Elves, fairies, dancing queens,
Flirting among the rubble.
Tossing their heads to and fro
Launching into a spiral of trouble.
They of course, laugh in jest
Drunk all of them, seeing double.
Rosy beer in one hand, sherry in another
Creating a hilarious spiral of trouble.
They brewed it themselves, the elves
Bringing the fermenting apples to a bubble.
Tossing in rose petals, well that did the trick
Causing a spiral of trouble.

The banks are beginning to crumble
sand dribbles through thick roots
tiny fish hiding amongst the growth
and yellow flashes on the new shoots
The bull rushes stand guard
tall, ***** like soldiers in a row
the Ash and the Elm sway in the wind
sheltering the bluebells that grow
Eels slither like ribbons in the wind
The otter decides to take a morning dip
There's an old apple tree somewhere
Fallen apples decay and leave many a pip
to sink slowly and root in the unlikely place
the sun beats down from an azure sky
the fisherman unstable against the bank
his stool wobbling as he eats his pork pie
The fish munch away at his bait
the line pulls tight and he reels the line
the fish unaware of his fate
the bull rushes salute and call time.

A street is dusty there is grit on my feet.
Meat hanging about from a left over stew
Bony cats cling to doorsteps
Like furry door mats and there are a few
Keeping the draughts out from the valley
Blowing a disease on bated breath.
A cat dares to hope or so it seems
But with this only bring a painful death.

As we steer towards the end of May
When the bluebells wither and die
The daffodils have long gone sadly
The days of Spring go lovingly by.
We look forward to the end of Spring
and Summer is a beautiful word
Long days, warm nights to look forward to
The singing of the early morning bird.
Sunlight streaming through your curtains
The warmth of the day settles your mind
The promise  of early June brings hope and peace
Summer is such a special time for all mankind.

The Pig rose from his chair
His tummy full of crackers and cheese
He’d polished off another éclair
And wiped the cream from his knees.
The Duck was devouring cheesy strings
And a sandwich crammed with ham
He’d got lemon curd caked in his wings
And his beak was smeared with jam.
The Pig was in a daydream
Thinking of something sweet
Perhaps some juicy cherries and cream
Topped with chocolates and wheat.
The Pig retired to his sty
He had become quite ill
The Duck knew the reason why
And told him to stay still.
He asked the Hen for advice
Whilether Pig counted sheep
The Hen said he was paying the price
But nursed him while he was asleep.

Mr Pig rose from his chair
His tummy full of crackers and cheese
He’d polished off another éclair
And wiped the cream from his knees.
Mr Duck was devouring cheesy strings
And a sandwich crammed with ham
He’d got lemon curd caked in his wings
And his beak was smeared with jam.
Mr Pig was in a daydream
Thinking of something sweet
Perhaps some juicy cherries and cream
Topped with chocolates and wheat.
Mr Pig retired to his sty
He had become quite ill
Mr Duck knew the reason why
And told him to stay still.
He asked Mrs Hen for advice
While Mr Pig counted sheep
Mrs Hen said he was paying the price
But nursed him while he was asleep.

Read on if you dare
For it is designed to scare
For you will cry, a tear drop
You'll wonder why will plop
Read on, you are halfway there.

Boo, now you are shaking in your shoes
Did it make you jump, did your nerves fuse
Dry your eyes dear
the end is almost near
Well it is over now, you had nothing to lose.

They say
a beautiful life
begins with
a beautiful mind.

Good morning Monday
Good Morning to you
but it's Tuesday.

“Do not grab me”
“She has done it again,
You have got to agree
She is a pain.”
The little pink toothbrush
Moaning about the way it’s treated
In the mad morning rush
Till the cleaning session’s completed.
“Pick me up gently, that is it
Now squeeze the paste”
“Too much, too much, just a bit
Oh my life, what a waste.”
The little pink toothbrush is a fed up
He wants to be looked after lovingly
From when he comes out of his cup
Which is fair comment to some degree.
“In the mouth we go,
Always the same molar
Now woman brush to and fro
No, no, wrong, I’m trying to control you.
“Up and down, not like a yard brush
Gently, we have to do it gently
It is not some major rush
Do it differently.
Do human beings know?
Do they actually care?
Is their brain like pastry dough?
Is it even there?
If I have thought it once,
I’ve thought it a million times a day
She must be a dunce
And that is all I can say.
Rinse woman , rinse me
Under the sparkling spray
Oh no don’t dip me in your cup of tea
I’ll be yellow and smelly all day.”
Does she not know I have needs
Not know how to treat me nice
It is like she succeeds
I have to think everything twice.
“And don’t throw me
Put me gently back in my place
And I’m covered in tea
Pity it’s not on your face.”
Look soap, look everyone what she does
Treats me like a scrubbing brush
And she does it because
She is always in a rush!”

Silently without thought
He slides his arm around her waist.
Brushing her face with his finger
Her soul feels embraced.
Nothing needs to be said
It is written across his face
The love they feel for each other
Could never be replaced.
But there is something
Buried deep inside his head
Something to which she cannot access
Something which she will always dread.
There is a frown that passes his brow
Each time he looks lovingly at her
It rings alarm bells in her mind
An emotion she would transfer.
Does he love her? I am sure that he does
He stays with her so that is clear
A shiver runs down her spine
And now she have everything to fear.
The grip tightens
She looks at him as if she’s under review.
His icy blue eyes smile and he whispers to her
“My darling, you are my life, I do love you.

A Touch of Love

Silently without thought
He slides his arm around her waist.
Brushing her face with his finger
Her soul feels embraced.
Nothing needs to be said
It is written across his face
The love they feel for each other
Could never be replaced.
But there is something
Buried deep inside his head
Something to which she cannot access
Something which she will always dread.
There is a frown that passes his brow
Each time he looks lovingly at her
It rings alarm bells in her mind
An emotion she would transfer.
Does he love her? I am sure that he does
He stays with her so that is clear
A shiver runs down her spine
And now she have everything to fear.
The grip tightens
She looks at him as if she’s under review.
His icy blue eyes smile and he whispers to her
“My darling, you are my life, I do love you.

Silently without thought
He slides his arm around her waist.
Brushing her face with his finger
Her soul feels embraced.
Nothing needs to be said
It is written across his face
The love they feel for each other
Could never be replaced.
But there is something
Buried deep inside his head
Something to which she cannot access
Something which she will always dread.
There is a frown that passes his brow
Each time he looks lovingly at her
It rings alarm bells in her mind
An emotion she would transfer.
Does he love her? I am sure that he does
He stays with her so that is clear
A shiver runs down her spine
And now she have everything to fear.
The grip tightens
She looks at him as if she’s under review.
His icy blue eyes smile and he whispers to her
“My darling, you are my life, I do love you.

Silently without thought
He slides his arm around her waist.
Brushing her face with his finger
Her soul feels embraced.
Nothing needs to be said
It is written across his face
The love they feel for each other
Could never be replaced.
But there is something
Buried deep inside his head
Something to which she cannot access
Something which she will always dread.
There is a frown that passes his brow
Each time he looks lovingly at her
It rings alarm bells in her mind
An emotion she would transfer.
Does he love her? I am sure that he does
He stays with her so that is clear
A shiver runs down her spine
And now she have everything to fear.
The grip tightens
She looks at him as if she’s under review.
His icy blue eyes smile and he whispers to her
“My darling, you are my life, I do love you."
But would that be enough
She looks worried and begins to shake
Nerves get the better of her
She thought about give and take.
That is part of it but it has all gone wrong
He is taking and she is giving.
He has started to sing another song
Could she be forgiving?
Is this the same man?
Where had hers gone?
She has seen another side
Now she wants to run.
But she remembers
to have His faith above
And she finds hope and feels
his desperate touch of love.

A Touch of Love

Silently without thought
He slides his arm around her waist.
Brushing her face with his finger
Her soul feels embraced.
Nothing needs to be said
It is written across his face
The love they feel for each other
Could never be replaced.
But there is something
Buried deep inside his head
Something to which she cannot access
Something which she will always dread.
There is a frown that passes his brow
Each time he looks lovingly at her
It rings alarm bells in her mind
An emotion she would transfer.
Does he love her? I am sure that he does
He stays with her so that is clear
A shiver runs down her spine
And now she have everything to fear.
The grip tightens
She looks at him as if she’s under review.
His icy blue eyes smile and he whispers to her
“My darling, you are my life, I do love you.

Deal or No Deal A tribute to Florence Bentley
Deal or No Deal her favourite host would say
Noel Edmonds to her just a mere youngster
Fun and the thrill of it all is what she liked
A gift he had any many more amongst her.

In her youth she looked like a film star
Stunningly beautiful like Marilyn Monroe
Laughter was important to her
Met with a smile and a “mind how you go”

She would giggle and had a twinkle in her eye
That twinkle staying to the bitter end
Our mum has lost a supportive sister
And a lifelong best friend.

Now that we are met with sorrow in our hearts
But then she would not want that – not our flo
So with a brave smile on all of our faces
We say farewell aunty flo and mind how you go.

Sadly Paddy Martin lost his life but I will always remember him.
He was a friend, a dear poet friend and I miss him.

Paddy Martin wherever you are, whichever cloud you are
sitting on this is for you.

He once told me that I touch hearts
but it was Paddy that had a heart of gold.
You always knew where you stood with Paddy
and what was about to unfold.

He took in homeless children, giving them hope
and the love that they needed and the rest.
And not everyone can find that in their heart
when your own back's against the wall and at test.

He had a loving family, adored his wife so very much
She died of a broken heart when Paddy left this Earth.
But to me they both live on, sitting on a cloud somewhere
busy writing on a scrap of paper for all that it was worth.

His poems turned pages themselves, as if by magic
He had a unique gift that is very seldom seen
He could turn the sky blue on a dull miserable day
and make the scorched grass turn once more green.

He had a stroke and I developed saucepan talk
He'd bash the lid once for yes twice for no.
The phone rang once and I heard a single  bash
He made me giggle that night but he had to go.

He knew himself that this bash meant goodbye
and the tears even now flow steadily down my face.
Paddy you were and still are champion of the world
I wish you were still around, in Paddy's place.

A tribute to a much loved poet who will be forever sadly missed.

May you rest in peace
This world has lost a good man
a kind, true gentleman.
A man who was proud of who he was
and what he had achieved.
There are no words to portray the
sadness that we all feel
May a million silver butterflies
guide your way to eternal peace.
May just one silver butterfly stay
by your side forever an a day.
We bow our heads in sadness Richard
for you will be forever missed.
If I see a silver butterfly,I will call your
name, tears will well in my eye but there will be a
smile -Richard Riddle RIP.

It is in the lazy, hazy days of late summer
In the heat, a daisy parts company
My body perspires and sends a shimmer
Of sparkling salt down my spine and skin
A rose stands straight like cadet, red
Like his beret, standing as proud as he.
A tropical butterfly dances within
The petals of the rose, tickling the row.
The wind whispers its petals
So secretly, so delicately, to and fro.
The butterfly wears a brave face
Watching the daisy and the rose
With wings just like Nottingham lace.
In the heat, my body embraces its wings
And it kisses my hand, knowing its place
In the lazy, hazy days of the summer.

It is in the lazy, hazy days of late summer
In the heat, a daisy parts company
My body perspires and sends a shimmer
Of sparkling salt down my spine and skin
A rose stands straight like cadet, red
Like his beret, standing as proud as he.
A tropical butterfly dances within
The petals of the rose, tickling the row.
The wind whispers its petals
So secretly, so delicately, to and fro.
The butterfly wears a brave face
Watching the daisy and the rose
With wings just like Nottingham lace.
In the heat, my body embraces its wings
And it kisses my hand, knowing its place
In the lazy, hazy days of the summer.

There was a smell of Devon violets in the air
And the Pig noticed that there was a gentle breeze.
The Duck seemed to have combed his one lock of hair
And he was preparing to drop to his knees.

He fiddled with his apron trying to ****** it off
He was a funny shade of pale pink and blue.
He started his sentence with a little cough
“My friend, you know how I have feelings for you”.

“Yes, get on with it, what do you want to say”.
Nothing could have prepared the pig for the next bit
“My friend, you are my world, my Doris Day
More precious to me than the chair in which you sit.

“Do you want to go out for a drive?
You should have said earlier on.
Now it is late, it is nearly half past five
Very soon the day will be gone.

The Duck spluttered for him to be quiet
He had now a serious wrinkled beak
He regretted now going on a diet
But alas, he started to speak.

“My friend I have something to ask you, would you
Be so bold as to marry me.”
“What! Screamed the Pig. The subject is taboo”
And suggested that he was barking up the wrong tree.

The Duck went violet and embarrassingly stiff
“I didn’t mean to offend, forget it” and ran top speed.
He wanted to jump off a cliff
But knew he might just bleed.

So he hid for three weeks until his face went pink
He went a bit thin, but survived the humiliation
Hiding gave him time to think
Which only led to frustration?

He had to think of a plan
A rapid plan at that or he was in trouble
I will tell the pig I have become a different man
And that I look like the Duck, a duck double.

Then I will reappear as if nothing is out of place
He will be confused, I will be in the clear
He will say I remember that face
And I will have nothing to fear.

Home, is it not where happiness lies
Within four safe walls?
Silence, is it when everyone has gone
and there is nothing left to do
but wait for telephone calls?
Echoes of loved ones bounce inside
my head
Bringing me some sort of pleasure
just for a while
Voices of my sons from years ago
make me smile and I drift
My solitude stands out a mile
for all to see but no one to hear
Are they around me when I fall
or indeed when I shed a lonely tear.
Im at the end of a line
Let me hear your voice, listen to you
Im at the end of a line.

Pink fluff that melts in your mouth
and dodgems that whizz round and round.
Helter skelters spinning straight
to the dizzy ground.
Ghost trains with scary hands touching
your shoulder when you go through.
The man shouts "hook a duck chance to win
just hook the ones painted in blue.
Red is a no-win so leave them be."
The smell of roasting onions turning sweet
in the old oily pan
Crispy skins cling to hot potatoes
Big meaty sausages lined up in a row.
Huge split buns hot from the oven
ready for cold bones and icy hands.
The tent in the corner
with "cross my palm with silver"
Making dreams come true
Revealing one's hidden secret
The louder you scream the faster you go
or is the other way around?
Children with huge smiles on shiny faces
having fun and laughter at the fair ground.

Colours merge into one
Then shoot off into the sky
Azures, raspberry and cherry clouds
mind their business floating by.
There does not seem to be a *** of gold
Or treasure or anything else for that matter
Just leaves gathered neatly in a pile
with no inclination to scatter.
Just stillness, a calm, a sense of well being
Even the river running alongside has a gentle flow.
No raindrop dripping on my head, no sun to shine
just peace and quiet at the foot of the rainbow.

Standing at the roadside
Clicking my left foot
The coal man turned aside
And covered me in soot.

Standing further up the lane
So I won’t get in muddle
A biker rides by
Splashing me with a puddle.

I looked for my coat
As it started to rain
I became very soaked
And floated down the drain.

Kicking the rusty leaves
crumpled by the tree
seeds and twigs broken off
golden and free.
Polished conkers rest
waiting to be smashed
strung up with string
bruised, soaked and bashed.
Russet apples wither in the sun
pecked at by robins and wrens.
Purple clover gather in the distance
on the hills and glens.
Pears drip from branches
like water from a wooden tap.
Twigs point like a human finger
showing the way to follow a map.
Through the ochre wood and
across the sienna fields.
The gathered sticky corn
piled high that the farmer yields
The Autumn season is pure gold
Raspberry sunset and peach skies.
A woodpecker perches, waits awhile
In the Autumn air then off he flies.

Winter is waiting around the corner ready to settle
But before that colours are vibrant on every leaf
Gentle breezes carry away each little petal
Autumn is so beautiful beyond belief.

You open my door, you shelter me from harm
You line my path with petals, fragrant like silk
You hold my hand, you keep me nice and warm
You put cream in my coffee instead of milk.

You tell me nice things, just when I need to hear
You compliment me in every single way
You kissed  me on my lips at the start of the year
and keep your resolution up every breaking day.

You smile and it lights up my world it is so true
You came to me with promises which you keep
Cupid definitely shot the arrow the day I met you
you look after me when I'm awake and asleep.

In fact you never leave my side do you, not that I mind
You never judge me or step out of line.
You are thoughtful, though irritating but you are kind
I am not complaining however, you are my valentine.

To all on Hello Poetry may you have a safe, peaceful and happy
Christmas.  I wish you a wonderful New Year and keep writing the wonderful poems.  Cheryl

Beyond the clouds
Beyond the blue and the fluff
to where dark is night and day
and filled with sparkling stuff.
To where a vision is seen by a few
where the green meets the blue swirled
Just beauty but then reality hits home
There are those trying to destroy our world.

Up there far, far away
Where the atmosphere is strange
In a sparkly milky way.
There is a star, a violet star
Lemon insides burns deep
A sharp intake of breath
Pierces its inner core
Falls to its death
and is no more.
Up there far, far away
A violet cloud drapes
There was a star, a violet star
Where mist stlll escapes
from moonbeams in a jar.

Warmth clings to my back
Like a comforting blanket
The rays piercing my skin
and at last it is Spring.

Bring me blossom, pink as confetti
Like it is raining petals from Heaven
The petals fall on my face
and at last it is Spring.

The wings of the dove flap above
Guiding my way through the wood
Mushrooms I do not recognise cling to trees
and at last it it is Spring.

Bulbs, the daffodil and the bluebell
stir from their nice warm beds.
Outstretching their leaves to the sky
and at last it is Spring.

The doves,  bluebells and mushrooms
and the warmth of the Spring midday sun
Remind me of my youth and that is not a bad thing
I am just glad that Spring has begun.

Choosing a colour, a pigment for the sky
to define clouds as they float on by.
s quite a tricky task, I tell you
But then as usual I go for trusty blue.

Which blue, there are so many
Do I go for ultramarine or the colbalt
Is my sky in a summer's season or what?
Either way if it is wrong it'll be my fault.

But there again it is in my little world
The painting is coming from my own head
I resort to to my usual way of painting a sky
A nice colbalt blue with a touch of red.

A woman had enormous hips
As all she ate were chips
It was all her fault
Consumed too much salt
And now she has cracked lips.

There was once a young man from York
Who had strange ways of which people did talk
He would heat up his aftershave
in his new microwave
Before shaving with a knife and fork.

Not much has changed
It hasn’t been that long
The Lilac Tree remembers
It’s inner self still strong.

The night that he had disappeared
When the tree started to sway.
The moon and stars as witness
Verified by the Milky Way.

Now the blossom sings out
Plays to another tune.
The blossom’s turned to blues
And recaptured its perfume.

no regrets, none on my part
Why should there be?
I prefer pink to the blue
It goes with my eyes you see.

But my eyes have new tears
And they roll down my face
They remember the hurt
Connected with this place.

And the Lilac feels the pain
Its twigs reaching my soul
I turn and look one last time
Remembering has took its toll

Not much has changed
It hasn’t been that long.
The Lilac Tree remembers
The roots being firm and strong.
The night he’d disappeared
When the tree started to sway
The moon was my witness
And the stars in the Milky Way.
Now the blossom sings out
Plays to another tune.
The blossom sings the blues
And recaptured its perfume.
Now my eyes have tears
And they roll down my face
Remembering has taken its toll
And the stress with this place.

Back Beneath The Lilac Tree

Not much has changed
It has not been that long
But the Lilac Tree remembers
Its roots being firm and strong.
The night that he had disappeared
That is when the tee started to sway
The moon and stars my witness
Sealed in the Milky Way.
Now the blossom sings out
It sings to another tune.
Its blossom is now pink
And has recaptured its perfume.
No regrets, no none on my part
Why should there ever be.
I much prefer pink to blue
It goes with my eyes, you see.
I cannot though, for my eyes have tears
And the tears roll down my face.
Now I remember the hurt
The hurt is written on this place.
The Lilac Tree feels my pain
And its branches touch my soul
I turn and look for one last time
Remembering has taken its toll.

There is good in each
And everyone of us.
A beauty that runs deep.
You are the harvest
That you reap.
The seeds that you sow
Will one day surely
Take root and grow.
Look into your soul
There is a beautiful person
And that is you.

When I go to the end of the Earth
Iron your shirts till my fingers drop off.
Stand cooking until my feet beg me to sit.
Nurse you when you are dying with a cough.
Plan meals, clean like I've never cleaned before.
Bake apple pies and a heart warming stew
I have said it once and I will say it once more
I do these things because I love you.

I have music in my head
A beat of a particular sound
Is it my blood rushing through my veins
Strumming my chords or have I found
some other percussion in me instead.
Whether I trail downstream to the pool
or to the purple prickly moors
My music goes with me
Beside me and behind closed doors.
It sings to me heart, a rhythm downloading
my thoughts to the breeze.  Wafting to the wind
blasting in the lanes as I go off roading
in my little jeep with rickety floors.
Bumping and grinding it does
behind closed doors.

Take a minute
to reflect
Believe and you can and you are halfway there.
Look at yourself
Have self respect
Believe you can and you are halfway there.
When a train struggles up hills on a worn track
A miner returns home with an empty sack
That train has power, no thought involved
but the miner he struggled to keep hold
of something he believed in, cared for
Hoped for and somethiing more
He knew he could do it, just didnt achieve it
But he beleived he could and he was halfway there.
The day after, he struck gold, more gold than ever before
It sparked, it told the Earth, opened its Crust's door
The miner, like the train had power more power than ever.

If you believe you can
then you are halfway there.

Roses are not red
Violets are not blue
It is this that I dread
Falling for you.

Roses are blue
Violets are red
In my world it's true
It's time we're wed.

So place a ring
On the finger, left hand
The angels will sing
I will demand.

Bells will ring out
the bells will chime
The angels will shout
and you will be mine.

Roses are red
Its leaves are green
You are my king
And I am your Queen