Under the orange blossom,
Sat my mother and I,
My hands flat and smooth ,
Her's cracked and dry,
A simple band of gold,
Shone in the sun,
Oh I loved these moments ,
Oh I loved my mum.

Mary

On a chair with our cat
Fluffy tabby big and fat
Sat my mother book in hand
Reading something to expand
All the knowledge she did have
Collected there in that chair.

Remembering my Mum from Mary ***    Loved to talk to you all my life through .

The stillness
After the cat had gone
The house seemed empty,
Devoid of soft patter;
Downstairs,
The shaking of biscuits on tin- foil
And the long slow meow
Of a morning yawn.
The warm spot in the garden
Now an obvious space,
Plantless from years of basking.
Only the birds seemed grateful
Peace had returned to their world,
No more feathered grassways
To clear.
We buried you in front of the fir tree,
You were part of eighteen Christmases
Our very dear black and white cat.

Love the kearns family

My father was a man of integrity
He taught me right from wrong
He did it with a gracious hand
That was always warm and strong.

Everybody knew him
Tall with an elegant stride
A smile for everyone
A kiss on the lips goodbye.

I never met someone more wholesome
Who knew the ways of folks
Grew out of a poor background
With love in every root.

His word was his trust
An anchor in the dark
A whistling bird of the lane ways
The sunshine of my heart.

Truth and beauty followed him
A kindness to the poor
An honour made more noble
And yet a footstep sure.

I carry what you gave me
In all the hours we grew
The pavements that were walked
I knew you through and through.

I am my father's daughter
Not always quite as bold
But fight I will for justice
It is our greatest goal.

For my dad Love Mary x

Summer has arrived,
I see you dancing in the rain
Outside a Soho Bar
Gorgeous woman
Humour sharp as ice
Heels longer than cocktail sticks;
It's five  in the morning
And your shopping
Food to start the day.
The train rattles
Jangling the wrist bands
You uncross your legs
Unlatch the carriage door
The children  are dressing
Bags scatter the worktops
You grab two hands
To walk the half mile
To school.


Love Mum **

I held you up to the stars
And they shined on you
I showed you the wind
And it slipped around you
The snow made an igloo to keep you warm
And love reached you
In my arms .

For my darling husband love Mary ***

I tried to give you my beauty
Learnt at my mother's knee
Of Wordsworth and the grasses
The hilltops and the trees
I had a little garden
And hours of golden fun
Hands brown with sunshine
Our laughter could be sung.
Underneath an open window
A little girl swings
Swaying her new dolly
While the blackbird sings.
Pictures of moments
Are all that I am
I give you my beauty
I lay it in your hand.
I know I am not you,
Wanderer of the stars
You beauty is of a different kind
But the choices we made are ours,
Underneath the heavens
Looking at the sky
We met in the middle
And beauty was not shy.


For my Loving Roger from Mary ***

Where is that girl
With the growing hair
And lips like cherry,
Asleep on her pillow,
Out with a fellow,
Watching the rain
On her window pain,
Thinking life over,
Taking her time
To find the right mind?
Stay close my beauty
Let the wind not blow
But rock and enfold
That girl we love so.

For Daisy Love Grandma xxxx

Unassuming beauty
A manner quiet as May
Gentle in her kindness
Grateful in her ways
A life lived in Caring
For those that she loves
Undemanding peace maker
Saviour to the cubs.

Love Grandma Mary ***

It was hard telling him
Breaking the peace that was his world
If only it could be not this
But some other story
There was no choice
So with courage
She found the comfort of his lap
And with his love
He held his pregnant daughter.


Love to my dad from Mary **