The crossroads. Sitting under the shade of a tree resting from working In the citrus orchard. I viewed the crossroads Of my future life. A lonely decision. Nineteen was the age to be brave To take the right path One path to London Back to square one. Same old dreariness Same old hostility Same old fear. To mediocrity Same family rows A city life drone. The other path To go to India Promised and planned for With my friend,...

Gathering of the Clan It was a special event, We’d set up the house And bought the food Cooked a feast for all our brood. The weather was holding Our hearts were glad My hopes were high. I hope it goes well, said I, looking up to the sky. Mad and Dan Sam and Dale Dem and Kate It’s a very good fate. I love them all I am proud and done Let's hope as it happens It all will be fun.

I try to defend my team’s goal. Felicity is trying to shoot the ball into the hoop above my head. She is three inches taller than me. Skinny with long arms and legs and strangely large hands that easily grip the netball. She jumps up and I jump too arching my arm over the top of the ball to stop its trajectory. Felicity unabashed, weaves her body from side to side, trying to get past me. I try and block her again and agai...

NIGHTMARE Wanting to get away from the over powering maddening quiet and stillness. I plunged into the fairground cutting a tight path for myself through the milling mass of human bodies. They were just forms, except for the occasional leering face with mouth open and wild looking eyes, turned in my direction. Fingers pointed, mouths opened and poured forth blood curdling screams and laughter on the edge of hysteria? Holl...

Shorn child He cut my hair off Lock by lock, Hair Mother brushed for me near our blazing fire. and tied my hair back as a pony tail stretching my eyebrows Slanting outwards. He cut my hair off Lock by lock, Hair that Aunt Cecil Would not brush while She had me in her home. Mother absent banished me there Tell her ,no. Father, sister didn’t you care? He cut my hair off Lock by lock fleeing to the garden I sobbed and sobbed...

 “I wonder if it’s too soon to return to the house yet”, he thought. “Dads been yelling for an hour.” From past experience Jo knew his Dad would go on for another two hours. It always happened when he came home after drinking all day with his mates at the pub. He would come in fall flat on his face on the welcome mat and would not stir for another hour. When they were little his mum would take him and his sister out to th...

MEDITATION ON AN AMETHYST Sparkling Thrusting Jagged Symmetrical I am here strong and powerful Discovered from my protective covering Here to give beauty Strength and healing. Tune into my prisms. The storms may rage The sun may shine The snow may fall And I will still be here for you Glittering beautiful Joyous and inspiring. Receive my radiant energy And be one with me.

I’m a stone I’m a stone I’m not alone Standing here on the shore. Don’t worry I will be here for evermore. I’ve stood the test of time Its sublime. The hours of the day Have passed me by And I’m still here Being me silently. And I’ll be here for the sun When all is done.

The Three wishes Desire thrashed around in her sleep unaccustomed to having the whole double bed to herself. She had fitful dreams about her husband who was helping a friend with his guitar stand in a London festival. In her half conscious state she mourned for the opportunities she should have been bold enough to take on. Why do I always think I have to wait until the time was right, I missed out on my dreams. Shouldn’t...

5 a.m. Blues Sitting here Clock ticking Tap dripping Fridge buzzing Stomach rumbling Nose freezing Ears twitching When does the peace come blazing in? Sitting here Head aching Phone blinking Birds tweeting Heart thumping Feet freezing Eyes watering When does the gladness zoom into my being? Standing here Body leaning Brain ticking Fingers grasping Kettle boiling Tea brewing Porridge waiting When does is all make sense?

Destiny Teresa walked dreamily along the narrow winding roads of St James’s Square in London on her way to lunch with a friend. She put one foot out into the road at Duke street without looking. A horn blew and she looked up, startled, pulling her foot back. The driver shouted. “I nearly ran you over then,” shaking his fist. Shit, she thought, I could have broken my leg. Then I wouldn’t be able to go on holiday, and it mi...

I am an aching limb I am a child who wants to learn I am a feather who gets blown away I am a trembling drop of water Clinging on until I fall I am joy of creation I am the cushion supporting your back I am the cry in the night I am the root of a problem

The Flood I waded around my house panicking in the rapidly rising water that was pouring in from the flooding river. It had happened much sooner than predicted. My teeth were chattering with cold and I couldn’t get my mind to think logically. What could I save? The local radio had sent out an emergency message, “The rescue service will pick you up in a dingy. You can only take two small items with you. Wait on the top flo...

LAMENT TO THE MUSIC OF Purcell’s lament Oh, Oh, Oh let me weep For my laptop Taken away To Nottingham Far from Fermanagh Oh, Oh, Oh let me weep I cannot send my stories I cannot read my Friends’ poems Oh, Oh, Oh let me weep For my laptop Read six books Redesigned a dress does not still my sadness Oh, Oh, Oh let me weep Cannot read my news Cannot download a quote Oh, Oh, Oh, let me weep Washing my kitchen tiles Refilling m...

WATER With aching limbs I step into the shower feeling the hot steady stream of water coursing over me causing the atoms in my body to dance freely I stand in this pleasure for a never ending moment. Turning the taps off brace myself for the cold air of the bathroom and wrap a warm towel round me like a cocoon I sit as I used to when I was a child taking in the warmth and cosiness no thinking, no interpretation just relax...