In The Poetry

Autumn Gilt

The late September sunshine
Lime green on the linden leaves
Burns bronze on the slated roof-tops,
Yellow on the farmer’s last sheaves.

It flares flame-like on the fire hydrant,
Is ebony on the blackbird’s wing,
Blue beryl on the face of the ocean,
Glints gold on the bride’s wedding ring.

A sparkling rainbow on the stained-glass window,
It’s a silver sheen on the [...]

Two Seasons

We don’ have a Springtime like some folk
Who live in dem colder place,
but we have a time when de soft rain come,
an’ tease open de seedcase
o’ de poincianna and de trumpet tree,
An’ whisper to de young cane to wake
when de guangu blossom is pink an’ white
powder-puff, prettying up de earth face.
But not Spring like [...]

Granny Is

Granny is
fried dumplin’ an’ run-dung,
coconut drops an’ grater cake,
fresh ground coffee smell in the mornin’
when we wake.

Granny is
loadin’ up the donkey,
basket full on market day
with fresh snapper the fishermen bring back
from the bay.

Granny is
clothes washin’ in the river
scrubbin’ dirt out on the stone
haulin’ crayfish an’ eel from the water
on her own.

Granny is
stories in the [...]

Frost

Overnight, a giant spilt icing sugar on the ground,
He spilt it in the hedgerows, and the trees without a sound,
He made a wedding-cake of the haystack in the field,
He dredged the countryside and the grass was all concealed,
He sprinkled sugar on the roofs, in patches not too neat,
And in the morning when we woke, the [...]

The River

The River’s a wanderer,
A nomad, a tramp,
He doesn’t choose one place
To set up his camp.

The River’s a winder,
Through valley and hill
He twists and he turns,
He just cannot be still.

The River’s a hoarder,
And he buries down deep
Those little treasures
That he wants to keep.

The River’s a baby,
He gurgles and hums,
And sounds like he’s happily
Sucking his thumbs.

The [...]

Time

Time’s a bird, which leaves its footprints
At the corners of your eyes,
Time’s a jockey, racing horses,
The sun and moon across the skies.
Time’s a thief, stealing your beauty,
Leaving you with tears and sighs,
But you waste time trying to catch him,
Time’s a bird and Time just flies.