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www.ilkestonlife.com ILKESTON LIFE January 2022 8

cartoons, etc., to I could I could go into the garden, With the Hoover or washing I stood for a moment scanning the
Email your poems,
garden all around
short stories,
poems@ilkeston- And prune the apple tree. up, Then it stopped quite suddenly
without making a sound
life.com By D. E. Grieve I could scrape and paint the I could paint and paper the I thought my imagination was
or send to Ilkeston window frames hall playing tricks in my head
Life, 1 Bath street,
Ilkeston, Derby- Wash the panes, better to see. And take the carpet up. Till it started again quite close to
the old shed
YOUR I could write and answer I could get up off my backside Growing beside the shed a clump
shire, DE7 8AH
of rhubarb caught my eye
And do something worth-
letters
As the music seemed to be coming
while,
And catch up on my mail.
from its inside
SPACE Chew the fat and swap a tale. on... Goose bumps began to cover my
And maybe I will, a little later
I could go and visit old pals
body where I stood
As I moved a little closer wonder-
I’ll just think on it for a while.
ing whether I should
I could help and do some
Gingerly I moved a giant rhubarb
housework
leaf to one side
Where I saw the most beautiful
What Place? is spent heart, How can I hope to describe dainty butterflies
After focusing my eyes, my world
For having tried I’ll die content”
The venom of death’s sword now
A glowing fireside?
By Ian Scott © 2020 Bravely he swam until it would beckons, Making toast, long handle fork, was quickly turned upside down
For attached to their wing’s fairies
What place will you come back to, seem And incessantly whispers my Dog panting by my side. danced all around
Now you’re leaving this ruin His struggles began to churn the name, Or give to you a description
I feel myself worn down by sor-
cream
behind? Of a sky with hue akin to blue The fairies giggled and danced till
All too soon your time is passing, On the top of the butter at last he rows, slate night-time fell
And only that, is on your mind. stopped All energy sapped from my life, Or the whiteness of fleshy fallen Then disappeared quite suddenly
And out of the bowl he happily
Knowing just one thing for certain,
hopped Sweet mummy, I wish you were snow from their enchanted dell
Well, you turned forests into gold. With footprints at the gate. Until this present day I will never
And all the seasons into one. What is the moral? Its easily found here. forget that scene
Now only a desert grows there, If you can’t get out, keep swim- Or the icy touch of linoleum As it still leaves me wondering if it
Lost beneath a burning sun. ming around. Elegy for an Uncle On bare feet in early morn. was all a dream.
The haste to dress, to light the fire,
You harvested a future yesterday. Abaddon For John Harvey
A price the unborn shall pay. By M. S. Harvey © 2006 No time to stretch and yawn.
Pray you don’t reap the whirlwind, By M. S. Harvey © 2017 Or talk about the pictures Jigsaw of Life
When you’re back again this way. Where is the man with the cheeky Jack Frost draws on windowpanes.
I walk the paths that lie, in-be- grin You couldn’t hope to copy By John White
In your mind’s eye, did you see tween life and death, Who used to dwell in this place? Mid-morning they’ve all waned.
yourself, I wander restless through, the Who found his joy in the simple
Pounding at your own front gate. chasms of the Never, things Talk even of steamy breath
There wielding a pen like a sword. I dwell within the shadows, that And had a broad smile on his face. Like clouds on frosted air,
While nature trembled at her abide in barren lands, Or view such frosty wonderland
fate.... I feed upon the fears, that dwell in The one who used to potter about White fields, white trees, all bare.
human hearts. In the garden for all he was worth? Life is an eighty plus jigsaw
You shrug your shoulders, you are Always concerned with growing Of power lines and cables With no picture on the box
leaving. I am, the king of nightmares, things Twice as thick with frost, The rules of the game are crystal
The final chapter’s of no concern. I am, devourer of time, And giving his seedlings new To find such words I do declare clear
You’ve got your faith in some birth. I’d be completely lost. We may only fit one piece each
other place, I bear the souls, of all of those, An adversary of all grass was he. year
And this one can either freeze, or who are doomed to die. A soldier in trademark flat cap. But what a wonderful sight to see
burn. A knight with mower his steed At our fireside and our fender, When laid out upon the table
Of winter’s many coats and hues
Plainly the pieces are interchange-
Optimist or Sweet Mummy was he And to appreciate its splendour. able
An earnest and unworldly chap.
Choices made by each selection
Pessimist By M. S. Harvey © 2021 A helper of family and friends was Careless Talk Determine our ultimate direction
he
By Jennifer Cults I don’t want to live without you, No kindness was ever too small. By John White Second thoughts are not permitted
Now you are gone from my life,
Do you see the downside to You were my reason for living, A true labourer of love was he The die is cast when a piece is
A gentle man who could stand tall.
everything, The reason that my sun would rise, A phrase can be a weapon fitted
or do you always try to look on I cannot believe you were taken, Where is the man with the loving A word become a dart The first sixteen are placed by
the bright side, So cruelly from within my care, heart, That pierces and enfeebles others
Is your glass half empty, or do you Losing my heart’s only true love, Loved by all those he knew? Directed at the heart Fathers, teachers, mentors, mothers
see it half full Sweet mummy, for you are not Where is the man with his kettle Spoken in jest
Do you complain because God put here. switched on? Yet hurtful and mean After that, we’re on our own
thorns on roses or Where is his favourite brew? To leave a deep scar The harvest waits as the seeds are
praise him for putting roses on You were the one girl who loved That will never be seen. sown
thorns. me, The grass has all grown now, its Then as the picture slowly grows
Two frogs fell into a deep cream Completely and with all her heart, enemy gone We chart the highs and bear the
This place seems quite empty and
bowl That never gave up when I fal- bare. lows
One was an optimistic soul tered, The Enchanted
But the other took the gloomy Stood by me throughout all the Wherever he is, wherever he’s Dell For when the final piece is laid
moved on.
view years. I hope he’s still gardening there. Our entire life is then displayed
“I shall drawn” he cried “and so I love you my precious, my dar- By Thomas Hosker Too late to rue our indecision
will you” ling, Where hard choice demands pre-
So with a last despairing cry Though Samael stole you from Wintertime Around this time of year magic is cision
He closed his eyes and said good- me, felt in the air
bye I weep oe’r missing my dearest, By D. E. Grieve Halloween had just passed and the Or ponder, on the might have been
But the other frog with a merry Sweet mummy, for you are not towns annual fair Of lovers lost, and sights unseen
grin here. How can I hope to describe I was just about to gather the last The heart dictates which path we
Said, “ I can’t get out, but I won’t A frosty winters day? apples off the tree choose
give in No more shall my sun keep rising, Of leaves piled against a fence When the sound of faint music For good or ill - win or lose.
I’ll swim around till my strength And darkness now clings to my Children kick along their way. suddenly startled me