WRITING
Words make sentences, a jewel,
R? The 3 R’s, so confusing at school.
Ink we had in ink wells.
Thesaurus gives alternate words.
Index what you have written.
Nouns are living things like kittens.
Grammar a system of writing rules.
So Retford Writers, just stay cool!
Now it’s too late, your push too far.
Every phrase and look you make
Guts the flesh of its life.
And you, yes you, desire that explosive reaction.
Tumbling letters of unstoppable emotive fractions.
I’ve known you many years, plenty good and happy,
Vanished they seem in this decade of older depravity.
Early one day I will rise and think of only your smile.
Angela O’Connor
Before I shuffle off this mortal coil
Undertaken deep beneath The Makers soil
Could there be anything undone I should regret?
Kindled in my youth which I forget?
Everything that I am now, I’ve lived to be
Today, all my experience is me!
Let me not long for life I can’t insist
Indeed, despite those things I might have missed
Sorrows, why be sad? I shalln’t be triste
Tomorrow’s all that’s on my bucket list!
AUTUMN’S RAMBLING GLORY
There she goes moving stealthily
amongst the trees.
Her glorious locks glistening in the
dappled shade.
Languidly she turns,
gazing and alighting where
her beauty decides to bask.
Virginia, you possess a nonchalant presence.
Boldly, yet without fanfare she arrives.
Her leaves creeping into my heart.
Dance, my Virginia, dance
SEASONAL INVERSION
Surreptitiously she awakens
Elemental error is repeated
Association of mis-matched months
Semester deviations do confuse
Only to be relived further on
Naturally it is here and there
Australian autumn
Languishes at the feet of March
Invisible to my eye now
Never far from my mind
Veiled in summer sundances
English autumn awaits
Reverent metamorphosis of life
Subtly transforming hues
Invigorating the pleasure palette
Oh the wonder of her
Navigating through hemispheres
C the Carols we sing in celebration,
H the Holly to help our decorations.
R for the Reindeer who pull Santa’s sleigh
I is Ivy to go with the Holly, we say
S the sweet Sauce we pour over our pud
T the green fir Tree where our presents are stood
M for the Marzipan wrapped round our cake
A in our bed the night before, ah that is Awake!
S as we Sing on Christmas Eve.
D for the Day that we all should be pleased
A for All those in need of our help.
Y and so to Y, Yule Tide,
the old name for Christmas.
And a Merry Christmas Day to you All.
By Michael Healy
Retwords 