The riddle of covid

continues to confound.

Uncertainty reigns supreme.

Meanwhile nature

faithfully adheres

to its preordained cycle.

The first snow

of the year

heralds the

renewal of life.

Soon the snowdrops

will emerge

to gladden the eyes

and lift the spirits.

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Time thou march on relentlessly.

And influence everthing under the sun.

Seasons change upon thy command.

Nature seems normal.

Human life is anything but normal.

The future is bleak.

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"I forgive you"; she said.

The mother with a golden heart.

She forgave the killer of her only son.

He was the sunshine of her life.

Those divine words made me

burst out in tears.

She harboured no animosity

towards her son's assassin.

She created no shrine

to lock herself away

to worship her dead son.

She cherishes fond memories

of her son; and, leads a

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Autumn natures bounty gifts.

Hedgerow fruits in season come.

Sweetest blackberries are ready for picking.

The dog rose bows with heavy red orange rosehip clusters.

Damascence plums beg to be made into jam.

Hazelnuts fallen under hazel tree send squirrels into nut cracking frenzy.

Amber coated falling beech leaves a deep leaf litter create.

Soon it will be time to hun...

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Tread gently

through the graveyard.

Beneath your feet

a dreamland lies.

The fortunate who

dwell in it

are free of all

worldly pains and sufferings.

They bask in eternal rest.

Tread gently

through the graveyard.

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The violent storm

has uprooted the last tree

standing high above

the hill top.

The singing of

the rustling leaves

is now silenced.

The emerald canopy

has curled into a

dead grey mass.

The eroded hill top

rendered barren

is now unsuitable

for sustaining life.

Sadly the magical

sight of unfurling

of buds and the

melodic sound of ...

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The leaves once so pretty

flirted shamelessly with

every gentle breeze

and how gracefully

they danced in the

bright glow of every sunshine.

Now touched by the

cold autumn wind

the leaves break free

from the trees

to hide their wrinkles

and fall from grace

into a roadside ditch.

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The lupin crowned with pink blossom,

Is peering through the earth.

The early September sun,

showers it with a thousand kisses.

A hundred bees are attracted by

the blushing pink flowers.

And they joyfully do the

floral dance waltzing through

the tall spikes of the pink flowers.

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The summer's turned into autumn

by this August's sorcery.

It had wrapped the sun

in a dark blanket

and drained its warmth away.

Deceived by the cold breath

of August's treachery

nature has begun to go into lockdown.

Alas yesterday's colourful landscape

is now a wilting canvass.

I pray that the sun shall

soon escape from August's veil

its warmth to spre...

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August has turned wild.

Mighty trees feel its rage.

Driving rain and swirling winds

send a thousand tears

cascading down to the earth

and weave them

into a carpet of dead leaves.

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the pilgrim

to the holy shrine

in bare feet

set off walking

rough terrain

and scorching heat

will test his

resolve along the way

to the distant shrine

it will take

several soul searching days

to realize

a life times desire

and his faith

will be sorely tested

the pilgrim

will rely upon

the hospitality of strangers

to fulfil his dr...

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he lives alone

but he is not lonely

he heaps mountains

of kindness on others

his humanity

brings him riches

that earthly wealth

cannot buy_

peace of mind

and happiness

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The sea

she stirred no waves

and crept in silently.

The angler

he lost track of the time

and the sight of the tide.

The sea

she soon circled

his rocky perch.

He stared

death in the face

and she stared back

solemnly at him.

Panic stricken

he waved his arms

wildly at the people

gathered on the shore.

In a friendly gesture

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Hope and memory

journey through life

in a downhill spiral.

It all begins wiith

hopes of memories

and rapidly

descends towards

memories of hope.

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I stood besides

the bridge

by the cycle track.

Beneath it

flowed a gentle stream.

Around it

insects flew about

and swooped

to caress the

surface of

the water below.

Then I saw

a leaf

float gracefully

riding the rolling waters.

How I wished then

that I were weightless

and was able to

glide and land softly

on that leaf.

...

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I sat in darkness

to rest my sore eyes.

The curtains were open.

Darkness reigned outside.

Then I saw a slanting light

come out of the night sky

appear through a lit up

giant Ash Tree.

It was a watery Moon

firing rays of light

that came flooding through

the window pane.

I watched the spectacle

in wonder for a while.

Then the moon

circled o...

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Oh Lord how I miss her touch and hugs.

I close my eyes and yearn to hold her hands and hug her.

But when I reopen my eyes I see an ocean of social distancing separating us.

How long God before I can once more feel her healing hands and warm hugs?

Please God end this madness soon lest I 'm driven insane.

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the tip of her tongue

protrudes slightly 

through the gap

between her sparkling

pearl white front teeth

and when she smiles

she sets the world

aglow with sunshine

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He used to bring her flowers when he came wooing her

He used to give her lavish gifts when he came wooing her

He used to to take her to the theatre when he come wooing her

And take her to fancy restaurants afterwards

He gave her a ring as a token of his friendship

She wore it with pride

There were just the two of them in this idyllic relationship

Then he married her

The bli...

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I sat under

the Acer

besides the pond

for hours today

watching

fleeting reflections

floating by.

Then I saw

a still reflection

of a face

that I knew

linger in my mind

and a river of tears

cascaded down my cheeks.

It was___

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The Rowan Tree is so beautiful now.

Its green cloak

is be-decked in a thousand

tiny Ruby bobbles.

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Parents obligingly feed me

Teachers dutifully mould me

Between the two they slowly kill me

None of them remembers me

Not one has seen the problems facing me

No one knows the struggle that both put me through

To parents I'm a museum piece

And teachers treat me like a laboratory mice

Both so distant from me

Who cannot yet speak

Please learn the language of today and loc...

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Life

is a supreme journey.

Nobody knows of its countless surprises

till one inevitable day

Death

arrives.

The station where the

Soul

departs at its journeys end

to find a new breathing space.

Why be afraid of such places

when nobody knows what happens

there.

AA 5 August 1974

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I look in the glass;

that reflects my image.

My thought turns back a page,

and my age stares me in my face.

Each line on my forehead has

has a story of my life to tell.

Every wrinkle in my face has

a time for me to tell.

The hours I search my memory to tax.

The minutes I find my mind to torture.

And the seconds I see my days to number.

AA 30 November...

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Here I spend countless hours

encouraged by the vast sea

to train my mind.

Its rolling waves jeously surrender

unchartered space

upon reaching their crest

suddenly

they break

revealing enormous possibilities

punctuated by unconcluded thoughts.

As the new waves form

time lends itself

to consider previous propositions

and bring them to their

fruitfu...

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Blow gently cold wind

I am a stranger and lost in this desert

The sun has been cruel

And the sand dunes have concealed the water from my thirsty lips

I have no map

Nor a compass to guide me.

Blow gently cold wind

Till darkness surrounds the horizon

And the North Star appears mercifully

to guide me through this barren land

Like a sheep dog come to lead the

stra...

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It hasn't rained for days.

And the harvest season is nearing its end.

The crop isn't ripe.

It is ruined yet for another year.

Last year it was the rain.

And this year it is the drought.

The weary farmer is patient.

He has seen many a crop ruined.

He has laboured to witness it yet again.

The weary weather battler won't give up.

He isn't beaten yet.

He prep...

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In spring times

all day long

he dances besides

the stream

where the faries

dwell in the trees

that line the bank

of the rushing waters

All night long

he gazes at

the twinkling stars

and dreams of

touching them

and soothes

himself to sleep

in summer times

all day long

he merrily marches

up and down the

glen with the faries

gather...

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shall we put an end

to our dull conversations

of late?

why don't we go away

and learn some poetry?

then we shall enjoy

scintillating conversation

next time

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Alas poor Boris.

He's out of his depth.

He lives under a mushroom.

His mind is sieved of ideas.

He's lead by impulsive behaviour.

Habitually blurts out policies on the hoof.

Yesterday Boris confidently rejected ideas adopted by others.

Today he embraces them as sound concepts.

Surely this is no way to run a chip shop?

Yet the gormless Boris merrily bungles thro...

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he's always been

a good and honest man

acquainted with true love

he's happy

and blessed with good health

toils for a living

lives within his means

Satan enjoys a challlenge

singles him out

and invites him

to play temptation

a game of dice

win and you

shall have three wishes

lose and I'll

have your soul

he graciously declined

in...

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if my mind should

ever aflame

to a deserted

place in nature

I shall retreat

there free

and devoid of attachments

I shall be happy

by my self

here cocooned inside

natures comforting womb

the fluid depths

of my futile concerns

will be laid bare to

to see

then mother nature

with her hyptonic potions

shall  melt

my anxieties away

...

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yesterday

his dreams

were filled with

optimism

and he felt alive

today dark clouds

of despair

float across

his tormented mind

and

he sees

a bleak future

and wishes that

he were dead

tomorrow

rising floods

from cloud bursts

will drown

all his yesterday's

bright hopes

and

he shall forever

dwell in the darkness

created in ...

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Now the day has ended.

Darkness triumphs over light.

Deep inside the womb of a cave,

bats with paper thin wings,

hinged with claws

and hanging upside down,

begin to stir from their sleep.

Suddenly the flying animals,

half the size of a five pound note,

let out a hunting cry.

Then they flutter out of the cave,

in an up draft,

that flows like the gu...

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The mirror only now reflects.

It neither flatters.

Nor does it tell lies.

It has no concept of the past or the future.

The past etched in the beholder's memory,

the mirror cannot reflect.

The future only time will tell.

The mirror only now reflects.

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Covid-19 was frightening.

The public expected their elected representatives to help keep them safe.

The inept politicians acted with assured certainty and abnegated their responsibilities towards the public with uttter contempt.

Monkeys filled the vacuum and treated the public with utter disdain.

Exempted themselves from following the advice issued to the public.

The monkeys now ful...

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Headteachers are far from thrilled.

It is not a joke.

When September comes,

the school bells,

will summon children back,

to historically overcrowded schools.

Williamson expects teachers to keep classes

and whole year groups apart,

in separate bubbles without,

giving any thought on how,

learning will take place.

Children will mingle freely,

in the magic...

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in my dream

I follow a Shepherd

without a flock

to a far away land

beyond the blue remembered hills

we do not speak

l'm guided along

with signals made with his crook

I obediently follow

there appears before us

a foreign place

bathed in golden light

I saw no human habitations

stretched out in front of us

countless mounds of earth

neat...

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Here I'm in charming Granada

Shaded by palm trees

Drinking sangaria

You're stuck in Devon

What awful pictures shown on the news

Of the crowded Bournemouth beach

It must be frightening

Now that Boris has eased restrictions

Saw this nice post card

Of the heavenly Alhambra

And thought of you

Don't you wish

That you were here

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The garden is adorned with,

sculptures and statues of,

different forms and sizes.

They are neither cast of bronze.

Nor are they chiselled from marble.

Here there are no sculptures,

created by famous artists.

Nor are there any statues,

made by known sculptors.

But the garden is full,

of priceless abstracts.

Some stand proudly tall.

Some spread out their...

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I shall not go there again. No more shall I walk the purple embroidered heather hills.

The majestic peregrine falcon no more graces the far horizon. The local gamekeeper poisioned it to protect his lordship's grouse.

I shall not go there again. The hitherto distant horizon clear is darkened and echoes with the dying peregrine's haunting wail.

I shall not go there again. Soon the horizon w...

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Adam, 

he were a novice chess player.

He were pitted against God,

the Grandmaster.

In the deciding game Adam,

he made an monumental blunder.

He sacrificed his immortality,

in exchange for death.

Adam and his second had,

developed this flawed stretegy,

during their pre-tournament discussions.

The Grandmaster,

He wasn't,

surprised by the move.

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Oh envy!

You're singularly driven by your jealousy.

You rob the talented.

You deny them well deserved acclaim.

You slaughter rising stars,

with your sharpened words.

You drown their artistic endeavours,

in your bile filled pool.

When you awaken at dawn,

and read the account of,

your harsh criticism driven by envy,

will you proudly boast,

of your pyrrhi...

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I'm an orphan.

I've no father,

to say happy father's day to.

And no mother,

to send flowers to,

on mother's day.

Both my parents,

brought me up to respect

my fellow human beings.

And taught me the difference between right and wrong.

This has stood me in good stead,

all my life.

I shall always have fond and happy,

memories of my parents.

Happy fat...

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She is a happy soul.

One day in late March,

silence strayed into her life.

By imposed solitude upon her.

Neither silence nor solitude intimidates her.

She loves her home.

She shares it with her tabby cat.

The home is full of happy memories.

She remembers the golden days,

before that fateful March day,

the door bell regularly heralded,

the arrival of frien...

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This nightmare will be over.

The fog of uncertainty will lift.

The sun will shine tomorrow.

Friends will come out to play.

What joy it will be, once again,

to hear the voices that,

never fail to make you smile

and sometimes weep.

They will shower you,

with hugs and kisses.

And share a glass or two of wine.

What a day to savour it will be.

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What's the fuss all about?

Its always been this, that and the other.

This in now.

That was then.

And the other is a journey into the unknown.

What's the fuss all about?

Its always been this, that and the other.

This is life.

That is what it may have been.

The other is wishing time away.

What's the fuss all about?

Its always been this, that and the other.

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everyday in the

sapping heat

of the desert noon

the host

and his retinue

retire to the

tranquil reception hall

in his house of wonders

the hall faces the

interior courtyard garden

its shuttered windows

create a magical calming

atmosphere

candle light scents

and burning incense perfumes

fill the hall

full of eastern promises

its wall...

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I had walked for miles

my feet were sore

I sat on the bank

of the little brook

rumbling through

the woodland

and rested for awhile

I took my boots

and socks off

then I dipped my

weary feet

in the saddle tan

coloured waters

of the stream

a shoal of

curious minnows

came and sweept

the soles of my feet

giving me an instant

tickli...

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be not seduced

by her inky smiling eyes

that ignite her scarlet lips

to whisper sweet

alluring promises

gaze into

those dark eyes

at your own peril

lest you drown

in her tears

and disappear 

into the deep recesses

of those black eyes.

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