• the painter

    this picture the family keptbut light no longer shinesin eyes cataracts had dulledno captivating smilenot in virile poseor grandiose settingno finery in the clothesa few strands of hairswept back across a weathered crownwith timelines etched deep into face and browsteel rim round glassessit comfortably on the nosea well-worn cream cotton coatheavy upon age-rounded shoulderswith life’s

  • on time

    put yourself outsidebrave the weather, breathe in springtoday soon passes~ CLP 24/03/2025

  • on time

    As I a child I wonderedWhat life was like beforeWar broke out in EuropeCricket played on village greensActors shining from silver screensTube trains, trams, omnibusesFull of people reading newsheetsEditorials and commentariesOn threat and riskThe rights and wrongsThe unlikelihood of something worseNo-one would be mad enoughTo fire the shot, to call a bluffTo cross the line,

  • on time

    wind, rain, sunshine, icewild February weatherwater splashed on face~ CLP 25/02/2025

  • on Ukraine

    sunrise dulls night’s starsunder lunar indifferenceresistance is allthree years have spunwith nothing to celebrateexcept life itselfthis fight not overembattled Kyiv’s trams will runthere is still a pulsehospitals and schoolsbakeries and street marketsprecious exchangesmoney greases handsmerchants of war grow fatterUkraine their foir grasyellow and blue bandswheat sent by sea feeds the worldtherein grains of truthone man

  • on time

    soft light of fresh dawn birdsong calls us, not alarmEarth’s orbit spins on~ CLP 18/02/2025

  • on ice

    somewhere beneath lifecontinues in slow motionwaiting Sun’s blessing~ CLP 17/02/205

  • on hope

    stark naked branchessunshine on boating pond icesnowdrops in clusters~ CLP 17/02/2025

  • on peace

    don’t say you’re surprisedhow many will be murderedcelebrating peace~ CLP 16/01/2025

  • on peace

    ceasefire brings weepingcould this be the end of it?four days to stay safe~ n.b. Let us pray that everyone can stay out of the line of fire until 19th January. As the ceasefire is agreed, why not stop the shooting and bombing immediately? CLP 15/01/2025