Category Archives: Poetry

Edie Eicas: Surprise

I’m a tabbie given to Andrew and Robbie by their mum when they were going through a hard time. They saw me when they visited a school friend and he showed them my mothrer and the litter she’d just birthed in his cupboard. I was the runt, the last one left and would be deliveredContinue reading “Edie Eicas: Surprise”

Georgette Gerdes: Camellia

pink ‘n prettywith your delicate petalsso exactsymmetricalflouncing with the morning dewyou bask in the sun or dappled shadeoh how you tease Madam Japanese princesshow I have worshipped yousung your praisesgiven you wateryet you deny me brown buds ladyit ain’t fair yet a single bloomin all these months is worth the wait

Lawrie Stanford: Timeless Tales Told in Verse—The Pirate

I went down to the pub one day, at the bar there was a pirate— at least he had the gear I’d say, so I asked him, had he hired it. ‘Oi’m a pirate, aye me ‘earty, that oi be—aye, well and truly, oi’m not dress’d up for no party, oi be a pirate—quite unruly.’Continue reading “Lawrie Stanford: Timeless Tales Told in Verse—The Pirate”

Sharon Apold: The Centurion And The Butterfly

You who are good, strong and whole you hold me as though I am a butterfly delicate, flighty, fleeting You who are solid, and calm and reliable you have your hands just outside my wings protecting, shielding, guarding You who are wise, kind and stable you look at me and watch my attempts at flightContinue reading “Sharon Apold: The Centurion And The Butterfly”

Georgette Gerdes: ‘It’s not easy bein’ green’

  – a homage to Kermit the frog ‘Its not easy bein’ green’ Kermit sings with skinny limbs and felty fingers strumming the god given banjo he says it’s boring blending in with things chlorophyll leaves grass vegetables mountains of green the greenback lucky green green with envy green behind the ears green when you’reContinue reading “Georgette Gerdes: ‘It’s not easy bein’ green’”

Georgette Gerdes: Dances with Covid

lockdown appliances are friends I can hear the chatter Auntie ABC in the kitchen PK, Phillip and Norman Swann information updates doomsday whirring, twirling spinning sheets splashing, whooshing dirty plates cars drive by humming in tune LG – nascence of expanding waistlines bathed in fluorescent light yogurt, milk and mouldy left overs the main eventContinue reading “Georgette Gerdes: Dances with Covid”

Edie Eicas: Chelsea Troubadours

Black boys walk the sunny streets sub-culture’s clothes black and white t-shirts and tight jogging pants, sneakers on trend, a motza’s worth, stylish hair: boy braids, cornrows, top knots creativity announces identity. A mob loud, demands space, leaves white walkers paranoid; distance divides as wary white faces look over shoulders, stop. A gang, it’s London’sContinue reading “Edie Eicas: Chelsea Troubadours”

Georgette Gerdes: Island Life

caught she wants to fly far, across the horizon to the island the island of safety hurt no more the logs flatten on fractured wings struggling in dirt pain, hot scorching beak open no sound gagged by distress gasping struggling to survive squashed helpless, ignored, discarded expendable but the Island is beautiful soft breezes turquoiseContinue reading “Georgette Gerdes: Island Life”

Sharon Apold: Again

Not again! the floor drops beneath me I feel it go my body suspended mid-air the head in front of me still talking mouths moving words don’t match the shape they make sounds garbled echoing taunting my feet hang momentarily unaware of their vulnerability life moves around me I am not a part of itContinue reading “Sharon Apold: Again”

Lawrie Stanford: To Sled Or To Bed

With snow upon the ground outside, the boy leapt headlong on his sled, and down the hill at pace a-crackin’, delinquently, he quickly sped. He felt the wind as it blew by, there were no thoughts of fear or dread, but in his haste, he lost control, and crashed his cart into the shed. ThoseContinue reading “Lawrie Stanford: To Sled Or To Bed”

David Hope: The Fires Burn

The fires burn, the smoke thickens. Hotter still, the day quickens. Pushed by the wind, flames abscond. Sirens sound, firies respond. At the fire, hot work beckons. The fires burn, the smoke thickens. A wall of fire, massive front. Are we able to bear the brunt? The fires power, all consuming. Deal with this? We’reContinue reading “David Hope: The Fires Burn”

Sharon Apold: Dance with Dad

Beneath my hand I feel your shoulder bone Your smile is broad, careless, sweet I’m reminded of home Your step is neat Under my feet the floor feels grounding Your joy is open, blatant, obvious I’m almost crying Your dance oblivious Around my waist your arm holds tight Your eyes shine bright, clear, pale I’mContinue reading “Sharon Apold: Dance with Dad”

Roger Monk: The Garden

Matted elm leaves abandoning all hope. Naked sticks of unashamed winter. Glorious nightshade in purple velvet, tall as six year olds and just as deadly. Bunched violets scuttling over bare ground, covering the sins of summer. New boy on the block: feijoa, name still attached, where once a paperbark, now stacked firewood.   A rockContinue reading “Roger Monk: The Garden”

Lawrie Stanford: For Alvar, Aged 5

I’d hate to be a snake— when I’m trying to escape, I’d worry about my tail, left far back on the trail.   Sticking out there to be nabbed, far too easy to be grabbed, even if I’m ’round a bend, it’d be my sorry end! I’d hate to be a cow,  I’ll tell youContinue reading “Lawrie Stanford: For Alvar, Aged 5”

Lawrie Stanford: It’s the Spoof!

To the Editor, Guns USA Magazine; from Chuck (‘Spoof’) Gunn-Smith Jnr I am a proud Amerigun, and carry firearms just for fun. To shoot them little critters and keep them on the run.   I wanna be like my ol’ Pa, so he’s proud of his first son. He’s a good up-standing man, a gun-totin’Continue reading “Lawrie Stanford: It’s the Spoof!”

Georgette Gerdes: Spectrum

Why are you crying little girl? Lips buttoned, eyes red, snot dribbles, fingernails pick at scabbed bleeding scalp.   What’s wrong sweetie?   The void immense, a gulf abyss.     The meltdown continues.   Tears drizzle from bloodshot pools, pools hiding pain, in a room large and echoing, empty and cold.   Meaning isContinue reading “Georgette Gerdes: Spectrum”

Lawrie Stanford: Timeless Tales Retold in Verse – On the Farm

Dad took us up to Angie’s farm to visit his older sister. He said we’d likely stay four weeks, it’d been a while and he missed her.   We were greeted there with bad news, ‘Feathers’ the fowl had just expired. No more cluck-cluck or peck-peck’n, she was old and had grown so tired.  Continue reading “Lawrie Stanford: Timeless Tales Retold in Verse – On the Farm”

David Hope: The Reader

The reader imagining they have been Transported away to places unseen Experiencing things dirty and clean Stuck in the mud with the African Queen Scoured from the sands by a wind so keen Washed by waters some clear, some saline.   Mixed feelings of fear, feelings of joy The freezing cold of an Arctic convoy,Continue reading “David Hope: The Reader”

Sharon Apold: I Am Awake

Night… we meet again and again and again. In spite of my objection, for hours we will joust. Sleep, the elusive. I will grasp my pillow, wring that comfort dry. Night… you will shine your moon. I will toss, turn, defy your silent gloom. Awake… In that awful hour. The one of deathly quiet whenContinue reading “Sharon Apold: I Am Awake”

Maarten van de Loo: Deaf sentence

Listen how this fellow, getting older thought he would never be in strife. Fit and strong and a little bolder,  having posted the decades up to five, he couldn’t hear his wife. ‘What is the matter now with you? listen!’ ‘Yes, I do, if you play too!’ ‘Ayeeeeh! What d’ya saaay?’ that’s the cry theContinue reading “Maarten van de Loo: Deaf sentence”