Wednesday, March 26, 2008

The domination of the potted plant

They are still alive, bright red, dominant,Christmassy,
And it's nearly March I fear.
I suppose I ought to be thankful there's only two of them,
Not five, like last year.
Generous Christmas gifts, brilliant and beautiful,
But still here.

I could put them in the garden
Where they'd die.
But I have a conscience, and they were given to me,
So I daren't try.

In the utility there's an orchid thankfully given.
it cam in June,
But with flowers fallen, and not a change to be seen,
Will it once more bloom ?

I could put it in the garden
Where it would die.
But I have a conscience, and it was given to me,
So I daren't try.

There's a peace plant ,junglt like, dark green
Sitting in a pot.
It has a habit of suddenly wilting in desperation
For water, like it or not.

I could put in in the garden
Where it would die.
But I have a conscience and it was given to me
So I daren't try.

Am I in bondage to other people's gifts to me?
I delight to receive them
But they go on existing when my interest in them has waned
And I long to leave them.

Now fresh cut flowers are a different matter!

My pre-school music children

Just lists of names,
Addresses, numbers,
But I pore over them,
A careful gardener,
Checking my tender saplings,
Pulling some out, re-planting,
Feeding, watering.

Just pages of facts,
Computer print-out,
Yet I'm drawn to them.
A proud herdsman
Sizing up his stock,
Weighing up their strengths,
Believing in their potential.

Just numbers of children,
Groups and times,
But fascinating.
My homework
And my leisure reading,
Each name short hand
To a small personality

Spiders in the Bath

Why do spiders like my bath?
They don't sit in the basin !
I never chase them round the loo.
In fact, I never chase them.

I have my plastic bowl and card
Humanely thus to catch them,
Then take them out and let them loose.
I couldn't really squash them.

The clever spider's look-out post
Is safe up near the ceiling.
He knows I've better things to do
Than send the cobwebs reeling.

But why imerge from subway dark
To shiny slippery white?
What joys present to mini beats
In a bath, all shiny and bright ?

There was a day when I saw Three
Just sitting there, not mating.
Ah! a daddy, mummy and a babe
There's a children's story waiting.

But the next day when I peered to see
The family group at ease,
There were only two and the large one
Had sadly got obese.

I didn't want to know the truth,
But Day 3 sickened me.
Just one spider stood his ground
As large as a spider could be.

Oh spider, I've gone off you now.
I don't want you around.
You're meant to be catching nasty flies
But you're scyving,I'll be bound.

Tell me why you love my bath?
There's nothing there to thrill.
The slope's too slippy, abseiling's out,
And you might p'raps catch a chill.

I'll always keep the plug hole stopped.
You shan't pollute my wallow.
Oh spiders dear, I've had enough.
I'll go where you can't follow.

Illusion

I picked up nothing in the dark last night,
Grasping at bars of lamplight on the stairs.
Illusion. Disappointment. Amusement.

To pick up nothing in the light each day
Feeding an appetite that is never satisfied.
Illusion. Disappointment.Prison.

Stop. Let the eyes of the soul see through
The motions of a life of sawdust,
Of quiet desperation.
Let the song in my heart be loosed to fly
And see its reality.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

The Navigator

I sit with air of confidence
That atlas on my lap.
I've been through all the route before
I hardly need the map.

The driver has the harder job
Our lives are in his care.
He concentrates upon the road
I navigate, that's fair.

But the writing's smaller nowadays
Where is my glasses case?
I think we're on the green road here
Drive slow, it's not a race!

Which turning? That one! This one here!
There's a queue behind us, quick.
I've lost the place. B 409
Hold on, the dog's been sick.

Oh trying is the woman's lot
Who tries to navigate.
And if HE misses the M5 turn
It's MY fault we'll be late!