Sand mermaid ...

I saw a mermaid made from sand - 

Herring gulls flew overhead - 

Fishing boats left the harbour - 

Above the lighthouse was a serene northern sky - 

A surfer lay upon her glistening board - 

Pale sunlight fell on salt rimed rooftops - 

Narrow stairs led to louche Eastborough - 

Tatooists inked angels - 

Soon waves would wash away the mermaid - 

Her hair would become a net of foam - 

Her tail a string of pearls - 

Monday 28 September 2020

South Bay 

Scarborough 

The edge of the world ...

I saw the white birds above the waves - 

The grass bent by the wind -

Here, on the high clifftop, I looked over the edge of the world -

Sunday 27 September 2020

Bempton Cliffs 

Yorkshire 

Woodend ...

I glimpsed Woodend amongst wind torn trees - 

I thought about the Sitwells - 

Gorgeous birds in their nest of honey coloured stone - 

Friday 25 September 2020

Scarborough 

The Flyer ...

 

We boarded The Scarborough Flyer, beguiled by its livery and steam - 

Wallace and I gave clenched fist salutes like anarchist militiamen - 

The Flyer hooted - 

We saw the sea -

Thursday 24 September 2020

The Scarborough Flyer 

North Bay Railway 

Scarborough 

The warm world slipping away ...

Rain fell upon the white hotels -

The wide beach was empty -

We walked under dripping leaves -

Then past pale villas - 

My skin chilled - 

The warm world slipping away -

Wednesday 23 September 2020

Scarborough 

The slim god ...

Once again I saw the slim god - 

His winged ankles were half hidden by  rushes -

He wore a necklace made of dewy cobwebs -

Poised there among the greenery -

Staying his flight to hear archaic music -

 A pagan sky above The Italian  Gardens -

Tuesday 22 September 2020

The Italian Gardens 

Scarborough 

Darlings of the sea ...

Lucy's Beach Shack overlooked the windswept bay -

1930's speed kings could have raced their landships across these sands - 

Now surfers came here with their keen edged boards -

Glimpsed whilst I stood before the counter -

Brave shapes -

Darlings of the sea -

Sunday 20 September 2020

Cayton Bay 

Yorkshire 

The laughter of friends ...

We followed the narrow lane to Cayton Bay - 

Halfway down, I saw the fingerpost -

I remembered how I'd walked this way before -

Climbing Stiles, from moor to sea -

I'd followed ancient names - 

Kept warm by the laughter of friends -

Sunday 20 September 2020

 Cayton Bay 

The surfers ...

The surfers were the young gods and goddesses of the northern sea - 

Riding the white waves with insouciant grace -

Placing their boards on the tide washed sand -

Slender bodies shaped as though by an ancient dance -

As if they were about jump over one of Poseidon's sons - 

Strings of pearls in their dripping hair - 

Saturday 19 September 2020

South Bay 

Scarborough 

Blue badge car ...

I admired the dash of the blue badge car - 

The nodding Santas, the nodding Pope - 

I pictured myself crashing the gears - 

Vaping as I drove up Ramshill Road - 

I'd turn on the radio - 

Watch the brightness fall - 

Friday 18 September 2020

Scarborough

Dante and the Lobster ....

I watched the fishermen unload briny treasure - 

Beyond the harbour, wild dazzling waves broke against The Spa -

Visitors lingered by gaudy cockle stalls -

I became aware of the anguish of the crabs 

A green crate, filled with still living creatures -

I thought of Dante and the Lobster -

Belaqua -

Those final sentences - 

Take into the air your quiet breath -

It's a quick death, God help us all - 

It is not -

Thursday 17 September 2020

The harbour 

Scarborough 

Dinosaurs walked in Number 47 ...

Every morning, dinosaurs walked in Number 47 - 

Long necked saurians dragged their tails across the floorboards - 

Velicorapters chased yellow dumper trucks - 

A pterodactyl would unfold its wings -

Awed, we would watch their play - 

A primeval forest would fill the hall - 

Wednesday 16 September 2020

Scarborough 

White ships ...

I pictured myself in the tower room -

Climbing the narrow stair in the South Bay villa -

High ceilinged rooms below me -

Bats flying past my twilight window -

I'd have an astrolabe on a table made of driftwood -

I'd read the stars in the winter sky -

I'd sit with my books above salt rimed rooftops -

I'd see white ships on the moonlit sky -

Tuesday 15 September 2020

Scarborough 

A marvellous shore ...

I looked up to see threads of cloud in a pale blue sky -

I felt all my night thoughts washed away - 

The cold waves carried me to a marvellous shore - 

Monday 14 September 2020

South Bay

Scarborough 

Cod and chips for six ...

The northern girls handed me my cod and chips for six - 

Paul had ordered mushy peas - 

Last time, we'd queued up inside -

I'd been in deep cover -

A southerner amongst tarry fishermen -

I'd leaned against the tiles -

Nervous in my tweed - 

A foxed Cavafy in my pocket -

Sunday 13 September 2020

Scarborough 

The attic ...

This was a creative's attic - 

The zig zag carpet - 

PC as thin and fine as a dragonfly's wing - 

Postcards from Rio's favelas - 

Headphones for midnight jazz -

A place to lure words to the page - 

Saturday 12 September 2020

Scarborough 

Walking back to Mandalay ...

We walked once more between laurel and ivy -

White butterflies flew before us - 

Tall pines touched the sky - 

Anne spoke softly - 

This is like walking back to Mandalay -

On being Fabrizio ...

I'm reading Stendhal - 

The Charterhouse of Parma -

I've played whist with a capricious prince -

I shall be like Fabrizio -

Wear my long tweed coat with artless sprezzatura - 

Wear purple stockings - 

Scatter sequins -

Become a hero unawares -

Friday 11 September 2020

The Old School House 

East Stoke 

Dorset 

Angels in the garden ...

Before we left, I went to see the apples -

The world had changed -

There were angels in the garden -

Heaven's light falling - 

Birds sing in the lichened tree - 

Friday 11 September 2020

The Old School House 

East Stoke 

Dorset 

All my skins ...

September sunlight -

Clear water - 

Ribbed sand - 

These last swims -

They feel like swimming in memory -

Seeing myself in all my skins -

Tuesday 8 September 2020

South Beach 

Studland 

Dorset 

The summer garden ....

This winter I will remember the summer garden -

The bright grass - 

The sweetness of its apples -

Picking them from the tree - 

Wednesday 9 September 2020

The Old School House 

East Stoke 

Wareham 

Roofed with stars ...

The wood burning stove waits for winter - 

Its fire will warm these small walls - 

The cold moon will shine in an end of year sky -

Our house will be roofed with stars - 

Sunday 6 December 2020

The Old School House 

East Stoke 

Dorset 

Any moment ....

Any moment my heart may dance - 

Race as fast as a hare across a moonlit hill - 

Run in the space where magic walks - 

Any moment the world may change - 

Saturday 5 September 2020

The Old School House 

East Stoke 

Dorset 

Demi gods in Christchurch Road ...

Here, surely, was a jacket bespoke for Achilles' shoulders -

Heroes might buy their suits in this louche tailors - 

They would walk past vaping lounges -

Consider a kebab -

Pass by tattoo parlours -

Sip a cappuccino in The Crooked Book - 

Here at last they would be clothed in pre worn tweed -

Demi gods in Christchurch Road - 

Tuesday 3 September 2020

Boscombe

Bournemouth 

A nest of bone ...

Soft rain fell upon the quiet trees -

Mist obscured our view of silent fields -

Leaves were already falling - 

The wood evoked stories dear to me - 

The Wind In The Willows -

The Little Grey Men -

The Magician's Nephew -

I remembered climbing trees as a leggy boy -

Mossy bark against my face - 

Feeling my heart beat in its nest of bone - 

Thursday 3 September 2029

Thorncombe Wood

Dorset

Coffee in the Crooked Book ...

I read the first page of The Garden of the Finzi-Cortinis -

The Polish girl made my coffee -

There was spacy ambient music -

I placed my mask upon the table -

There were no knitters here today, or pensive chess players -

I gazed out the window - 

I saw a woman with purple dreadlocks - 

A bravo came in, glowering - 

I remembered the Jewish cemetery in Split -

The pines shadowing the broken monuments -

The cruelty of the sunlight -

Wednesday 2 September 2020

The Crooked Book

Boscombe 

Bournemouth 

 

The Morgan ...

I saw the Morgan parked on the bright grass -

I remembered Jay's friend, the farmer who had a Brazilian wife - 

His Morgan in the icy garden - 

The roar of the engine -

The air of the jewelled city - 

Monday 31 August 2020

Arne

Dorset