so joan will be
revered

if the pencil slips
she will remain
ignored

the ******* the bus had some, in blue though,

and i admired them while thinking that they will be fine for a more senior person.

then before the film that monday I visited the market, bought some much the same in red.

found some suitable socks and wore them to town

all comfy  and overwhelming in their newness.

yet I guess no one noticed, only me.

oh.

day of small things,
slowly steadily worked
as we rest the dust motes,
shine as gold.

their house was
down by the stream that
ran the side of the road

nice little house.

who knows what goes on there.

light came, we saw the green ness of it all.                          we live in the country.

yet when
she said my friend looked pretty
&
that I smelled nice
I sagged a little.

later that day
i found a message
request
from a soldier in the usa
holding a puppy & a rose
calling me a beauty

tell us things, take us without consent. there are no records

cover the place with whiteness.
pink is pretty, white is clean.

they do not want to see it
today, a reminder of fragility.

young man shouting at the elders

the high street

that they are waving those flags yet not saying anything

shouted and shouted like anything

while some of us got bored

left and bought a second hand marvel tee shirt in black

others stayed behind and filmed

save the children #

bob

.he had leaned toward me and commented
that i was getting old
and while that is correct i assumed from his
remark that he must be younger

time goes on and i am told that we are much
the same

carefully we drew her out
all tidy with reason, wearing
us down

putting words in my mouth
like sweet sultanas in chocolate

they come in twos

may be as well if two buckets are bought

at the same time

not to keep them

one

inside

the other

for  length of times..

saw them on the way to montgomery by bus

& finding them cheaper than elsewhere  bought them on the way home

popped them in the shed  where they melded together well

heat and sheer determination eventually prised them apart

two buckets

so while out on a longer walk,
met him and he explained to me,
about walking there and back again

how small
how white the child
skin rinsed with tears

salt in the wind

fail softly with a sloping line
tapering off into dots repeated
the fall is abrupt and possibly dramatic

lift the cotton, look again.

cover the place with whiteness.

pink is pretty, white is clean.

they do not want to see it
today, a reminder of fragility.

we were there early

and so were the others

with snacks and extreme tiredness

from shopping,

unused to,

we live in the country.

dropped crumbs

impossible not to

snacks all crunchy for mouth satisfaction.

after we left, when all went quiet, the mouse came

they screamed that there was an accident waiting to happen on the stairs

handbag, not fit for any purpose than
delight and design.

while the world is turning there is a small hope to always return home

duck egg blue
the ironmongers in town
at three seventy nine

we can walk there and back or there
and bus back you see

is the little things that excite, even
in the height of summer, low look
for seeds, small flowers studded
in hedgerows.

bird in hand is drawn
rules to guide us
with stars above that have no points
at all
yet each one has a story

you like birds?
as do i
neither of us employed
&  i am vaguely idle

now i beg forgiveness
we are little things
that dance in the mornings
james

in the light from the phone

i too fly solo
&
enjoy the flight

when the day clears
i look up at the others

google when back at home, read about
people, and know we may after all
be twins.

white dress.

lift the cotton, look again.

cover the place with whiteness.

pink is pretty, white is clean.

they do not want to see it
today, a reminder of fragility.

the word came involuntarily,
others were stuck, yet i knew
them to be beautiful, and
so they are.

to go

despite not going solo

despite all the reasons that you

spoke of

to plan an escape by bus for aviemore perhaps

by rail for inverness

the memory of you

..talk, talk to me with snaked tongues,

all seaside towns and deck shoes, reminding

of the lecture house.

.they turned it nasty too.

..when the tongue splits, spit and go.

go fast.

the bear is quietly political

drinks tea

does not answer the phone

our work
our soul
is in
our chest

some of us manage
to be vulnerable as naked
in private

some need holding up
in sight from my window

so,
must we write about it before we forget,
before  people come and disagree?

they have small waists and a  national costume

my goodness
such a thing to see while out
and about

such a high up place to be

slipped sideways.

while all remains the same, something is different.

the idea left us dancing.
use what is already there,
make do and mend

has beautiful spots james
while i like any pattern that includes spots
and any embellishment that is nice you
know

wind blows ideas into our houses

messages bring connections

a busy day with folk talking

it was the weekend with time
to spare

thankyou
for your offered help
and saying you care for my welfare
all very much appreciated
i thankyou and say it is only temporary

some photos show nothing
while paintings can come
more personal

a simple thing,
to think sideways,
practice makes a hindrance
when others think straight.

no mention of gains or fortitude
some may look for the other one
some may find it

while the little people with their arms held high
dance in the sunlight with all that remains

you notice small things too
and record them slightly

those touches, nuances
do you see the way they
glance, look aside…

we miss you if you do not visit
a while
and we get all our tenses and lines
wrong and have to go back in a hurry
to amend

a curious thread that
holds us together
while apart

some of us most of us
tucked inside
becoming whiter
chattering
small white teeth