The Christmas Box.

Snow hadn't fallen overnight, but a heavy frost had covered the ground
and in the morning, a little boy ran downstairs in his dressing gown.
He could see the lights from the tree, as he skipped his way down the hall
it was Christmas day, many years ago and Father Christmas had made his call.
And there under the Christmas tree, was a rather large cardboard box
it was full of carefully wrapped presents of toys, sweets and new football socks!

The biggest present waiting for him was a Hornby Electric Train
and an Airfix kit for him to build a Lancaster aeroplane.
Also there to his delight, was a holster with a toy silver gun
and some favourite Dinky Toys, for him to have some fun.
It was definitely going to be a time, to play and play all day,
and later, when the Queen's speech came on, he just had to sneak away.

He went into another room and saw the large cardboard box
he took off his shoes and climbed into it, wearing his new football socks.
In his mind he was in a boat, sailing the southern seas
looking at the stars in a foreign sky, sails flapping in the breeze.
He played for hours in his boat, it brought him so much joy
a cardboard box had turned out to be, his favourite Christmas toy!

Distant Footsteps.

As I turn the pages of his notebook from the war
I can almost see him sitting there, in the heat of Jubbulpore
a soldier, far away from home, from friends and family
pen and paper in his hands, he sits beneath the tree
writing to the one he loves, careful not to say
anything which might distress her, while he is so far away.



He can hear the distant footsteps of the corporal as he walks
towards him very slowly, troubled by his thoughts
he’s the one who must tell him, the news that comes from home
knowing he must reach him, while he is there alone
when at last he reaches him, a tear is in his eye
not knowing if he can tell him, but knowing he must try.



The soldier sat and listened to what the corporal said
finding it hard to understand that his son was dead
his little boy was playing, happily with his toys
not seeing any danger, not hearing any noise
then the tragedy happened, his life was filled with pain
the bombers did their damage, he was taken by the flames.



So the soldier travelled home from that distant land
to comfort the one he loved and guide her by the hand
through all the grief and sadness, which they now must bear
with only little memories, left for them to share
then when his leave was over, he returned to Jubbulpore
to carry out his duties, in the second world war.



When he was back in India he would often be whenever a quiet moment allowed, sitting beneath the tree
sometimes remembering how his little boy, all cleaned up and ready for bed
would often turn and smile at something his father had said
and each morning when he awoke, he would hope and pray the ending of the war, was not so far way.



One day he was reflecting on his last time at home
when he and the one he loved, had felt so very alone
and how they comforted each other, with their love, body and soul
knowing their time was precious, as soon he would have to go
it had been so long ago, many months had passed
he just longed for the time to come, when he would be home again, at last.



He could hear the distant footsteps of the corporal as he walked
towards him very slowly, distracted by his thoughts
he’s the one who would tell him, the news that came from home
his wife, the one he loved, was no longer there alone
for she now had a baby girl, born on a November day
an answer to the prayers, of a soldier far away.



As I close the pages of his notebook from the war
my eyes are getting weary, sleep is knocking on my door
now I find I’m dreaming and a mist begins to clear
I can hear their distant footsteps and I can see them there
walking side by side, on a path where angels tread
a soldier and a little boy, who turns and smiles, at something his father has said.

FAR AWAY

Oh Laura you are in love, but what can you do
for he has gone so far away, so far away from you.
As you switch on the TV, to see the News at Ten you start to wonder if you will ever see him again.




As he was driving his army Jeep, along the dusty road
there was an explosion ahead, a land mine he was told.
The jeep was hit by the blast as bleeding he hit the ground but soon he was relieved to see army medics gather around.




And he knew if he’d been a little further ahead he and the soldiers with him surely would have been dead.
You pick up the phone nervously, and listen to what they say he is injured, but it’s just his foot and he’s coming home to stay.



Unlike his great uncle long ago, wounded in the First World War
lying in a trench, with mud and rats, seeing things, never seen before.
Men around him white with fear, trying to survive the dark of the night he was weak and cold, and his young life ended, just before first light.

Who can you trust?

As I begin my usual walk, a teenage boy is standing there
I try not to catch his glance and I know I must not stare.
He has an evil look in his eyes, or maybe it’s just fear
or is his young head the victim of, too much under age beer.
I quickly walk past him, feeling too old to risk a fight
I don’t suppose he will bother me, but maybe he just might.




Now I’m further into my walk and a little out of breath
as two hooded boys, come towards me on my left.
“Did you know you’ve dropped something,” I hear them shout
and I nervously check my pocket, finding my wallet has fallen out.
One of them quickly grabs my wallet and hands it back to me
and I feel a little ashamed, to have doubted their honesty.




Now as I walk across the park, an old lady is ahead of me
a refined looking couple are talking to her, under the old oak tree.
Suddenly the couple are running away, the old lady is on the floor
her face is cut and her bag has gone, she says it has happened before.
I can’t believe what I have seen and I take care of her like I must,
as I think to myself how hard it can be, to know who you can trust.

The Other Side Of The Mountain.

See the car parks
with their shiny new cars,
next to the sparkling new sports arena
and the smiling children,
excited about the game to be seen.
See the lovely girls
with their perfect faces
near the skyscraper buildings
that pierce the sky.
And how people pay so much
for something to eat,
in the expensive restaurants
always so full.
Look at the beautiful shops
full of wonderful clothes
and the children enjoying life
down at the beach.

But in the other side
of the mountain
a smile is hard to find,
as people try to survive life in a shanty town.
Children are wandering
alone in the streets,
sometimes with nothing
on their feet.
With sores that never heal
and hair that’s never clean
abandoned and hoping to be pitied
by the old lady
who takes in children,
on the other side of town .
Life is very different
on the other side of the mountain.

Two and Six.

When two little girls look up at me
it can remind me how good life can be and when I hear their voices in play
I love the funny things, they often say.


They can be happy and sometimes sad
they can be good and they can be bad
and when they smile and ask me to play
how can I not, do what they say?


One of them is six, the other one is two
without them in my life, what would I do
and if they are sad, I wipe away their tears
ready to comfort them and take away their fears.


I hope they will love life’s simple pleasures
the stars, the sea, and all nature’s treasures
and know they are loved by you and by me
always in our hearts wherever they may be.


I wish them success in whatever they do
I wish them happiness all their lives through
and I wish them in life all that is good
but most of all, I wish them love.

The Way You Are

When I first knew you
in our younger days.
I was taken by your smile
the jewel within your face.
A face which was so beautiful
and still is now today.
Just like the beautiful person you are
in all you do and say.


You have always been so easy to love
whether from near or far.
That’s not so hard to understand
it’s just the way you are.
And long ago I realised
all I ever wanted to do.
Was just to be in love with you
and for you to love me too.

The Morris Minor Man. (my very first poem)

He was the Morris Minor Man
from down in Burton Joyce
I went with him to buy one
a green one was his choice
he could have had a Vauxhall
he could have had a Ford
but not the Morris Minor Man
from down in Burton Joyce.


He started with a Land Rover
and had a Scimitar too
he even had a Skoda
and went to number two!
I used to pull his leg for that
and he didn’t seem to mind
but when the Morris Minor came
that really was a find.



He was the Morris Minor Man
from down in Burton Joyce
he went and bought another one
to accompany the first
he could have brought home anything
but nothing else would do
that’s why the Morris Minor Man
went after number two.


He worked on them so carefully
as he chased round after parts
and when he was successful
it cheered his family’s hearts
for when they got to know those cars
they loved them, I could tell
could it be they had become
Minor fans as well!

The man you see.

He goes to work each morning often before it’s light
careful to remember the things he must get right.

The traffic is often heavy the sky is often grey
but he has to make the best of things to get him through the day.

He goes back home each evening sometimes after dark
too late to see those he loves and take them to the park.

He feels a little weary with nothing much to say
and slowly drifts off to sleep too tired to save his day.

But deep in the heart of the man you see
lives the man he wants to be
free to live life, his own way
true to himself, every single day.

A man who can make dreams come true
a man like me, a man like you.
A man who can set his spirit free
to be the man he wants to be.

He goes to work each morning the sky is often grey
and it’s, just another day, just another day………….

The Jewel Within Your Face.

I will always love you
with all your lovely ways.
And that precious little smile of yours
the jewel within your face.


We danced a lot in the early days
as you warmed my heart in so many ways.
I couldn’t help but fall in love
for you were my angel, sent from above.


There is a song of a ‘Lady in Red’
with you it was a little brown dress!
So simple in its shape and design
but in it you looked so divine.


Little things are special for me and you
like that night alone with you.
When we looked up to the stars, in early spring
and to us it meant everything.


Our life together continues on
but the little brown dress, sadly has gone.
Time has passed, the dancing has too
but I am still in love with you.


I will always love you
with all your lovely ways.
And that precious little smile of yours
the jewel within your face.

Thank You

Thank you for being an Angel
to me through all the years.
For sharing with me the laughter
and sometimes even the tears.
For all the things you do for me
and for others too.
For being the most loveable girl in the world
God made when he made you.
For loving me without compromise
the way you always do.
But most of all, thank you
just for being you.

Never Quite Alone.

Through his time of suffering
you sheltered him from the storm
he knew the love you gave to him
would keep him save and warm.
He may have only come into your life
for just a little while
but he gave you all his love with tenderness and a smile.

And although it’s with the Angels
he now shares a Heavenly home
with all the love he left you with
you are never quite alone.
For when you’re near a playground
on a summers day
you will hear his laughter in
the children as they play.

And when you hear the wind blow
all those autumn leaves
you will feel his gentleness
drifting through the trees.
When you see the stars
shine in a winter’s sky
you will see the twinkle
so often in his eye.

And when you feel the freshness
of each day in spring
you will be so happy
to wear his wedding ring.
When you feed those Badgers
as you often do
you will always remember
he loved them just like you.

Long Blonde Hair And Eyes of Blue.

The doctor had said she looked tired today
the tests had shown, it wouldn’t go away
her looks might go, her living could too
how would she cope, what could she do
she was late arriving for the photo shoot
in her tight blue jeans and high heel boots
the make up artist did her thing
and soon she was ready for anything.

She looked so good as the flash gun fired
with her make up on, she no longer looked tired
the photographer told her what to do
with her long blonde hair and eyes of blue
she knew how to seduce the camera lens
each exposure was her latest friend
it was clear to see she photographed well
even though she just felt like hell.

She knew how to grace a magazine cover
knowing how to look, more than any other
often she would be, the centrefold
in a magazine, that was never under sold
she still always had that look in her eye
even when she wanted, to just sit down and cry
Something had to give, something had to change
it was clear to see, things couldn’t stay the same.

But that was then and this is now
there’s always a way to survive somehow
gone are the looks that brought her fame
but she earns her living, just the same
now she works as a photographer herself
taking pictures for the magazine shelves
and she knows what to tell the girls to do
with their long blonde hair and eyes of blue.

Wanting Love Forever

Some people stay together, some don’t even try
some just don’t know how to, some just don’t see why.
They don’t believe in love, because someone broke their hearts
now they say goodbye to love, before it even starts.


But we believe in Forever, loving like we do
giving love to each other, in the things we do.
Caring about each other, more than just ourselves
hands and hearts together, wanting love forever.


They wonder how we feel this way, after all the years
still in love with each other, with more laughter than there’s tears.
They find it hard, to believe, we can be this way
maybe they just never had, a love that came to stay.


But we believe in Forever, loving like we do
giving love to each other, in the things we do.
Caring about each other, more than just ourselves
hands and hearts together, wanting love forever.


Perhaps if they found someone, who could mend a broken heart
that very special someone, then they would never part.
They would be loved by someone, for more than just a day
then maybe too they would know, a love that came to stay.


And they’d believe in Forever, nothing else would do
giving love to each other, in the things they do.
Caring about each other, more than just themselves
hands and hearts together, wanting love forever.

Children No More

A picture hangs on my wall
it’s a photograph taken by me
of two little girls by the riverside
fishing there with me.

One is fishing with her home made rod
that her Grandpa made
the other with her little net
for which her pocket money paid.

They didn’t catch any fish that day
not even a tiddler or two
but they still had a happy day
and their picture taken too!

They’re grown up now Children no more
though one at home still stays
the other has gone away
to live her student days.

They always loved the riverside
and being there with me
but if they had a special place
it was being by the sea.

Now sometimes when I walk across a beach
my mind plays tricks on me
I can hear their little voices shout
“we’re playing in the sea!”

I see their smiling faces
happy on the beach
and little footprints in the sand
made by their tiny feet.

They’re grown up now Children no more
living life’s laughter and tears
and I wonder if they still remember
those special childhood years.

A Certain Smile

It was on my regular walk, when I first saw her
with her beautiful red hair, flowing in the breeze.
A lovely young girl, in her teens
always happy to smile at me
and to say hello.
She was much younger then.

Now when I see her, she has the look of a women
and a young man holds her hand.
I saw them both walking towards me the other day
coming from the woods nearby.
His face a little flushed and her hair still lovely,
but rather ruffled.

They both seemed a little self concious
when they passed me by.
And as she said hello,
she seemed to look different,
as she gave me a certain smile,
Something I'd not seen for a long time.

Then I realised what I had seen,
he was her first love,
we all know the signs.
I think she may have shared
her passion with him
for the very first time.

I haven't seen them for quite a while.
They probably have other ways
of spending time together now,
than walks through the woods.
But I think I will always remember her,
with her lovely red hair and that certain smile.