Surprised by blue

This poem of mine is self-explanatory. Written last week.

Entering the hide we’re surprised by blue;
softly, softly – an apparition of a budgie in a holly bush –
black and white checkerboard back,
spiky green – undiscovered Kandin-sky.

Red Kites in Landscape

As the weather in the UK has been warm and spring-like I’ve posted this painting of mine which has ‘summery’ bright colours. I like the use of colours by the Expressionist painters, especially Franz Marc and this painting is probably influenced by that fact! Like all my paintings on my blog this was painted a number of years ago. You can click to enlarge the image.

Some of the signs of spring here are toads in pairs waddling along footpaths, chiffchaff and skylarks singing and peackcock butterflies flying.  On the quayside (on theTyne Bridge) the kittiwakes are well into incubating their eggs. It is one of the furthest, if not the furthest, inland kittiwake colony in the world.  I haven’t seen any swallows yet.

Cat Proof

 

She’s a stranger to correct etiquette;
here’s the proof:
the slack flick of her foreleg
the twitch of her tail
her silent step onto the sofa
the widening aperture of her eyes
the backward swivel of her ears
her faded tiger stripes
the sheathed weaponry in her paws
the alien growl at another cat’s smell
she’s the limit:
she turns her back on protocol
doesn’t know how to curtsy or kowtow
never grovels or curries favour;
a law unto herself; completely unskilled
at social climbing

in a word: uncivilised.

Red Kite

Here is a poem about our local kites. They are nesting now that spring is here. In fact they start building nests by the end of February.
a red kite soaring above  fields follows
an ancient path working   the fine contours
that rise above the earth   sun caressing
russet tail tilting    towards an unseen
purpose no gap       between urge
and action    lengthening days

urge      springtime mating