The one that missed the boat

When my latest collection 'Swimming with Dolphins' is published I will be just that little bit sad that one of my favourite poems will have to be left out.  It is an observation on one of my favourite artists Henry John Yeend King.  Still I have little doubt that the poem will get it's day in the sun at some stage in the future.  It is published here

  Henry John Yeend King

                     1855-1924

Your days roll out

Like a carpet patterned

With milk maids and snow white geese

And who’s the pretty maiden

With the coal scuttle bonnet

Flirting with the ferryman

And how’s the fishing boys

And aren’t the roses looking good

Charlotte or is it Emily.

Would that I could dwell

From dawn ‘till dusk, immerse myself

In hues and tints

Eavesdrop on those liaisons

Listen to laughter of the gander

In the morning

The chuckle of the moorhen

In the rushes, loiter aimlessly

By rustic bridges

Pondering dragonflies

And mayflies and subtle conspiracies, but

For the moment

Let’s just stroll along

The fern edged path gathering snapdragons

And marigolds as we go.