Swans with their Cygnets

The swans glide gently over the water.
Their long necks curved in the shape of an "S";
What goes through their minds as the silently swim,
No person can even begin to guess.

The cygnets all follow, stretched out in a row,
Pale, fluffy balls who still cannot swim straight;
They frantically paddle so not to be left,
Alone where an eagle might settle their fate.

The Reluctant Worker

Getting up in the morning is often a bore,
From Monday to Friday, when I am quite sure
My days will seem endless, always dragging along,
Stuck in a world where I hardly belong.
I work to earn money and all that it brings -
The chance to get out and enjoy other things.
Leisurely rambles or hiking up hills,
Exploring lush meadows and old water mills.
Gallery visits which tempt one to start
Going to lectures to learn about art.
Painting and sketching on warm summer days,
The distance a blur in a bluish-grey haze.
Browsing in bookshops for new things to read;
Sitting in parks throwing small birds fresh seed;
Writing new poems and stories and plays,
Carefully considering each word and phrase.
Happily swimming in pool or in sea,
Enjoying the feeling I'm utterly free.
Going on train trips, which take me away
To places of interest, to spend the whole day
Just looking around, seeking all that is new -
Most places have plenty to see and to do.
Going to concerts, to films and to plays,
outdoor events with their varied displays.
So Monday to Friday I beaver away,
Earning the money which I hope will pay
For doing the things that I'd really prefer
To spend all my time on but have to defer
To weekends and holidays when I am free
To spend all my time on just what pleases me.

Bossy People

Some people never stop complaining, for they always seem to find
Someone or something that's in error, usually though just in their mind;
They love to tell their colleagues, neighbours, friends and families too,
Just how they've erred and gone astray and what they all must do.
They never wait to see if you will wash your cup and plate,
"Don't forget to wash your things," will be your certain fate,
As soon as you have finished, for they're always looking out
To order everyone around; that's what their life's about.
"Don't forget", "Make sure that you" contain their favourite words,
They use them endlessly all day, like little chirping birds.
They irritate all those around, with their annoying quips
Which effortlessly and constantly fall hourly from  their lips.
They're never happy on their own, for it's too hard to bear
The fact they want to be in charge, but no-one else is there.

The Self-Centred Bore

"What do you think of the latest tax the government has just imposed?

And the Council's decision that in our town all gardens must be enclosed?"

"Oh, not too good,

No government should

Raise taxes -certainly not,

They're just a greedy lot.

I really must bring you up to date with my latest tax affairs;

When I try to fill people in, it seems nobody really cares,

But I know that you are not like that and are really dying to hear,

About the hours it took to complete my income tax form this year."

"Have you heard of American plans for bombing a series of towns?

Don't you feel their behaviour now is totally out of bounds?"

"Hm. yes, of course that's true,

But really nothing new.

Some years ago I decided to go to America for a break,

Shunning the Continent for once, for a new adventure's sake,

I flew across on a Friday night and stayed there fourteen nights,

Which gave me plenty of time to see a number of towns and sites."

"Have you heard there's snow on the way, the worst we've every known,

With temperatures plummeting downwards till we're more like an Arctic zone?"

"Oh, are they? I didn't know.

Unusual, but there you go.

I once built a snowman when it snowed, and gave him a woolly hat,

I kept on adding snow to his sides so he ended up short and fat."

"What do you think of the NHS and the problems with A and E?

The shortage of doctors and nurses, so plain for all to see?"

"Hm, terrible, yes, I know,

But that is now things go.

I was in hospital once, and they carried out every test,

So many endless procedures, I hardly got any rest.

They prodded me here and prodded me there, and took my blood every day,

And at the end still couldn't be sure where the cause of my symptoms lay."

"The Thames is expecting a mighty surge which the Barrier can't prevent,

So its waters will soon be flooding over large slices of Essex and Kent."

"Oh, dear, how awful that will be,

But I don't live there so it won't affect me.

I went to visit the Barrier once; it's quite an impressive sight,

And must present a splendid view if gazed on late at night,

With its gleaming shapes of silver against the darkened sky,

It really looks so romantic, though I'm not really certain why."

"Have you heard about the new deadly disease which no-one is able to treat?

As all attempts to find a cure have resulted in utter defeat?"

"Oh, have they?  How sad!

Things really are bad.

I once picked up a nasty disease, which laid me low for days,

And during that time I was so ill my mind was in a haze,

The doctors said I was so brave, they really couldn't see

How anyone could cope so well - but coping, that's just me."

"The doctor's said I've got cancer, and there's nothing that they can do,

It's one of the most aggressive, and the months I've got left are few."

"Oh dear, are they?

How can they say?

The last time I went to the doctor, I thought I'd a terrible cold,

But they gave it another name - I've forgotten what I was told.

They gave me some yellow tablets to take after every meal,

And seemed to think my illness was really no big deal.

Though I really felt quite rotten and my temperature was sky high,

At one point I really was frightened that I might be about to die."

Walking

Walking is something which gives one a boost;
Striding along one is quickly seduced
By the feeling of freedom that's one of its charms,
The light steps on earth and the swinging of arms.
Chance to observe all the world as passed by,
Butterflies, flowers and the overhead sky.
Noticing noises which usually aren't heard,
The chirp of a cricket, or song of a bird.
Helping get fit while enjoying the walk,
Which also, perhaps, makes a good time to talk.

The Lonely Wife

Each evening I wait for the sound of your key
As it turns in the lock when you come home to me.
Alone with the children all day in the house,
That I've no-one to talk with it my only grouse.
The children are sweeties, but when they're so young,
Their skills at discussion have hardly begun.
They chatter all day like a trio of birds,
But understand only the simplest of words.
There's no-one at home living anywhere near,
So no deep discussions are possible here.
So I wait your return and the chance to enjoy,
Talk that's not aimed  at our small girls and boy.

The Baker's

Delicious smells wafting out the door,
Make one want to experience more
Of the breads and cakes on sale within;
But where, or where, should one begin?
They all look so enticing there,
And most so fattening, it isn't fair,
That they should so assail one's nose -
But that, of course, is how life goes.

Retirement

Ended the days of nine to five,
Surrounded by journeys squashed alive
In airless tubes, with the heating on -
Those days are now forever gone.
And in their place is a life with a view,
The chance to try out so much new,
Indulge in passions long held back
And never considered because of the lack
Of time to include them within the hours
Free from work's all encircling powers.
A time to try painting if that is your will,
And greatly enhance your artistic skill,
Or one fo the many arts and crafts
Beckoning one who no longer grafts
Throughout the day, but has time free,
To make life what they want it to be.
Doing the garden can be quite fun,
Pottering round enjoying the sun.
With plays and films in the afternoon,
Or gazing at night at the stars and the moon..
Writing a book - many feel they've ideas,
To make people laugh or reduce them to tears.
Meeting old friends in a cafe or pub,
Or making new ones by joining a club.
Days at the seaside or countryside walks,
Going to interesting lectures and talks.
Voluntary work, for there's always a need
For those who are willing to do a good deed.
And if with things English you find yourself bored,
You've plenty of time for adventures abroad.
So much to look forward to once you've retired,
The chance to make life what you've always desired.

London Parks

Splashes of green in the midst of grey buildings,
Bits of the countryside set in the town,
Such are the parks with which London is scattered,
Places of interests of worldwide renown.

Many are ancient and history records of them
Stories of intrigue and romance and crime,
Scenes of events that have shaped London's story,
Most of them spanning a very long time.

Oases of peace in a fast moving city,
Places where people can sit down and rest,
Enjoying the feeling of being in the country
Far from the stresses so many detest.

Hot Summer Weather

It's nice to have warm weather, with unclouded skies all day,
The sort, that often happens in late April or in May,
But when the summer's with us, and the sun's relentless rays,
Strike the earth with vigour, producing scorching days,
It isn't really pleasant, not weather to enjoy,.
For very many people more the sort that will annoy.
It makes you feel so languid, lacking any sense of speed,
As if a life of leisure is the only thing you need/
Eating loads of icecream doesn't as a rule
Do anything longstanding in the battle to get cool.
At night it's really awful as you struggle hard to sleep,
With wakefulness and slumber all jumbled in a heap.
The Underground is stifling - the buses just as bad,
Comfortable travelling then in general can't be had.
Your clothes are soaked with moisture, showing wavy lines of salt,
And all of your discomfort is the humid weather's fault.
You dream of autumn;s coming, knowing that as it draws near,
The awful heat of summer will then start to disappear.

Daisy Chains

Wild daisy plants with their small pretty flowers
Can keep children busy and happy for hours,
Roaming the meadows and picking a pile,
And then sitting down on the grass for a while,
Making holes in the stems for the heads to go through,
And form a long chain by adding a few
More stems with their flowers, until they all weigh
Too much when picked up for them to all stay
Together as one, without falling apart;
When this point is reached, it is then time to start
Making a new chain, till no flowers remain,
And then it is time to start gathering again.

Houseboats

The fact will hardly be a surprise
That houseboats vary in shape and size;
Some so narrow and lacking in space,
There's hardly room to unpack a small case,
With beds to fold up to make room to walk through,
With cooking and washing facilities few.
In winter it's cold for the heating is poor;
At night you need sleep under blankets galore.
Others are huge, and more like a flat,
With bedrooms and bathrooms and everything that
You need to be comfortable when you're afloat,
No hardships attached, though you home is a boat.
There's hot and cold water on tap all day long,
A nice, spacious kitchen in which there belong
Everything needed for cooking in style,
A place you might well sit and gaze at a while.
The heating's superb, so the boat's never cold,
And winter's long fingers can never take hold.
In summer there's plenty of room to sit out,
Talking and drinking and looking about.
And if a warm summer should make you decide
You'd like to spend time in the quiet countryside,
There's no need to leave home; you can mimic a snail,
And take your home with you, as gently you sail,
Away from your mooring, and chug on your way,
Making the most of a bright sunny day.

A Woman is What You Need

For difficult jobs it's now often agreed
A woman is what you most definitely need,
One who is trained and has mountains of skills,
Has lived a full life and knows well all the drills,
Who'll never be fazed by the size of the job,
And isn't perturbed by the size of the mob
Which seeks to derail her and cause her to fail,
Often, too often, exclusively male.
It's not always true, but is correct as a rule,
A woman is less prone to losing her cool.
Women in general are far less inclined
To engage in behaviour that others might find
Embarrassing, stupid, perhaps just a tad
Infantile, crooked or otherwise mad
In someone whose image should always be seen
As trustworthy, sensible, definitely clean.
Women don't often see reason to brag,
Nor do they tend to tell stories and blag
Multi-tasking's a given; it's been part of their lives,
From time immemorial, and today still survives
Enabling most women to do several things,
The main task and others which lie in the wings.
In a crisis most women turn out to be strong,
They don't start to panic if something goes wrong.
By fame and large fortunes they're not much impressed,
Their vision's not clouded by a football team's best.
They're more of team players than bullies who try
To squash all their colleagues, so they can rise high.
So if you want someone to work and to lead,
A woman is possibly just what you need.

The Shepherd

Out in all weathers, tending the sheep,
All hours of the day, for a shepherd can't keep
To just nine to five, for a job which revolves
Round caring for animals, always involves,
The need to be there, in the day and the night,
Making quite sure that the flock is all right.
Some days may be quiet, filled with time to enjoy
The beautiful countryside, and to employ
Their minds on their hobbies and leisure pursuits,
Discarding their work clothes and wellington boots.
But others will see them at work through the night,
As deep heavy snow throws a blanket of white
All over the fields, with the sheep underneath,
Trapping them there in a cold icy sheathe.
Then there is lambing, with no time to rest,
As things can go wrong and he must do his best
To make sure that each lamb's born safely alive,
And also the ewes and the lambs all survive.
Then there is dipping and marking the lambs,
Hand-rearing orphans and choosing the rams,
Shepherding isn't a job for the weak,
Neither for people whose aim is to seek
A nice easy life which has regular hours.
But in those who love animals it can arouse
A feeling of peace and contentment as they
Enjoy the outdoors and a life which each day
Can be so different, and also worthwhile
For someone who looks for a shepherd's lifestyle.

A Bookshop

A world full of words, a wonderful place,

For any young person whose joy is to face

Shelves stocked with books when they come in to work,

Not knowing what gems in their pages might lurk.

A great opportunity, all in the firm's time,

To read ancient prose and to learn about rhyme,

While helping the customers find something new,

Which for the enthusiast's a pleasure to do.

There's so much one can learn when surrounded by books,

With topics of interest wherever one looks.

There're volumes on science, on transport and health,

And sections on cookery, on travel and wealth,

History and poetry both have their place,

Whilst gardening and needlework also have space.

Religion and floristry, farming and arts,

All types of sport from ice hockey to darts.

Whatever your interest, you'll certainly find,

Something to help you to broaden your mind.

If a bookshop's the place where you spend all your days,

You have  thousands of volumes right under your gaze,

And if books are just something you really adore,

Then a job in a bookshop - who could want more?

Honest Elections

Elections should be fairly fought,
The voting process should not be brought
Down to the level of other lands,
Where often voting's controlled by clans
Whose only concern is their own little group,
And everyone else is out of the loop.
The leaders can do whatever they feel
Will he,p them in their efforts to steal
As many votes as they possibly can
To stop them being an also-ran.
Intimidation is regularly used,
With many voters being confused;
And then there are the bribes that go
To encourage other voters to show
Their full support in the polling booth,
Ignoring integrity and truth.
As well as bribes, there's many a fan
Of doing all they possibly can
To frighten voters and make them think
Their lives are in danger if they're not a link
In ensuring their man will win
Enough support to be voted in.
All far away from an honest poll,
Based on an honest electoral roll.

Deciding Who to Vote for

So many candidates, so many views
All of them walking in various shoes;
With some I approve nearly all that they say,
But there's one tiny niggle which won't go away,
For along with their good points they've one I abhor,
Something on which we couldn't disagree more.
Another one seems to have flexible views -
You can make of his statements whatever you choose;
To many his attitude can't but appal -
He appears to have no real convictions at all.
The best I can do is to note all they say,
And weigh them all up and decide on the day.

The Hustings

I went to the hustings, hoping I'd hear

The views of the candidates, loud and clear,

So i could listen and carefully take note,

To help me decide about casting my vote.

Many questions were asked, straightforward and brief,

Nothing to cause any one of them grief,

Such as "Do you agree that our hospital should close?"

And out of this question from all them arose

A speech on the subject, - I'm sure you can guess -

Of the state and their plans for the whole NHS.

A question on transport brought forth the response,

That improved on street parking's what everyone wants,

And although things at present are slightly a mess,

They're all minor problems they'll quickly address.

Should Britain remain in the EU or not?

Most talked round the issue, not saying a lot,

So one was left feeling they didn't quite know

Whether Britain should stay - or perhaps we should go.

They waffled and waffled and chose to ignore,

The point of the questions as put from the floor.

They gave the impression they rarely felt bound

To deal with specifics, but merely talk round

The subject in general, so no-one quite knew

At the end of their answer just what was their view.

When the hustings were over, I was still in the dark,

And still unsure where I'd be placing my mark.