Category Archives: Animals

House Building

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Two magpies stalk across the building site,
Ruffled by the cold wind through the thorn hedge.
I don’t really know what they hope to find
In this wasteland of concrete and gravel.
Perhaps next year when the grass is growing,
There’ll be crusts thrown from our kitchen window.
Are they looking for building materials
Among the curled shavings and the rubble?
They’re welcome to share ours around the plot,
Especially as there are two of them
which always augurs well for the future.

3rd April 1971

At Granny’s

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At Granny’s there are lovely stairs
Just made for climbing up and down.
And Pusscat tries to hide from me
Up on the landing out of sight.
I don’t know why she runs from me.
It must be Puppy that she fears
But sees in me another dog
For I, like dogs, am quadruped.
With Granny near in case I fall
(‘Though why I’d do that I can’t tell!).
I kneel upon the lowest step,
Hold tight the bars and start to climb.
I sometimes see the bushy tail
Between the rungs, just out of reach,
But every time I climb a stair
The Pusscat moves on noiselessly.
I reach the landing but she’s gone,
Completely vanished, then I see
The bathroom’s open, small and pink.
I crawl inside and out of sight
I play with Granny’s powder puff.

Seagulls in ploughed fields

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Seagulls in ploughed fields
Rise white in flight, scattering
Rooks wildly cawing.