Scandal and Silence the Theme of the Night
When his Dive scorned my Innocence with him
The Endearing One was there - Red in sight,
Marking the Troll for his Disgusting Whim
Which I would agree if Extent permits
The Mirror crying my Conscience to wake
Trust, at my Pocket; Honesty, at brim
And a Cloud condensing to form this Lake
Now fill Evaporation's Time with Blood,
Squeezing the Hour we need to amend:
"****** Holy, Smug Lot! Gossip's Cot Krug!
And whatever ******* left at Tar's Bend!"
Aye. Folly Love-Haskins takes one a-craze
And left the Diver-Boy swimming at maze.

It’s a gravy boat
Gravy is delicious
It’s a gravy boat
For your appetite
Spicy, nicey onions float
In the lovely gravy boat
If you should want to know
It’s not a train
Don’t buy a ticket
That’s not cricket
It’s a gravy boat
And it contains
Liquid velvet for the throat
Absurdly decadent and smooth
It’s a gravy boat, not a gravy train
I pour gravy on my food
It’s a gravy boat
It’s not a train
If it was then I’d complain
A train is always late
And I refuse to wait
Anyway, railway food’s appalling
Wait, I hear my dinner calling
It’s a s......... gravy boat
Now we’ve got that right
Bon, bon bon............
Bon appetite!  (or appetit?)

Anyway if there ever was a gravy train, (and I’m not saying there was,) the last train has gone forever, utterly broken, irreparable, too many  politicians scrabbling to climb aboard, (don’t you watch the news darling?)

There are colours in my hair that I never knew were there
Patterns of the rainbow in the sky
Celestial shades of green and mellow yellow gleam
Memories of the dreams that passed me by?
There’s lightning in my eyes, the flash of fireflies
On wings of azure green and peacock blue
Beauty in my face; intelligence and grace
A song that soars above the rest
Hope surging in my breast?
A celebration, a renaissance
Am I clever am I cool,
A clown; an April fool
Why is my heart  so full of bliss?
Am I an empty shell, a hollow clanging bell?
Is this heaven, is this hell, can anybody tell
Or am I just imaginating this?

by Sheila Haskins

Everyone should meet a tree
In a faery forest glade
In sunshine and in shade
 Everyone should meet a tree
Trees with spreading roots
Their branches green with shoots
Everyone can get to know a tree
In each and every season,
You don’t need a reason
Tree life brings balance, harmony
Take a trip, a forest ramble
Deep within the woodland green
Hug a tree with healing powers
Passing  peaceful hours,
Revelling in the history
Everyone should meet a tree

Strong Man
By Sheila Haskins

You stand strong, your back to the wall
When you stand strong, I can recall
The days of your youth, now so far away
Sometimes returning when you have a good day
You lead the way a proud resolute man
I catch my breath; you do all that you can
A teardrop glistens, takes me by surprise
Your strength is not missing; it’s there in your eyes
Some things that you do are not temperate or clever
I ask myself when were you these things, were you ever?
You do what you do right or wrong
You do what you do to be strong
................
Stay Strong

Autumn Story
By Sheila Haskins


The story’s in the breeze drifting through the trees
In yellow and red leaves falling on my head
Feeling mellow; it’s like a drug, like a bug, a disease
Can’t get enough of mornings such as these
I yearn to be outside to wish the trees well
Soon they’ll have a different story for me to tell
Comatosed as days fly by; I pray that Autumn lingers
I cry as the swallows fly; I miss the birds the most
Bees humming no more, golden leaves dying on the floor
There is good in every season, always a reason to be glad
Even though my heart is feeling pain as Autumn bleeds
As she recedes I want to welcome winters’ thrill
Be the first to know the touch of her icy fingers
Winter with all her vagaries as yet a mystery
As Autumn slowly fades into history
Winter may compensate with her frosted glory
She can excite us, and invite us
And that my friend is

Yet

...........

Another Story

(Thoughts during the Covid Pandemic Lockdown 2020)

By Sheila Haskins

Moon and stars shining lights in the sky
Bold heavens of blue, feels so strange
Life’s a fathomless ocean, no clouds passing by
Something, something has changed

Rain  coming down,  making no sound
Refreshing the tears in my eyes
Pure air so rare, a soft breeze in my hair
Something, something has changed

It’s quiet in the garden, small creatures appear
Friends I have not seen for years
Time passes by in the blink of any eye,
Something, something has changed

The earth tastes so sweet, nothing to fear
All that I see and I hear
Fuels positivity, a charged electricity
Something, something has changed

Outside of this home there is pain
Enemies  no man can ignore
Pandemics and war on the increase again
Yet, something, something has changed

High in the sky is a rainbow
Sunshine intermingles with rain
When storms are  gone, life carries on
New winds are  beginning to blow
Fresh seedlings to plant, green grass to mow
Some things are lost, some things are gained
...........

Something, something has changed