Rubbish, I can't sleep: 03:00 a.m.

Oh, Why Can't I Sleep?

Oh, why can't I sleep?

I haven't even had a peep

Into the world of darkness.

No sign of slumber

To take me under

To its lair.

Oh how I wish I was there,

But too awake to sleep

Too tired to reap

Any benefits from this late hour.

My dreams turned sour

Of a good night's rest

To ensure I'm my best

For tomorrow.

Copyright EH 2012. All Rights Reserved.

Retreat into Nature & #treetuesday

I recently visited Michelham Priory and its gardens. I haven't managed to go on a quiet retreat this year. So this provided a short but welcome chance to let my thoughts wander.

Silver Droplet

Silver droplet twinkling in the sun,

Your life only just begun

Lest the sun and its hot rays

End your days.

Yet you shine with all your might

In this glistering light,

Faithful to nature’s ways.

(Michelham Priory Gardens 03/08/12)

(Copyright EH 2012. All Rights Reserved)

I also note that on Twitter it's #treetuesday today! Unfortunately I am too tired and it's almost too late (23:49) to join in. However, here is a tree poem for the sake of being thematic:

There’s an Old Tree

There’s an old tree

Reaching towards me.

Its branches are strong,

Its reach is long,

But there’s a gap between it and me.

For it is I that needs to be

Walking more closely

To its girth,

To its range of earth

That I spy so wondrously

Spread.

One would think it be dead,

But the arms that are reaching for me

Do so so gently and lovingly,

It’s like it knew I was there.

With a branch to spare

For me.

(Michelham Priory Gardens 03/08/12)
(Copyright EH 2012. All Rights Reserved)

Olympic Fever

Winning Words is an effort to use the Olympics as a spring board for poetry in public spaces. In it's own words: "Winning words is a project to enhance peoples lives through poetry. Using the Olympic Games as a spring-board, poetry will leap off the pages and into the physical spaces that surround us all."

On another note, the Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, has created a specially commissioned poem for the Olympic Games entitled: "Eton Manor". Another poem "Translating the British, 2012" was also written to capture the Olympic mood. Far be it for me to criticise a poem from someone deemed to be of such high standing in the literary world. However, Rev Dr Peter Mullen has done just that. Check out his scathing commentary. Evidently poetry is truely subjective!