Sunny day behind closed doors,the garden my pleasure to safely enjoy the outdoors. Who knows what tomorrow brings, my garden means everything, The butterflies,pollinating bee’s,tiny insects all doing their thing, Nature is wonderful,let’s not ruin the beauty,so can we change our polluting ways.

Pandemic, mass panic memories shifting and surfacing  self-isolation takes on new meaning. Hastily, hand washing posters taped up overnight, hand gel in homes used while it flows, squirted on open palms in shops where they once spritzed you with perfume. Sanitization is now the soothing balm – to keep us from harm, to ward away […]

MAJOR LOCKDOWN Corona virus on the news, whole damn world has got the blues People dying day by day, from them we must stay away Distance of two metres planned, every visitor is banned Open ended quarantine, face masks, gloves in bright sunshine Homes’ a prison now for us, cannot even catch the bus Brummie […]

Trapped It’s not a prison, I’m free As long as I stay inside or in my garden cus I’m lucky there’s nowhere else to hide   It’s for the best they tell us so that lots of people don’t die but millions of us are suffering it makes me want to cry   How long […]

As part of Exeter Bloom 2020 – the online festival of mental health awareness – Exeter Phoenix teamed up with Spork to create a Community Poem during lockdown.

It came over from China, so they say But the proven facts change every day The when, where, why, what endlessly debated As science and strategy are argued and slated By those who know better as they stay in their homes On zoom, facetime, twitter so they don’t feel alone In the country locked-down as […]

On January 4th, my wife lost her battle with cancer. After being her full time carer for 2 years, I was left devastated by her loss. Our 22nd wedding anniversary would have been on valentines day, so I organised a remembrance day for her instead. When I sat to write a eulogy for her, this […]

The bloody scene is bloody sad, The bloody news is bloody bad, My bloody business is bloody broke, My credit rating’s a bloody joke. They’ve got a bloody Covid clause To pass their bloody screwed up laws; Fill bloody forms and form a line – Brace yourself for Covid time. Boris got it bloody wrong […]

I’m one of the odd ones. COVID outed my vulnerability, despite my age My shield is heavy, it weighs a tonne Forgotten for a while, neglect turned to rage Then they remembered us.   We went from all to nothing, then back again In less time than it took for all our ‘normal’ friends.   […]

The Ghost Child   I see the shape of the lonely girl Solemnly counting her steps alone   A good child, all agreed But a changeling nonetheless Riding life’s storms With passions deep and unresolved   Always questioning, never finding answers Why am i here, what happens next?   My ghost child sits within me I accept […]

Dementia the Thief   The thief that stole you away from me it started so slowly that we didn’t see the thief that stole you away.   Your chair is empty and looking at me, and I know it’s where you should be, but the thief it took you away.   You sit in the […]

A Countryman. Imagine a life spent mainly outdoors, Where the fields are your carpets The hedges your walls. With the sun on your face And the sting of the rain Tending your flock, or planting the grain   Imagine a time when you looked to the sky Sometimes too wet and sometimes too dry. But […]

Have a routine. Be flexible. Average 5 fruit and veg daily but eat more of them – you have the time. Smile when you read, think or watch TV. It’s good exercise. Move as much as you can and be moved. Be very moved. Ask for help. Accept help. Live with orderliness – it shows […]