V

Turning away from the temptation of town to walk in twilight viewing the warm lights from the ancient buildings those enclosures of chapel library refectory student rooms fellows’ chambers offices guarded by men in bowler hats whose occupants cross courtyard and cloister purposefully sometimes gowned (for the tourists perhaps) those cobbled passages the tall chimneys the gates and railings suddenly back in the busy streets bicycles everywhere tea necessary tea I catch the fatigue in your face time for apple strudel and jasmine infusion with a view of the chapel it took a hundred years and three Henrys to build.

VI

Choristers have a special way of walking in their robes swish they go as they make that 90 degree turn to enter the Choir the layclerks play this down but will forget themselves and swish the gown flies out Decani and Cantores go their separate ways to stand by their candles bow towards the altar the introit Oh Lord, I Lift My Heart to Thee by Orlando Gibbons a choir man in this very place 1596-8 knowing the echo well wrote accordingly hard not to tremble as the music floats to the stone vaulting a 170 feet above our heads

VII

Famous as a thespian kindergarten plays abound and tonight there’s six to see We enter an L shaped room with the stage at the right angle a sitting room with a green sofa a door to a bathroom a knitting basket on the coffee table four characters (and a bump) with two penguins (one disguised as another – real - hiding in the bathroom) there was even a piece of Battenberg cake on our seat to eat make of that what you will we did and laughed though not without the occasional poignant lump in the throat a tear in the eye

VIII

You sit with your back to a mirror so I practice smiling aware of the pleasure your bright face brings me constantly this warmth of your company the tilt of your head your cheeks’ glow the sweet cadences of your voice though tired food and wine revive It won’t be too late after the brisk walk back through the brightly lit streets forever letting our hands come apart then re-engage to manage the pavements and throngs of Friday evening so much today so much to take to bed my love your beauty nightdressed in white to my surprise and pleasure

She walks through the congested room,
small smile on her immaculate face.
Battenberg pink lips in a place packed chaotically
with men in dark shirts, skin coated in shiny sweat.

But our girl is dressed in a see-through white,
clutching a toffee bag, she moves further into the pit.
Her eyelids flicker enigmatic ebony,
waves of bronze hair roll down past the shoulders.

We’ve never met, we may never meet at all
but my days she is dazzling, a rush of fresh air.
In a different place in a different time,
who knows? Would I be pricked by such profound beauty?

I don’t know how I came across your name,
found your photos and was taken aback.
Nevertheless glad my eyes have seen your brilliance,
but let’s get back to real life now shall we?

I only noticed it today.
It snuck up on me,
Ice breath on my nape
Made me shudder in my fleece.
My ears were deaf
To the crunching neath my feet.
The scene outside my fish bowl
Now a Battenberg of brown and green:
Bricks and trees against emerald grass,
With a smattering of fallen leaves.

I’d been so engrossed:
An intentional whirlwind
Pushing past all in my path.
The chill is appropriate.
The air lacks all its summer warmth.
And it’s hard. It bites at my fingertips
Like you do. Did.
No tense fits.

To save Jane from swimming, Tarzan had to wrestle a gorilla to death in a volcano after Jane's father, Lord Commander Earl Battenberg, was captured by East Kenyan ******* who forced him to eat German mustard potato salad till he got the jungle *****.

What's happening with Tarzan? To save Jane from swimming, Tarzan had to wrestle a gorilla to death in a volcano after Jane's father, Lord Commander Earl Battenberg, was captured by East Kenyan ******* who forced him to eat German mustard potato salad till he got the jungle *****.

To save Jane from swimming, Tarzan had to wrestle a gorilla to death in a volcano after Jane's father, Lord Commander Earl Battenberg, was captured by East Kenyan ******* who forced him to eat German mustard potato salad till he got the jungle *****.