Category Archives: Uncategorized

Dec 15

The Geese

Their honking cry is heard
before I see them, large unwieldy
on the grass
The male regards the domain
his long neck erect eyes alert
The hen calmly devours grass
fresh from the tidal surge.
I smile to myself glad they return
despite my neighbours’ hostility
An hour slips by, both still there
Good I think, this is their home.
Then I hear a commotion, honks
flapping wings, a man is running
with a stick towards the geese
He throws a stone too, missed –
Thank God. The birds escape
onto the river, indignant, confused
by this aggression.
They will be back, I know and
they know, this is their home.
At night I hear their calls
When settling on the pontoon
safe in the darkness.

Jul 8

Cancer or the big “C”

When you get the big “C”

need a mastectomy –

people will gape and squirm

worse still, get another dose

lose a kidney – horrifying

some will gasp  How do you cope?

Most at first will seem to care

but really blame you for the scare

you gave them, getting it.

They need you to be managing

to be an inspirational force

so they can be oblivious

of any life-threatening illness

A valued few will help you through

and make your life more bearable.

Jul 7

Grief

Be careful to express your grief

at someone dying you have loved

Hold back the tears and heart felt pain

restrain your need to verbalise

the loss you feel, but must contain

your sadness at their final curtain.

Death is an embarrassment

most will avoid acknowledgement

walk away, plead another engagement.

Jun 28

Camille Claudel

I saw the film “Camille Claudel”  which concentrates on the sculptress’s incarceration in an asylum for over 30 yrs. her family used her inheritance to pay for her to stay there. Only her brother visited her infrequently and he ignored her pleas to be released also the doctors advised her release but she died in the asylum forgotten. She had a passionate affair with Rodin and assisted him with several of his works. She had an abortion and he refused to marry her and her family thought her morally depraved. She destroyed a lot of her work when she was unhappy and then locked up. i love what i’ve seen of her work in paris and her life was tragic abandoned by all.