A thread of love

We held a thread of love -

Remembering the young beautiful god -

Saying his name -

Writing it in our hearts -

Weymouth 

August 2026 

The Play Park

Tattooed dads watch their children on the swings -

Nanas hunch their shoulders against the wind -

The slow river winds past the Leisure Centre -

Clouds cover the sky -

5 Rivers

Salisbury 

August 2026 

Sunday with Jake

Still dizzy from the roundabout, Jake heads for the slide -

He calls out I can do it myself -

Whooping as he slides down -

He's wearing his spiderman sliders -

His world is young and full of joy -



5 Rivers

Salisbury 

August 2026 

More love

Walking barefoot in the garden -

My shirt wet from the rain -

Picking up windfalls -

I remembered all my summers -

How more love will cure a broken heart -

The Old School House 

East Stoke 

August 2026 

Beyond the bijou estate

Walking past a house called Tamarisk -

Pristine Volvos -

Beyond the bijou estate, the deep blueness of the waves -

 The ribbed sand -

The white bone of the hill above the bay -

Ballard Estate, Sheps Hollow 

Swanage 

August 2026 

Peter had heard the saint

Peter had heard the saint -

He'd told him my name is Cuthbert, this is my land -


I remembered the sand of the Pilgrims' Path -

The island, lapped by the rising tide, made beautiful and strange by prayer -

Swanage 

August 2935

Another precious Thursday

Jake chirruped with joy in the beach pool -

Later, there'd be Jenga -

A babychino -

The gift of his smile -

Another precious Thursday -

Five Rivers Leisure Centre 

Salisbury 

August 2026 

Drifts of windfalls

Drifts of windfalls on the lawn -

The long afternoon ending -

The sweetness of the apples a joyful surprise -

Like moments of happiness -

Like hearing a bird's tender song -

Knowing it was sung for me -

East Stoke

August 2026 

The house he'd shared

When he spoke, I saw the house he'd shared -

The mirror in the lounge -

The sofa where his mum had sat -

The clothes still hanging in the wardrobe -

Swanage 

August 2026 

Letting go

I said I can tell you everything -

We were laughing -

Still brimming with joy from the waves and wind - 

Swanage 

August 2026 

Haunted

There were cracks in the walls -

A garden in shadow -

A bedroom door kept closed -

Steyning 

August 2026 

I carry my secret

I carry my secret across the sand -

Each memory of you -

Each moment of joy -

Ferring 

August 2026 

Falling to earth

I thought of the angel in Wings of Desire -

Bruno Ganz playing Damiel -

Peter Falk playing himself -

I will drink my coffee -

Feel the warm sunlight on my face -

I will swim with you and afterwards hold your hand -

.

Ferring 

August 2026 

Like a scapegrace jackdaw

Jake sips a babychino -

He shows me his Lightning McQueen sunglasses -

Picks up new words like a scapegrace jackdaw -

Harnham

Salisbury 

August 2026 

Gentle words of wisdom

In the garden there was a labyrinth -

Inside the house I heard gentle words of wisdom -

Each word entering my heart - 

My eyes becoming bright with tears -

Swanage 

August 2026 

I wanted this afternoon to never end

I wanted this afternoon to never end -

Swimming with you -

No thoughts other than how lovely you were -

Swanage 

August 2026 

The scent of past summers

We ate blackberries walking back -

Each tree we saw had its long memory -

The woodland path was fragrant with the scent of past summers -

Creech

August 2026 

Joyous as scapegrace boys

We were swept downstream by the current -

Above us, shining greenery and glimpses of burnished sky -

Flickering scales of light on the cool water -

Coming to rest in a deep pool -

Joyous as scapegrace boys -

Holmebridge 

August 2026 

Watching Father Brown

Watching Father Brown -

The splendid Bunty Windermere in her roadster -

Murdered followed by Mrs McCarthy's scones -

August 2026 

Looking at a self portrait of Samuel Palmer

Your dark eyes -

Your beautiful sadness -

You loved one who spoke with angels -

August 2026 

Waiting for the eclipse

Waiting for the eclipse -

Looking for angels in the tree -

The return of my lost darlings -

The Old School House 

East Stoke 

August 2026 

Swimming with you

Swimming with you -

Turning to look at you -

Telling you, my heart singing - 

I'm filled with happiness -

Swanage 

August 2026 

A passport to a distant country

I found my Observer's Book of Birds -

A passport to a distant country -

I remember the happiness I had there -

When I remember that happiness, my eyes fill with tears - 

August 2026

Jake draws his house

Jake draws his house - 

My home he says- 

There's Charlie, there's Tess -

I wish I were years younger -

So I might have more time to love him -

August 2026 

Two houses

I live in two houses -

My own, with a seared garden -

My words heaped up like treasured pebbles -

Your house, with its paintings -

The echo of your husband's music -

Your beautiful shadow -

The kitchen where you held me -

Saying love you -

Swanage 

August 2026 

Sheps Hollow

Swimming at Sheps Hollow with Anne and Penelope -

The steep stair hidden in salty greenery -

My heart racing -

Knowing you swim here -

Sheps Hollow

Swanage 

August 2026 

As though my name were Ransom

Walking barefoot on the seared grass -

Gathering apples fallen from the tree -

As though my name were Ransom - 

White lions basking in the garden -

The Old School House 

East Stoke

August 2026 

After the Jazz

I can still feel your arms around me -

Your kiss on my cheek -

Your hand stroking my back -

You let go -

Then held me again -

You were wearing a geometric dress -

I felt the tenderness of your arms -

The kindness of your mouth -

Showbar 

Swanage 

August 2026 

Sea blue eyes

John has the lean face of a mariner -

Closely clipped beard -

Sea blue eyes -

Swanage 

August 2026 

Her dangerous smile

Fiona wears a red dress -

Like a wild west saloon girl -

Smiling her dangerous smile -

Swanage 

July 2026 

Katie reads her poem

Katie reads her poem -

Smiling her shy half smile -

Her words like bright birds -

Swanage 

August 2026

Suddenly

Suddenly you ringing me -

The joy of you wanting to see me -

Sitting with you in Java -

Wanting to say what I cannot say -

Java

Swanage 

July 2026

In Gullivers Bookshop

The beautiful smell of new books -

The gentle women in their summer skin -

The promise of each page - 

Gullivers Bookshop 

Wimborne

July 2026