Weary Waders

We are filling the air with everything:our piping calls, the feathers welose on our weary flight. Seehow overhead cloud hidesus from one another,as we herald the arrival of autumn. One thingyou must remember is that we  return from our northern nests alwaystogether, while some just wantto stop off on the way south, others long tostay […]

Mother’s Love

My mother’s love is red and gold,the vibrant love of sunset,a kiss before I bid the worldgoodnight. Under the silhouetted tree,the sky the colour of her heart,holding me close, she says to me,“Sleep tight!” Kim M. Russell, 6th October 2026 It’s Tuesday and, at the dVerse Poets Pub, our host for Poetics is Lillian, with […]

Boar Lane by Lamplight

The evening has already drawnacross the town moon-silvered cloudslike a sky-filled eiderdown.Boar Lane is coming to life, crowdstread cobbles that seemto hold on to sunset with the lightstreaming from windows. Like a dream,gas lamps, candles and lanterns brightentice carousers and romancersinto the pubs to escape the long haulof the working day, while dancersand singers are […]

Hallowed

The silence of the woods is contagioussap seeping under our skin. Outrageousstrings in minor key rise in a sorrowfulbreaking prayer in an arboreal cathedral. No birds sing in bare branches, gunmetal laceagainst an ashen sky; no clouds to embracethe unabashed nakedness in this hallowedplace that nature reigns, we’ve only borrowed. A doe and her faun […]

Between the Falling in Love Parts

Between falling love and other parts of life,things happen: spring blossoms come                                    and go; waves crash on beaches; parts of mountains c r u m b l e ; skies change colour. We grow up,take on responsibility, land with both feeton the ground. Kim M. Russell, 10th September 2026 It’s Thursday and time for Open […]

Nothing is Permanent

You always said to tryto do my best, togrow into the person I wanted to be. You come to me as words, arevenant, urging me to be good,and remain in my heart as a guest. In owl-light, I have learnt to treadcarefully, my feet landing lightlyon the right side of memory. Remember – nothing is […]

Houses with Laundry

In the suburbs, the sky is muted greys;layered clouds merge with beigepost-harvest fields – a train passes by.Houses are prominent, earthy, weak lightreflecting in windows, the inhabitants’washing strung out on lines like brightbunting criss-crossing the landscape.This is life outside the city, awayfrom Viennese high society, an escapefrom pressures and scandal. The dayis almost over, laundry dances […]

Tiger in a Tropical Storm (Surprised!) 

They brought brushes, paints and canvas,so that he could spend his sacred leisurein the light, truth and happiness of paintinga surprised tiger and other wonders of nature.When I extend my gaze beyond the vivid huesof yellow, orange, red and tropical verdure(I’ve looked and found hardly any blue),I am thrilled by the way Rousseau capturedthe movement […]

Asking the Right Question

Three letter questions, like how,who and why, dosend me off on a tangent. Have youmeandered among those words? Have you everbeen lost in a how? We will never knowif we have been taken forfools, but it is certain,in the world in which we live today, thatthe rich and powerful do not care what youthink, how […]

A Candleworth of Love

There was a magical time whenyour mother would carry youon her hip all day. You weredemanding of her love, smallbut large as life, full of life, with yourfairy eyes and curly hair, chin cuppedin your hands. She tickled your palms,walking round the garden like a teddy bear, eachevening before bathtime. She heldyou close when she […]