BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Peter Woodgate
She is an epicurean
Of that there is no doubt
Wears clothes from posh Kaleidoscope
On the catwalk she will pout.
She has a perfect balance
Up and down the aisle each day
The audience watch in silence
They don’t know what to say.
As each day turns into darkness
She undresses in front of the mirror
In horror she sees the honest truth
There reflected an ugly gorilla.
Copyright Peter
Woodgate
The Tiff
Marion Anthony
Gillian had just returned from New York after successfully completing her two year course. She was seated on the train to
It had been a misunderstanding. They had argued about the course she was enrolled in.
Trouble was, it was a two year course in
Graham had looked hurt when she told him what she intended to do!
He'd accused her of being selfish and not considering his
feelings.
They had been students together at University and everyone
thought they were made for each other. Now she was not so sure...
If only they had not had such a fiery exchange of words before
she left.
She looked out of the window and tears flowed down her cheeks,
as she remembered their warm embraces in front of the fire, back home in
Graham had written and agreed to meet up on her return, to discuss their
future.
The rickety shaking of the rolling carriage, lulled her to
sleep.
She was suddenly awakened, as the brakes were applied and
the train pulled into
She gathered her luggage and stepped off the train. Her heart
was pounding as she walked up the platform to the barrier.
Then she saw him standing there with his overcoat over his
arm. The sun had come out and it had turned warm. Gillian could see the sun
shining on his handsome face, and that familiar sparkle in his bright blue eyes.
The urgency on Graham's face, was all that she needed to know about his feelings for her.
They walked off, hand in hand, into the sunset.
Gillian knew that whatever problems beset them could be resolved.
He was her destiny!
Copyright Marion Anthony
Sally
Marion Anthony
Sally was shifting some old papers out of an old suitcase that she had stored away in the attic. Now as the family were moving to a larger house to accommodate their growing family, she thought she would get rid of some junk.
As she opened the suitcase
a lot of leaflets and mementos fell on the floor. She quickly opened one up and
read. It was an invitation from the Shipping Company that she used to work for,
when she left school.
It read that there was to
be a Celebration Dinner on board one of it's vessels in a dry-dock in
Sally was lost in
nostalgia as she read the words.
She was suddenly
transported back to that night on board the
The staff and crew of the
ship were all dressed up and very courteous towards the guests.
The dinner was served and
Sally's eyes shone with amazement at all the different types of cuisine, along
with all the cutlery and wine glasses.
After dinner all the
guests sat around on the lounge. Suddenly music started to play and she jumped
up excited, she threw her handbag to the Director and shouted "Look after
that for me please," grabbed Ben's hand, whom she worked with and said
"Let's dance" as she pulled him off his chair.
Later they went up on deck
under the stars, as he picked her up in his arms and swung her around.
Sally had had a crush on
Ben for some time. Unfortunately she had to leave her new boyfriend Colin at
home.
They had been courting for
the past six months.
Suddenly there was a knock
on the loft door that brought Sally back to earth with a thud!
"Mummy what are you
doing up here? Can I go and play next door with Julie please?" Miranda, her
eight year old asked.
"Ok,” said Sally,
irritated by the interruption. "Only for half an hour as dinner won't be long
and daddy will be home soon.
When Miranda had gone,
Sally picked up the papers and put them all back in the suitcase.
She had hopes and dreams
with Ben but it seemed they came to nothing.
“Hello, what are you doing
up here?”
Sally turned around to see
two lovely brown eyes looking at her lovingly.
"Hello" said
Sally "Oh I was just reminiscing over some memorabilia in an old suitcase.
Have you had a good day Colin?"
“It was OK," he said
"But it's so nice to get home to you," He Planted a kiss on her
lips.
"We have a lot of
packing up to do don't we?"
"Yes" she replied smiling at him
tenderly. "Let's go and have dinner shall we?"
Sally was happy and
content to know that things always work out for the best and knew that she had
made the right choice.
The future and new house
adventure was so very exciting!
Copyright Marion Anthony
BEFORE THE EURO
Peter Woodgate
Uncivilised disorganised
And classed as somewhat barmy
Those Brits would be an easy task
For the mighty Roman army.
And so the legions marched along
The road’s they built with care
They walked up to the entrance
Of the Heathen’s rugged lair.
But here they met with fury
And a passion to be free
Those Roman hordes were driven back
Until they reached the sea.
It seems they could not conquer
This plucky English Lady
The tricks she used to win each fight
We’re classed as somewhat shady.
And so to mainland
The mighty hordes returned
Their offer of a detached
Had certainly been spurned.
Boudicca had shown them all
Brought an empire to it’s knees
Across the waves these words were heard
“And stick your bloody Sesterces”
Copyright Peter Woodgate
An unexpected surprise ~ Sunday outing
Barbara Thomas
A few Sundays ago we were all geared up to drive over to
Shoeburyness in
Unfortunately at the last moment the outing was cancelled. We
had intended to visit our granddaughter her partner and great grandaughter.
my granddaughters partner is involved with teaching children of school age football so it was agreed the visit would be put on hold.
There we were all dressed up but nowhere to go, “as the saying
goes”.
My husband asked his son what if we visited the old Hopfields in
and around Tunbridge
Tom, my husband came from a large South London family, and in
those days, my husband who is now 87, said that that was the only way families
with limited amount of monies, (South London and
Therefore firstly earning wages picking off the vines and
secondly having a break from the big smoke i.e.
All four of us agreed that would be a great idea, Nicky drove
our car, my husband sat in the front with the two women seated at the back.
It was a beautiful day not to hot, Nicky, my step-son was being
guided by his Dad. Who you can well imagine had no end of tales to tell us.
Nicky followed his Dads instructions which read “walks to Hop fields”. But of
course the Hop fields were long gone, in their place were rows and rows of
orchard trees. That didn’t stop my husband in reveling in what had been there.
I noticed a break in the field advertising Kent Cherries, and Strawberries.
I am a sucker for juicy
So Nicky pulled up in front of a little wooden hut.
Once punnets where ordered and distributed amongst us, my husband said to the man aged around 30, who had been serving, that in his day (70 odd years ago) how he still remembered the farmers name, a Mr. Earl who lived in the farm house further up the hill. The young man said, “how strange that’s my surname but I had never heard of the farmer or farm”.
As it was lunch time my step-son asked could the man suggest
where we could get some lunch.
We were directed along the narrow hedges to several pubs but as
you can imagine on Sunday afternoon all the car-parks were full.
Nicky persisted and he pulled into a large public house, easy
parking, we all went inside, lunch was ordered. It was decided to order a Roast
Platter which worked out for 3 people at the grand price of £25.00
I unfortunately am a Celiac so I bring my lunch with me.
All the other dinners were priced at £25.00 extra for roast
potatoes extra veg even gravy. That was well spotted by me, the platter!!
Enough for small appetite’s
but with beef, chicken, pork baked potatoes plus veg.
Drinks of course were extra!!!!
Whilst we were sitting there, a whole assortment of people arrived, young, and old, babies, toddlers. The four of us were intrigued considering the prices, so Nicky went up to the bar after the crowd dispersed to be told that people paid £45.00 a head for a meal and a guide, to take them on local walks along the fields and, lanes etc.
My husband being an ex-publican was very interest what brewers
it belong too and found out it was a family run free-house.
He was very impressed in this day and age, business looked like
it was blooming.
The name of the pub was “THE POACHER AND THE PARTRIDGE”, in case you want to visit.
Well we made our way happily to the car and Nicky brought us safely home.
My husband talked about it for days, all in all it was a great
day out.
Copyright Barbara Thomas
Life’s shadows
By Rob Kingston
spring
equinox
a
hedgehogs’ squeal
breaks
the silence
Moving around in the darkness is as challenging as
the daylight for some of our animal friends. Like us, they too have a desire of
epicurean delights when working through chance ingredients.
kaleidoscope
turning
through the balance
poker chips
Copyright
Robert Kingston
This poem is one of four based on the seasons of the year. Each one has a different tempo and structure. I started by choosing one word to summarise each season. So, winter is stillness, spring is frenetic, summer is slow, and autumn is languid. These reflect the pace of the season and the atmosphere of the poem. I hope it has worked. Let me know in the comments. The others are in older posts. Starvelarks Wood is the remnant of a sweet chestnut plantation in Thundersley, Essex.
A cold
winter in Starvelarks Wood
Silent stands the frozen wood,
A stillness filled with leaden air.
No creature stirs among its roots,
But the angel of despair.
Snow falls softly through leafless limbs,
Laden with that heavy fall.
The chattering nuthatch rarely sings,
No one to hear her call.
A fox’s bark, a streak of red,
Echoes through the naked copse.
A flash of grey, the vole is dead,
Her cubs will eat her corpse.
A barn owl looks upon that sight.
She must live and feed her young.
Indifferent to that creature’s plight,
Her chance will sometime come.
A rushing winds, painful bight,
A moment filled with fear.
Then she’s gone and out of sight,
Nature sheds no tear.
The muffled sound of falling snow,
Lands softly on the forest floor.
How long, how long ‘till winter goes,
And spring is at the door.
Copyright, Christopher Mathews, July 2026
