In spring, at the end of my grandparents’ Otherwise tidy garden, I gazed for hours At scruffy clumps of white and purple flowers: Granddad called them honesty, Which puzzled me. I watched their pretty petals perish, Leaving brown paper parcels of seeds, Waiting to be buffeted on a breeze Whose windy fingers would peel away […]
Category: Poems about Childhood and Youth
The Full Moon of Brighton
In the whining draughts Of my grandparents’ house When I was very small, I’d sit on my potty by the open fire, Safe from the bathroom’s arctic chill. My grandfather would return from work With the offer of a cuddle and a smile; I’d jump into his arms, flashing a sighting Of my bare derriere, […]
Seaside Beauties
My response to dVerse Poets Pub OpenLinkNight #176 For tonight’s Open Link I have reworked an old poem I wrote as a bit of fun last October about seaside beauty contests, which fascinated me when I was a child on day trips with my grandmother. I was reminded of it when I looked out of […]
Ironing on a Wet Tuesday
My response to dVerse Poets Pub Poetics: Empire of Scents This Tuesday Grace has set us the challenge of writing a poem about scents. It’s a wet Tuesday, Rain spits at the closed window And I’m listening to the radio, Following in grandmother’s footsteps. The iron steams. Clothes, rescued from the line Are scented with […]
Mitcham May Queen
My response to imaginary garden with real toads Poetizing the Maypole When I was young it was a treat On the first Saturday Of every May To watch at Mitcham’s Cricket Green, Where cricket’s been played For more than three hundred years, The crowning of the May Queen. Children danced around a pole, Criss-crossing […]
Grandmother’s Ghost
My response to Carpe Diem Special #208 Sara McNulty’s 4th “fantasy” shadorma cloud of scent old music hall song fused as one memory grandmother’s hands and warm smile cooling my fever sweet reminders of a happy past a present a future with grandchildren of my own cooling other brows © Kim M. Russell, 2016 […]
Where do I come from?
My response to Imaginary Garden with Real Toads ~ Where Do I Come From? I introduced this poem you Year 7 students when I was still teaching and they produced some wonderful poems. I hope I can do it justice! Where do I come from? You may well ask. I am from monochrome photographs, […]
writing in north norfolk 