Staying at home

a week off work, woohoo!!, wayhay!!
I get to stay at home and play!
No getting up and going out
This is the life, there is no doubt!
No getting ready, brush my locks,
no checking watches, watching clocks
No shrill alarms to wake the dead...
this week, I can just stay in bed!
I wont of course, for I'm a lark
up at dawn, in bed at dark!
I'll fill my days just how I please
I'll tend the garden, sow some seeds
I'll mow the grass, and weed the beds
I'll prune and tidy, and deadhead
and if it rains I'll return indoors,
I'll dust and polish, and mop the floors
I'll air the beds and change the sheets
and then remake them, nice and neat
I'll fold the linen clean and dry
and on the shelves, I'll pile it high.
Of course, throughout the day I'll take
regular stops for my tea breaks!
and once refreshed I'll carry on
for there's so much I must get done
the kitchen beckons, I want to bake
an apple pie, a golden cake
a plate of cookies, ginger ones
a plate of lovely fruity scones
'taters peeled, and carrots sliced
beans are blanched and peppers diced
I'll knead the dough to bake some bread
I need to keep my family fed!
and while these goodies slowly cook
I'll curl up with a favourite book!
I'll lose myself between the pages
I've not had time for that for ages!
Or maybe I'll get out my sewing
I feel creative juices flowing!
or pick up my needles, long ignored
and rummage in my woollen horde
for yarn so soft, in colour blocks
I feel the urge to knit some socks!
and when the day is nealy gone
I'll reflect on all that I have done
while soaking in a bubbly bath
I'll think of garden, home and hearth
and how I love to be indoors
baking cakes and sweeping floors
I really need a lotto win
and then I could just chuck it in!
No need to earn a living then
I'd be a housewife once again!


© LHB 2009

The legacy

The Legacy

Mankind had grown too greedy and uncaring
Plundering the Earth for his own selfish gain
The Gods despaired, for Gaia needs her balance
And the Gods would have to tip the scales again.

And so rain fell, as if the very Earth was crying.
As if her tears could not be held at bay
And as darkness fell, as light itself was dying
The unyielding rain marked the ending of that day

And in the darkness of the night, the rain kept coming
The earths heat cooled and the air turned icy cold
The deluge fell all week, so unrelenting.
As if a second flood had been foretold

Winter seemed to grip the land , all pervading
And so it seemed to all who lived those nights
The very breaths of life were slowly fading
As the water rose, and the people feared their plight

But with the 7th dawn, a glimmer of salvation
For a hint of blue appeared amidst the grey
A single songbird had began his dawn oration
And his solo song chased the sullen clouds away

He rose his warbling voice, above the thunder
He sang for all his little life was worth
He sang of love and hope and ever-after
And he brought the sunshine back to dry the Earth.

But mankind never seems to learn his lesson
that the Earth's not his, and isnt his alone
we share this lovely planet with all life forms,
and they equally can call our Earth their home

Rhiannons robin was forgotten, or un-noted
they didnt see the gift that She had brought
they didnt see the floods had been a warning
they didnt give the Earth a second thought

The people soon forgot the Gods own deluge,
They soon returned to their old selfish ways
and now it may be too late to make a difference
and thats the legacy of Man for all his days.

© LHB 2009

strife!

I'm caught up in an awful life,
so many worries and too much strife
no-one to turn to when things go bad
no-one to lean on when I am sad

there's problems left and problems right
no wonder I cant sleep at night
the drains are blocked, the roof is leaking
there's mice indoors, I can hear them squeaking!

the dogs' got fleas, the hens wont lay
my whites all look a dreary grey
the slugs chewed holes all through the night
and now the blinkin' spuds got blight

the bread wont rise, the custards runny
Ive got rainshowers when I asked for sunny
the bills keep popping through the door
I really cant take that much more

And hey whats that, that awful din?
Is someone downstairs breaking in?
No, its ok, no need to scream
its my bedside alarm - this is all a bad dream!!

© LHB 2009

I believe

I believe...

I believe that the relentless march of progress has cost mankind dear
-in the loss of language, skills, and abilities.
-in the loss of respect and tolerance
-in the loss of lansdcapes and habitats.

That mankind is inherently selfish and greedy.

That science may have provided some wondrous discoveries,
but that the cost has been high.
I believe that genetic modification is against Nature,
and Nature will triumph.
I believe that science cant always have all the answers.
I believe we need to wake up now, and cherish our earth
I believe we all need to think globally rather than nationally.

I believe...
that trees are sentient, full of wisdom, and we dont listen.
I believe we dont listen to so much,
that animals indeed communicate, we just dont understand.
Or dont want to.
That the wind has a song, as do the falling swirling leaves of autumn.
I believe in the might of the Storm,
the silvered beauty of the Ladymoon,
and the roaring power of the Oceans.
I believe in the beauty of the flames, dancing in the hearth
I believe that music does indeed lift saddened hearts,
and that smiles light up the world.

I believe in the power of the written word,
in the book that makes me think,
and in the poetry that makes me cry.

I believe in the power of positive thought, and prayer,
that the power of the human mind is greatly under-estimated.
I believe in the power of love too, that it can be wonderful or dreadful.
I believe the union of two bodies, in love, is beautiful.
I believe the bond between a mother and her child is eternal.

I believe in faeries, and sprites, and elves.
In past lives and lives to come.
That the Loch Ness monster is real, but is no monster,
just a fellow creature of the earth, an aged survivor,
and should be left alone.

I believe in my Gods, and the spirit world,
more than believe, I know.
I know the soul endures, journeys on...
I believe in the magic.

I believe all my past experiences, good and bad, have molded me.
I believe I am on my own personal journey
I believe now that I can grow.

I believe in Me.

© LHB 2008

moving house.

Moving House

This house-moving process is painfully slow
I'm counting the days til I can 'up and go'
To leave here is painful, I just want it done
To be able to say my new chapter's begun.

The bookshelves are empty now, the cupboards are bare
I cant find the aspirins, I've searched everywhere
My head is now throbbing, - for 'moving'- think 'stress'
I'm surrounded by boxes, by clutter, by mess.

Solicitors letters, the searches complete
Do you know where the drains run under the street?
Removals van booked, mortgage offers received
fingers crossed, all's ok now, I'm very relieved.

I've emptied the loft now, I've sorted the shed
Its all packed in boxes, ive dismantled the bed
Ive taken the pictures all down from the walls
And they stand bubble wrapped out in the bare hall

Brown tape and packaging litters the floor
Ive had enough for today, I cant pack anymore
I yearn for the day that the sale is complete
And I see the removals van out in the street

With my house and my life here all loaded inside
We'll depart from here, and I'll be teary-eyed
For the end of an era, but there's a good future to come
I'll be happy again for there's no place like home!

© LHB 2008

Autumn

One of my mums poems...

Autumn

The fields are gold, no longer green
Grey sheep where snowy lambs have been
The morning air is cold and raw
The empty grates are filled once more
No birds are singing in the eaves
And I am walking through the leaves

© GAB 2008

silly poem!

Toast!

Oh dear, oh dear, whats happening here?

I've burnt the toast again

I only wanted to be fed

The kitchen smells of charcoaled bread

The smoke is swirling round my head

The smoke alarm is flashing RED !!

That shrill alarm would wake the dead

I'll have a bowl of Oats instead

And from toast I will refrain!!

© LHB 2008

The Cup

Some regular readers of my main blog know that my relationship ended earlier this year. I wrote this at that time, in the early weeks of see-sawing emotions ....

The Cup

I wore my mask, it hid the pain
as tears are hidden in the rain
I wore a smile, painted it on
few people knew something was wrong
when he left it broke my heart,
took hold of it, tore it apart
left it in pieces on the floor
thrown away, desired no more
but life goes on, I picked it up
I saw my heart as a china cup
it held my blood to the halfway mark
it held my blood so rich and dark
I'm no pessimist, my blood's not half gone
though some was wasted, I know I'm strong
my cups half full, with life to live
I know I still have love to give
my heart will fill with love once more
until that time I will endure
the lonely times, the empty nights
I'll stay alone til the time is right
and Love will find me, and draw me in
my heart will swell with the love within
and with new love I'll begin again
a world away from this hurt and pain.

© LHB 2008

My sister K just sent me this., with an 'I dare you' !! well thats is a challenge I cannot resist....

Chicken poem

Our fine-feathered sorority
is the cooped-up variety.
So more hoppy than flyerty
and more clucky than quiety

:-)

The Faerie Parade

The Faerie Parade

I lay in clover on the hilltop,
and closed my eyes to the summer heat
I heard bees humming, and a distant drumming
and I waited for the fall of feet-
for lightly skipping, lightly tripping, softly treading faerie-feet

I knew the faerie-folk would come
for midsummer was here, and the magic was strong-
with a dance and a prance and a skip and a hop
the whirling dance, the tinkling song
and the shimmer of wings as they prance gaily along

and I knew I would rise and would follow the tune
the chinking, the clinking, the tinkling of bells
I would follow for hours, 'cross meadows, 'cross fells
for my place was right here in this joyous parade
as they danced into the night, through dark forest and glade

so why am I dancing with this happy throng?
well I too am a faerie, and its here I belong
I unfurl silver wings and I 'm proud to be fae
and I dance and I prance and I twirl and I sway
and I honour the earth with my own faerie-song

the moon rode the sky and the stars twinkled bright
as we ran and we sang and paraded all night
with glow worms as lanterns, and moths as our guide
we ran with the hares , and on owls we would ride
til the dawn claimed the sky in a soft mellow light.

so then off to our beds, with yawns and with sighs
for summer will fade now, her ending is nigh
we'll welcome the autumn as the wheel rolls around
we'll dance through jewelled leaves on the cold autumn ground
and watch as the swallows depart from our skies.


© LHB 2008

For Grandad

My daughter was 13 when her Grandad died. She wrote this for him that day, and it was read out at his funeral...

For Grandad

I think of how you made us smile
And how you made us laugh
But now you’re just a glimmer
A memory from the past
We’re drowning in our sadness
Our tears have made us weak
Then your Spirit comes, and lifts us,
And puts us back upon our feet.
~
We gave our love, our care, our hearts
All of these now torn apart
Time heals all, though happiness seems rare
We’re sitting here thinking its just not fair
His life went so fast, and now its over
But he’ll stay in our hearts, always and forever

© L.E.B

6pm in the kitchen

6pm in the kitchen

As 6pm approaches here, an odd thing will occur
my kitchen fills with creatures, with four paws and with fur
All swearing that they love me and they will for ever more
If i would just place a dainty dish right there upon the floor!
There is little Millie and she's waiting patiently
Her favourite taste is tuna and she wants some for her tea
And Billy he is yowling and he's pacing to and fro
He's very very hungry and he wants the world to know!
He may have spent his day outside a'slaughtering all the mice,
(he really cannot help it as they taste so very nice)
But now he's home and swears its true- he needs some more to eat,
The mice dont really fill him up, theyre just a tasty treat!
Pixie is so dainty, she's a tiny little cat
Her apetite belies her size, can she really eat all that?
I dont know where she puts it in her tiny little frame
But she'll eat up every morsel, and then say 'same again' !
Finbarr with his almond eyes watches my every move
As I fill the china dishes with all their favourite food
And then there's my beloved Merlin, who stole my heart away
And like a slave I cook for him, fresh fish- yes, twice a day!
As I turn, there are my spotty-dogs, their tummy-clocks are chiming
So I quickly fill their doggy-bowls, I have such perfect timing!!
Everyone is happy now, tummies full, they drift away...
my sons come in, 'Hi mum' they say, whats for Tea today?

© LHB 2008

Thoughts

Thoughts
Is it in the way I watch the birds in soaring flight?
Is it in the way I watch the Lady Moon at night?
Or that I wake at first light to see the rising of the Sun
Who will command the sky above, until the day is done?

Is it my need to study all the herbs and plants and flowers
And learn the ancient alchemy to release their herbal power?
Is it in my reverence for the earth and sea and sky
Something deep inside me that my Soul cannot deny?

Or how I feel the energy when I’m at the Henge or Tor
With the Spirits of the Ancestors who journeyed long before,
And in that sacred moment I’m with the Spirits once again
I feel the Old Ones calling, and they know my secret name.

The endless turning of the wheel, the seasons come and go,
I watch the springtime lambing and I feel the winter snow
I’ll live again, I’ve lived before, the memories stir inside
Of lives I’ve had, of other births, of other times I’ve died.

So you think you know about me, and about the path I tread
You smile and say that all of this is nonsense in my head
And you say you’ve never felt the energy of a sacred spring
And I feel sure a sunrise wouldn’t cause your Soul to sing

So you choose not to walk with me, and have an open mind
Your mind is closed, you have no path, you might as well be blind
My path is mine, well chosen, and I’ll walk its length alone
Maiden I was, now Mother, and I walk towards the Crone.

© LHB 2008

Pixie's Poem

Pixie's Poem

What are you thinking of, my little cat?
As you lay here day-dreaming upon my lap,
Do you dream of fresh mices, crunchy and sweet?
Oh, they are a tasty treat!

Or do you dream of a nicely poached fish,
Oh, that would be splendid in your china dish?
Or a morsel of chicken, diced up so fine
That’s how you’d like to dine!

Do you dream of the spring-time and chasing a bee?
flitting flower- to- flower so busily
Or dream of the sun gently warming your fur
Oh, how you’d sigh and purr!

Maybe you dream of a nice cosy bed,
somewhere to curl up and lay down your head?
On something handknitted?, or cashmere from afar?
I do understand quite how fussy you are!

You ‘re still on my lap with your day-dreamy eyes
As I wonder about you, and I realise
That you’re happy, contented just to sit here with me
Just me and my cat, and my cat and me.

© LHB 2008