The harvest of the dark goddess

An Amazon on her rearing horse -

Long thighed, pale as the moon -

A naked youth, a follower of Theseus -

Slender arm outstretched, holding up his shield -

Kneeling, helpless for a fatal moment - 

Soon to die in his fresh beauty -

The British Museum 

London 

January 2025

More love, more love

 

Snowdrops in the churchyard - 

Light from heaven on the bright grass -

A white tree against the sky -

More love, more love - 

St Mary the Virgin

East Stoke

January 2025

 Walking down Tottenham Court Road -

The many tongued crowd - 

The lights coming on against the dark - 

The faces glimpsed for a moment, then forgotten - 

Tottenham Court Road 

London

January 2025

Rain fell on the market - 

Young mums sipped mochas in a Gail's -

I rifled through XXL shirts in a charity shop - 

Wallace bought an Arsenal shirt - 

Memory walked with me on the glimmering pavement - 

First steps on Wanstead Flats, a snatched coffee in Nice Croissant - 

Wanstead Village

London

January 2025

We are drawn to the mummies -

These painted cocoons - 

Their dark mystery - 

The image of an implacable hand - 

Hearts weighed against a feather -

British Museum

London

January 2025

I felt the wind from the deep tunnels - 

Breathed air tasting of dust and electricity - 

Wallace walked on ahead - 

Put up his hood against the wind - 

Tottenham Court Road Tube Station 

January 2025

We climbed the stairs to the upper deck like nimble marineros - 

Gazed out at the sleek glass of the City - 

Wallace, turning to me, eyes shining - 

City of London

January 2025

Walking these noble galleries - 

The heart of my city of dream and memory - 

My younger self holding me by the hand - 

British Museum 

London 

January 2025

 We looked out for our darlings - 

Sunlight flooded the concourse - 

The air was chill and full of voices - 

My heart would hold this moment - 

Seeing them under the high roof, coming towards us - 

Being tongue-tied with love - 

Kings Cross Station

London

January 2025

That imperial gaze - 

The impeccable marble - 

The brow, slightly furrowed - 

That assurance of absolute command - 

British Museum

London

January 2025

I felt the cool fingers of a spell around my wrist - 

The lure of arcane volumes - 

Strange names were whispered in my ear - 

Shadows flickered against the glass - 

Atlantis Bookshop

Bloomsbury

January 2025

Birch trees in East Village -

White wands against icy blueness - 

Jets lost in the shining air - 

East Village

London 

January 2025

 Waking up in the pristine tower - 

Sunlight falling on windows in the sky - 

High above the wailing police cars - 

The ubers waiting in Celebration Avenue - 

Vigo House

East Village

London

January 2025

Wallace wearing his Odegaarde shirt -

Moving his token from South bay to Peaseholm Park - 

Landing then on my heart - 

Holding it in his hand -

Olympic Village

London 

January 2025

 In see invisible guests on the stairs - 

They brush past me - 

Waiting always for midnight -

Whispering in my ear - 

The Grand Hotel

Swanage

December 2024

 After the sauna, coffee overlooking the bay - 

A memory of a woman's glistening body - 

My red scarf thrown across a chair - 

The Grand Hotel

Swanage

December 2024

 Charlie fills his glass with mystic ale - 

Drinks deeply, like a mariner - 

With each dark bottle, dreams of Glastonbury - 

The Old School House

East Stoke 

December 2024

 Anne makes horses' necks-

She adds ice and memory-  

Jazz Record Requests on the radio -

The sun over the yard arm -

The Old School House

East Stoke 

December 2024

 Playing with Jake, I forget my years - 

Wrangling monster trucks - 

Falling into a volcano - 

Sharing wonder - 

Made young by love - 

Salisbury

December 2024

 A slim ghost haunted this sumptuous room - 

Drawn to the golden ceiling, the leather hangings - 

Cast its net of memory - 

Bitter coffee - 

A shadow in the dark - 

Water lapping the walls of a palazzo - 

Kingston Lacy

December 2024

 We walked past the poplar trees - 

I saw the beauty of their slim bones -

I felt the wind against my face - 

Pale light fell from the sky - 

Wareham 

December 2024

 Putting on a scarlet coat - 

Feeling its glorious weight - 

The swagger of its colour - 

Dorset Museum 

December 2024

 I lingered in the museum -

Climbed white stairs to gaze upon you - 

Your severe head - 

Your unflinching eye - 

Dortchester Museum

December 2024