12/04/20 We are finding our bakers’ hands, Letting the yeast rise again in these troubled lands. Flour, egg, butter and milk, Make a cake, make a loaf, Knead the dough now knead Carroway, cumin, cinnamon Clove, coriander, cardamom, Olive upon olive. Whizz up a lemon drizzle, a pie, a fool, a tart, art now in […]
No we cannot swim together
29/3/20 No, we cannot sing together – we cannot feel that hum of vibration dancing through our cells, making us well, together. But we are held together, we meet and greet and grow together, and with the eyes we know and the smiles we share, we move together. And when we sing (all muted up) […]
New Friends
3/5/20 We don’t get dressed up any more for there is nowhere to go that needs lipstick and silk scarves and a lick in the step Wardrobes rustle with forgotten frocks, skirts and shirts itching for outings – a chamber concert, a concerto, a West End play come North, a dinner, a wedding What will […]
May We Too Rise
3/5/20 The epidemic always passes, And this too shall pass And we will shout from door to door And hug with arms longer than before, Like bears that lift you off the floor, And we will sing and we will roar, Until our throats are gladly sore, Still laughing for more And as we honour […]
I come back to the woods
26/04/20 I come back to the woods in these lockdown days to lose myself in beak and feather, bud and blossom. Here the birds happily sing together in the sun and on a day when I don’t know when we can sing together again, I lose myself in the song of the woods. Songs of […]
Gorse
26/04/20 In a bold splash of spring, the gorse yellows out the grass. Hope on the hill.
Did you notice
15/04/20 Did you notice the clouds today, lenticular, stretching across the rainless sky? Did you notice the fresh green fennel feathers shimmering by the back door? Did you notice the dandelion suns, mouths open to the new day? Did you notice the tumbling redcurrant flowers, between the James’ Grieve and the yellow rose? Did you […]
In a pandemic head for the sea
Portobello Beach 22/04/20 In a pandemic head for the sea, where the waves still gently stroke the shore, as they did before the sands shifted and our feet floundered See the footprints in the sand – bare foot, booted foot, paw of dog and the arrow print of bird, pointing to Fife We walk alone […]
Birds in the City
The Field, Duddingston, Community Orchard) 27/03/20 @ 6.16 – 6.39pm Robi-i-i-n, robi-i-i-n, wre-e-e-n, robi-i-i-n B l-a-c-k-b-i-r-d, b-l-a-c-k-b-i-r-d B—a—c—k—b—i-r-d Robi-i-i-i-i-i-in, robi-i-i-i-i-i-in, wre-e-e-en PHEASANT! Crow —-crow ————-crow Gull, Gull Robiiiiiiiiiiiin, b-l-aa-c-k-b-i-i-r-d Wrenenenenen, Crow! ———–crow crow—————– PHEASANT! PHEASANT! Wo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-od pige-o-o-o-o-o-on, Wo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-od pige-o-o-o-o-o-on, Magpie, magpiiie! Magpie, maagpi-i-i-e, magpiiie! Robi-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-in Bla-a-a-aackb-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-ird Crow!———————-crow! Wo-o-o-o-o-o-od pigeon, wo-o-o-o-o-o-od pigeon, Blackbird, blackbird, blackbird, blackbird, […]
Linings in a Lockdown
Linings in a lockdown 1 For the chimney pot pigeon cooing into my morning meditation, For the plump, moist worm segmenting blindly through the salad bed, For the frilly skirts of kale that keep us fed through this hungry gap, For the endless online chat, For drizzle and haze and silver droplets on the rose, […]