A cup of tea

Funny upon getting up, it seems for most of us the day
usually starts with steaming boiled kettle,
to infuse the much sought after tea

The clinking of the cups and saucers.

The longing for such a thirst quencher, all happens upon 
the first mouthful and downing of such with a usual

"Ah! I wanted that"
.
Such a small thing but one that brings such pleasure.

Upon having visitors, one of the first questions asked is
would they like a cup of tea or some other beverage.
Nine times out of ten a cup of tea is the first choice.

Such a handed down procedure and I suppose it always will be.

Jean Dickens. (Rushden)
  Published by Anchor Books ' Anchor Poets'  ISBN 1 85930-279-3

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Birds

Birds come as if from nowhere, some at certain time make the
air filled with magic with their beautiful singing.

The whistling of the blackbird, the thrush the dear
little robin and many more,  the chortling of the starlings,
the steady chirping of the sparrow.

To watch them when they have a bath, either in dust or
water to hear all their quarrelling and to see
their beautiful colours, quite unbelievable to behold.

The homeward flocks darken the sky, going all of them
in these days, I know not where.
        
After all so many thickets, and hedges now keep
disappearing, to make room for homes and industries,
and of course the crops are sprayed.

We can all feel a little guilty, as we have come to expect
the best in foods.

Therefore some of the disappearing birds can be
attributed to us all.

 Jean Dickens. (Rushden.)
Published by Anchor Books ' Natural Peace'  ISBN 1 85930 -038-3

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Trees

Trees all around the wonderful world. Some are tall and
haughty,whilst others are rounded and very stubby.

But Oh!   What are their ages?   So many years I bet.

What a strange cycle of life the trees lead. In springtime they
come into their own with the freshness green in so many shades.

 In the summer the trees seem to laze at their best. Autumn comes
upon them when the colours once more are so glorious.

Only time is against the trees for down come the leaves and
there they stand all gaunt and bare in the frosty sky.

Winter is like a dream waiting until the day of awakening.

Jean Dickens. (Rushden.)
Published by Forward Press' Poets 2008 The Midlands'  ISBN 978 184418-478-1

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Snowdrops

      Frilly little mobcaps,  shaking in the breeze, just one
of the lovely sights in the snow.

    Here and there we see patches of them, we stand and
stare contemplating in their brilliance not knowing if we dare
take a few, knowing though this is the wrong thing to do.

    Setting them in the garden, longing as we do for the first sign of life,
so that we have a pleasing sight to greet us upon arriving home.

    So little and perfect. Our feelings are we wish we could
see them for ever.

This we know just cannot be as  such beauty must have
a resting spell.

 Jean Dickens. (Rushden)

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Wind (1)

       The wind suddenly gets up hurrying and scurrying the
leaves, rustling them along the high and by-ways, tearing
and tugging at anything that happens to be in its way.

 Striking at the trees and making them make such eerie noises.
Its strength is really unknown; such being that it can be a very
frightening experience.

     There are times when it can uproot such huge trees with goodness
knows  such huge girths and knocks them down like nine pins.
An awe-stricken sight, how many years growth gone for good.

    This is very sad for us and for the future generations to
come. It hits even harder  near home when homes lose their
tiles, chimneys and fences.

      Peoples livelihoods are also caught in the fury of the wind when
it destroys  greenhouses etc.  

     Also with the downing of the trees they sometimes happen to
fall on cars with such tragic results.

        All this devastation and not a living soul can tell how
fate and the future can befall us.

Such is the state of the unknown.

Jean Dickens.(Rushden)

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Wind (2)

  The wind can suddenly start up, a blowing down the
chimneys,up the waste pipes, in the window fluttering
out the curtains, chasing up the leaves into such a flurry.

Nipping the skirts up showing off the knees.
Blowing off the gentleman's hats and bowling them along
the street. Trying its utmost to turn the umbrellas inside out.

Clouds billowing, chasing, rushing and tousling each other
across the sky. Some chased like a piece of foam, some like
black whipped up over-powering cloaks.

Discarded paper, twisting and chasing around in circles,
suddenly coming to a standstill then starting up again.

So strong and powerful, destroying the countryside and
bring havoc, too close to where we think is a safe haven.
It is a job at times to measure its power that can destroy so
much that one cherishes as prize items.

Every time the wind is forecast everyone is a little apprehensive
not knowing whether this time it is to be a gentle one
or even a terrible killer.

    We in this country are really quite lucky on the whole as some
countries quite often experience such terrible winds.

God works in mysterious ways.

Jean Dickens. (Rushden)

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Oh! Moon

Oh moon when we see you why is it that we
all believe that you have a face?

We just cannot understand the miracles that
are happening all around us. 

    When we have you in our presence it is a great
comfort when instead of being unable to see
we can feel the steely reflection of your glow.

  We, through science,have conquered the
space between Earth and you.

We have been in your presence,
we are conquering space to beyond belief
perhaps to devastation.

So let's all enjoy our sacred spot in this
vast land of ours.

Jean Dickens (Rushden)
Published by Forward Press' Poets 2009 The Midlands'  ISBN 978 184418 - 513- 9

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Family day trip to the sea

We collected up a lot of the family.
  For a bus trip to the sand and sea.

 Children, Uncles, Aunts, Grandpa and Gran.
  Teenager Mary with her nice young man.

    Tommy, raring to go with his bucket and spade.
Jennie with her sandwiches and lemonade

.At last we arrived all eager and excited.
Uncle Fred thought the trip was as good as
visiting United.

Let’s find a nice spot on the beach to call our own.
Henry can’t wait for an ice cream cone.

Grandpa had some people stop and stare.
Giggled at him trying to put up his deck chair.

‘Big’ Basil so wanted a ride on a donkey.
The owner refused. Thought it would make it wonky.

They suggested he went and looked at the ships.
But he decided he would rather go get some chips.

 Then there is poor Florie quite unhappy and moody.
Still unable to find the Punch and Judy

 Sally looks saucy in her hat with slogan ‘Kiss Me Quick’.
But she’s been on the Big Dipper and now feels sick

.
 Uncle Bert in suit, waistcoat, tie, cap and boots.
Seems over-dressed near the girls in their teeny swimsuits

.
 Tommy’s sand castles with moat and flags look grand.
Soon some of us will be off to listen to the brass band.

 We went for a paddle,trousers rolled up and skirts held tight.
Letting the waves chase us. Oh what a sight.

 Unfortunately Henry was running and dropped his ice cream.
Onto the sunbathing girl in the bikini, that made her scream.

 Time is getting on, must keep an eye on the clock.
Before we go I must buy some rock.

 Time to gather all our belongings and head for the bus.
Basil has a big candyfloss. If he takes that on board
there will be a fuss

.
 All settled down and home we go, we all agreed to do it again.
Oh look, we have timed it right it is beginning to rain.

(Jean and Roy Dickens (Rushden) 2010)
Published by Forward Poetry2010-SB ISBN 978-1-84418- 559-7

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