We don't wish you a Covid Christmas

Or New Year in I.C.

We hope you keep distant

And all wear your masks

No Mistletoe this Christmas

As kissing is banned

Let's hope we can beat it

With help from Above

We wish you a happy Christmas

And hope you keep safe

We wish you a happy Christmas

And a better New Year!

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The storm had bruised the night

with inky black and blue clouds

and sky-splitting lightning streaks.

But after the welcome downpour,

I saw against soft lamplight

as penitence the storm had left

dark branches dripping diamonds.

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Small agile grinning implike being

a whirlwind with magic feet

sometimes seen of clay.

Streetkid's eye for an opening

sphere stolen with incredible dexterity.

It must have seemed  to him

redress for youthful hardship

from penury to affluence.

Excesses of every kind

his many women forgiving

except the white lady,

and other wicked spirits

who held him in thrall.

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When time for bed

For him no hot water bottle

No cuddly teddy bear

He had to have his comfort cat

a coal black tiny crooked cat.

When bedtime came

He sought the feline anxiously

And if it was no show

He'd hunt it out determinedly.

If daring to refuse him, then

Bring it gently in his huge jaws

Drooled on, indignant, but quite unhurt.

Then he'd lay down his massiv...

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Purest  gold leaves

Heart-shaped and such 

Fragile flesh on dark skeleton

Prettily fluttering down

With each gentle gust

Gilding green grass

Left glowing in the sunlight

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Will this never cease,

the wrenching racking weeping

an infinite sense of loss?

No-one to speak or write to

 who  truly cares.

No more her sense of humour

laughing at the same things.

No-one able to listen quietly

then provide some comfort.

All this can't be contained

in a hideous dead weight urn.

So sprinkle the contents on the roses

where her ashes will create...

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The bloated bellies of offshore vaults

where lie the profits, accumulating wealth

though giving off a nauseous stench

of crude oil and the decomposing corpses

of so many helpless non-combatants.

Sent by bearded men plotting over long tables

using deaths, terror and yet more deaths

to further their not so obscure interests.

Evil metallic predators wing stealthily over t...

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Sweet moon, answerable for much heartbreak

from the lies your silvery beams induce.

'I'll love you forever'

until cockcrow next morning.

'Never met anyone like you before'

the many 'others' all discarded.

'This is love at first sight'

  on sighting the gleaming Porsche.

'This time it's for always'

 or until the first black eye.

'You'll never be alone again'

as...

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(put a five letter word in the gaps, if you dare!)

For this I could be called a ............ guard now.

Perhaps  put on a ...........list even though

I can't be .................balled, not being

a worthy member of any exclusive club.

Can I still ........... out, or am I obliged to faint?

When  asked ............. or white? for coffee

how do I refuse the first, If I prefer the...

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Idling evening on the terrace

watching the light on the bay

saw a swirling whirl of wings

zigging, zagging, desperately spiralling

up down over round and above.

A ravenous rapacious raptor

chasing a frightened fledgling.

Just when all seemed lost

the victim, as a last resort,

dived under the table, and crouched

quivering, heart thumping visibly

half dead  with shee...

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A massive  muscular cheerful smith

Vast but nimblest smokedark hands

A red face gleaming in the flickering firelight

Wrapped in his stiff leather apron

The fire glowing as the bellows huffed and puffed

The clanging of his hammer on the anvil

As he beat the shoe into shape and size

Acrid smell of hot metal, then the hissssss

As he slipped the shoe in the cold water bucket

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Undeserved cruelly cutting words from someone

who had been created out of love,

raining down like physical blows

bruising, breaking, belabouring, bloodshedding,

robbing you of well-earned peace of mind.

Affection, respect, compassion thrown out,

rudely discarded as valueless.

But no Good Samaritan passes by

to cherish, console and comfort you,

applying an ointment of rea...

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A sudden vivid flash electric blue

so swiftly straight more sensed than seen,

streaking burrow-wise from his grey branch lookout

over the dark olive green lake water.

So fragile no halcyon days are his,

unable to command the creek or river water,

and inexpert divers are the fledglings

often waterlogged and trapped in weed or twigs.

Suffering from our pollution-pro...

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My Dad had a bristly black beard

of  which many peoiple were feared

It grew and it grew

but not straight, quite askew

so our Mum with the mower appeared!

A couple of twins put on wellies

and smashed both the family tellies

their Dad threw them out

giving each boy a clout

'to come home ytou must crawl on your bellies'

There was once a Teutonic shrink

whose...

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Paving stones a crazy brilliant red

redder than the roses growing there

but she loved him so, they all said.

Picked up a smiling child from school

just as usual,the teacher said.

Left the supermarket with bulging bags.

Why bother? the police said.

Walked serenely up the pretty path

unlocked the heavy front door

soared up to the top floor

With what in mind? t...

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Didn't recognise who the smile came from

remembering the chrysalis child.

Metal entwined teeth, tangled hair,

a nose too large for a little face,

unhappy self-doubting eyes,

the too tall insecurity and gawkiness.

Now suddenly transformed into a butterfly,

blessed with gazelle-like grace

glowing skin, shining tresses, sparkling eyes.

The drastic effect of the hated metal

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I'm large, gingery, whiskery, muscular, agile and ever resourceful

but definitely never been a cuddly calendar cat.

Not even outwardly respectable like my ancestor

being seen to hunt,forage, steal and scrounge

for myself and the motley feline crew where I'm Top Cat.

Of my nine lives, forfeited three at least;

cornered by a canine fiend in Boxer shape.

I bear the scars sti...

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This novel crown is not desired,

not sought after or fought for,

nor jewelled in glittering gold

elevating those who bear it.

Giving not riches, power, authority

but conferring weakness and disability,

more like the crown of thorns so long ago

used to torment and humiliate before expiry.

This comes alone with never a belov'ed face

helping to tide them over the brink...

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Sitting demurely at a cafè table

several young novice priests,

buttoned up in slim black cassocks

with wide-brimmed black hats

not so often seen nowadays.

Suddenly a child-kicked football

flew into the cathedral square.

A conspiratorial glance slid round the group

which as one jumped up to the call.

Twirling whirling, long skirts swirling,

tall supple elegan...

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The besotted lad has been bewitched

his royal title from him snitched.

All passion spent he'll feel alone,

will the Prodigal Duke then slink back home?

The lovely enchantress, mother too,

(she produced a dukeling to step in shoe),

tried to commercialize his royal crown

so required a little taking down!

Now the cake's put back in larder,

(couldn't she have tried...

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(A repost from November 2017)

Hey Hey for the not so merry month of May

but what on earth will the butler say?

Will she make her Markle felt?

Want golden faucets in the loo,

Just like the lovely sTrumpets do?

No shepherd's pie or kidney pud

for Cinderella. Oh no, no good.

Just hominy grits and collard greens

with pumpkin pie and Boston beans

Caesar salad - cookie...

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The skulking squall suddenly sprung

choosing three little fishing boats as prey.

The sky became leaden with inky clouds,

a merciless gale howled and shrieked

skimming salt spray off the crests.

Trio of tiny coloured boats bobbing desperately

like  children's nutshell toys.

Planks straining to scale the dark green walls

then crashing down into the troughs again,

all ...

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Springtime daffodils, crocuses and polished buttercups,

delicately scented fluffy feather-leaved mimosa.

February winter jasmine cascading yellowly

over southern sunwarmed stone walls,

an explosion of tiny briliant forsythia stars.

Hillside covered in cream yellow primroses,

with violets as mutual complement.

Sunrays stealing through shutter slats,

gifting a natural aw...

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Family celebration for kin

and old friends of years past,

mainly unrecognizable with

rheumy poached-egg eyes,

strangely perfect teeth,

and features blurred by time.

But one unmistakable, last seen

sporting skin tight white jeans

oozing testosterone from every pore.

Striding down the main street

with his latest glam-girl in tow,

followed by envious or desiring ...

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