LXXXVI
"Stamina comes with maturity"
Well, I like the idea
And it's the sort of statement
That you very often hear.
I sure some expert said it,
Though I can't remember who
I find it a consoling thought
When I'm struggling to do ..
As much as I used to
In my immature young days,
There must be compensations to
The "getting older" phase.
I'm sure that there are many,
Though they escape my mind.
Does one become more diplomatic?
More tolerant? More kind?
I know my memory is not as good
As it used to be
And without my reading glasses
I really cannot see.
So as grey hair and wrinkles
Slowly creep up on me,
At least I can look forward to
The stamina of maturity.
June 1998
Decided to change to a larger font to make it easier to read!
Thursday 20 October 2011
Tuesday 18 October 2011
I'M GLAD I'M NOT BEAUTIFUL
LXXXV
I'm told that beautiful women
Find it harder to cope with age
Than their plainer sisters
When they reach that certain stage.
If you've always seen a lovely face
In the mirror every day,
Wrinkles must be distressing
And hair that's thin and grey.
There are clinics that offer liposuction,
Botox and a face lift;
The family can pay for a boob job
As a Christmas or birthday gift.
These measures are expensive
And alas, alack one fine day
You'll find that your face has crumpled again
And your loveliness faded away.
If you never have been pretty
The problem does not arise,
You don't expect to see beauty -
You are used to averting your eyes.
I am glad I was not born a beauty
(Looks are but surface sham)
With long shapely legs and thick glossy hair ....
Oh what a liar I am!
February 2011
I'm told that beautiful women
Find it harder to cope with age
Than their plainer sisters
When they reach that certain stage.
If you've always seen a lovely face
In the mirror every day,
Wrinkles must be distressing
And hair that's thin and grey.
There are clinics that offer liposuction,
Botox and a face lift;
The family can pay for a boob job
As a Christmas or birthday gift.
These measures are expensive
And alas, alack one fine day
You'll find that your face has crumpled again
And your loveliness faded away.
If you never have been pretty
The problem does not arise,
You don't expect to see beauty -
You are used to averting your eyes.
I am glad I was not born a beauty
(Looks are but surface sham)
With long shapely legs and thick glossy hair ....
Oh what a liar I am!
February 2011
AN EXPENSIVE CLOTHES-HORSE
LXXXIV (84)
My doctor said that I should
Lose weight - and get in trim,
So I decided that I would
Join a local gym.
It cost a lot to join up
But at least it meant I could
Swim and work out every day -
That would do me good.
But as always happens
Life got in the way.
I couldn't get there once a week,
Don't mention once a day.
I will be going on holiday soon
And I really must
Put muscles on my flabby thighs
And firm up my bust.
Forget about the money
I'll buy an exercise machine,
Something comprehensive for
My keeping fit regime.
It was an expensive investment
But as the salesman said,
Keeping fit will be as easy as
Falling out of bed.
After the first few weeks
It wasn't touched at all.
For years it has been leaning
Up against the wall.
Will it ever be used again?
Perhaps - but goodness knows;
I now have an expensive stand
On which to throw my clothes!
September 2005
My doctor said that I should
Lose weight - and get in trim,
So I decided that I would
Join a local gym.
It cost a lot to join up
But at least it meant I could
Swim and work out every day -
That would do me good.
But as always happens
Life got in the way.
I couldn't get there once a week,
Don't mention once a day.
I will be going on holiday soon
And I really must
Put muscles on my flabby thighs
And firm up my bust.
Forget about the money
I'll buy an exercise machine,
Something comprehensive for
My keeping fit regime.
It was an expensive investment
But as the salesman said,
Keeping fit will be as easy as
Falling out of bed.
After the first few weeks
It wasn't touched at all.
For years it has been leaning
Up against the wall.
Will it ever be used again?
Perhaps - but goodness knows;
I now have an expensive stand
On which to throw my clothes!
September 2005
Monday 17 October 2011
AUTUMN IS ...
LXXXIII
Autumn is ...
A time of mists and mellow fruitfulness...
And cars that will not start.
My car is old
As nights grow cold
Getting it going is an art.
Our garden is gossamer webbed
With dew drop bright shining beads.
The battery is dead,
So my neighbour said
Now where did I put the jump leads?
Each chestnut leaf's carefully outlined
With a warm rusty-gold Autumn hue.
Shall I bump start it?
Oh damn and blast it.
Perhaps just a good kick would do.
Could I have flooded the engine?
Perhaps the spark plugs are not clean
Is my fan belt on right?
Or is it too tight?
I do not understand this machine.
The holly trees glow in the sunlight
And under them scuffles a wren.
How I hate this car.
Shall I sell it? Ah!
The engine turned over just then.
I'm sure I need more exercise
And I know just what I should do.
Get rid of this vehicle
And buy a cycle.
It'll save money on petrol too!
October 1980
To H.B.
We all drove old cars in the 1980s and this verse is dedicated to a friend
who regularly had problems starting his car.
Autumn is ...
A time of mists and mellow fruitfulness...
And cars that will not start.
My car is old
As nights grow cold
Getting it going is an art.
Our garden is gossamer webbed
With dew drop bright shining beads.
The battery is dead,
So my neighbour said
Now where did I put the jump leads?
Each chestnut leaf's carefully outlined
With a warm rusty-gold Autumn hue.
Shall I bump start it?
Oh damn and blast it.
Perhaps just a good kick would do.
Could I have flooded the engine?
Perhaps the spark plugs are not clean
Is my fan belt on right?
Or is it too tight?
I do not understand this machine.
The holly trees glow in the sunlight
And under them scuffles a wren.
How I hate this car.
Shall I sell it? Ah!
The engine turned over just then.
I'm sure I need more exercise
And I know just what I should do.
Get rid of this vehicle
And buy a cycle.
It'll save money on petrol too!
October 1980
To H.B.
We all drove old cars in the 1980s and this verse is dedicated to a friend
who regularly had problems starting his car.
Wednesday 12 October 2011
LIBRANS
LXXXII
(Happy birthday D.H.)
I recently came across
An old astrology book
It was so fascinating
I had to have a look.
I've always thought that Libra
Was the best astrological sign -
Well of course I would say that
Because it's yours- and mine.
We are - it said - diplomatic,
Considerate, sympathetic and kind;
But it also credited us
With a sharp and cynical mind.
(Now think of Solomon -
As fair and just as could be -
I am quite convinced that
A Libran was he.)
We're peace-lovers and we need
A calm and peaceful life,
What really bothers us
Is arguments and strife.
They endow us with many
A less appealing trait:
They say we're extravagant and lazy
And that we procrastinate.
I thought I was indecisive -
But now I'm not too sure.
Even Librans are not perfect,
That would be a bore.
A pair of scales may not be
The most exciting sign
But it stands for fairness and justice
And I'm glad it's mine.
(Happy birthday D.H.)
I recently came across
An old astrology book
It was so fascinating
I had to have a look.
I've always thought that Libra
Was the best astrological sign -
Well of course I would say that
Because it's yours- and mine.
We are - it said - diplomatic,
Considerate, sympathetic and kind;
But it also credited us
With a sharp and cynical mind.
(Now think of Solomon -
As fair and just as could be -
I am quite convinced that
A Libran was he.)
We're peace-lovers and we need
A calm and peaceful life,
What really bothers us
Is arguments and strife.
They endow us with many
A less appealing trait:
They say we're extravagant and lazy
And that we procrastinate.
I thought I was indecisive -
But now I'm not too sure.
Even Librans are not perfect,
That would be a bore.
A pair of scales may not be
The most exciting sign
But it stands for fairness and justice
And I'm glad it's mine.
Thursday 6 October 2011
THE ANNUAL APPLE AVALANCHE
LXXXI
All through the Spring and Summer
We tend our apple tree
We feed and fertilise it
And keep the ground weed-free.
But now that Summer's over
And Autumn days have come
We have apples by the hundred
Apples by the ton.
We've boxes full of apples
In neat and tidy rows,
And every time I turn my back
The apple mountain grows.
Apples stewed and crumbled
Home made apple pie,
I don't think I can use them all
No matter how I try.
Apples pulped and frozen
Gallons of home-made wine.
We are not short of apples
But I am short of time.
Apples are pressed on friends who call,
What we need is a buyer,
But has the apple mountain shrunk?
No, it's grown even higher.
Stewed apples with custard,
Stewed apples with cream,
If I eat one more apple
I'm sure I'll turn pale green.
To B.C.
Remembering your bumper harvest,
Oct.1980
All through the Spring and Summer
We tend our apple tree
We feed and fertilise it
And keep the ground weed-free.
But now that Summer's over
And Autumn days have come
We have apples by the hundred
Apples by the ton.
We've boxes full of apples
In neat and tidy rows,
And every time I turn my back
The apple mountain grows.
Apples stewed and crumbled
Home made apple pie,
I don't think I can use them all
No matter how I try.
Apples pulped and frozen
Gallons of home-made wine.
We are not short of apples
But I am short of time.
Apples are pressed on friends who call,
What we need is a buyer,
But has the apple mountain shrunk?
No, it's grown even higher.
Stewed apples with custard,
Stewed apples with cream,
If I eat one more apple
I'm sure I'll turn pale green.
To B.C.
Remembering your bumper harvest,
Oct.1980
AN ENGLISH AUTUMN
LXXX
When winter's on the way,
Nature has a final fling
To finish her bronze and gold pigments
And clear her palette for Spring.
America's fall picture
Is too gaudy - to bright.
England's Autumn tapestry
Is a restrained, artistic delight.
A fluffy clematis shawl
On the hedgerow is spread;
The leaves are at their very best
Just before they're shed.
The elegance of a silver birch -
The beauty of a bronze beech -
The Autumn countryside refreshes
The parts no other time can reach.
December 1988
When winter's on the way,
Nature has a final fling
To finish her bronze and gold pigments
And clear her palette for Spring.
America's fall picture
Is too gaudy - to bright.
England's Autumn tapestry
Is a restrained, artistic delight.
A fluffy clematis shawl
On the hedgerow is spread;
The leaves are at their very best
Just before they're shed.
The elegance of a silver birch -
The beauty of a bronze beech -
The Autumn countryside refreshes
The parts no other time can reach.
December 1988
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