King and queen

Inspired by a day in the New Forest...

King and Queen

Moss-boled, fissure-barked,
Veteran of the pollen wars,
Ancient oak stands squat and spreading,
Limb-scars rain-filled
Pools give life,
To facet-eyes in scurry-dark,
Glint - with flick of legs they're gone.
Branches part, mons lignis beckons,
Dryadic welcome, woodland womb,
Born of acorn, cup-borne, potent,
Leaf-crown worn in green on high,
Forest-monarch, sunlight-hungry,
Seedling servants, deep in shade,
Courtiers crawl, and fly, and scuttle
Diverse of leg, of wing, parade.

To forge a pendant

A little verse about the things I make here and here.

Sunburst hammer-flash, steel sparks fly,
Yellow-hot to cherry-red,
Silver blackens, copper flows -
Mirror smooth the anvil awaits the blow,
Bluing iron from live-wire glow,
Polished face imparts the sheen,
Beaten metal gripped and drawn,
Twisted on a frame,
Racked and pulled and burned once more,
From tongs to hand and back again,
Quenched and cooled,
A jewel is born.

Ben da Man

A little homage to Benjamin Zephaniah...

Ben da Man

Zeph. Odd. Beetlebox,
Wanna go, see da show, innit.
Up. Fire. Mind's eye,
Pinning a time to sign me lie,
Rabbit-rousin' double-taker,
Find, me wire me, hero-chaser.
Lucky wah-wah, play it loud,
Down, clown, man o' wonder,
Loud the sound, phantom ground.
Ragged. Bluff. Entire,
Skankin' skunkin' queen o' jeepers,
Look-I sunward, green-grey sky;
Blow me hair-horn, cloudy spires,
Babble-jar comes scion after,
Highly sorted, finely lost,
Plantin'-can, d'ya make a garden?
McCotton's legacy, a 'wee dram' tossed.

A day off sick

In the garden,
Rug in the sun,
Socks bundled in shoes,
Lemon squash,
Watching the pond,
Reading a book,
And doodling.