Emmie29

Emmie will appear sometime during the week

Ring Around The Moon

Crow flies
Day dies
Who drew
That ring
Around the moon?

JL Dec 28 18:51

Green Shoots

As if on cue
In the night
My little tree
To my delight
Is throwing
Brightest sprigs
Of green
Of a Christmas tree
Never seen.
Before
It makes
My spirit
Soar.

JL Dec 27 12:49

St Stephen's Day

I must cast off these chains
That so confine my heart
To inward looks into dark corners.
I must resurrect soft colours
Swirl myself in fragrant flowers
To keep each day remembered
For the beauty of the time
And not be wracked by memory
Of sweet pleasures snatched away.
Tomorrow I will call up the spirit
And paint a picture to delight the eye.

JL 26 Dec 14:02

Hodie Christus Natus Est

Puer natus est
And a clear sky
Echo a clarion of bells
To comfort those
In our flooded land.
Bring harmony
To our divided hearts
And hope to those
In hardship
Sore oppressed.
That we may celebrate
The new born child
With purity of heart.


Dec 25. 00:32

A Distant Memory

In the darkened nave
A slice of silver
Combs the silent air
And we gather
The small community
By the Lady statue
A. single voice intones
Salve Regina
And we are gathered
Into the day's final prayer
And after that
The silence.!

JL Dec 24. 12:51

Advent 4

And then
The wind came
Blowing
Through the night.
Way out west
The rain of many days
Leaves
A shining Sunday sky.
Finches glitter
In the sun.
The fourth
And final advent
Waits upon
The coming Christmas
Eve.

JL Dec 23. 13:10

Emmie 28

Yasmin arrived on Tuesday Evening. She was a changed person. She was wearing her hijab with all the intentions of making a visit to her family. She had been in contact and a time had been arranged to meet at the hospital: neutral ground. This information was rattled out at top speed and there was a certain enthusiasm in her voice. The fact that she was staying with Emmie gave her the independence to view the prospect with something like confidence.

" When are you going to the hospital ?"
" Tomorrow afternoon. Jenny is coming round later and we going out for a meal."
" Well that will save me cooking," said Emmie somehow feeling none too pleased with Yasmin's new found cut and dried manner.

She ushered Yasmin into the spare room and went downstairs, determined not be involved with the forthcoming negotiations. Half an hour later Yasmin called her farewell on the way out. Emmie made sure she had a key and said she may well be in bed as she had work in the morning.

As Yasmin left, the phone rang. It was Marie Louise.
" Hello Mum?"
" Yes love, are you in England?"
" No in Miami, we are due in Heath Row early tomorrow."
" I am working so I will leave a key under the flowerpot. How are things?"
" So so."

Emmie put down the receiver and breathed a sigh of desperation rather than relief. She went upstairs and looked at the jumble of a box room. She couldn't face the thought of that now. She went downstairs and put the kettle on.

JL Dec 22. 15:53

On The Other Hand

Today
The Christmas people came
With sounding brass
And lights in all the trees
With rattling boxes,
Shopping bags,
And squealing
Tesco trolley wheels.
On they marched
Through checkouts
With ping opened tills
Too rushed to notice,
Lying,
By the boarded door,
The frail beseeching hand
That called out
From the floor.

JL Dec 21. 16:07

Flat Calm

On the turn
The year's run
Towards a lighter day.

No sunset
Beyond the edge
Of chilling sea spray

Flat calm against the shore
And the curlew cry once more.

JL Dec 20. 15:33

Within the Palm of your Hand

Avoiding cracks today
Hop scotching
Lady Luck

Hopping against hope
On firm ground
Till you took me home.

I loved your smile
Looking down
Your hair haloed

My hand clasped
Needing no release
Just comfortably contained.

Then to sleep
Imagined
In your softest folds

Becalmed.

JL Dec 19 13:55

Sunshine Child

Sunshine child
Along my country lane
Feet in dust
Dashing thistle heads again

Crushing camomile
Beneath his feet
With heady scent
Of meadowsweet.

In his hedgerow
Fruiting wild
Dark damsons
Just to tempt the child.

And with his lips
All purple stained
With a clang of gate
He's home again.

" I see you got back safe.
Off you go and wash that face."

JL Dec 18 16:02

Sweep and Swoop

So still today
And fingers silent
In the trees
And that seagull
Still occupies
His chimney potted throne
No doubt
Like me
Waiting for the turn of tide.
Oh that I could lift off
Like he does
Sweep and swoop
Upon a cloud
When the moment decides.

JL Dec 17. 15:15

Desert Island Discs

Sister Wendy
Suited Sunday
All consuming
Her spirituality
Her judgement
Beyond the world
Beyond my faith
A footy fan
Of Norwich City
Could have been Julian
My foot
on a drawing pin
With my conscience
Ouch!

JL Dec 16:07

Emmie 27

It was nearly end of term and work in school office was very busy. The pressure of Christmas parties, nativity plays and fund raising events together with a gathering of high spirits made the end of the day most inviting. As she went through the double doors she breathed a sigh of relief and took a deep breath of fresh air.

Emmie slipped into the rear pew of St Joseph's just to settle her thoughts. It was dim and quiet with the lingering scent of incense from yesterday's high mass. She must get some provisions in. The cupboard was quite bare after her holiday. Vegetables, rice and pasta should be enough for Yasmin. She tended to steer clear of meat for Yasmin what with Halal and all those rules. She paused to spare a thought for Marie Louise and sent up a prayer for a happy reconciliation. She made her way to the door, dipping a finger into the holy water stoop as she went out into the busy street.

The market was quiet, it being Monday afternoon. Local, new laid eggs were her first purchase, bread and vegetables the next. She treated herself to some dry cure local back bacon and made for home. Egg and bacon for tea would be just fine.

She arrived home at just before five and switched on the kettle. That cup of tea was the best of the day. Then the phone rang. It was Yasmin. She would be arriving the following evening.
" That's ok" said Emmie and rang off, poured her cup of tea and switched on the radio.

JL Dec 15. 16:08

Cyclamen

My new
Gifted cyclamen
Are dark red butterflies,
Dancing on their bowl
Of shining leaves.

Once romantically found
On stoney ground
In winter forests
Under trees
Beneath clear Persian skies.

Prized long ago
By noble ladies,
Greek and Roman
Are now,
Upon this wet and wintry day
By me.

JL 14 Dec 15:12

Chimney Potted

Early sun
Discerns
The colours of finches.

The scuttle
Heralds
Mail on the mat.

First frost
Eases
Out of sight

Morning duet
Dancing
In the dust motes.

And

A solitary sea gull
Chimney potted
Warms his bum.

JL Dec 13. 12:53

Clinic Day

The clinic
Arrived in daylight
Left after dark
Nothing new
Sort of
As you were.
And I am.

JL Dec 12 18:13

Window Whimsy

My collared doves
Are here again,
Plump and bouncing
In the sycamore
No leaves disguise
Their ungainly perch
Unwelded to unwelded
Mister and mrs C D
The completely flappable marriage.

On the other bough
My lordly wood pigeon,
Brightly plumaged
Alertly sedate
Beneath the feeder,
The picker
Of ill considered trifles
Responds to alarm
Just out of reach,
Keeping all in view
With his flinty eye.
A man of independent means..


JL Dec 12:08

Edge of Darkness

Here on the edge
Of darkness,
I would wish
Once again
For the soft
Summer scented
Twilight
With wineglass
Slippered smile
Among your friendly
Gentle voices
The which
I never thought
To lose.
There were cicadas then
Lulling me to sleep.

Here on the edge
Of darkness
I hold you close.

JL Dec 10 14:28

Emmie 26

It was late afternoon when Emmie returned from an excellent Sunday roast. She switched on the fire, made a cup of tea and sat in her armchair with a sigh. She put down her cup and saucer and fell asleep, the result of the warmth, good food and a clear conscience. She awoke with a rather fuzzy head an hour later, paid a visit to the bathroom and splashed her face with cold water. Now for that pile of post.

The gas and electric bills she put on one side for payment, the NSPCC appeal would be considered later. The other appeals and adverts went straight in the bin. There were two personal envelopes, one from America and one UK. The UK envelope contained a card of Edinburgh castle with terse message " Will phone Sunday evening, Yas x".

The other letter was from Marie Louise in Florida. As Emmie read her head began to droop. The marriage was rocky and she wanted to come over for a breather: her words. She was bringing young Hayley with her.

The phone rang. " Hello Emmie ?"
" Hello Yasmin. What's the matter?"
" A bit of bad news, my dad has had a stroke, so I wondered whether I could stay for a while to be nearer? There are issues."
" Yes, I can imagine. All right, for a while, but my daughter is arriving soon and you will have to make other arrangements."
" Term is over here, so could I come on Wednesday?"
" Yes all right, bye."
Emmie needed to think.

Emmie went back to the letter. As she read the gloom deepened with the evening.

Troubles come, not as single spies but in battalions. She brushed away a tear.





JL Dec 9 15:45

Emmie

Emmie went AWOL today
She will,be back tomorrow

December Seven

How
Through windows
Wintry fingers
Climb my back
To shiver me awake.

How flower heads
Sadly droop
And strange to see
Late roses
Fill up with snow.

And how the wild geese fly
Against the blood red
Smokey sunset
At the end of day.

JL 16:04

Care

Forces of bureaucratic care
Have me besieged today
Even to exhaustion
Have to be careful
On the road ahead.
Sorry state of affairs.
Has to be done.

JL Dec 6. 17:23

Jasmine

Today
I had flowers
Brought to me.
Jasmine and fuchsia
Patrol the dressing
Table top.
The fuchsia
Deep as my blood
Top full of drama
Jasmine winter lemon
Waiting for the early primrose
A delicate foreground
To continue through my darker days.

JL Dec 5 14:25

Little Light 2

In the darkest hours
The lightest glimmer
Is enough to show the way.
On our journey recollect
That moment in the lane
At twilight after dew fall,
Where dampness under perfume
Intensely softens every sense
And darkness magnifies the scents
That day makes dusty and diminishes.

So we go in snuffle mode,
Tasting damp nettles
And bruised wild rose,
Brushing blackthorn
And pine perfumed larch
So pause to savour
Those gems of sensuous droplets
That we treasure
Hidden in our own ecstasy of dark.

JL Dec 4. 14:51

Little Light

Making way
Along the line of trees
Dusting wild flowers
With our tread
We see on high
The sanctuary
It's golden apse,
Proclaims the sun
The nearer we
Far distant are
It slips our fingers
Out of sight
We are not worthy
Yet
To share the light.


JL Dec 3. 15:101-

Underfoot

And underfoot
Beneath the sandal
Or the boot
Wild thyme and camomile.
Etched on the staff
Grasped in the hand,
A cross to point direction.
On our cloak roughly pinned
The scallop shell
A badge of most humble authority
The plainest of human kind
On the golden journey.

JL Dec 2 17:28

Emmie 25

Emmie woke late on Sunday morning, the result of a regained familiarity with her own homely bed. She made some hurried preparations to meet the world and with no time for breakfast, set off for mass. It was a clear crisp morning and the freshness of a slight breeze brought her to full wakefulness.

She pushed open the door to be met by the strains of "Come oh come Emanuel" and realised that it was the first Sunday of Advent. " So soon" she thought, " Christmas to think of already." She slid into a bench next to Dorothy and her husband with a mimed " Good Morning" and a nod.

The injunction to stay awake in the Gospel was more than appropriate and Emmie felt a pang of guilt. She had only just come round and seemed to daydream through the rest of the service. She should have had some breakfast. On the way out Dorothy invited her for Sunday lunch and she gratefully accepted.

On the way home she called in Tesco express for a wholemeal loaf and a pint of milk and picked up a local paper in the process. The slice of wholemeal toast and honey together with a cup of tea had a restorative effect. After a shower and a change of clothes Emmie was prepared for her trip out for lunch.

The pile of post still needed sorting. It could wait till the evening and be acted on come Monday morning. At first glance the local paper had little news, apart from the council's £3.5 m debt and effect on future services. She would find out the detail from Dorothy. She left the house looking forward to Dorothy's excellent Sunday roast.

JL Dec 1st 17:05