The children to feed;all the bills still to payand the howling. The emails to answerthe things I should sayand the howling. "Remember tomorrowforget yesterday"says the howling: "You carry such sorrow?Then give it awayto the howling." Wind, sound, surrenderthe trees' dreadful swayto the howling Whisper, "Wake with the soundof a pure poetry"called the howling. With thanks... Continue Reading →
The whole sky aches with anticipation; birds burst into song.The sky is clear and I can hearthe coming of the dawn. The salt sea sleeps in its silent splendour at peace with the sceneluminescence streaks the skyand I am born again. Oh, for a baptism half as bright! Bathed in celestial lightafter winter thought to pull me under:bless... Continue Reading →
Nature plays an important role in the history of English poetry, from the time of Chaucer right up to the present day. Consider the opening lines of The Canterbury Tales: Whan that Aprill with his shoures sooteThe droghte of March hath perced to the roote,And bathed every veyne in swich licourOf which vertu engendred is... Continue Reading →
I've felt a special affinity with birds of prey since I was a teenager. I identified with them as solitary hill-loving creatures like me, who haunted the heights of my beloved Lake District. I saw many buzzards and kestrels, a mating pair of ospreys and even a peregrine falcon once, but never the Golden Eagle.... Continue Reading →
I'm honoured to have my work included in this beautiful publication from Dixie State University. 'Route 7 Review' is an annual literary journal including short fiction, non-fiction, poetry, visual art and current affairs. My non-fiction entry is included in the 'Current Events' section which contains writers' and artists' responses to the Covid crisis. I turned... Continue Reading →
Travelling in the wildernessaround Christianbury CragKershope ForestThe Debatable LandsReiver Country: Between Rowelltownand Roadheadthe Black Lyne and the White Lyne meetlike a divining rodto form the River Lyne. To make your way through the forestwhere I once heard the first cuckoo in springso many years agoyou must follow the yellow markers on the treesif you're not... Continue Reading →
War wolves whisper soft to one another: Where, where shall we go now? Far, farfrom the killing-machines' too-human roar somewhere where we may hearOur own moon-cries once more:North. North, on and on they goalways under forest’s cover:The wild wolf and the lumberingsoft-footed bear to the forests of Slovenia:only to be persecuted there? One wilderness re-wildedanother abandoned. Perhaps the people... Continue Reading →
You appeared as if a small birdsoaring skyward like an anchor in reversebut oh, that skydive as you folded in your wings and hurtled earthwardsas if the sky hung suspended andtime, telescoped with adrenalineslowed down to that calculatedfatal momentbullet blow to your preysky-arc of the angel of deathall witnessed as onedrawing in of breath:Falcon magnificence.... Continue Reading →
The Sava Bohinjka river in Northern Slovenia flows from springs fed by the Triglav Lakes Valley down the Komarca Cliff as the majestic Slap Savica then on into Lake Bohinj. From here it emerges in the village of Ribcev Laz and continues to flow through the valley connecting Bohinj with Bled, skirting the latter lake... Continue Reading →
I started my life a creeping thingA hairy, overeating thingI built myself a chrysalisAnd hid away within: Not caring for the world, norIts reproaches, nor its censures:But thinking on my fast-approaching change Change which begins within, which turnsThe body inside outAnd purifies the mind to grow Delicate wings Now with these wings, so delicateAnd crystalline,... Continue Reading →
