Poetry's End

The rhythm has now faltered
And rhyme begun to fail
A verse of sorts had been penned
Each day now for a month
Though the end has come
And words now rest
The challenge has been won
And nothing’s left to say

Teacher's Frustration

sit still
be quiet
shhh
get on with it
don’t talk
what are you doing
have you finished
leave it alone
sit at your desk
get down
put it away
get rid of it
give it back
put it down
where’s your book
why is your pencil at home
your chair has four legs
please don’t talk with your mouth full
listen
pay attention
follow directions
what did I tell you to do
do you need help
I have told you to be quiet
push your chair in
pick it up
put it down
throw it away
don’t throw it away
take it out of your mouth
do you need a tissue
slow down
speed up
speak up
don’t yell
why are you doing that….

Somedays a broken record would be useful

On the Outside, Looking In

golden glow
through window panes
soft hum
words spoken inside
own days
brought back together
rich smells
meals cooked with care
mile stones
needing celebrations
tears cried
always shoulders near
cherished memories
with pride of place
feet curled
on sofa seats
warm quilts
to snuggle under
with love
bedtime kisses given
lights out
sweet dreams for all
Another house
becomes a home

Waiting........... Just Waiting

Work days waiting
for weekends to come

Darkness waiting
for dawn to arise

Grey skies waiting
for the sun to shine

Confusion waiting
for a clear head

Boredom waiting
for fun to begin

Laughter waiting
for jokes to share

Children waiting
for parents to see

Rocks waiting 
for waves to crash

Friends waiting 
for phones to ring

Buds waiting
for spring time to arrive

Bees waiting
for flowers to bloom

Clocks waiting
for hours to pass

Hearts waiting
for love to show

Past waiting
for the future to come

Always waiting
For waiting to end

Lifelong Performance

A mystery performed
In a theatre without seats
No rehearsal or matinee
One continuous run
Sets to be built 
And dressed on the fly
Costumes are found
Though they don’t always fit
A cast of characters
That pass through the show
No scripting
No prompts
Adlibbing prevails
There’s no intermission
No chance for a break
As the next act begins 
And the story unfolds
Just take your place
Continue the scene
Not knowing quite where
You’re meant to be
A score like no other
No orchestra heard
The leading character
Is your lifelong role
It’s long and it’s tiring
No hint of what may come
But the show must go on
Till the curtain does fall.

Sleepless Nights

Sleep used to be a charm
Falling into dreams
With the greatest of ease
Face down in the pillow
The night would pass by
Glorious technicolour movies
Played out in my head
If sleep tapped on my shoulder
I’d crash out anywhere
Impossible to wake
Till it’s time was done

Then as a teen
It started to shift
Tossing and turning
Restless nights had begun
No longer my friend
Sleep would prod and then poke
Teasing when tired
What a wonderful joke

And now I just struggle
Each night is a mess
As I pass in and out
Of that conscious zone
I wake every hour
Watch the minutes tick by
Then steal a few moments
Before starting again.

My Old Room

My old room
Is that one there
Just to the left
At the top of the stairs

Open the door 
And it’s quite plain to see
My world was a mess
But a great place to be

A bed never made
Duvet left in a heap
I’ll just wreck it again
When I next go to sleep

A wardrobe door
That wouldn’t quite close
After tidying up toys
And maybe some clothes

This is the home of
Childhood treasures and dreams
Each one shining bright
In the light of moonbeams

Books filled with friends
Who battle their foes
In my secret worlds
Where no-one else goes

The bag that got packed
Running away was the aim
But in 8 year old style
I wasn’t quite game

The view from the window
Was one I adored
Soak up the valley for hours
And always want more

Some things got packed 
But most left behind
For years long forgotten
In a rush come to mind