Thursday, 21 May 2026

Watching Heart


Watching Heartbeat
 
The clever, kindly, Rowan -

Oscar narrowing his eyes -

Ventress smoking a sly Woodbine -

A London villain in Aidensfield -

The comfort of 1960s singles -

Don't play with me -

Cause you're playing with fire -



The Old School House 
East Stoke

May 2026

Tuesday, 19 May 2026

Paul as my Ancient Mariner

Pirates circling a former Russian ice breaker -

Dour Siberians -

A young man walking home a thousand miles from the Eastern Front -

Tahiti -

A five week voyage in the south Atlantic -

Strange stars -

Pitcairn Island -

Harold Wilson's bodyguard -

Paul as my Ancient Mariner -

Myself a wedding guest -



Java 
Swanage

May 2026

Monday, 18 May 2026

So much sadness

There are new lines of sadness on his face -

This gentle postman -


He tells me about his wife -

Now no more than a whisper of bone -


I briefly hold his hand -

So much sadness -



Swanage 

May 2026 

Sunday, 17 May 2026

In the long night

In the long night I'll remember walking the green path -

Glimpsing the river -


Following my winding way through cow parsley -

Blue bells amongst banks of ferns -


Finding the birch grove -

Being close to those I've lost -


East Stoke

May 2026

Saturday, 16 May 2026

The wind from the sea -


The steep hillside was yellow with buttercups -

Walking the high path, I heard skylarks -


I saw yachts with bright sails in the bay -

Gulls were flying over salty fields -


Earlier, we'd seen a bride enter the Saxon church -

The air was scented with mayblossom -


On the hilltop, I was above the world -

The wind from the sea carrying the names of those I loved -


Ballard Down 

May 2026 

Friday, 15 May 2026

When I walked for a while in paradise


Inside the subway, I breathed air smelling of weed -

There were wild faces spray painted on the concrete walls -

A mural of magic mushrooms -

A reminder of when I saw jewelled birds -

When I walked for a while in paradise -


Boscombe

May 2026 

Thursday, 14 May 2026

Losing ourselves in the gentle story


Reading Mogg The Forgetful Cat with Jake in The Boston Tea Party -

Losing ourselves in the gentle story -

A waitress sashshaying past us with a cappuccino -


The Boston Tea Party 
Salisbury 

May 2026