Light and Dark

Schoolboy Gold

The train was peopled close;

I yielded place to age -

as trained from early years.

Into my hand is pressed,

a threepence coin piece,

nugget of living gold.

What can be bought, nought:

what represents is all.

Tick Box

Shamed face scar, birth marked,

a haematoma, red wine stain -

used to scrub, nailbrush thick,

cross patch so became tick;

four digit tines, cheeky scrape,

carved swathe through downy hair -

with surreptitious, hangdog look,

attention claim when seek escape.

Three Feet 

A graveyard set, Hither Green,

no metric here, stretching room,

our bairn contracted, a space,

span for bridging, other grace.

These earthly clods, sodden turf,

now wettest place, resting case,

boxed baby bones, but hither

green green grass, eternal home.

The Well 

When others seen touched, moved,

the stinging brim, brimming sting

uninvite, consequential comes.

Why does kindness strangers overcome?

When loneliness, soul-mate required,

waves driving, breaching lidded eyes,

crest lash, invade the cheek;

source, springs, well that flows?

Because of the Darkness

We see not daytime stars,

but know, on course, there;

night dark makes wonder, bright.

So though looming darkness scares,

we concentrate on sparkle light,

less shower meteors are due;

then the blackness offers pool

from which spot streaking star.