clutched his comic
                                    He had bought at the newstand
                                       As the smoke fumes cleared

Image found at https://www.wikiart.org/en/andre-kertesz/clock-of-the-acadamie-francaise-paris-1932
Michel, his mother and aunt are the threesome just starting to walk across the bridge you can see from the clockface of the Academie Francaise.

Sparkle like quartz

Just what does one do?
With two blossoming daughters
Delight to behold

Each one's different
One spends her pocket money
Other saves it up

Whose bedside is best
One's bed all in a welter 
Other's neat as pin

One helps to tidy
Wipe up and stack stuff away
Other just shakes head

Need wisdom of gods
But both girls sparkle like quartz
And I trust them both

They are both pure joy
My heart moves with such delight
Love them equally

Image found at http://www.guoguiyan.com/sisters-wallpapers.html

Trust in words

Power of the press
What is written must be true
Sage advice or no?

What is truth these days?
Raving politicians shout
Sprouting discontent

Suspect voices hoarse
Spreading lies, chain reaction
Bags of fear let loose

Promising so much
The voters simply doubtful
So they veer away

Same lies told over
Rank stench of distrust abounds
Only iceberg's tip seen

Image found at https://www.continuitysa.com

Our eyes kept meeting

My brain screamed at me
"Go! Enough of work today"
Grabbed my case and went

Passed drinking fountain
Three plant pots and notice board
To the vestibule

Pressed the down button
A fresh office girl had joined me
Long wait for the lift

We both smiled hello
"You are new aren't you" I asked
She nodded shyly

When the lift arrived
She entered first, which pleased me
Then hit one "OK?"

"Where else?" I then said
Silenced by other workers 
Now piling aboard

At every floor more
Passengers boarded the lift
Our shoulders now touched

Lift was so crowded
I was wedged right at the back
With the office girl

Everyone faced front
On the long journey downward
Pressing each other

A curl from her hair
Fell across her pretty face
Wanted to kiss her

At last the ground floor
I reached down to hold her hand
Everyone spilled out

Into the dark street
"How about the flicks?" I asked
She spun round "Tonight?"

Ignoring the screen
Sticky hands still together
Our eyes kept meeting

Image found at https://pixabay.com/en/couple-movies-cinema-theater-1513497/

Rainy days

I wait for the tram

Watching the threatening clouds

Raincoat in my case

Then swipe my ticket

Find a seat by the window

Stare at the grey sky

She got on stop nine

Tall, dark, hair was all frizzy

Classic high cheeked face

She looked at no-one

But she knew I looked at her

I read the paper

Then the sky darkened

As I read her beautiful eyes

And her turned up nose

We reached the city

The rain poured down in torrents

At Town Hall she rose

Then I caught her eyes

And gave her my newspaper 

She took it grinning

Smiling in the rain

With that paper on head and

Unfinished crossword

From that day onward

We would both sit together

The crossword not done

Image found at http://sliceoflondonlife.com

I know I'm in love

We run down the beach
Reaching the shallows at last
Nudge each other in

We swim out to sea
Into deep darker water
Up to the sandbar

We watch the sailboats
Then turn to assault the waves
Returning to shore

You try to beat me
But I just get to shore first
We seat ourselves down

The sun and wind dry us
You fall asleep snuggling up
I am your puppet

It's often the case
Hope I can afford that risk
I know I'm in love

Image found at https://www.dreamstime.com/

We never learn

I walked in this park

T'was a cemetery

And I was alone

But for the others

Who lay there so peacefully

That is what I thought

So then I sat down

My mind wandered, drifted off

In contemplation

I heard someone say

“Just why are you here young man?”

I struggled from sleep

Before I answered

Others began to cry out

Yes, I heard them all

Talk about bedlam

For each grave had opened up

They clamored to speak

Then the questions came

“What measure of man are you

To kill your own kind?”

One by one they spoke

“But their skins were not as mine”

“So the pit for you”

What is your excuse?

“They prayed to other gods”

“Fool, I still heard them”

So then the next

“They spoke a foreign language”

“To hell you must go”

And there were more

“Our leaders told us we must”

“And did you not cheer?”

“I was a soldier

It was my duty to fight”

“But you killed children”

On and on they spoke

And for each was an answer

I had to protest

“Stop” I then called out

“These men have all been punished

Their families too”

“Silly little man

I was not speaking to them

No, I spoke to you”

Image from www.straartkaart.nl

This poem (a haiku stream) was published elsewhere back in 2014. The times seems right to resurrect it!

Going back to work

The rain still poured down
We both shared your umbrella
I'd forgotten mine

I blame the weather
Much more than your pleading eyes
Going home with you

It was strength of mind
Seeing morning's cloudy dawn
That look on your face

Then you smile at me
And remember what we did
Both bathed in kisses

You now grasp my hand
Both sharing your umbrella
Going back to work

Image found at http://framingpainting.com

The flood of tears

How could I not feel?
The deep anguish in her eyes
As I spoke those words

How could I not see?
The flood of tears on her cheeks
As we argued long

How could I walk out?
Without giving it a thought
From our house that night

Moon hid in the clouds
In the cold I walked alone
Regretting each word

Later I returned
Everything was in darkness
There was not a sound

She slept with the kids
With her arms around them both
It's my turn to weep

Image found at www.huffingtonpost.com

Just three little kids

Just three little kids
Wading barefoot in the stream
Glorious summer

Just three little kids
Run with their dog in the park
Screaming with laughter

Just three little kids
With a bag full of candy
Heaven for the day

This little haiku stream was posted elsewhere almost exactly three years ago today and is just a sweet reminder of childhood

Image found at www.wisconsinparent.com

One good deed deserves another

"Be back late tonight"
Said Jim as he left the bed
"Grunt" was all she said

Jill was still tucked in 
Sleeping, dreaming, that was all
He thought in the hall

But she knew his game
So phoned his best friend Peter
"Yes" He would meet her

Put a smile on her face
To pluck the fruit that was ripe
And fix leaking pipe

Sally office girl
Jim dallied with her a while
To see her winsome smile

They had eyed before
So good time was had by all
Calm before the fall

Before wife's goodbye
Hubby gets home all washed up
Pete's tools all packed up

Smiling, drinking tea
Pete gets up to greet his friend
Jim went round the bend

Jill's face innocent
Moans at doing all the work
While he's time to shirk

Turns her back that night
But what really makes him ill
He too has had his fill

Image found at www.stanthehandyman.co.za

The house by the river

Laurel was her name
Lived in the tumbledown house 
Down by the river

Don't know why I smiled
That day in the marketplace
Her deep dark eyes spoke

Of a loneliness
A pause before she smiled back
And that was the start

We talked for a while 
Then argued about a date
But was invited home

Her son lived with her
Saw his father at weekends
That's when she saw me

She was generous
But as poor as church mouse
I made her happy

And then she told me
They fought over custody
As I kissed her neck

Away interstate
I didn't see her for weeks
Then found she had gone

Her house deserted
The walls creaked but made no sense
But had a sad look

I sat out the back
The river told me nothing
But it never does

Image found at https://comicvine.gamespot.com

I woke one morning

I woke one morning
Stretched and looked out the window
The choice was all mine

Shower, shave, set out
City bound work as usual
Or stay home, garden

The answer was plain
Rosemary made it so clear
We were both in love

Image courtesy @magalyguerreroindarkerwords

I came home early

I came home early
She was on her yoga mat
Now in the cat pose

"Hi" she said quickly
You've caught me at it again
Slightly out of breath

"Can I watch?" I asked
As she did a seated pose
Then up and down dog

"Cup of tea?" I asked
"Be just a few minutes more"
She said in a squat

When I had returned
She was doing a plow pose
As she finished off

Now red in the face
Glowing, a beam in her eyes
She rose to kiss me
                                       

                                                         

Image found at www.findarthritistreatment.com

There's a world down there

On board ship we sail
Navigating oceans blue
Wet trail 'neath our bow

There's a world down there
Sometimes murky sometimes clear
Where we rarely go

There's sad wrecks of course
And detritus of our waste
We care not to know

Fish, whales and crabs too
Organic creatures below
No place else to go

We sail blithely on
No concern but ourselves
And our precious dough

Image 1 found at www.cruiselawnews.com
Image 2 found at www.sacredseeds.org.uk       

It's now a fine day

The rain has now ceased
Blue patches show their faces
Now smirking at me

Sun grins behind one
Like us peeking out of doors
And shines down on me

Smiles on our faces
Kids in the puddles do play
It's now a fine day

Image found at www.itfeelslikechaos.blogspot.com.au