A poem inspired by the brilliant performance of the Lionesses at the World Cup
Millions of us keenly tuned in,
A World Cup Final – could we win?
Go for it girls, it’s been far too long,
And Sweet Caroline’s now our favourite song.
A poem from the point of view of the only magpie living in Shetland
Gannets and guillemots throng in their thousands,
Screeching and squawking across the cliffs,
While from the rocky ledge below,
Puffins gently rise and float free.
A poem about animal sentience and how we can understand chimpanzees’ facial signals
Since we descended from great apes,
Their gestures form familiar shapes,
We can tell if a chimp seeks some food,
Wants to groom or is in the mood.
Reading the signs upon their face,
Comes from our shared genetic space.
Calling animals dumb is simply unfair,
We know they can think and share and care,
They have their own sets of social rules,
And some can even work with tools.
They’re much better than us in many ways,
While we risk causing a nuclear haze.
We weren’t the creators of conversation,
So, let’s master the art of conservation.
When visiting war graves on Crete, we were told that relatively few soldiers were buried there. But it still seemed a lot.
The bush-flecked Cretan slopes
Surround the glistening graveyard,
Where pale monuments salute in rows
Those heroes felled in war.
The repeated remorse of pointless loss
Laid out in military symmetry. …
This poem tells of my shock in hearing ‘God Save the King’ for the first time when for my whole life I have heard ‘Queen’.
In shock we tuned in to the rolling news,
And tears were shed across the nation,
Leaders stepped up to share loving views,
With tributes and stories of her dedication. …
Why, they ask, was the gathering wrong,
Just a few people for not very long?
Happy Birthday with a slice of cake –
It seems their rules are theirs to break.
…
It all began with the Brexit bus,
Promising aid to our NHS,
Bold phrases fuelled by repetition,
Key details lost by subtle omission. …
I watch it on TV:
Another hurricane hits,
Floods sweep away lives,
Fires wipe out forests.
My cat sits by the window,
Excited to see the rain fall.
…
How much time did we spend online,
Creating our Covid message mine!
Just a few words, so easy to send,
The way to stay in touch with friends. …
As the world watches each thing that you do,
Never forget, it’s all about you.
Only you matter, you are the best,
Your wishes come first, ignore the rest.
Make instant decisions, proclaim at top speed –
Those boring briefs are for others to read.
Do what you like, you have the might,
Whatever the outcome, say you were right.
…
