Where are you now, dear hearts, from what far bourne
Do you survey the lives of those who mourn?
Too soon, in quick succession through the night,
Your tired spirits took their final flight,
So stars in Autumn shoot across the sky
And in one moment fall to earth and die.
But on your journey, loving, brave, upright,
You shared with us the burning of your light.
For Granny and Bumpah
April 1993
We built a fort of seaweed
Against the rising tide,
We made it round and solid
And then all climbed inside.
The waves splashed up against it
Till we were wet with spray,
Our fort began to crumble
And seaweed float away.
“Quick, quick, the walls are giving!
Build up the broken gate!
Let’s reinforce the ramparts
Before it is too late!”
In spite of all our efforts
To stop the rushing tide,
Our castle sank beneath the waves
And water came inside.
“Abandon ship” my Daddy cried,
“Let’s leave it to the sea!”
We scrambled up the beach to Mum
And went back home for tea.
26 August 1979
Sweet paradise of childhood,
Oh, truly happy land,
Where friends in sea and sunshine
Across the golden sand
Of childhood’s endless summers
Go running hand in hand.
Jersey 1980
I have a homing instinct for the stars 
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