Rhymes or Reason

To take my mind off the constant rain today I thought of something else.

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Spring

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The deep red tones of the vixen's tail
the pale grey black collared dove
the black white and red of the woodpecker
and the fluffy pale grey of the numberless rabbits
the hare is quite different with mottled brown black
a perfect disguise for it out in the field
it's so hard to see if you just see its back
so it's safe to nest overground where it just melds
into the general green of the pasture
the vixen trots by unaware of what's there
if she knew she'd attack, she knows what she's after
is a juicy young leveret she can strip bare
but now it's quite safe for mother hare to lay down
to suckle her young ones and help them to grow
pretty soon they'll be leaving in their uniform brown
and the mother can pad away to live on her own

meanwhile the vixen scents a hunt on the wind
she knows of the danger when too many hounds
find her trail but she knows even then she can win
if she muddies her scent before going to ground

we see the hunt passing by dressed in scarlet and brown
with the hounds black and white and all wagging their tails
the hunt master calls them to heel with his horn
and then off they go noisily hunting for trails

the vixen stares on as the hunt disappears
then calmly walks back to her den in the hill
she's got cubs that need feeding so she hurries as she nears
her offspring softly crying for their midday meal

the dove in the tree looks down at the vixen
then flies from the branch he's been on for a while
he can see a grey rabbit as it grazes below
but he quietly flies on as he heads for a stile

then the sound of the woodpecker deafens us all
as it hammers a treetrunk for hours at a time
a strange way to build a nest but it's nature's call
as to how we all do it, and in a way it's sublime
for the woodpecker knows that it's safe to lay eggs
in the hole in the bole of the tree he's attacking
and he's got the right tool for doing the job
of creating the nest, he's certainly not lacking
in strength or in stamina to finish the work
and move in the family each year in time
for the eggs to be laid and then hatched in the dark
and the chicks can all fledge and grow into their prime

this is another spring day in the country
the animals doing their best to get by
and we blink as we turn our eyes down in a hurry
to hide from the sunlight that dazzles our eyes

the colours all bright in the springtime sunlight
bring out feelings of happiness mingled with joy
as we lay in the warmth till the cool of the night
a pleasantness grows that no clouds can destroy

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Saturated Day tomorrow, coz that's what the ground will be.

 

I was bereft of ideas this evening, till I thought of one line, "There's a vanity that's hidden". From that one line I made up a rather cynical rhyme about writers and what makes them tick. Sorry if it treads on anyone's toes, but it is just a rhyme to pass the time, and isn't meant to be a crime. Honest!

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False modesty

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There's a vanity that's hidden
hidden behind the look
the look that say's "I'm shy"
when they're selling us a book

the author who'd be famous
the writer who'd be rich
the one who sits behind the keys
and thinks that life's a bitch

they want to get their story out
they want you all to listen
but with a voice for silent films
they get their story written

and so invent a character
who's secretly themselves
the one they'd like to really be
if only their book sells

for money is their motivation
and fame the only method
they'll contemplate to reach their goal
it is their pathway upward

so don't be fooled by modesty
it is it's own reward
they feign a timid quality
but really they want to be adored

they want all the attention
the good reviews and more
yet hide behind their persona
of feet glued to the floor

so instead they try to feign
such honesty and guilt
at having to explain to us
the way they really felt
when asked about their novel
that's hit the best sales charts
they smile and say "It wasn't me
it's in my readers' hearts!"
"That's where all the action is
the passion that drives forward
the story that welled up through me
and I've had to record!"

but as the words are being said
look deep into their eyes
if you can see a spark of truth
then perhaps they haven't lied

but oftentimes that's not the case
and as you stare they blink
then look away to not betray
just what they really think

they think they may have been found out
caught out in a lie
they want their talent recognised
yet want to seem quite shy

modest to the nth degree
and humble to the last
their arrogance depresses me
I really am aghast

at the vanity displayed there
in the timid smile so coy
and though I wish I didn't care
it really does annoy

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Soon Day tomorrow. Nope, too late, it came too soon, and now it's the day today!

 

Well, I don't know where the sun was today. I was out in my garden, working on an outboard motor I want to sell, and it was cold and overcast all day. Never mind, perhaps I should go on a road trip and stop at a motel somewhere, somewhere like this perhaps?

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Naughty Mr Bates an' his secret stash

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Sitting here in Bates motel
the Master has gone missing
I guess he's wandered out somewhere
who knows he could be...
takin' it easy know what I mean?

not jackin', not jillin', just sittin' and chillin'
he's not bothered by what we're a thinkin'
I bet he's just slowly holdin' and fillin'
some trusty ole bucket and findin' it thrillin'

he fills up a kettle with cool water drops
who knows he might even drop in some hops
to boil up the mixture and start it fermentin'
then leave for a while he might be inventin'
some new form of beer for us all to drink here
at Mr Bates' Motel and bar

so don't rush off too quick now you hear?
amble around like you've always been here
don't give in to fear but keep yourself near
till Master Bates comes in to hand us the gear

and his mummy as well is upstairs in her room
sittin' and spinnin' on her little loom
but it's dusty in there it could do with a broom
to brush all the cobwebs away

so the Master he leaves us
not that it grieves us
to service his ole mummy's needs
she calls to her son
to give her some fun
so he rolls her up some of his weed

the smoke and the smell are what we can tell
are causin' the titters 'n gigglin'
well that was just swell till he tripped and he fell
down the stairs and started to nigglin'

'bout the pain in his back
where he squashed his ole sack
the one he keeps all of his stash in
but don't feel guilty coz his sack is empty
he smoked all his stash at one sittin'

now he's rantin' an' ravin'
'bout how he'd been savin'
it all up for sweet Mary Lou
coz when she comes round
there's never a sound
just a pair of broad smiles when they're through

so we quietly leave
laughin' all up our sleeves
coz we don't want to cause any trouble
but his mum and his girl
meet up by the till
and then they go into a huddle

they both want his seed
(the ones from his weed!)
that he grows in the attic at night
the way we found out
was when we heard a shout
coz he'd backed himself into a light

the heat from the lamp
mixed with the damp
had caused his rear ending to sizzle
and he cried out in pain
he won't do it again
but if you believe that you can whistle

Master Bates is a comin'
of that we are certain
we can hear as he's poundin' the stairs
he's a scratchin' his itchin'
and I get the feelin'
that none of us here really cares

his stash is all gone
there's no reason for us to
keep hangin' around all the time
and the motel is closed now
and we'll never know how
to grow our own stash, it's a crime

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Moan Day tomorrow. How do I know? Wait till the alarm goes off in the morning, then you'll hear some moaning!

 

Raining today, the first day of Summer, and the longest of the year as well. So here's a tale about The Longest Day.

..............................

The Longest Day

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It must have been this morning
I read about the solstice
I didn't really take it in
instead I was busy yawning

it was the longest day today
a year now till the next
from now the days will leach away
and leave us feeling vexed

but Summer starts today
till September I recall
and no doubt as the days get shorter
clouts'll be cast aside by all

then Autumn'll be upon us
and the mellow fruitful days
will give another Indian Summer
in a warm inviting haze

soon Winter sidles its way in
as Autumn takes a bow
and as the cold wind strikes our shins
it begins a deathly howl

for Hallowe'en will soon be here
and Bonfire Night as well
with Christmas just around the corner
casting its warming spell

with just a week till the New Year
we have to pack it in
all the merry making and good cheer
and store it all within

for the New Year brings the coldest days
from January through till May
the snow and ice aren't very nice
we'll all wish they'd go away

but by then Spring will be along
to lift our spirits high
the year is shaping up to be
a feast to fill our eyes

with new growth springing from the ground
and blossom on the trees
everywhere you look around
and everything you see

is there to show that life goes on
it's hardy strong and free
and though we moan we don't own
it neither you nor me

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Tune a Day tomorrow, and it'll be shorter than today by a few minutes as well, or as I've got the musical thing going, should that be a few minuets shorter?

 

Wonderful as always xxx

 

Loony Tunes Day today, and typical Summer weather, bloody cold, wet and windy!! Grrrrrr! Oh, well, never mind, I can always go shopping I s'pose.

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Shopaholic

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She can't stop shopping
she just has to buy it
if she sees it and smells it
she knows that she's hooked

whenever she buys food
whenever she buys drink
wherever she is
she just doesn't think

she just picks it up, in the basket it goes
till she's staggering under the weight
she'll go out early to follow her nose
and she won't get back till it's late

but now her credit card's looking well worn
the numbers are almost worn off
the shiney bit's dull and the dull bits are torn
it's a wonder they haven't fallen off

but the shops still keep taking it day after day
you'd think they'd've all learned by now
that although she's not stealing the items per se
one day the bank'll say no

so tomorrow perhaps she'll go out again
to see what bargains she can find
but finally someone will at last cotton on
and make her leave all of her purchases behind

then she'll be bereft as she slumps out the door
no more to get high from her shopping
with the banks telling her she can spend no more
perhaps she'll think about stopping

we can all but hope that she'll listen at last
and heed all the warnings she's had
to put all the shopping she's done in the past
into context and find a new fad

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Coffee ladies day tomorrow. 11 o'clock or thereabouts and I'll be queuing for my Vanilla Latte! Yumm! I look forward to that each week, and tomorrow will be no exception.

 

As well as posting my poems here I also post them on a writer's website. Some people there wrote comments about yesterday's poem, and I was intrigued by a comment that had the phrase "a whimsy in nonchalance" in the first sentence. So I used that phrase as the start of this poem. It's a follow on from yesterday's offering. Enjoy! or not as the case may be.

.....................................

Shopaholic 2

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"A whimsy in nonchalance"
or a grave idea to worry
such is choice, a fine held balance
the option facing many

do we go for the lighter side
or the dark that draws us in
are we angels dressed in white
or demons held within

alone or in pairs
we must climb the stairs
of fate as it opens to us
to live as we find and not be unkind
as we go on not making a fuss

but now that we all know what's what
and maybe even who is who
we can just sit around and chat
perhaps that's what we should do

either that or go outside
and wander down the shops
where we can quickly run and hide
from all those store bound cops

the ones who watch you all the time
even though you're honest
their beady eyes search out the crimes
and errors of the purest

the ones who'd never think to steal
they'd simply die of shame
to dream of trying to conceal
goods about their frame

but cops will seek and cops will find
anything they can
to force confessions (duly signed!)
thus leading to a ban

for shoppers just there for whatever
they can hope to gain
and when the shops sales all begin
it causes them real pain

to be excluded from the store
an outcast looking in
now they cannot shop for more
or rummage in the bins

and even store cards cut in half
are not a disincentive
using cash from their secret stash
now that's being inventive!

somehow addiction must be fed
and new things must be bought
for the demons in their head
at the risk of being caught

still they try and sometimes buy
everything they touch
to grow their haul while at the mall
their fingers claw and clutch

at all the bright things in their sight
and the smell of something new
it may be wrong it may be right
so what are they to do

give in to temptation
accept defeat and fold
or fight to stick to what is right
and keep the need controlled?

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It was coffee day today, and it's another thirsty day tomorrow. Wonder what I'll want to drink then? Something to ease the pain in my jaw I hope. I had a tooth out today (it had an abscess underneath it!) and now I ache. Never mind, it's short term pain for long term gain, so all will be well in a few days.

 

Having endured a very uncomfortable night due to the ache in my jaw, I've been drowsy most of the day, and indeed I was out cold for over three hours this afternoon. So I'm just getting my thoughts together at the moment, and will begin the effort of putting a rhyme together in a little while. See you later!

 

Well, I've put a rhyme together. It's not much good, but it's all I could think of at the moment. Anyway, I'm off to bed to try and get a bit of an early night, so have some fun and imagine you're out on the beach somewhere, in the fresh air, with the wind blowing and the children throwing sand and pebbles around while the seagulls circle overhead.

.....................................

On the beach

-----------------------------------------------------

Kicking pebbles on the beach
making circles in the sand
and skidmarks like a big big fish
that flipped across the strand

and all the time the waves roll in
they break across the rocks
that mark the ending of the beach
it's where the seagulls flock

for there is where the shrimp are found
washed up on the shore
the sea birds cry, a raucous sound
challenging the sea's own roar

watching from the clifftop
the coastguard scans the scene
with his binocs he can search
for anyone who may have been
in trouble out there on the waves
and struggling to keep
themselves from drowning can he save
them from the ocean's deep

meanwhile below a sudden calm
descends upon the action
someone new without a qualm
has spotted the attraction
of all the goings on right there
the seagulls and the waves
the wind that blusters doesn't care
who it hurts or who it saves

the new girl runs across the sand
she trips and comes a cropper
but picks herself up off the floor
recloses her coat's poppers

then shouts out to her puppy
that's bounding t'ward the rocks
but he ignores her he's quite happy
scaring up the flocks

she wipes the dry sand off her clothes
and laughs at her own fall
then runs along to catch him up
and throws a coloured ball

the pup now turns to see her there
and watch the ball fly through the air
it bounces close to where he's stood
he gently bites it though he could
if bitten harder make it pop
it's only plastic it won't stop
the sharpened edge of puppy teeth
he runs to her and drops it 'neath
her shadow by her booted feet
then sits and waits for his next treat

the sailors on the yacht that lies
at anchor out there in the bay
ignore it all and close their eyes
to what's been going on all day

they're here to fish the choppy waters
out there rods and lines arrayed
for flat fish like the plaice and sole
and mackerel they can take away

to cook themselves or sell for profit
to the local bistros
the long day's work will all be worth it
when the day comes to a close

the sun now sets behind the hills
the cliff is just the face of
the coastguard's shift is nearly done
he'll report before he races off

to meet with his own family
they're down here for the day
he's watched his daughter on the beach
playing the hours away

chasing her new puppy
as he ran across the sand
to chase the circling birds away
from the salt sea strand
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Frixxxxday tomorrow! End of the working week for some, start of it for others.

 

Bit achey this evening, my jaw is still giving me grief, but never mind, I'll get over it sooner or later, meanwhile here's today's little ode.

.....................................

The end is nigh

----------------------------------------------------------

It's nearly over, just five more days
then the marathon rhyme fest will come to an end
can't say as I'll miss it when it's gone away
or that I'll mourn as the last one I send

out to the websites that show all my output
there are two of them that I update every day
this page is one of them as you can see but
the other is different in more than one way

for the two separate outlets are both part of something
each one a small part of a much greater whole
but the emphasis each one places on this thing
is notable by the priority of its role

each website caters for a different crowd
some younger some older some women some men
with business and politics, whatever's allowed
and the content differs according to when

and where it gets posted in a group or a forum
the subjects discussed are quite odd in a way
for the readers and writers have different interests
that show in the headings I see every day

some are quite funny and others are strange
when compared across sites if you know what I mean
and there's also a difference in the scope of the range
of each website as it appears on the screen

so I switch every evening one to the other
to get different insights about all my poems
although I sometimes ask myself why do I bother
when I know that I'll still be posting all of my tomes

and I also send them to two other people
family members who aren't in the groups
but who like to know of what I am capable
I email them both so they stay in the loop

that's all there is this evening I'm afraid
I can't think of anything else I could write
but don't worry I'll be back with another tirade
that I'll compose and post up tomorrow night

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Saturn's Day tomorrow. I hope it appreciates it.

 

Not feeling too good today. My daughter reckons I've got an infection in the wound where my tooth was removed. I'm inclined to believe her as I'm staggering round like a drunkard all the time and feel both weak and weary all the time I'm awake. So now I've started on some antiboitics to try and overcome it. Let's hope it works, eh? Anyway, tonight's offering follows on from last night's.

......................................

The end is nigher

--------------------------------------------------

The rocks are bleeding the soil is soaked
the trees lay dying they've lost all hope
there's nothing left now the die is cast
the world won't know when it breathes its last

for when the time comes and all is lost
who'll be left there to count the cost
the price of progress the price of speed
the price of hubris and human greed

such things are forecast and yet dismissed
as though we'll move past the growing list
of things we've done to break the mould
and free ourselves from what seemed old

yet time has taught us that nature knows
how much our power lust will affect those
who follow on from our today
and in tomorrow waste away
for nothing ever seems to last
we know it's never gone so fast

and all our children, and theirs as well
will stir the cauldron of our own hell
yet it's not too late for us to change
but who will want to, they'd seem deranged

the media lambasts those who'd warn
us of disaster they heap the scorn
on anyone who might disagree
with the current fad for the mindless spree

the reckless use of our resources
the spending of what's there
can never be undone by those
who follow us or care

once we've used up all the metals
and we've used up all the oil
we'll need to grow some morals then
to save this mortal coil

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See you on the Sunny Day, or whatever the weather forecast says.

 

Well, I don't know, I said to see you on the Sunny Day, but it's bloody freezing outside. Overcast, windy, with rain in the air. So much for Summer, eh?

...........................................

The end is nigher still

-----------------------------------------------------

Sitting in the garden on a Summer afternoon
the wind blows cold, the dark clouds loom
I'm sure that I feel raindrops in the air
I'm not sure I want to stay in this chair
the cold wind whips around my ankles
to call this Summer really rankles
there's nothing warm and blissful here
no bright Sun to give us cheer
instead we just get cold and rain
I wish it could be Spring again

the weather then was warm and dry
with hardly a cloud up in the sky
the odd comtrail criss-crossed the blue
made me think of time spent with you
when warmth and gentle breezes ruled
and we spent time around the pool
basking in the golden heat
the hot stone slabs would burn my feet
so crocs or sandals were de-rigueur
ah, to think of how we were

but now of course the Summer's here
it's cold enough to bring a tear
to eyes that smart in this cold wind
that whistles round our knees and shins
so pack the coats and scarves and hats
if you want to venture into that
the weather man says that it will stay
the way it is out there today
at least till Autumn, then perhaps
we'll gaze in hope at weather maps
to see if we can go outdoors
or if this cold snap will endure
right through till Winter breezes in
to freeze our faces, cheek and chin
and so the cycle will continue
through till next year when we're into
Spring and Summer once again
when it might live up to its name

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Moonies Day tomorrow. I never realised they named it after some obscure cult led by an Asian bloke.

 

Soggy day today. Not nice for a Monday morning, but then again, I s'pose I'd rather it rained on a wekday than on a weekend. Not long to go now till I reach the end of the marathon. Wednesday is the last day of June, and will be the last of these poems to be posted up for a while. No doubt I'll carry on writing odes, but not on a daily basis. However, when I do put one together I'll post it here.

...............................................................

The end is even nigher than yesterday!

----------------------------------------------------

Hit a flat spot in the day
this rain is just not going away
I'll have to sit and look outside
and dream of what the clouds might hide

those clear blue skies we sometimes see
that stretch for miles down here on land
the air although it's there seems empty
it's something we can't understand

the deep deep blue of the endless dome
above our heads when we look up
no matter where on earth we roam
we see the same view, earth enveloped

wrapped in atmosphere so fine
with such deep hue as we can stand
to stop and look is so sublime
to know it's always there at hand

when clouds disburse to leave the sky
clear as crystal in our thoughts
we soar among them up so high
that all our troubles shrink to naught

nothing can depress us there
we feel the joy of endless freedom
nothing can make us despair
as we slide silently at random

first to here and then to there
to see the earth from up above it
we'll have time to float and stare
when we can I know you'll love it

----------------------------------------------------

Tune a day tomorrow. Bin day too. So I must remember to put out the bin tonight. Who knows, perhaps I'll sing as I do it, in anticipation of what tomorrow brings?

 

Busy day today. I didn't get round to starting today's poem till gone 11 this evening. My back's killing me, but never mind, it's off to bed for me now, to dream of going away somewhere, on a train perhaps?

...................................................

The end is almost at its nighest

---------------------------------------------------

So there I was watching the world go by
well, that's how it felt, but of course
if it'd really passed by I'd be up in the sky
in a space ship, not an old iron horse
but drifting along on the rails for hours
I dreamily looked out of the window
at the fields and hedges and displays of wildflowers
and the walkers enjoying the Sun's warm glow
as they ambled and rambled across green meadows
in line astern to keep on the path
sometimes in sunshine, sometimes in shadow
if that was me I'd soon need a bath
for the sweat from walking hither and yon
would soon make me rather unpleasant
you'd want to be upwind before very long
I really would be quite repellent
but thankfully here I am resting inside
while the clickety clack of the train
lulls my senses, I'm enjoying the ride
and tomorrow if I can I'll do it again

travelling far can be boring I know
but it all depends how far you're going
with hours to kill and nothing to show
for the effort you'd think I'd avoid it, but knowing
the reward for the wait will make it worth while
I'm happy to climb aboard with a smile
and then sit in my seat with my head in the clouds
dreaming it's empty not filled with a crowd
of commuters and locals all chatting away
you'd think they were all on an outing for the day
off across country down to the sea side
a walk on the pier or perhaps a tram ride
and the kids with sand all over their knees
while you rest on the promenade under the trees
and watch the young families there on the beach
with towels and picnic bags just out of reach
mum and dad watching the kids like a hawk
as they play in the surf or go for a walk
along the sea's edge where it reaches the sand
I dream of those days, they all seemed so grand
but now I'm just idly gazing around
and listening vaguely to all of the sounds
of my fellow travellers here on the train
as they talk or do crosswords or read
a good book or perhaps play computer games
while we're tearing along at high speed

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Wodin's Day tomorrow, I wonder if Wode was named after him? If it was then I wonder if he was blue?

 

I ache! I ache a lot! I ache so much I'm going to have an early night. However, for those of you who want to stay up, here's something for you to read. It'll be my last dittie for a while, so make the most of it. I wll post up other odes when I think of them, but the challenge I set myself has now been fulfilled, and I'm going to take some time off and let my brain have a rest for a while.

.......................................................

The final curtain falls

--------------------------------------------------

The curtain rose the people looked
the actors walked onto the stage
the dialogue soon had them hooked
the actions helped them to engage

the first act rolled round to its close
the curtain fell they all relaxed
backstage the actors donned their clothes
ready for the second act

the curtain rose again but now
the plot was thickening by the minute
the audience leaned in row on row
their eagerness now knew no limit

boy met girl then she went off
to steal adventures by herself
he wants her back it's not enough
to know she's safe he's on the shelf

loneliness is creeping in
he pours his heart out then declaims
he'll end it all by close of scene
if she's not back he's so ashamed

of letting her go off without him
to live a life so dangerous
she'd acted on a sudden whim
but life can be so treacherous

and now dark forces close about her
she's in danger he can see
she must escape and he must help her
if she's ever to be free

and so they both run from the stage
the second act is now completed
it's almost like a rite of passage
watching as the tale proceeds

now act three is starting up
the curtain rises swished away
how will the suspense develop
how will the actors now portray

decisive action that resolves
the conflict that's been building through
the first two acts, can it be solved
by heroic deeds and derring do?

we'll find out by the final curtain
if it's worth the hard won fight
will he save her, is she certain
he's the one, her mister right

so at last the scene unfolds
the hero wins and saves the day
his courage and his acts so bold
have saved her, and now she's carried away

slowly the final curtain falls
the play is over let's go home
the man who wrote the tale that's told
is writing now a different tome

a new departure, a new paradigm
needs different skills from those before
a gift for writing words that rhyme
a new stage for him to explore

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Cor, that was thirsty work, and tomorrow's thirsty, well what do you know? More than me I expect.

 

Wonderful BJ
I was away, then posting all my photos xxxx

 

Candy Gal, you'll have to tell me where you've been posting all your photos, then I can go and take a look at them. Judging by your painting ability I reckon you're also a very good photographer. You have an eye for colour and perspective, so I expect your photos will be interesting to see. xxx

 

Candy's travels - A week in Scotland

 

Oops I lost BJ

 

No, I'm still here, but not posting anything at the moment. My brain is still recovering from the 6 months of forced rhyming, and although I won't say it was ode(ious) nevertheless, it was tiring and I could do with the rest. I also have yet to find your week in Scotland photos, but I haven't searched much, so it's just laziness on my part. In truth I've been rather busy lately, and the onset of the hot weather has knocked me sideways, but we struggle on.