#NaPoWriMo2024 #day28 #verdant

 

Verdant

Plans to picnic revised. Water saturates, more rain looms.

Multitudes of hues, every shade of verdant green.

Our reward for venturing out on rainy afternoon.

#NaPoWriMo2024 #Day27 #thebedofthecouple

 

The Bed Of The Couple

Green woods, bluebell carpets underfoot, where

you can imagine Church men wincing to

see the season celebrated. Lovers

trysting; two intwining as one, startling

wood pigeons.  Mossy beds look inviting.

Feel a little voyeuristic, but the

couple are oblivious to us, caught 

up in the season of sap rising, more 

energy, run through the Bel fires, cast

off what no longer serves – I vow that I

will no longer work excessively, love

myself, close that laptop, make more time for

things like “Welcome in the May oh – Summer

is a-comin’ in, winter’s gone away”.

#NaPoWriMo2024 #Day26 #Girlsaloud

Proud, loud girls allowed

to write with might to power

cool to call him fool.

 

#NaPoWriMo2024 #Day25 #Dipyourtoe

 

Dip your toe

Perfect happiness is having resources for adventures, friends and family to share it with. I fear dying alone.  I deplore my own need for external validation and I loathe hypocrisy.  I most admire my friend Sian, her grace, her courage under fire.  My beach hut is an extravagance but I love to share with friends.  Current mood is expansive and fulfilled, however surgical menopause means that can change like the weather.  I don’t think virtues overrated, though the trend for complaining about virtual signalling bothers me, if we done signal virtues how will they be shared.  Let your virtue sign like Batman’s searchlight so others can find you.  I try to be honest I think a gentle truth is better than a white like, but I lie on occasion about my pain and energy because I get sick of it.  I don’t love my hair it’s fine a flyaway and I think I’d like serpents and turning people to stone.  I don’t think I despise anyone but I don’t like cruelty or malice.  I like vulnerability in men and strength in women.  Methinks the term methinks is unpardonable.  Lu Lud is my greatest love, my rock and my safe harbour.  I’m happiest in a circle of women sharing.  I’d love to be able to thow a pot.  If I could change one thing about myself I would make it easier to be gentle on myself, rest more.  I’m proud to have achieved raising a fine young man.   When I die I would like to come back as a cat owned by my husband, I’ve had a luxurious live but I think Tink had just a sliver more (not that I am jealous).  I always long to live by the sea and maybe I’ll retire to warmer climes, but for now I am well satisfied with my beach hut.  I most treasure my phone to keep me connected, it doesn’t have to be new or or constantly upgraded but it’s my tether to the people who matter.  The lowest depth of misery is not knowing how much you’re loved, when you truly believe those you love would be better off without you, that is always a lie.  My favourite occupation was Youth Worker but community organiser and Blue Organiser have coming up close.  I think my most marked characteristic is my ability to listen to and connect people.  I value friends who show up.  I love Our Lady Sylvia Plath my favourite author, poet and muse.  My hero is Druss the Legend.  I identify with Margery Kemple loud, mystic writer who upset the status quo and the patriarchy would rather burn but had created her own authority.  A real life hero is Greta Thunberg, but she is like many young people, trying to make a change.  I love the secret names we gave ourselves Demi and Trinity (almost a life time ago).  I dislike liars and cheaters.  My greatest regret is a sadness that hurts too much to dwell too long on.  I want to die old and fat and surrounded by lots of grandchildren who have many happy memories of me.  My motto’s “Any act of goodness that I can do let me do it now for I may not pass this way again”.

#NaPoWriMo2024 #Day24 #poetryonpescription

Poetry on Prescription

What’s the use of poetry?

You can say it’s self-indulgent, but

Poems have be more use to me

Than any anti-convulsant.

Not by preventing flashes

That’s not the right description.

Poetical explorations helped more

Than any doctors’ prescription.

#NaPoWriMo2024 #Day23 #WonderWoman

Wonder Woman Wonder Woman

All the world is waiting for you…

Waiting for me?

Why can’t they do for themselves?

It’s that woman’s work is never done rigmarole.

The power I possess is more than my satin tights.

Little girls were inspired –

that they could rope truth.

The tragic irony was the lasso

was meant as allegory for feminine charm!

Yet little girls grow – made dizzy from spinning.

Patriarchy literally made them spew.

Eight decades and change

I still inspire them to be resilient and powerful.

 

#NaPoWriMo2024 #Day22 #arockandahardplace

A rock and a hard place…

decided to end

their skirmish, and instead thought

to gang up on me.

My body and brain likewise

are at odds – feeling shattered. 

 

#NaPoWriMo2024 #Day 21 #Purple

Purple

Purple tights that fit, which

seemed such a splurge, but

no longer feel a luxury,

a bared legged necessity.

Purple the bruise on her breast,

that on closer inspection,

is not a contusion,

but a tie dye related accident.

Purple the altar cloth,

the amethyst, the silk bag

wrapping her oracular tools,

paraphernalia of a priestess.

Purple in the Pride flag,

symbolising spirit, once reserved

for monarchs and emperors, from

boiled down Phoenician sea snails.

Purple a little indulgence,

regal wrapper for chocolate, 

that I nibble, plotting shenanigans

for when I am older and only wear…

Purple. 

#NaPoWriMo2024 #Day20 #GinCraze

Gin Craze

Monks fiery distillation,

a potent medicinal tonic, in days

where drinking the water would kill you.

Warded against plague.

Black beaks stuffed with juniper to cure every malady;

from coughs and colds, to strains, and sprains.

Dutch courage and Mothers Ruin, 

raise the bottle, pour liberal libations,

to the outcast dead

"May you never thirst Goose".

#NaPoWriMo2024 #Day19 #whathuntsme

 What hunts me?  

Politicians, who

scapegoat those marginalised

communities, now

they’re coming for disabled,

crusade on sicknote culture.

#NaPoWriMo2024 #Day18 #Donchawish

" Doncha wish you were like, not disabled?"

New born I was perfect –
though aren’t we all in our mother’s eyes?

Though there were signs in childhood,

nights were I slung myself from bed.

In my pre-teens, named
Dolly Daydream because my attention wandered.

Seventeen, first tonic clonic,
but anyone can have a one of seizure, right?

Once the wall was breached
by my brains own projectiles.

Seizures like sorrows did not
come as single spies.

Left behind, labelled disabled
a sixth form dropout.

Eighteen, my personal best
206 seizures in a fortnight.

Regrets?   Don’t get me wrong,
I think, maybe life is easier –

Though it’s trite to say
“My dis/ability is my superpower”.

It has it’s gifts, it’s insights.
I can advocate, like a devil.

#NaPoWriMo2024 #Day17 #allthepeoplerejoiced

ALL the people rejoiced

I saw it out of the corner of my eye.

A poster, Zadok the Priest.

Suddenly I was transported

My 15 year old self

proud member of

Havering Youth Choir.

I had sung the song

to a piano accompaniment 

I wasn’t prepared for

an orchestral arrangement 

oboes, bassoons, trumpets, strings

the subtle strings, building

to galvanising crescendo of trumpets

acoustics bounding round

St Andrew’s Church

leaving absolutely no doubts,

that ALL the people rejoiced.

 

 

#NaPoWriMo2024 #Day16 #Ponddipping

 

Pond dipping, Tyland Barn

 

Wide round bowl,

net, small white containers

and a teaspoon.

Anna says the later

is ‘a serious bit of

scientific kit’.

Kneel, swish the

net through the water

figure of eight motion.

Anna says ‘not too 

deeply or you’ll end up

with a net full of silt’.

Kneeling is fine,

getting up again?

I’m grateful for the ropes!

I’ve caught a 

couple of water beetles 

with my science-y spoon.

Hail halts play,

my quarry released,

back into the pond.

I ponder my bigger pond 

a stakeholder map 

to dip for young people.

#NaPoWriMo2024 #Day15 #philatelywillgetyounowhere

 Philately will get you nowhere

I see you raven!

Corvids constantly trying

to sneak into my verse.

A poetic genius?

You’re pulling my tail feathers.

#NaPoWriMo2024 #Day14 #Believe

Believe

Believe that things can only get better

Believe that anything’s possible

Believe the evidence of your heart

Believe you’ll know the truth when you see it

Believe that you unshakeable

Believe that you can climb any obstacle

Believe that karma is a bitch

Believe that they got what’s coming to ‘em

Believe even when your faith is gone

Believe you can make your dreams come true

 

#NaPoWriMo2024 #day13 #psalms63:10

Psalms 63:10

Bought a cheap laptop

to listen to some doowop

sloshing down my adult juice

to get myself a little loose

count each expired breath

another step closer to death

every night asleep in bed

is a “practice run” he said

vampires hate garlic 

no stakes use a toothpick

serpent tempts eve with apple

(that’s what I heard in chapel)

I have read the good book

inconsistencies for those who look

wise men sans car

travelled guided my a star

church parades I attend

drive me slightly round the bend

I would be less annoyed

If foxes portions they’d avoid

 

#NaPoWriMo2024 #Day12 #Choughtastictales

 

Choughtastic Tales

I heard from

Merlin that the chough

was King Arthur

the “once and future king”

red legs and beak

the blood shed in his

final battle

I heard from

a knight who

wanted to serve his king

and rid him of a

turbulent priest 

that a curious crow 

dabbled in martyrs blood

I heard from

a community organiser

that chough are

the size of buses

and will swallow

a toddler whole

#NaPoWriMo2024 #day11 #monostitchintime

Monostitch in time, saved two community organisers.

#NaPoWriMo #day10 #moneyisnteverything

Money isn't everything.

But a little helps,

for pesky necessities,

food, rent and heating.

#NaPoWriMo2024 #Day9 #Tankalot

 

 

Tank-a lot, my life in my laptop

 

Photo memories,

poetry receptacle,

cover letters and

job applications, journals,

books, my life in my laptop.

#NaPoWriMo #Day8 #Ghosting

 

Ghosting

I would have

had this end differently;

a reconciliation or 

at least a tumultuous explosion

that lit up  the sky

rather than the pitiful

indoor fireworks,

 a disappointing pop, puff of acrid smoke.

It fizzled out uninspiringly  

a pale shade ghosting,

hidden under 

lightly used bedsheets

an extroverted people pleaser

an introvert gasping 

for the middle ring.

Maybe it was doomed

to fail, but do I regret

our paths co-joining?

No, I’ve enjoyed 

meandering a few turns

around the wheel,

the people we spoke to, 

lessons we learned, not least

how not to uncouple.

#NaPoWriMo2024 #Day7 #Wishyourwerehere

Wish you were here

Dear mum and dad.  Weather here is windy and while all the classic sea-side attractions are gone; no Sunday market, no Rotunda, no pier, no lido (it was all razed to the ground to make way for the folly known as Tinnitus Towers.)  When the wind picks up you can hear the haunting melody.  A mermaids sigh?  A sirens song?  They’ve developed the harbour but the cost of a pint would make dad weep, still there is a ‘Spoons up in the town.

 

#NaPoWriMo2024 #day6 #hapennywisdom

Ha'penny Wisdom

Hand on mine

nan would remind me

that a good girl 

kept her hand 

on her ha'penny 

In latter life

I had modest

success reducing 

teenage pregnancy 

in Dover. 

The partnership 

asked my secret!

So I shared with them 

a ha'penny's worth

of elder's wisdom.

#NaPoWriMo2024 #day5 #theblessingsofthemiddle-agedwomanthedandelionandthecrow

Blessings of the Middle-aged Woman, the Dandelion and the Crow

To be blessed

said the Middle-aged Woman

is to cast off the weight

of societal expectations

refuse to press your roundness into

identical cookie cutter perfection  

To be blessed

said the sunny dandelion

is to embrace your

transformational nature

you’re sun, you’re moon

and with full exhale you’re stars

To be blessed

said the crow

is to decide yourself

what blessings look like

no coveting or delaying

make your own miracles

 

 

#NaPoWriMo2024 #day4 #ominousravenlanguage

 

#NaPoWriMo2024 #day3 #sickday

 

Sick day

Hammered, but not really, it’s moulded plastic, meant to look like beaten metal.  The feel is all wrong.  I clutch it closely.  Yellow bile, taste of turmeric.  Thoughts race.  Contact new boss, old boss, try to communicate the day, what can go ahead in my absence.  Cancel meet up.  Email.  Panic that they won’t see the email.  That there will be a wasted trip.  Reputational damage.  Slump.  I’ve done what I can do.  In the grand scheme will any of this matter?  Some days are seized.  Some days just slip.  All the gripping won’t change that.  Empty bowl, rinse, bleach, wipe.  Surrender.

#NaPoWriMo2024 #Day2 #imperfectlove

#napowrimo2024 #day1 #doubleweddinghappyending

Double wedding = Happy ending

His arrogance

her bias

a mother’s vaulting ambition

a father's careless detachment

One of her sisters sweet and shy

another prone to moralising

third ignorant, idle and vain

youngest spoilt and reckless

Sidekick’s ball does not delight

heroine is slighted, later

her drenched sibling sickens

a proposal is refused

Intrigues and snubbery

falsehoods and manipulations 

hero writes letter righting wrongs

elopement violates social norms

Heroine refuses pompous proposal

hero clandestinely saves day

visitor to Longbourne promise denied 

double wedding = happy ending