Joan used to tell me about the day you were planted
Fifty eight long years ago
Now she is gone and you have fallen
Defeated by years of strong winds

Twelve years I’ve watched
From my bedroom window
Seen your beauty change
With each passing season

Watched so many birds rest
In your thick heavy branches
Flitting forth and back
To collect seed from the feeders

Great ***, blue ***, long-tailed *** (like lollipops)
And the not so often beautiful coal ***
Greater spotted woodpecker, Male and female
Crow and dove, robin and chaffinch
Dunnock, nuthatch and the rarely seen Yellowhammer

I’m sitting here looking at the empty space
That you used to occupy
It seems so bare, even barren
Not to see your branches spreading outwards
In welcome to the wildlife that came

Now you lay horizontal across the ditch
Trunk torn from its rightful place by a storm
Leaving a big empty space
That opens the view across the common to the woods

As lovely as the view is and I’m grateful for it
It will not compensate for the view of you each morning
As I look at the open space you left in the hedgerow
I realise you have left a similar space in my heart

Farewell my regal hawthorn tree
You will not be forgotten
All the memories will stay in so many hearts
And the birds are still resting for now
In you sadly fallen body

       Copyright 15/01/20 Janice Chinn

Late November       Janice Chinn 21/11/19
Bare branches like gnarled fingers twisted and rough from age
Grey skies cloudless and silent hanging in space like a shroud
A horse tethered on a lifeless common
Standing as still as the dead grass surrounding her
A cold wind blowing in from the east
Chilling to the very core of your soul
Just a few yellow and red leaves
Hanging on in stubborn hope
Red berries very few waiting for the last pecks of the blackbird
Old woman sits and watching from her window
And likens herself to the scene beyond
Wondering if the spring to come will be hers once more to embrace

Sitting watching the rain fall
Long needed after the heat wave
But dealing with temperatures of 40c
Gave me a focus other than pain

Four months have passed by
And I still wake up with aching heart
Even now I try to fathom it out
But still not knowing why

I still go to pick up the things
You loved from supermarket shelves
I look at the empty spare room bed
Where you used to lay your head

No more writing journals together
And listening to your stories or news
All that is left is an empty space
In my heart that is full of the blues

I’ve begged and I’ve cried
Knocking loudly on heaven’s door
For her to please get in touch
Either to her dad or me once more

Does she even care, does she know
The pain that we feel deep inside
Perhaps she thinks we cut her from our lives
I can only suspect and surmise

I hold onto the hope that all will be restored
That life will return even better
We didn’t even get to see her prom
Or know her GCSE results
How are we meant to forget her?

Four months and still no change
The world keeps turning days come and go
Our hearts keep on yearning
Rain is falling life is hard
And still we do not really know
WHY!!!

Hello autumn
I’m sort of glad to see you
Summer was grand
Hot sunny lazy days
Evenings on the patio with friends
Glass of wine in hand

But now I’m ready for you
The summer has had its time
I wait with patience
To see you bold
Paint brush in hand
Ready to turn leaves
From green to red and gold

Jays flying south for winter
Squirrels running to and fro
Gathering nuts to hide
Windy days chill in the air
Time to cosy inside

So hello autumn
Goodbye summer
Thanks for the memories
And the fun sunny days
But soon all those things will be lost
In autumn’s misty haze

I heard there's a Raven in town
Wow! how exciting
I decided to hunt him/her down
So I googled the call to see
The difference between He and the crows
He doesn't Caw caw it's more of a croak
Kraa Kraa  
A bit like an old man
Who should never have smoked

OK so now I learn they go in pairs
Not in a crowd
Tails are not fanned shape
But are shaped in a wedge
Oh dear! this is beginning to
Mess with my head

So I set off with my camera
And go for a walk
I head for latton Woods
Ah! wait be still don't talk
Did you hear that? it was a croak I'm sure

when I look up there he is
Majestic, shining, waiting
I hardly dare breath
I gently lift my camera
Click, swoosh
He's gone to the next tree

I clamber through the undergrowth
And he sits posing as if smirking
I'm close enough now
click, whoosh
Off he fly's not a croak does he make

My eyes span the trees and bingo I see him
perched high, I slowly move toward him
This time he's looking away
I raise the camera zoom in
click, whoosh
He's gone

Now I have a set of perfect shots of tree tops
But alas no Raven
I clamber out from the undergrowth
And head back home
I SALUTE YOU KING RAVEN

SAYING GOODBYE  

I miss you every day and even when I think I don’t
You’re still an ache deep in my heart
We sorted all your clothes and shoes
Put them into black bags for charity shop
The ones that you would choose

It was hard, not the physical lifting of bags of once you
But the emotional side of putting your once you things
Away forever from our view
I got loads of your personal things in my spare room
Old specs, purses, jewellery boxes and more
I’ll keep them along with the memories I store

I found a small tapestry bag and peeked inside
There inside were your little rollers and comb
You were so fussy about your hair
I held it to my heart and cried

Then I found your makeup bag
The one you used each day
Foundation, mascara, two favourite lipsticks
And I cried…
Still can’t get around that you’re no longer here
And that one simple thought can bring on a tear

Took your identical twin sister home yesterday
She lives in a lovely little place in Kent
We had tea and chatted about this and that
A lovely time and really well spent

We drove to Broadstairs and went to the beach
Had a portion of chips and a mug of tea
Took off our shoes and straddled our feet
The sand was so soft underfoot
It was a well welcomed treat

Then it was time to say goodbye
I hate that moment it’s hard to deny
We hugged and said farewell
And I tried hard not to cry
Just moved to the car with a quiet sigh

I smiled as I waved to hide the sadness inside
As I looked briefly back to see  
The reflection of mum slowly closing the door
And knew mum would live on in our hearts evermore

                                        by Janice chinn 2017 ©

I luv my ford fiesta
Her name is princess Elsa
Because she's frozen white
And because she's automatic
To drive her is a delight
We go for miles Elsa am me
Up to the towncentre
On a shopping  spree
Down to Dunelms on to Tesco
Where we buy food to eat alfresco
On sunny days we go to  buy  plants
Sometimes tree's  or flowers sweet
Some to plant higgledy  piggled
Or some to plant neat
Whatever the weather rain or shine
Me and my Elsa we do just fine
She's good on fuel
And great on looks
She may not be a flashy SAV
With all its arrogant ways
But she's  kinder on the environment
And in my book that's what pays

Don't  you love those lovable guys
Tanned and loud surrounded by flies
Trowels flying, hammers thumping
Music blaring lots of swearing
They love the summer and love the sun
Love to show off their builders ***
But don't  you love those lovable fellas
Who work up a sweat
While we sit cool
Under our umbrellas

Horses tethered endlessly on Latton Common
Bored an lonely
Left for days
Do their owner really care? or just go their own ways

Neighing to each other
Though the others are out of view
They are lost from sight behind the trees
And feeling pretty fed up and blue

A stranger comes and cuts them loose
And off they run together
Neighing catch me if you can
Let us run free forever

What to do when life changes come
Where to go when your just one
I sit around far too much thinking of nothing really as such
Walking around like a well programmed robot
Going from A-Z with tummy in a knot
What to do this is the question
I'd  really appreciate a good suggestion

Every time I'm feeling blue
I'll picture Cornwall
And think of you
(And the crew)
You can keep your money
And your fame
Me and my family
We love Cornwall in the rain
And guess what!
We would do it
Again and again