The one who knocks

Wild girls had spray painted these spooky faces -

Lean skater boys this green skull -

I walked beneath the brutal concrete - 

Looked up to see the one who knocks - 

Scarborough 

May 2024

Velicoraptors on the stairs

I'm watching Jurassic Park with Otis -

He shivers, holds me close - 

Already he hears velicoraptors, skittering up the stairs - 

Number 53, Royal Avenue

Scarborough 

May 2024

Flamingo Bay

We feasted on chocolate sundaes in Flamingo Bay -

The radio played Buddy Holly - 

Rain fell on the Sands -

I was still wearing sunglasses -

I had gazed at myself in the mirror -

A girl swam in the rain - 

Buddy was singing that'll be the day -

Flamingo Bay

South Bay

Scarborough 

May 2024

An ark crewed by angels

The nave was an ark crewed by angels - 

Light poured through them - 

Pale stone touched an invisible shore -

St Martin's on the Hill 

Scarborough 

May 2024

Wallace climbs a tree

Wallace climbs the tree, his bones light as feathers - 

He gives me his smile - 

Climbs high above a field of buttercups - 

Laughs at the rain falling from the sky -

Falsgrave Park 

Scarborough 

May 2024

The Magician's House

Once more I saw the Magician's House -

I remembered the stairs to the attic - 

The Wood Between Worlds -

The still pools beneath the trees - 

Finding a different sun in the sky -

May 2024

Scarborough 

Self made

She gives herself to his eye -

Her long bare legs - 

Her thighs -

Her slender feet in pointed shoes -

A half smile matching her gaze -

Derek Santini, Self Made, Exhibition, Scarborough Art Gallery - May 2024

Scarborough Sands

I walked from The Columbus Cafe to Scarborough Sands -

I breathed the salty Bank Holiday air -

In the cafe, a dad had sipped a Peroni -

I saw the lighthouse -

Nearby, a boy was singing blues in The Golden Ball -

Soft rain was falling on the Sands -

I thought of the poet, severe in his dark suit - 

Gulls flew above my head -

The Sands were empty - 

I wore my tweed - 

A big wheel spun slowly in the rain - 

Scarborough

May 2024

No need to look at my father's watch

Evening light filling the high ceilinged room -

Sophie's quiet voice -

No need to look at my father's watch - 

To see his face in mine -

Scarborough 

May 2024

Reading The Wasteland

I'm reading The Wasteland -

Why did I never read it? -

I'm lost on Margate Sands - 

I drink up quickly before it's time -

I hold a card from Madame Sosostris in my hand - 

Wait for a violet hour -

Salisbury 

May 2024

I never knew there were so many

Gillian smiles whilst the rain falls on Chapel Lane -

One of the gentle people - 

I never knew there were so many -

Chapel Lane 

Swanage 

May 2024

Mowing the lawn

Mowing the lawn, I think of Ken -

Ken, steering the ride on mower round the orange trees -

The swallows returning -

Ken, later, telling me a story about Africa -

The moon rising -

Laphroaig on the terrace above the dreaming garden - 

The Old School House

East Stoke

May 2024

The beautiful shadow

Early morning in the garden -

Dew still on the grass -

The beautiful shadow of the apple tree -

The Old School House 

East Stoke 

May 2024

Watching Rebus

I'm watching Rebus -

A cruel Edinburgh -

Heartbreak over a Tennents chaser with a quadruple Bells -

May 2024

A blackbird singing

Cutting away brambles, I heard a blackbird sing - 

A sweet voice hidden by thorn and winding stem - 

As wonderful as your secret smile - 

The Old School House 

East Stoke

May 2024

 

Half dreaming

Walking to Shipstal Point -

Past the birch trees -

The last bluebells -

Half dreaming -

A memory of a kiss -

Being young in your arms -

Arne

May 2024

We walked barefoot on the sand

We walked barefoot on the sand -

Behind us, the dunes and the sky - 

A Condor ferry heading for St Malo - 

Seabirds marking the beach with their secret alphabet -

A naked man swimming - 

The wind stirring the marram grass - 

Studland 

May 2024

Falling into his beautiful unimaginable dreams

We're watching The Night Garden - 

Thinking of Jake -

Closing his eyes - 

Falling into his beautiful unimaginable dreams - 

May 2024

The silence of animals

We see the lambs in their hour of innocence -

Old oaks waking to summer - 

Crows swirling in the air above the field -

Moreton

May 2024

Reading The Terror

I'm on board The Terror -

Ice clasps our hull - 

A cruel spirit haunts us - 

Stars dance on the edge of the world - 

May 2024

Walking in Eden

There was May blossom -

New buttercups amongst the long grass -

A dandelion clock still perfect - 

A quiet river - 

I walked in an Eden -

Gentle trees sang me home -

East Stoke

May 2024

Bullet Train

I'm watching Bullet Train -

A glittering spear piercing the beautiful illuminated city -

Blood spattered gangsters in thrall to a Yakuza lord - 

May 2024

A touch of joy

Jake looks in wonder at the bubbles - 

Each one a fragile jewel of delight -

They settle on his upturned face -

A feathery touch of joy - 

Salisbury 

May 2024

Tess tells a story, Jake dreams of cars

In Armans, Tess tells us a story -

Nearby, Jake dreams of cars -

A clear river flows towards the Cathedral -

Armans

Dorchester 

May 2024

The first touch of summer on my skin

The cove was a still flawless blue - 

I breathed in the warm salty air - 

Felt the first touch of summer on my skin - 

Lulworth Cove

May 2024

Looking for kites

There were flags - 

Words which hurt the soul - 

I looked for kites in the wounded sky - 

Dorchester 

May 2024

When we danced

We danced to Maiden Oak -

Anne wore her linen dress -

When we danced our bones were young -

Corfe 

May 2024

Reading The Black House

I'm reading Paul Theroux's The Black House -

I see a dismal sky -

Rain falling on a haunted roof -

A woman naked under a pale blue dress -

April 2024

Maire wore her long red hair

We walked past water meadows yellow with buttercups - 

Oak trees caught the golden light - 

Maire wore her long red hair - 

East Stoke

May 2024

Prosecco after the count

We sipped prosecco on the lawn -

Late afternoon sunlight falling on my tipsy glass -

Joyous numbers in our heads -

East Stoke

May 2024

Our scouser prince

Our red gang waited for the count -

We grinned at Tory boys in blue suits -

Berny was our scouser prince -

Weymouth 

May 2024

Canvassing in the rain

We gathered under the comradely umbrella -

Rain fell on parked Skodas - 

Doorbells waited for our touch -

Swanage 

May 2024