I am, who I am

The NN8 Writers Group was given the task of writing about our name. What follows is the first in a series on the theme. At school I was Carrot or Ginge But that’s not me anymore. For years my surname was Knight But I traded it for a mum-in-law. Some shorten my name to Val

Sounds from our caravan.

Caravan holidays give the impression of quiet sites and relaxations. However two adults and two dogs in a caravan give a different picture.

It’s a dog’s life.

I scratch the floor, at something after four,
And wait for the sound…

River Nene

This is the fourth in a series of seasonal poems inspired by my local river, The Nene. As I ran along the river bank in this Covid year, 2020, it became clear that although our lives have changed, as we grapple with the affects of the pandemic, Mother Nature is still doing her stuff, and

Autumn Thanks

Two songs keep digging into my consciousness like ear-worms, reminding me that despite the pandemic, climate change and the uncertain future, Autumn comes around with comforting regularity. The signs of Autumn may be delayed by Indian summers, and in the long term the seasons may merge, but nature is awesome in its ability to adapt

one in a billion

A billion or more galaxies in the Universe. The Milky Way is just one. A hundred billion stars in the Milky Way. Our sun is just one. Nine planets orbit our sun. Earth is just one. 196 million square miles of sea and land, lakes and ice. A blue planet spinning, orbiting a sun 1.5

Godshill.

On a visit to Godshill Model Village on the Isle of Wight, I became aware of why adults and children like small world play, whether it be Isla with the doll’s house or Pete with his train set. Godshill, an apt name for the place, illuminated our relationship to our world and God to his

Islander

Written while on holiday on the Isle of Wight, 2020. In the news was the Corona pandemic, refugees arriving by dingy on the coast of Kent, and the Brexit deal. Perhaps it’s because we’re an island race That each year we’re called to the sea; Packing up bags and longing to taste The salty air,

Dinos and Dogs

On the Jurassic coast, Where once ammonites swam, canines are king. On collar and lead They strut and they sniff. Pugs, pulis, poodles, A labradoodle and shih tzu but very few mutts. King of the dog walk, with white tipped tail wagging, pad spaniel-like paws. A unique species is Bramblesaurus. Isle of Wight 2020 –

Foundations remain firm as the ground shifts.

The ground has shifted and what I thought was firm and solid has turned to sand. Trust in the news, the government and in the experts has been washed away and what is left is uncertainty and fear. When the ground shifted, I was jolted and the confidence in who I am, was picked off,