Walking along the sand bar at Shipstal Point ..

We walked along the sand bar at Shipstal Point - 

Small waves broke upon the pale shore - 

Leafless oaks netted the wind - 

Tidal creeks held the ebbing tide - 

Low lying islands were dark with shadow - 

We smelled the coconut scent of the gorse flowers - 

We heard the mysterious words of the birds - 

14.00

Saturday 7 April 2018

Shipstal 

Arne

Dorset 

How the years have surprised us ...

Jack Johnson was singing in Billy Winters - 

Cool boys with beards like Walter Raleigh were serving Americanos - 

We watched the kite surfers sweeping across the bay - 

They tamed the salty gale with strong hands - 

I thought of asking for a fiery cocktail - 

There were forget me nots in flower along the path - 

A small castle faced the shining sea - 

Rowing boats were half buried in the sand - 

A delicate teapot was left upon a green table - 

We talked about our children and how the years had surprised us - 

12.50

Friday 6 April 2018

Billy Winters 

Portland 

Unstrung pearls ...

I walked with Anne along the river to Redcliffe - 

Soon the poplars would be in leaf - 

The three trees on Saint John's Hill would wear their Easter blossom - 

Yachts rode the rising tide -

I picked a celandine flower - 

I held memories in my hand like unstrung pearls - 

15.46

Thursday 5 April 2018

Redcliffe

Wareham 

Dorset 

The river rose to steal across the quay ...

The water meadows below the town's green walls were flooded - 

Rain had fallen for two days upon the quiet land - 

The late morning streets were almost empty - 

Attics still hoarded dreams - 

The river rose to steal across the quay - 

Gulls bickered where long legged girls would welcome summer - 

11.30

Wednesday 4 April 2018

Town Quay

Wareham 

Dorset 

A versicle for our times ...

I'm reading A Canticle For Leibowitz - 

My dad had praised this dark fable - 

He'd turned the pages I now am turning - 

Like him I shudder whilst reading a versicle for our times - 

From the place of ground zero - 

O Lord, deliver us - 

From the rain of The Cobalt - 

O Lord, deliver us - 

17.33

Tuesday 3 April 2018

The Old School House 

East Stoke

Dorset

Raindrops pearled willow trees ...

We sat amongst a nest of dark beams - 

Charlie ordered a Cuban sandwich - 

Soft rain fell upon ancient rooftops - 

The river ten through the Cathedral city - 

Raindrops pearled willow trees - 

14.46

Sunday 2 April 2018

Salisbury 

Dropping a silver coin into water ...

I tied the pale blue ribbon around the slender branch - 

Clear water filled the stone basin - 

A saint had stopped here  

Pilgrims had come to where we stood - 

They'd dipped their hands as we did in the spring - 

The shards of the Abbey still withstood the years - 

Swallows flew in summer over the hallowed stone - 

I dropped a silver coin into the water - 

We remembered our dear dead - 

14.53

Sunday 1 April 2018

The Holy Well

Cerne Abbas 

Dorset