clusters of heaped leaves
lodge against sunsets orange hue
turning towards autumns fanfare
I sense this  time of cleansing
a shroud without a name descends
taking only twigs to ignite an epiphany
Autumn you are a cove with an argent must
whose manifest dusts rotted boughs
an ecosystem to reciprocate
considered hope

The shafts of phosphorus hit the jagged barricades  
no sense was made from the order
seven by seven deep
flanks of men
was not a tidy sum
their exhaustion was pliable
the order cut like a  knife
by the mornings crescendo
the stark landscape exhibited
the remnants of the infantryman
was plan to observe
they had hardly set foot from base

at the artists room gazing
she imagines she is a model.
I feel for her insecurity
with mousy curls
and mascara inexpertly applied
Her green scarf at times almost
tugs at her throat
as if it had a will of its own
almost pressing what's your problem,
but exactly what is this notional problem?
torn between a wish to blend in
and cover oneself in the shade
envisaging prying eyes and bruising hands
the intended model drew a blank
she could be her own steeley person

Lavina beckons but can never go out to play
on void days her Mother escorts her,
red ribbons in her hair
and lace to impart her complicit purity
oh Mother what  have we jointly planned?

the heirloom runcible spoon lies buried in  sand,
the tarzana kid has been accused of carelessness,
by such means
his holiday is horribly trampled,
this chided summer youth
now walks the plank,
its all pirates on the dorset coast.
Parents out of order
more bucaneer than relish
and Aunties only now kinder
by learned rote.

I am only in it for the  vanity
herein lies a heart that cannot sing,
yet watches over puddles of incessant rain,
and sees mildew sprout on cupboards
in north facing rooms alternating  between
cold pockets and erstwhile sunlight

she served  me iced tea
from her porch
the  smell of heavenly magnolia lingered,
like her locked up emotions
she was delicately bruised
but I would not rush her
no canary could I let her be
recuperation  would come in ones
unguarded moments.