Tag Archives: Poetry

Halloween, Holidays, Poetry

Halloween Poetry 4

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Samhain

Don’t go near the graveyard, darling.
Samhain is tonight.
Don’t go near the graveyard, darling. 
The dead will walk this night.

Keep your candle burning, darling.
Keep it glowing bright.
Keep your candle burning darling.
Be sure it gives you light.

The bonfires have been lit, darling.
To fill the dark with light.
The bonfires have been lit, darling.
Their flames reach such a height.

Put your home fire out, darling.
Be sure to do it right.
Put your home fire out, darling.
From bonfires we’ll re-light.

Put food by the door, darling.
Leave it in plain sight.
Put food by the door, darling,
For our dead to have a bite.

Do not be afraid, darling.
They see that we’re alright.
Do not be afraid, darling.
No harm from them tonight.

But evil spirits come, darling.
We must put them to flight.
But evil spirits come, darling.
Them we must try to fight.

Go and watch the bonfires, darling.
Stand in their bright light.
Go and watch the bonfires, darling
To keep us safe this night.

This is another poem from Miscellaneous Thoughts. The book contains poems of a variety of kinds and of different themes. Click on the image in the sidebar to go to your favourite online store.

Halloween, Holidays, Poetry

Halloween Poetry 3

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Hallowe’en

The moon has hidden her face tonight
Turned away from the Earth.
The clouds are scurrying away in fright
From what the night may give birth,
For tonight the veil is thin.

The wind is blowing the leaves around.
They hide in crannies and nooks.
Cowering, shivering, hope not to be found
By phantoms, ghosts and spooks,
For tonight the veil may tear.

Build a bonfire, create some light.
The spirits are afraid.
They like the shadows, shun what’s bright
And lurk within the shade
For tonight they cross the veil.

Ghouls and spectres, wraiths and shades
Return to Earth tonight.
We’re filled with dread as daylight fades.
The smallest sound will give us fright
For tonight the veil has gone.

If you like my poems, please comment in the comments box. This and the other poems can be found in my poetry book, Miscellaneous Thoughts. You can buy it by clicking on the highlighted text or the book cover in the sidebar.

Halloween, Holidays, Poetry

Halloween Poetry 2

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There were several festivals that were held by the ancient pagan Celts, one of which was Samhain (pronounced Sowain). In order to wean them away from their pagan worship, Pope Gregory III, in the 8th Century, established November 1st, which had been the pagan New Year, as All Saints’ Day, and November 2nd as All Souls’ Day (all those Christians who had died unknown).

Thus there was a link to Samhain because it was thought by the pagan people that the dead could return to their old homes to visit their descendants. Sometimes an extra place was set at the table and food left for them.

They also believed that devils, demons and the like could also come, and so they lit bonfires to scare them away. (UK residents note that we have a remnant of those bonfires on November 5th.)

This poem references the thought that our dead loved ones can visit us on this night.

This poem refers to my father who died when I was just three years old.

A Father’s Hallowe’en message.

I Died.
I didn’t want to go.
I left my wife and daughter so
I cried.

I thought
I could no longer see
All their future without me.
I fought.

I found
That each All Hallows Eve,
I could return—I need not grieve.
Not bound.

I come
To them each Hallowe’en.
They do not know. I am not seen.
I’m dumb.

They live
And I surround them both
With all my love. I am not loath
To give.

Here ends my tale.
I will be filled with endless glee
When they come to dwell with me
Beyond the veil.

Halloween, Holidays, Poetry

Halloween Week. Day 1

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As it’s Halloween week, I thought I’d post a few of my Halloween poems. I’m going to post one each day until Halloween itself.

In the Haunted House

The wind it blows cold.
Like ice down my back.
I try to be bold, 
But courage I lack.
In the haunted house.

It seemed such a lark
When we set off tonight.
But now it’s gone dark
And we shiver with fright
In the haunted house.

Jane said. ‘We’ll have fun
On Hallowe’en night.’
But when slow footsteps come
She screams out in fright
In the haunted house.

‘Let’s take candles,’ said Pete.
‘More authentic for light. 
And something to eat
If we’re staying all night
In the haunted house.’

Jack thinks it’s a game
Till the candles blow out.
Not one single flame.
He gave a loud shout
In the haunted house.

The temperature sinks.
‘That means ghosts are here,’
Said Pete, who still thinks
There’s nothing to fear
In the haunted house.

The door starts to creak.
It opens so slow.
Our knees have gone weak.
I wish we could go
From the haunted house.

But nothing is there 
As we huddle in fear.
Not one of us dare
To get up and peer
In the haunted house.

All night there are groans.
We hear footsteps, we swear,
And the rattle of bones.
Something is there 
In the haunted house.

We laugh at our fear
As we make our way home.
In daylight it’s clear
No spirits do roam 
In the haunted house.

The noises we heard?
Just the sounds of a house
Cooling down, and a bird
Not one single ghost
In the haunted house.

Do you celebrate Halloween? How do you celebrate?

announcement, fruit, Poetry

I’m taking a break.

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It”s the first of July, and here in the UK, and in Europe as a whole, we’re having some scorching days.

I’ve decided to take a little break from blogging for this month. I will, however, still read and comment on your posts.

So, to give you something to go on with, here’s today’s poem from my poetry book, From July to December. There is one poem to read each day of these six months. Book 1 is also available. It’s called From January to June.

It’s deep into peach season, so I wrote this in honour of that delicious fruit.

Image by 현수 김 from Pixabay

Peaches

A peach with skin so soft.
Breathe in the sweet scent
As to my nose it wafts
Made just to tempt.

Bite into the flesh.
That scent did not lie.
The flavour so fresh
That I cannot deny.

Juice runs down my chin.
The peach is so sweet.
It must be a sin
To enjoy such a treat.

If you would like to purchase a copy of either, or both books, simply click on the cover in the side bare. It will take you to where you can choose your favourite online store.

The books are available as ebooks, or real books.

Have a good summer. See you in August.

announcement, book reviews, fantasy, Guest Post, novel, Poetry, romance, stories

2 visits to other blogs.

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I was recently asked if I would post on Roberta Eaton’s poetry blog, Writing to Be Read. I was greatly honoured, as I admire Robbie’s poetry. She has interviewed me, and reviewed my poetry book, January to June. One Poem a Day, Book 1.

The interview includes one of my favourite poems as well as a couple of mine.

Here is the latest Amazon ranking for this book.

If you want to find out more, click the button below.

Take me to Robbie’s blog.

If you enjoy poetry, you can buy this book and the next one, July to December, by clicking the two buttons.

Buy January to June
Buy July to December

But suppose you aren’t into poetry? Many people aren’t.

I have a post on Beetley Pete’s blog, too. This one has an extract from my latest book, Horselords, a novella.

Click the button to take you to Pete’s blog to read the post. And while you’re there, check out some of his other posts. He frequently features a serial that’s always worth a read.

Go to Beetley Pete’s blog.

Horselords is a book in the new genre of Romantasy–a blend of Romance and Fantasy, and, being a novella, is a quick read.

Here’s what Amazon said about it.

For all her life, Kimi has been taught that the Wanderers, as the nomadic tribes are known, are violent thieves.

But they are not a threat, and she hopes to have the life of a Settled Horselord, raising horses like her parents. When her family’s horses are stolen, everything changes. Kidnapped by violent tribesmen and threatened with a forced marriage to the chief’s son, she is terrified of what the future will bring.

Fearing for the lives of her father and brothers, will Kimi be able to escape and return home?

As it’s new, it doesn’t have any reviews as yet. (I’m hopeful for some good ones soon, though.)

If you are interested, here’s a link to take you to your favourite online store.

Buy Horselords

I would like to thank both Robbie and Pete for giving me time on their blogs to get to know a few more people.

My books can be bought by clicking the image in the side bar. This will take you to where you can select your favourite on-line store.

The ebook of the first in all series is free.

free book, Give Away, Poetry

Spring Blooms. A Poem.

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This poem is taken from my poetry book, January to June, One Poem a Day Book 1.

It isn’t the poem for today, but today’s was rather short, so I picked tomorrow’s instead!

The hedgerows and woodlands are looking lovely with the spring flowers.

A mantle of gold is thrown over the heath;
The gorse is in bloom, spread over the ground.
Wonderful memories it does bequeath 
As its delicate perfume spreads all around.
Golden, as well, are the banks by the road
With dandelions like small shards from the sun.
Primroses, cowslips and celandines explode
Their colour, as if it were shot from a gun.

Pools of pale lilac cover the verge
With the beautiful flowers of ladysmock.
In April and May these flowers emerge
And behind them, grow the tall leaves of the dock.
In woodland the ground is covered in white.
Not snow, but a small and delicate flower.
Wood anemones nod their heads in delight
As the breeze blows in a gentle shower.

Wild cherry and blackthorn are white in the hedge
Blossoms promise of fruit yet to come.
In autumn we make sloe gin from the pledge
They gave us, as they ripen in the sun.
Spring is a time for renewal and growth
As all nature wakens again.
Our hopes are renewed, as she fulfils her oath
As we listen to the song of the wren.

If you like my poem, you can get book 1 as an ebook for free. There is one poem to read every day from January to June. Then book 2 takes up the poems from July to December.

The books are also available in other formats from your favourite online store.

Click to get my free poetry book.

What is your favourite type of poetry to read? Do you enjoy poems written in the modern way, or are you a person who prefers more traditional types?

Let us know in the comments.

Guest Post, Poetry

I’m visiting Robbie Cheadle on her blog tomorrow.

8 Comments

First of all, I apologise for no post yesterday day. I had a dreadful cold over the weekend, which is when I usually sort out my posts for the following Tuesday. I’m not completely recovered yet, but am well on the way. It was the worst cold I’ve had in ages. Colds don’t usually stop me in my tracks, but this one did!

The good news is that today I’m visiting Robbie Cheadle on her blog. I would like to thank her for asking me. It’s a great honour to be asked by such an excellent author and poet.

To see the post, click on the button below.

Go to Robbie’s blog.

nature, plants, Poetry

Discover the Beauty of Wood Anemones in Spring. British Wild Flowers.

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Image by mikezwei from Pixabay

One of the prettiest sights in spring is the carpets of white that cover the ground beneath woodland trees.

This is not a late scattering of snow, but thousands of wood anemones.

The Woodland Trust says:
A sign of ancient woodland.

Wood anemone is an ancient-woodland-indicator plant. If you spot it while you’re out exploring, it could be a sign you’re standing in a rare and special habitat. 

I am lucky enough to have woodlands with these flowers within walking distance of my house. Ancient woodland that has been there since time immemorial.

The wood anemone is a delicate-looking plant with white star-shaped flowers.

Image by Pirkko Valtonen from Pixabay

The Wood anemone found in the UK is Anemonoides nemorosa, while in the US there are two species–Anemonoides quinquefolia, which has white stamens as well as white flowers, and the western wood anemone Anemonoides oregana, which is blue.

I am going to talk about ours, though, since this is one my British Wild Flowers posts.

Image by Albrecht Fietz from Pixabay

These plants are very small. Wikipedia says seldom reaching a height of more than 30cm, but I’ve yet to see one anywhere near that height. Most of those I’ve seen are around half that. They have delicate leaf-like bracts beneath the flowers that are divided into three lobes.

We find these little beauties in bloom from May until about April, so they are one of the earliest to appear, flowering before the trees come into leaf and block the sunlight. The flowers are around 2cm across with six or seven petals surrounding a large number of stamens.

It spreads by rhizome, but only extremely slowly. One estimate I read was that it was only 6 feet per 100 years! This is why it can be used as an identifier of ancient woodland. If the ground is covered, then the woodland is several hundred years old.

How useful is it?

Deer and many other herbivores such as rabbits, hares, mice and voles will eat wood anemones. Many insects also feed on it, including small wasps and flies.

The wood anemone is also a host plant for larvae of some butterfly species .

Human uses.

It has been traditionally used to treat some illnesses (although I don’t suggest trying it unless you know exactly what you are doing!)

According to Glenlivet Wildlife “it has been reported to have several medicinal properties, including sedative and cardiovascular benefits, amongst others.

“Wood anemone root extracts have been used to treat a wide range of liver diseases, including chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis.”

“In traditional medicine, it is also believed that they can induce menstruation if eaten in large amounts.

“Used by many European countries, they help prevent soil erosion due to their extensive root system, which binds the soil together with their numerous fibrous roots.”

Picking wild flowers wasn’t illegal when I was growing up, and I used to pick many of our wild flowers. The local church had an annual flower show, and one of the classes was for a wild flower arrangement. Wood anemones would not have been good for this as I discovered. They fade and die very quickly when picked.

White heads dancing
In the gentle breeze
Carpet the ground
Beneath the trees

Bees buzz eager
For this new supply
Of nectar from
A flower so shy.

Fill your eyes with
Ethereal sight.
They’ll soon be gone
These flowers so white.

nature, plants, Poetry

Discover the Beauty of Spring Through Poetry

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 I thought I’d write some poems about the seasons. Here is one about spring.

Spring is a lovely month. We’ve lived through the cold of winter and the seeming death of life. Many animals hibernate through the winter and are not seen; the trees are bare; the grass stops growing and many plants die back.

But with the spring, the sun gets warmer and life begins anew. It is an optimistic time of year.

Spring

Dandelions, like gold, cover the meadows.
Newborn lambs frolic in fields.
New leaves on the trees are casting their shadows
And winter’s cold grip quickly yields.

At the edges of woodland the primroses glow
And cowslips their scent fills the air.
Anemones dance when the breezes do blow
And birds sing with never a care.

Then bluebells and campions come into bloom
Their colour the blue of the sea.
The cuckoo, that herald of spring, will come soon,
His call echoing over the lea.

The song of the blackbird is like molten gold.
His notes are so pure and so clear.
Hearing him seems to banish the cold
And brings joy to all those who hear.

Robin is nesting, and other birds too,
The hedgehog is active once more.
The young of the deer and the badger and shrew
Play their games as in old days of yore.

The sun climbs higher and higher each day
Giving more of his heat and his light.
It sparkles like stars fallen into the bay.
All smile at the beautiful sight.

Hope and excitement come with each spring morn.
What blessings will come with this day?
New starts can begin once again with each dawn
And send us all hopeful away.

I hope you enjoyed my spring poem. It can be found in my poetry book, Miscellaneous Thoughts along with many more of my poems, both about the seasons and nature and a variety of other subjects.

If you would like to read more of them, you can click on the book cover in the sidebar, or click the button to take you to the online bookstore of your choice. It is available in ebook format as well as a ‘real’ book.

Get my book