His jacket was the colour of the sun ...

Soon, not now, but soon, my dad may need a walking frame - 

This morning, I went to the Red Cross in Civic Centre Road - 

I carried the frame out to the red wounded beast - 

There were mobility scooters parked outside the Health Centre - 

Sudden bursts of rain swept over the town - 

I'd had a late breakfast special in Poppins -

I remembered how my dad had been a keen walker - 

Every weekend, he and his friend, Tom, had gone for walks in the country-

They'd finish the walk with a few pints in a free house - 

He'd walked with a rapid stride - 

I imagined him, swiftly climbing a hill under a summer sky - 

Below him were golden fields - 

His jacket was the colour of the sun - 

11.45

Friday 30 September 2016

Havant 

Hampshire 

Southsea Poets in the Jackhouse Gallery ...

I'm standing with a bumper in the Jackhouse Gallery - 

The Southsea poets have their words ready, like bright birds in their pockets - 

On the white Walls of the gallery are paintings and drawings of dockyard people - 

The artist has a humane yet piercing eye - lumpen tender figures stand before grey ships and tall cranes like iron trees - 

The poets read their words - 

I think of my grandad in the blacksmith shop, my dad arguing with the Port Admiral - 

My own history is touched upon here - 

I look up to see if I can see them, my grandfather and his sons - 

There they are, gentle, quietly spoken, standing before a wall of chains -

19.39

Thursday 29 September 2016

The Jackhouse Gallery

Old Portsmouth

Hampshire   

Winter fires ...

This morning Ben came with the logs for winter fires - 

For an hour or so, I stacked the logs - 

Some still had pelts of moss - others were as smooth as bone - 

I pictured twilight woods, woodsmen carrying bright axes - 

I could smell the fragrance of oak and elm - 

A robin watched me from the lichened branches of the apple tree - 

I gathered pine cones from the churchyard - 

Already I saw smoke rising from our chimney - 

I felt the warmth of past summers in the fireplace - 

09.30

Wednesday 28 September 2016

The Old School House

East Stoke 

Dorset 

Sainsbury daydreams ...

Anne parks the Golf with the icy skill of Ray Gosling in Drive - 

I can hear the soundtrack of the film in my head - 

I'm no longer in the gentle town - 

I'm in Echo Park, under murderous skies - 

An Albanian gangster is buying milk in Sainsburys - 

Jimbo in the hard dairy has a pistol in his pocket - 

11.41

Tuesday 27 September 2016

Wareham 

Dorset

Waiting rooms...

Anne's waiting to see Doctor Williams - 

The blue chairs face the screen on the wall -

A message says chaperones can be arranged if needed - 

The National Geographics I used to read are no longer there - 

Waiting for a blood test, I'd gaze at a photograph of a rain forest - 

I'd find consolation in those beautiful pages -

I can hear a man coughing - 

He's told the receptionist he's got trouble breathing - 

I think of Philip Larkin's poem, The Building - 

Terrible and true, I think, recalling those shining corridors - 

17.00

Monday 26 September 2016

Wareham 

Dorset 

The Aerodrome ...

My dad's reading The Aerodrome - 

He's been reading it, off and on, for months -  

The yellow book jacket caught my eye this morning - 

My dad was asleep in his chair - 

One day, I thought, I'll read this book - 

Each page will remind me of these times - 

Opening it, I'll hear his voice - 

I'll feel his fragile kiss once more upon my forehead - 

17.00

Sunday 25 September 2016

Staunton Road

Havant

The petition ...

I watched her thin fingers clutch the blue biro - 

She slowly wrote her name, resting the clipboard upon the folding table - 

She then looked up, this tiny birdlike pensioner - 

It's money isn't it? she said - that's why they're doing it - 

We were campaigning in the small seaside town - 

I'd weighed down our banner with stones from the beach - 

They could find the money if they wanted to I said -

11.00

Saturday 24 September 2016

Swanage

Dorset 

Counting the seasons ...

I can feel the coming of autumn - 

It's as though a brown fragrant hand is touching my shoulder - 

I can smell the rich tipsy smells of windfallen apples - 

Wood smoke perfumes my tweed jacket - 

Leaves are falling from the Alder trees - 

Long shadows are cast upon the lawn - 

The warm air is precious now - 

The river will flood the water meadows - 

The moon will shine upon the white garden - 

The day will come when I'll count the seasons - 

15.50

Friday 23 September 2016

The Old School House

East Stoke

Dorset

The parachutists ...

The river flowed through the cathedral city - 

Buskers played guitars in timeworn streets - 

Three parachutists fell towards the rooftops - 

We saw them, falling through the gentle air - 

In Bill's, I'd eaten dhal for lunch - 

Tessa had smiled her dazzling smile - 

We now watched the parachutists - 

Silent, mysterious, they fell from the sky - 

14.56

Thursday 22 September 2016

Salisbury 

Wiltshire 

I'd hold the world in my hand like a pearl ...

I looked up to see a ship with three masts on the horizon - 

It suddenly appeared, whilst I was looking at shells upon the sand - 

It was as though another world had touched this one for a moment - 

I thought I heard music across the water - 

One day, I knew, I'd board that ship - 

I'd feel its pale deck beneath my feet - 

I'd watch the warm land become smaller and smaller - 

I'd hold the world like a pearl in my hand -  

15.18

Wednesday 21 September 2016

Knoll Beach

Studland 

Dorset

The home ...

The residents can sit in the diner, or on the airplane seats the carer said - 

We show black and white films on the 1950s telly - 

She pointed to the clock on the mantelpiece - 

My mum had a clock like that, and that picture - everyone had that picture in their house - 

They can put music on the juke box, or sit in the garden - we had a fun day last week - 

We saw empty bedrooms with vinyl floors - 

Downstairs, the residents sat on shiny chairs - 

We give them plenty of affection the carer said - 

14.40

Tuesday 20 September 2016

Leigh Park

Hampshire 

Watching From Dusk Till Dawn ...

We whiled away the evening watching From Dusk Till Dawn - 

Night fell upon the Mexican desert - 

George Clooney smiled his roguish dangerous smile - 

Tarantino played his crazy twitching brother - 

When do we see the vampires I asked - 

Any moment now Richard said - 

22.30

Sunday 18 September 2016

The Old School House

East Stoke

Dorset

The empty fields waited for the deer ...

It was high tide when we walked  to Shipstal Point -

Pale blue water filled the creek - 

The beach was a narrow world of sand - 

Gentle waves lapped against the exposed roots of trees - 

A reedy lagoon reflected the sky - 

We felt the warmth of the September sun -  

Yachts were moored offshore - 

Low green islands were mysterious kingdoms - 

The air was very still - 

I thought of my boyhood by a wooded shore - 

A bird sang an ancient song - 

The empty fields waited for the deer - 

11.45

Sunday 18 September 2016

Shipstal Point

Arne 

Dorset 

The moon will float on the river like a golden boat ...

Sand dusted the tyres of the orange camper van - 

The wind from sea rocked shiny Qashqais - 

The beach carpark was almost empty -  

Windsurfers rode late summer waves - 

We walked along Ballards Down, above the green world - 

Whilst we drank Americanos at Joe's, Richard's horse won on the bridle - 

Swiss Storm was given the office - 

A woman swam out into the bay -

Richard remembered singing Lola in a Manila videoke booth - 

In four weeks time, a white jet will carry him half way around the globe - 

He'll drink mountain coffee in Vientiane - 

Night will fall upon the tree lined boulevards - 

The moon will float on the river like a golden boat - 

13.06

Saturday 17 2016 

Joe's 

South Beach

Studland 

Dorset 

Well that depends ...

Richard sipped his black tea -

We'd walked past the caravans above the beach - 

We'd heard the waves breaking upon the empty shore - 

Blackberries were ripening amongst the brambles - 

Sloes were a dark purplish blue - 

A red dragonfly had followed us - 

I'd gazed at the bright toys for sale in the beach cafe - 

Invisible families were queuing for ice creams - 

Curling post cards depicted past summers - 

We bought some Moores biscuits -

When do we close? -

The woman behind the counter laughed - 

Well that depends - 

12.00

Friday 16 September 2016

Ringstead Bay

Dorset

A fistful of nails ...

Deep inside the cave of ironmongery, I searched for nails - 

Leathery plumbers examined strange fittings - 

A lurcher slept behind the counter - 

Outside, the gentle town was bathed in sunlight - 

Here, I walked past shadowy recesses filled with oily treasures - 

I felt the blade of a scythe - 

I saw a shelf of mole traps - 

A lean gardener uncoiled a hose - 

I left with my fistful of nails -

The lurcher stirred in its bright dreams - 

11.54

Thursday 15 September 2016

Wareham

Dorset

 

We'd sit on smooth stones, remembering northern skies ...

Penelope and I picked our way over the beach - 

I felt the shape of every pebble beneath my feet - 

My worn boat shoes were stained with salt - 

A small boat with a single mast was moored offshore -  

Above White Nothe were rain heavy clouds - 

The sea was a dark mirror - 

A wooden rowing boat had been drawn up to the top of the beach - 

Steps led to a wild garden - 

The wind stirred the pine trees facing the sea - 

Penelope and I had hoped to swim here - 

Some other day we'd do this - 

We'd sit on the smooth stones, remembering northern skies - 

11.35

Tuesday 13 September 2016

Ringstead Bay

Dorset

The chapel windows shone with the light of heaven ...

The sky darkened as we walked towards the chapel - 

The narrow road sloped steeply downwards - 

Leaves fell from gentle trees - 

Sheep waited for the rain - 

A kestrel was a fearful shape hanging in the air - 

Mysterious houses overlooked the sea - 

A barn was full of ghosts under the gathering clouds - 

Inside the chapel, we heard the thunder above our heads -

Rain fell - 

Lightning cast a yellow light upon the threshold - 

The chapel windows shone with the light of heaven - 

Tuesday 13 September 2016

Chapel of St Catherine's by the Sea

Holworth

Dorset 

The new Big Issue vendor ...

I looked in vain for the Bosnian Big Issue lady - 

Normally she stands in South Street, opposite The Happy Hour off license - 

She'll call out Happy Merry Christmas - 

There was a new vendor standing on her pitch - 

He cast a thin shadow upon the pavement - 

I'd seen him the day before, a can of Scrumpy Jack in his hand, a lurcher at his feet - 

His plaited goatee was like a length of oily string - 

What would he call out, I wondered - 

How many nights had he sat under the indifferent stars?

16.00

Monday 12 September 2016

Wareham

Purbeck

Dorset

The moon will be a cold white apple ...

The carvers have moved to winter quarters - 

The dreadlocked bravos have stilled their chainsaws - 

They're camped somewhere, perhaps in ancient woodlands, snaring rabbits as twilight falls - 

Soon the apple tree will shed its leaves - 

Wood smoke will scent the house - 

The day will be shorter - the moon will be a cold white apple in the sky - 

19.35

Sunday 11 September 2016

The Old School House 

East Stoke

Dorset