Spring

SPRING

Spring is a young girl who having helped
her mother with chores goes, still
with her pinny on, barefoot to where
the sheep graze on a hillside by a pond
There, throwing her straw bonnet aside,
she throws her body down beside her young sister
and picking a buttercup, examines it,
marvelling at the detail of nature,
seeing the sun's colour in its petals
Her sister stares into the water
and wonders what it is her elder knows

© Gerald England

Composed: Edinburgh, 1st July 1979

1980 THE RAINBOW AND OTHER POEMS (Heckmondwyke, Fighting Cock Press)
1981 Britannic Magazine (UK)
1990 Maple Valley Vine (USA)
1992 Poesie India (India)
2002 EOTU (Internet)
2004 Iodine (USA)

Wish of the Gods

WISH OF THE GODS

Last night I lay asleep and dreamt
I found myself in the seventh heaven
and all around the gods were stood
Apollo in their midst

Apollo he did speak to me
- make one wish and it shall be granted thee
Do you wish for wealth or power
for wisdom or for health

to be surrounded by fine maids ?
Whate'er it is you wish you shall receive -
- I do not wish for health or wealth -
thus to the gods I spoke

-I've but one wish and this it is
That the laugh may always be on my side -
The gods they would not could not speak
but soon the silence broke

Apollo first and then the rest
the gods they laughed and laughed out long and loud
the gods they laughed and did not speak
so then I did awake

Now I know that the gods have taste
for most unsuitable it would have been
if the gods had gravely told me
- Thy wish it is granted -

© GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: Glasgow, 1st January 1966

Publications
1969 Tait's Quarterly (UK)
1991 Poesie (India)