Style of Pam Ayres

We had a challenge to write a poem in the style of Pam Ayres.  This is my effort... neither as charming nor as whimsical as an original but I thought it was a reasonable attempt.  Incidentally I am not that bad a cook, though it's true I don't do it often

I often wish I'd learned to cook
A thing so rare that people look
And stare, at the latest thing I've made.
Each ingredient is carefully weighed
And then I mix, and stir, and whip
Try a taste and burn my lip
But stew, or cake, or Yorkshire batter
Whatever I make it just don't matter
Plain home cooking or the latest fad
My dinner will taste especially bad
I'll tell you this, whatever you want
You'd do much better in a restaurant

Bathtime

The kids stayed overnight - they have a lovely time in the bath.  Of course they are not two little boys, but one of each - a bit of poetic licence there as it sounded better!

Water, water everywhere,
The kids are in the bath
So many toys
For two little boys
And a nice warm towel waiting
The rubber duck, it's
lost his quack,
It's floating in a bucket
Lots of splashing, lots of noise
And lots of lots of bubbles
I wish that I was four again
And could wash away all my troubles

Internet

Written from life...

Wasting time on the internet
I know I should be working, yet -
Here’s a picture of a kitten!
Instructions; how to knit a mitten
Someone has said something wrong
Arguing with them won’t take long
I really must check my Facebook
Oh, there’s a thing – must take a look
One quick game of Candy Crush –
Or maybe two, no need to rush
Someone sent me this – sooo funny!
Bank online, now check my money
Oh dear, now I’m running late
Really must start work – oh, wait!
First I’ll book tickets for the train
Check the weather – will it rain?
Oh, I forgot to check my email
Now look at this – that’s such a fail!
Really, really must start work
Wait a minute – see this jerk!
Oh, my goodness a whole day gone
All that time and no work done.

Edges

Sometimes there are edges,
Sharp lines with no blurring
We move from one side to another
And everything is changed

Sometimes there are choices
Stark, with no shades of grey
We pick one side over another
And there is no going back

We walk along the edges
As we navigate our lives
And we do not always know
Where they will take us

We sometimes make a choice
And it leads us somewhere else
If we choose to walk the edges
They will change us

A Visit to the Dentist

I was writing this in my head to distract myself from the drilling...

It felt like it went on for hours
The noise and the smell and the spray
It really was just a few minutes
I went to the dentist today

She told me about all the problems
With my gums and my teeth and my filling
That really was past its sell-by date
It needed a fresh lot of drilling

I then had a mouthful of putty
She told me I needed a crown
All of this poking and prodding
Really was getting me down

And then when it all was finished
The very worst bit of the day
I went to arrange my next visit
They told me how much I must pay!

Cloud Suite III

Back to clouds...

I consider clouds, their range of form and temper
Storm clouds gathering in a darkening sky
Great lowering masses, heavy and grey
Presaging rain to beat upon the earth

Poem for Poppy Rose

On 13th January my niece gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.  Sadly she was stillborn.  I wrote this for them.

Nine months inside the womb, tight curled.
Bud that will never bloom, tight furled.
Forever sleeping, the small whorls of her hands
Leave fingerprints upon our hearts
The faintest trace upon this world.