This is a true story and it touched my heart.............

A smile shines upon a face
Cracked and parched by the sun
Blistered feet trek in the heat
Carrying water for everyone.
Three hours daily they walk
To a watering hole ***** and crude
Yet still he smiles having no choice
But to bring water to cook food.
Foreigners arrive to lay new pipes
Hope lies now on a wrinkled face
Water gushes from a shiny tap
Drenching life into a dismal place.
Children scream with delight and joy
Sadly they have never splashed before
Tears well in the foreigner’s eye
A shiny tap now means so much more.
A new smile shines upon a face
Pleased that the work has been done
Blistered hands applaud in the heat
At long last the children can have fun.

It was a walk in the park
so they say
It was a breeze
There were no children at play
and there were no leaves on any trees
No swings, no peacocks screaming
No papers littering the lawn
No naughty little boys scheming
No white doves at dawn
There were no ice cream vans
parked at the entrance to the fair
there were no fizzy drink cans
slumped and dumped just everywhere
No ducks hungry for their share of your bread
no swans ready to take whatever you have got
no geese angry but still they were fed
just enough to fill them not a lot.
no babies having tantrums all day
no frilly pink girls tearing out their hair
in fact no children were at play
no one here seems to care;

Just a glimpse of the bright side of life
lifts one's spirit to the highest degree
Find your inner peace, your soul
and set your goal for eternity.


Just a smile does wonders for the heart
Just a giggle releases time you hadn't got
Dig deep within yourself and allow hope
shovel away bad to reveal the comical plot.

Just a smile, come on you can smile
Smile for me,  show your thought
The man will not judge but will melt
and like forever the hope he has caught.

Just a smile.

WE ARE OFF TO THE MOON
Have you booked your holidays yet?
Because we are off to the moon.
Mum found a very good deal at the shop
And we blast off Tuesday afternoon.
Dad’ll be shocked when we tell him
I wonder just what he’ll say?
We have some organising to do
And Mum will have to go and pay.
Dad’ll freak when he knows the cost
He will have one massive fit.
Mum said she will tell him gently
So perhaps he will come round a bit.
When he found out he went a bit mad
Shouting that we all cannot go there.
Searching in his wardrobe
Explaining that he had nothing to wear.
Mum said it was too late, it had been paid
We are all going to the moon
Nothing can be done about it now
And we blast off Tuesday afternoon.

Project your thoughts far and high
Thoughts and demons that terrify
Let them go, just let them soar
Push them out through a cold door.
Now dream, dream all day long
Follow that dream as if in song.
Plan, discover and then dream again
Take care of your dreams like old mother hen.
And when thoughts are not what they seem
Relax and search for your favourite dream.

Thank you Sally for making me see sense.

Like a glass of cloudy beer
It will soon become crystal clear
Unless they have made a mistake
And the situation remains opaque.
But things will become apparent
Plans remain transparent.
But then life is as mad as a box of frogs
When it is raining cats and dogs.

I go and visit her
But she is not there.
Someday she was
It was a Sunday.
The sun shone
The c;louds disappeared
Now she has gone
But the sun has reappeared.
Sundays are a day of rest
When run-of-the-mill jobs get done
Washing up pots alone and silent
Sundays were meant to be fun.
Someday it will be Sunday again
Who knows when that will be?
This ache inside of me is now a pain
Now she has gone.

If ever I got the chance to change the world
I make mountains out of coffee and cream
the rivers would flow with strawberry milk
and there would be fudge in every stream.
Blueberries would hang from trees galore
the trees bearing non stop fruity jam
there would be sacks of oranges everywhere
plenty for every child, woman and man.
Cabbages would line each street
covered with a sauce rich in cheese
creamy mashed potatoes in every doorway
crammed with grilled mushrooms and peas.
Fences made out of bacon and tomato paste
onion gravy on rooftops with fried bread
plenty of food to go around if ever I got my way
and each hungry mouth would be fed.

The moon disappears 
Fading into grey
A new light shines
For a brand new day.
My day, the wind blew my way.
As Frank Sinatra sang.
My Way as a clap of thunder
Shook my world with a bang.
A clash of lights, colours explode
An orchestra in the sky.
A screaming child pushes by
Claiming one penny for his 'guy'.
The moon disappears
Fading into the grey
And I have nothing to say.

See the smiles on faces
teeth glaring at the sun
Flashes from babies
gummy smiles then frowns
sibling stole his teddy.
But get ready because here
comes Mr Sun, shades up
creams on and we're done.

Life’s A Rainbow

Our life is like a colourful conveyor belt
Dealing with a deck of cards dealt
Some of us have a desire to know
What is life like across the rainbow?
Somewhere midpoint beyond the glow
Little bits and bobs are shed from the rainbow.
Coloured confetti for a new man and wife
Big bright balloons for a new life,
In this magic box of tricks
It gets tossed to become a six
Then when the dice is rolled
It disappears into the *** of gold.

As I stand here
On the edge of time
My seconds falling
Into the sea.
Do not think
Or bring any shame
No link or
No blame
Can be pinned on me.
As
I look through my book of life
Pages empyting into the sea
Do not think
For one moment this is how it should be
You have not begun
You have not won
This game you are playing
Tossing my dreams to the foam and froth.
I am a wife, mother, sister and daughter.
The day I die
I will try to think unlike you.

Whispers in my ear
a draught tiptoed silently up the stairs
telling me snow is on the way.
There is conflict on my window pane
Nothing ever stays the same
Maybe it will one day.

This time my alarm has a panic attack
just as I was about to hit the sack.
pointing to the window at the snow
lying around my window sill.
It is about ten degrees below
and the air around me sits still.

The air now around me is in panic mode
And the burden for it is such a heavy load.
I bury myself deep inside my bed
hoping that when I awake it will be gone.
But I cant hibernate, after all done and said
It has just struck midnight roll on one.

It may be getting warmer soon
the apple logs in the fire spit a tune
firing cinders to the back of the fire.
The heat melting ice around my room
I can see snow hanging on the telegraph wire
When daylight comes it will be gone quite soon.

Throughout the night, various events take place.
The ducks have a rosy look on their face
as they slip and slide on their favourite haunt
Birds become trapeze artists on the icy wire
The worms locked in ice unable to get caught
and my feet are being slowly roasted by the fire.

Like chestnuts warming in the pan
Crispy skins on baked potatoes crackle
Hot cheese drips from the saucepan ladle
My mouth waters hungry but dry
Hot chocolate bubbles on the cradle
and the wind stops whistling and I sigh.

oh the joy of something velvety and hot
Drinking chocolate, dark and sweet.
Melting a magic in my cold blue veins
My fingers embrace my mug, steam warms my brow
The heating system channels the correct lanes
and I feel the air  lot warmer now.

The snow around my window hugs the sill
Sealing in the warmth on its own free will
Cosy toes wiggle in sheer delight
There is a smile trying to brighten my face
Everything has been forgotten from last night
Negative turns to positive but watch this space.

Far away from home
from anywhere
just need my phone
and need to be there
where is everybody?
why am I the only one?
I need somebody
where have you all gone?
Talk to me
please wall, please speak
I know what you see
someone who is weak
Im just alone and afraid
no one that I can call
the difficulties I made
are the worst of all
I hear footsteps in the hall
I hear a cold silent breath
Am I imagining it all
have I faced death?
The ghost of a silent shadow
beams down on my soul
I am buried in a meadow
that was my goal.

The aroma of fresh coffee brewing
the taste of rich chocolate on your tongue
freshly baked bread straight from the oven
newly picked rosemary to last all day long
talcum powder sprinkled on a beautiful baby
the splash of the sea on your skin
the salty smell of fresh fish at the market
tobacco ripe fetched from the tin.
rewards to keep, treasures to share
it is fascinating to breathe all these riches
and we thank goodness that we have them there.

As we go through our life,
we record events in our mind.
shelves labelled accordingly
slotted in our brain to find
the next time we care to recall.
There are shelves labelled
"not so good" and these are doubts
which cause anxiety to raise its ugly head.
Thoughts which we could well do without
Re-living events that we all somehow dread.
Then there are the spectacular shelves.
Shelves that bring tears of happiness and joy.
Celebrations of marriage, confetti and then
perhaps the birth of a little girl or a boy.
A son or daughter, a life long treasure.
Then there is things relating to this that
go on this shelf to later bring pleasure.
These shelves are the chapters in our head
Chapters that are worth having another look.
Whether they are good or bad, they are there
Each day has a part to play in your own book..

I wish all poets on Hello Poetry a very Happy Christmas and may your New Year bring good health and happiness to you and your family.  Cheryl

Silence used to be my friend
Lonliness was always by my side
But I have now a little Godsend
He likes to play games and hide.
He is a constant joy
his little tail wagging to and fro
I love him with all my heart, my boy
and he answers to the name of Joe.
My little puppy Joe is a delight
I get woken with a warm friendly lick
and that is in the middle of the night
but it is he that now makes me tick.
He keeps me going, my furry friend
and IJoe love him with all my heart.

Life is very much like a box of tricks
Making up for what you lack
Roll the dice and hope for the six
Or will it be King Queen or the Jack

Or is it the ace you are always looking for
This is the card of which I am fond.
It is a pity then that there are only four
Still, there is always the magic wand.

Like a cloud reaching out for that little bit of warmth
Amongst its damp, cool white froth and foam
The tangerine arms of the sun drape themselves
around the cool and evaporate the bubbles home.
There is hope for the day and it will brighten up
the dim , the dark, the poor and the lonely
Tidy away all despair, bin all the dreams of dread
and bring inspirational hopes and thoughts only.

Maybe I looked in the wrong compartment
Wrong shelf, not the same drawer or place
Did I go to the wrong store at the wrong time
There is no smile on my happy looking face.
Just sadness behind the smile, full of woe
Mondays 'child is fair of face did they say
I wish I was born on the day with far to go
Yes I have a face to move mountains,
turn heads and light up the darkest of room
But that is hardly a fitting moment when the
old life is full of doom and endless gloom.
Where is the love that was promised on the tin
the shelf that said love was in my palm of the hand
I don't have it it went away, it sank, it dissolved
Like falling rocks, grinding to a halt like stubborn sand.
Where is this so called love, is it gift wrapped?
With a bow on it that says "open me now". Where?
I have searched on every possible shelf, hidden corner.
All that I found was a note with "I do not care".

Picture this: salmon coloured coral with tangerine
Bordering an atoll, and fencing it in.
Emerald clear waters blotched with aquamarine
Crystal clear like porcelain.
Fish as red as berries stewed with damson
Or as yellow as a canary made from brass
Some resemble amber blushed with crimson
And roses with sap spilt on the grass.
Picture a kingfisher as blue as the sea
Brick red wings as sharp as blades
He perches on an old olive tree
With bark as black as the ace of spades.
Picture a raspberry ripple sky
Peaches and lemons draped in-between
Fields as gold as a baked cherry pie
And a rainbow settling on the green.

It does not cost anything
the emotion is totally free
It is everything to be loved
Do you agree with me?
Spare a though this Christmas
for all those that dont have love
Just think what it is like and pray
to the great Lord above.
Pray for those that go without
no love, nothing to make their dreams come true
In this day and age it should not be like this
the only one that can make this change is you.
To be loved is everything, it does not cost much
Just a kind word, a helping hand, anything
Just that helping hand is what they are waiting for
You never know, for them it is everything.

Disappearing in the winds of time
Drowning in a sea of love
Beaming up with the moon beams
To somewhere unknown above
When up there if you get a chance
See the disappearing coast lines and bays
See the dwindling numbers of species
And then tell me what God says.
If you get a chance

Such is a time when
Admiring the flow of the river
The reflection of the birch
Its bark so patchy and silver.
The call of the dove
Breaks the silence of the flow
Water cascading against a pebble
Lapping the bank where reeds grow
And otters play at night.
Four babies and mother
silver like the moon
streaks across the reflection
and very soon
shadows will be gone
the sun will arrive
and the otters will depart
and once again
the circle of the silver will start.

They both stood admiring the Christmas lights
Staring lovingly into the evening sky.
He was wearing rather fetching woollen tights
And she was beginning to wonder the reason why.

He put on his false white beard
And tried to slip on some massive black boots.
She has guessed and it was what she had feared
He did have some strange whacky persuits.

Meanwhile she had slipped into a little costume
She had decided to dress like her friend Frilly Mary
She had found a feather boa in her bedroom
And she fancied herself as a Fairy.

“Good grief, look at her, she has a wand”
He had become quite hot.
He dipped his foot in the pond
And considered his position and what he’d got

“Now why would she want to be dressed like that”
She has more lights on her wings than the tree.
He knew he could definitely smell a rat
“And I can sniff, oh yes, that is me.”

She tiptoed over and guessed straight away
“You are Santa Claus are you not”
“Come on, where have you parked the sleigh”
Now he had gone a funny shade of hot.

“I could easily ask you about your attire”
He mounted his high horse.
It was like adding oil to a fire
And let nature run it’s course.

They had a bit of a set to
And they both thought they could hear ringing.
They were bells and quite a few
And they could hear children singing.

They both realised the magic day had come
Christmas carols and everywhere was lit up.
“care to join me in the fun”
She did and to that he raised his sherry cup.

To you I raise my frothy glass of beer
To wish you all the best and lots of good cheer
I wish you good health
with lashings of good wealth
And may you all have a Happy New Year.

SANGUINE STAINS
It should have been in her veins
But it was spread on the floor.
Seeping and creeping its life away
Under the stairs, under the door.
She held herself, the pain,
Ripping through her soul.
Deeper now, it is midnight
She wants to be left alone
It’s her life her fight.
He stuck the knife in
She clenched her teeth.
The head appeared without force
Unknown it was like her
Capable by her
Produced by her not him.
This life would be stronger than him
But would be better than him.
Somehow she wished he was here
By her side, by the baby’ side.
She looked at the sanguine stain
She had nobody in which she could confide
But the new life, her son, her new life
A Mother, no had begun
Her life, her lie so far had now begun.

The sheep are aware of the pink months looming
when pale rose petals adorns their head.
The rams huddled in the corner suspect things
as the ewes are ushered off to the shed.

Th ewes are carrying their lambs, nice and warm
little jumpy playful bundles of absolute joy.
The female of the species, however, for the moment
are acting a little somewhat coy.

Buttercups and daises await for the signal
to burst into their own spring like song.
The sun in its resting sky knows what is what
and the day starts to grow a bit long.

Lemon and lime shoots appear on the twigs
pink and rosy red buds appear in-between.
Thank the Lord for Spring, it is in the air
but the lambs do not seem at all keen.

They are born in a hurry, their legs hard to stand on
They are encouraged to be a grown up quite quick
No time for prancing joking or cuddled next to mum
Time for Spring things, the summer clock begins to tick.

The warmth of the next few days seals the deal
Coats off, sandals on and salad days are back
Bread and nice chunks of cake land in the pond
and for that the ducks say thank you with  a quack.

They have been smashing their beaks on ice for months
busy searching for little bits of food with no avail.
The squirrels are digging down deep with their family
looking for hazelnuts they buried on the trail.

It is all good;  on marches the beautiful warm months
with the promise of summer next, a big fat yes you cry
A smile has come to all of your faces that I know
but for now let us enjoy the end of winter, I guess.

Why worry - put your worries off till the next day.

It is all one big joke.
A bloke goes into a room and cries
Smoke is all doom and will soon rise.
Seems mysterious ways suffice.
Smoke is lying close to the ground
spreading itself all around.
Masks guard faces, guards over fires
hot fat to ignite and melting wires.
Fat in the pan sizzling beyond belief
one spark, one light and it will be grief
it will be grief.

Wish this icy friend of mine would stay awake
I have draped around me a green patchy snake
But when it wriggles
I get the giggles
but then end up with chronic backache!

Like diamonds sparkling on the beach
A simple grain of sand glistens
Windswept, drowned by the tide
But it listens, oh yes it listens.

Been around forever, forever and a day
And will be there for many more years.
Windswept, drowned by the tide
But it hears,  oh yes it hears.

My grandmother used to sing this to me in her sweetest voice.

"Here we are again
as happy as can be
all good folks and
jolly good company.
Never mind the weather
never mind the rain
here we are together
and whoops we go again.

I just thought I would share this old rhyme,
It is simple but it has a message.

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Funny sitting on my perch
next to someone like you.

It is funny also
I see your beak move up and down
But you are speechless
and I wear a frown.

This shiny thing is in the way
move closer to me.
The funny little bird confused
and what he can see.

Dont understand this he thought
Strange powers at work here.
Perhaps if I kiss this little bird
it will all become very clear.

Oh she is hard like glass
My beak is now crinkled and sore
I gave her a big kiss on her beak
and I wont be going back for more.

I would love to possess a magic wand
One that would work without cable
The freedom it would have - unbelievable
To the world's advantage and if I were able.
The facility to change lives for the better
The power to reverse the evil and the curse.
To do all of that would e a miracle
It would certainly be more positive not worse.
I would get to the root of the evil of some things
Chopping out the bad, making it all good for all
Creating harmony, spreading more love all around
allowing the weak to stand on mountains, be tall.
Give the voice to those that need it and will sing
Give the strength back where dormant muscles lie
Allow the ebb to return and send us more flow
Return of happiness to those that constantly cry.
Take away the pain from those that suffer
Day in, day out so that hurt becomes a thing of the past
Fill up streams with clear running water to drink
Change the crop seasons so that more food lasts.
Have seeds rain from the clouds, to end all hunger
Plant a fruit tree every few yards from those that need it
Grow instant apple pies with ready made custard
Bring extra chairs for those that walk all day and want to sit.
I could go on and on all of the day about things we need
I could stand on a soap box and put the world to right.
But why does this not happen without it turning to greed
Why is it we choose to argue, be sad and always fight?
I dont understand, perhaps someone could explain?
why doesn't someone stand on this mountain of change
take away sadness, suffering and above all the pain.

It was morning, a miserable morning
One that was over in a flash
Suddenly without any warning
He decided to count the cash.

This sent him into an instant flap
He fiddled nervously with a saucepan lid
This was definitely some sort of trap
Wondered what the outcome would be if he hid.

“Young man, come here” the Manager shouted
Something appears to be missing.
His crinkled lips was now pouting
And his throat had started hissing.

“He does not trust me” he thought
After all the things I have done for him.
He was frantically hiding the things he had bought
And envisaged the situation looking grim.

A stash of cake and jam, lemon curd and honey
Silver nice things that he liked to buy.
He was not used to handling money
So he had a day practising how to buy.

It is not his fault if he spent the lot
He thought that they had loads more.
The amount he had spent had been forgot
Well his investments were banked offshore.

He did not want to upset his ten year bond
And his thousands were doing very well.
The extra noughts of which he was fond
And his shares he did not want to sell.

He was never aware of his wealth
Obviously did not know about being poor
He never worried about money or health
But alas the Manager was now crying on the floor.

His greed was now not nice
Maybe he should come clean and reveal his stash
His greed had definitely made him pay the price
He offered just five thousand and the rest of his cash.

Why is it I can only ever find one glove
Always when there is snow falling from above
Only one I have lost
At my unfortunate cost
One glove, cold hand, spread the love.

Keep what you have sweet
and keep surprises afloat
treat each day as a  new day
and do not rock the boat.

Give respect and you will receive it
back and ten times over at least
Keep laughter at the top of the tree
and each meal as your wedding feast.

Pay each other compliments like never before
Cuddling does the magic trick
Learn to ignore the snoring, the moaning
and everything else that makes you sick.

Partnerships should be blessed each day
like baking him his favourite cake
it is like taking the rough with the smooth
knowing how to give and to take.

These are the first steps to everlasting love
follow them and you cant possibly go wrong
just simple steps to keep what you have alive
of course "Everlasting Love" is my favourite song.