In the depth of winter

Each footstep

Into the

Dark

Sticky

Mud

In the

Cold

Drizzle

Would drag

Me

Down.

An emerging bud

Primrose blossom

Magpies nest building

Warming sun

Each sign of Spring

Lifts me up

With Spring awakening.

Morning walks, first signs of spring,

Peeping bulbs and emerging catkins.

In mud caked wellies the kids skip along,

Accompanied by the Great Tit’s song.

Back for mugs of steaming hot chocolate

Eggy bread and doorstops of cake,

Afternoon starts with Monopoly,

Dice throwing, dealing, a hotel or three.

Saturday treat is takeout day,

No washing up or putting away.

Curling up together to watch celebrities sing,

Whilst the eldest child does his own thing,

The youngest dances along to the beat

Adults tolerating the TV, tapping feet.

Some fizzy pop, a glass of wine,

These February evenings are just fine.

I woke up late, I'm half asleep,

And downstairs to the computer I creep,

I've managed to make a cup of tea,

And now 50 unread emails I see.

Monday mornings are soo slow,

When they are the same, I have no get up and go.

A poem I'd much rather write,

Then go back to bed and switch off the light.

Left, there is still a spark of motivation,

Right, but the body is weak and wants to rest

Left, look at the sun, the snow, the life,

Right, but this heavy weight is crushing me.

Left, exercise and fresh air will do wonders,

Right, but I can sit here and scroll.

Left, other people depend on you,

Right, I can go through the motions.

Left, I’ve got hopes, dreams and ambition,

Right, but you have seen the news?

Left, friends and family can rise you up,

Right, but I have no energy for contact.

Left, Right, this, that, here, then, me, you.

Life goes on.

Today is all about sandwiches,

Rising before the cockerel,

Knowing I’ll finish after roosting,

Sandwiching school between work.

Fitting all the chores of the day,

Into the longer hours,

Where once I might have slept,

Sandwiching work between life.

Procrastinatin’

As I rest my hand under my chin

My mind starts to drift

Although I’m at work mid-shift

And I should be reviewing accounts

Or cross checking amounts

And the children are home bound

With this coronovirus around

So I should do homeschool

Although I’ve emails to do

Maybe I’ll just make another cup of tea

And have a biscuit or three.

#behonest

The cat

Stares quizzically at the cat flap

A testing paw juts forward,

Catches an edge,

Slowly pulls the flap forward,

Paw down,

Catches the flap,

Head under and away.

If only he’d push,

It’d be much quicker.

How we make things more complicated

Than they need to be.

Next time the cat

Bites my ankle

To get me to open the door.

Much quicker

Damm cat.

#cat

Keep in pace, keep at pace,

In the park today.

Everyone out getting exercise,

Must be local, must be vital,

The constant stream of passage.

Too slow, too close,

Too fast, too close,

Keep the pace, keep in pace

In the park today.

Buggies, scooters, leading dogs,

Dare to step up the pace with a jog

Cross glances, you’re breaking the pace

Too fast, too close,

Wait your turn,

In the park today.

Don't look in the garage,

Or in the shed.

Don't look in any drawers,

Or behind the kids ears,

Or under the sofa.

Don't look in laundry basket,

Or behind the bathroom door.

Don't run your finger along edges,

Or srutinise the windows.

It's January 2021

It's all a mess, it's all hidden.