MORNING
This morning is clear as its conscience.
Spring-loaded lambs have much to do:
they nibble, suckle, chew an itching limb
and waste no curiosity
on random darts by phantom mice,
wind-startled in the longest grass.
The mother-sheep, attentive but unfussy,
make secret husky-toned announcements,
repeated bleats of mutual reassurance
familiar as a nursery rhyme.
they nibble, suckle, chew an itching limb
and waste no curiosity
on random darts by phantom mice,
wind-startled in the longest grass.
The mother-sheep, attentive but unfussy,
make secret husky-toned announcements,
repeated bleats of mutual reassurance
familiar as a nursery rhyme.
Somewhere else a shotgun kicks the air.
A low slow magpie flaps across the field
in sorrow for a promise to be broken.
A low slow magpie flaps across the field
in sorrow for a promise to be broken.
REFLECTING
Spring bluebells over wooded slopes
celebrate retaking of the ground
with flourishes of colour and assertive song
birds declare possession of all trees.
celebrate retaking of the ground
with flourishes of colour and assertive song
birds declare possession of all trees.
Look, you say, and listen, you exclaim.
This green world only shines for you
to mirror back at me with joy
and hope to strike and glimpse a glint
that answers you from underneath
the tarnish thatโs attached itself
to my too-long neglected senses.
This green world only shines for you
to mirror back at me with joy
and hope to strike and glimpse a glint
that answers you from underneath
the tarnish thatโs attached itself
to my too-long neglected senses.
Woodland blossoms spreading sudden fragrance
persuades you to believe the summerโs promise
is arriving with the wheeling swallows.
persuades you to believe the summerโs promise
is arriving with the wheeling swallows.
Perhaps you think this year they will not leave us.
ENDGAME
He has to learn to handle anger
heโs been trying to deflect
with grievance-words that donโt reflect
how puppets dangled into danger
feel when cheated of the chance
to influence their own advance.
He holds no ground he can defend.
heโs been trying to deflect
with grievance-words that donโt reflect
how puppets dangled into danger
feel when cheated of the chance
to influence their own advance.
He holds no ground he can defend.
Heโs lost the freedom to pretend
the rules that put him in this place
include exceptions for his case.
Heโs isolated in a crowd
and misinterprets all the signs
which others read between their lines;
and any move he tries is disallowed.
the rules that put him in this place
include exceptions for his case.
Heโs isolated in a crowd
and misinterprets all the signs
which others read between their lines;
and any move he tries is disallowed.
AGENDA
If Jonah had been keen to visit
Nineveh in any case โ
to marvel at its architecture
or to try the local spices โ
heโd have had more ground for doubting
it was God Whoโd sent him there.
Nineveh in any case โ
to marvel at its architecture
or to try the local spices โ
heโd have had more ground for doubting
it was God Whoโd sent him there.
And then he might have been content
to fit a bit of casual preaching
on the side. Just making contact ,
I can almost hear him say,
but nothing over-obvious.
No need of scaring anyone
to fit a bit of casual preaching
on the side. Just making contact ,
I can almost hear him say,
but nothing over-obvious.
No need of scaring anyone
least of all myself.
Itโs not
enough for two to have the same
itinerary. Both must know
the other knows beforehand why
the journeyโs really necessary.
Itโs not
enough for two to have the same
itinerary. Both must know
the other knows beforehand why
the journeyโs really necessary.
EMMANUEL
Where can we meet him?
Weโll pick out some distant point of light
and walk away from ourselves
towards an โXโ that marks the spot โ
assuming neither stamina nor compass
will betray us.
Weโll pick out some distant point of light
and walk away from ourselves
towards an โXโ that marks the spot โ
assuming neither stamina nor compass
will betray us.
Weโre leaving rough shelters
and provisions by the path in case
we must fall back on ourselves.
Starting on a risky journey
is no no time to lose our common sense
of self-importance.
and provisions by the path in case
we must fall back on ourselves.
Starting on a risky journey
is no no time to lose our common sense
of self-importance.
Weโve grown good at folding
maps weโve often read and cannot change.
Now we must plot for ourselves
the landscapeโs lie the way we please;
there we can tell whoever lets us do so
Be god without us .
maps weโve often read and cannot change.
Now we must plot for ourselves
the landscapeโs lie the way we please;
there we can tell whoever lets us do so
Be god without us .
Bionote
Michael Bartholomew-Biggs is a retired mathematician living in London. He is poetry editor for London Grip ( londongrip.co.uk ) and also co-organiser for the reading venue Poetry in the Crypt. His latest collections are Fred & Blossom (Shoestring Press, 2013) and Pictures from a Postponed Exhibition (with artwork by David Walsh) published by Lapwing Press (2014).
