the first of frost

~

the first of frost  (  tsorf fo tsrif eht  )




a dove above, a sprite of white

a skein of geese, a host of crows


the winter creeps as summer sleeps

with speckled steps & twinkle toes


a crunch below - the frozen grass

is numbered up & bags of crisps


the soft is off, the mud is stone

a circle sings, a conker falls


a sort of door, the hinges creak

a blast of brass & monkey balls


the air's a ghost - so wear a coat

a pair of gloves with fingers crossed


& wander on - beyond the swan

a murmur in the first of frost

...




















 

syntax scatter map

~

syntax scatter map  (  pam rettacs xatnys  )





syntax scatter map

sun ray laser beam

snort, horse vortices

mud plain paper dream


bean sprout tower top

sandwich interlink

claptrap's carrot seeds

plugs glug, kitchens sink


ink pot puddle hop

stop gap trundle train

snow so, twinkle toes

flake sheikh, blizzard brain


rain spout trouser press

west wind wizardry

pinstriped ammonites

eight's great middle sea


gleam, green lizard lips

singsong tumble tongue

splashback riverbanks

heave that beetle dung


pitfall porpoises

catnip badger flap

cygnus signet rings

syntax scatter map

...




































 

i left the window open

~

i left the window open  (  nepo wodniw eht tfel i  )




i left the window open

& the mist crept in


like the ghost of a ninja

or a long lost cousin


through a gap in the kitchen

as the full moon bloomed


so the clouds fell down

like a cloudy humpty dumpty


& then wandered on this land

like a flockless shepherd


in the hinterlands of cygnus

with the signet rings of swan


while i napped on my hammock

in the upstairs airing cupboard


as the broth swish swashed

& the fog washed the dishes


( ? )


...






























































 

caterwauls & canticles

~

caterwauls & canticles  (  selcitnac & sluawretac  )






animals & minerals

swing the axe of intervals

swans upon an oracle

sybils of the syllables


water clocks & chronicles

box the hares of follicles

kippers in a mackerel sky

spy the eyes of monocles


swivel chairs & musicals

podded peas & cubicles

prosody in cotton socks

christenings in funerals


vesta, vests & vegetables

scatter graphs & tentacles

camping on a mutant moon

kiss the mist of spectacles


rubber ducks & bicycles

penning then of tricycles

springing with the winter wren

thawing with the icicles


caterwauls & canticles

faster flap the madrigals

cousins of the cul-de-sac

singing on sabbaticals

...































 

the stuff of nine

~

the stuff of nine  (  enin fo ffuts eht  )





seesaw, sun spun, speckle shepherd shrine

eggheads, eczma, easter's equals sign

panpipes, peasants, pitter patter pine

tent pegs, tumbles, turtles,turpentine

elfin english, elephants entwine

mrs. mizzle's missing marble mine

barnstorms, brambles, barnacles & brine

essauh eyeing emerald einstein

ra roars - rorschach - ripples realign


( says september - i'm the stuff of nine )

...

























 

a door of snorts

~

a door of snorts  (  strons fo rood a  )





a door of snorts, the hinges squeak

a misted tide of hide & sneak

the quills & hills of ups 'n' down

& tumble tongues of august's speak


a squawk 'n' spins within the fog

aurora yawns in analogue

a flap of cats, a thistle crown

a whisper in the hedge of hog


& yonder swan with legs of lead

with trad-anon within y' head

the pasture's plods beyond the town

as phantoms call with balls of thread


but still the leas, the snuff of glue

a trudge of fudge, a sodden dew

a morning in an evening gown

a vaulting vole, a loosened shrew


the shrouded clouds of bottles fly

& birds of blue's the mutant sky

the sun is spun, a burning frown

a dove above the dog & i


a song upon a hillock's peak

the wanders of a wonky week

the sea of green before the brown

a door of snorts, the hinges squeak

...















~

( author notes )

yet more variations on a theme from last month

cheers for reading

...



































































 

with y’ elf

~

with y’ elf  (  fle ‘y htiw  )



mumble with y' elf

squawk before the dawn

utter buttercups

nutters stalk the morn


stumble with y' elf

bumble with the bees

cackle cabbage fly

scry above the trees


whistle with y' elf

whip the wind of south

west the eastern north

source the river's mouth


mizzle with y' elf

drizzle drips of hymns

drum the beat of feet

rhythm spins the limbs


chuckle with y' elf

grin the green of noon

neath the woodland's beams

'til the blooming moon


blossoms of an eve

plod the what's & where's

village weasels spy

knives within their stares


stagger with y' elf

drain the brain of dross

on a cobbled lane

blather salad toss


wander with y' elf

in a coat of grey

chase the phantom crows

flap & float away

...