Autumn Leaf-fall

 

Leaf-fall:
vibrant, vivid,
flaming, falling, rustling, dying,
multi-coloured woven carpet:
Autumn.

(Cinquain poem)
5 Lines – not rhyming
1st line – a noun, 2 syllables
2nd line – 2 adjectives descriing the noun, 2 syllables each
3rd line – 3 “……ing”words describing noun, 2 syllables each
4th line – a 4 word phrase about the noun, 2 syllables each
5th line – another word for the noun, 2 syllables

Looking back on Twenty Twelve

Tower Bridge from a river boatThe year started very badly, it seemed to me,
when I lost my two dear friends to the great big C.
Our Winter seemed to go on and on forever.
We all thought that our Spring would arrive here never.

But then when finally bulbs burst through from the earth,
Mother Nature took over, blooming for all she was worth.
We could go outside and enjoy every day.
Pretty Spring was here at last, and soon it was May.

Then things changed back again and our weather was wet.
The hosepipe ban in April, we would soon forget.
But Britain was given momentous occasions –
the London Olympics and Jubilee celebrations.

For weeks it seemed we were all in such good spirits
as the Queen, and the Olympic torch drove our streets.
Union Jacks were flying from every landmark,
and we had street parties, or picnics in the park.

We all went around with huge beams on our faces,
for Chelsea Flower Show and the Ascot Races,
and the next good thing was, oh what a big surprise –
our Andy Murray won Wimbledon’s big first prize.

Life couldn’t get better – we had all had a ball
and soon we were enjoying a colourful Fall.
But all good things have to come to an end it seems,
but they will live on in our memories and dreams.

Follow that, Twenty Thirteen! What is there in store?
Then I wonder, do we really want to know any more?
Well, there’ll be a Royal Baby from Kate and Wills,
so we’ll all keep flags flying from our window sills!.

Fungus Invasion

This year has been damp and a good year for fungus,
some are small and pretty and some are humongous,
some crowd in circles around the base of our trees
and some decorate their trunks right up to their knees.

Some look quite cute, almost with friendly faces,
some dark and threatening, crowd in other places,
some look like phallic symbols, some like fairies’ hats,
some look like they should live with Dracular and bats.

Toadstools grow in circles but I have looked to see,
and there’s no sign that I can find of a fairy.
Mushrooms should be good this year, but I’m scared to try
any that I find in woods as I’m passing by.

We’ve been invaded this year with all sorts of spores,
they’re multiplying over the ground in their scores.
Ash trees have been struck with a fungus invasion,
spores from foreign woods have ruined England’s equation.

I feel like I’m living on another planet:
everywhere I go the grass is soggy and wet,
fungi cover the ground in woods everywhere
and I have to step all around them with great care.

I don’t want my dogs to catch a fungus disease,
just like the one that’s killing our native ash trees.

 

Ash tree die back report from the Telegraph

Dog disease caused by fungus


Halloween

Fright night:
wary, scary,
tricking, treating, chilling, thrilling,
ghosties, goulies, witches abound:
Samhain.

(Cinquain poem)
5 Lines – not rhyming
1st line – a noun, 2 syllables
2nd line – 2 adjectives describing the noun, 2 syllables each
3rd line – 3 “……ing” words describing noun, 2 syllables each
4th line – a 4 word phrase about the noun, 2 syllables each
5th line – another word for the noun, 2 syllables