A Few Last Small Stones

21st January

Deep winter -
in the shelter of a holly tree
a bush of vibrant pink bells
remember summer

22nd January
    -


23rd January

Through the scribbled branches
of the beech tree
the evening sky turns pewter


24th January

Evening: On the doorstep I leave an offering
              of the day's uneaten cat food

Morning: The white bowl empty
               but for the crisp curled mystery
                of a winter leaf.


25th January

Opening the curtains
a bright round face
beams through the window -
the returning sun


26th January

Curiously
a line of sheep
circles the oak-crested mound -
a living amulet


27th January

The goldfinch rides
the mast of last year's evening primrose
like a sailor scanning for land


28th January

In the far distance
snow-heavy hills blend with the sky
merrily
the windmills spin their blades


29th January

      -

30th January

As of old the church bell rings out -
my first service for 30 years -
inside a boy sings
'Blowing in the Wind'
in Polish
a saxophone played from the pulpit
reverberates along the pews
outside the wind-borne snow
creates the world anew



31st January

On a bed of moss and snowdrops
lies the Bride doll lightly sleeping
come and call her to awaken
celebrate this springtime brightening!

Some more small stones

January 13th
In my dream
the small stones grow
to make a crossing-place

January 14th
Visiting Gill
Kitchen Alchemy
a treeful of sparrows

January 15th
Sentinel blackbird
overseeing the garden
its symphony of food

January 16th
The hills hunch against the mist
we watch it gather
fillling the valley with enchantment

January 17thThe sign in the cafe:
'Have some cake - you deserve it!'
What puzzles me
is how they know?

January 18th
A settled mist blurs the garden
indoors
my day lacks definition

January 19th
Today's small stone
grew larger in my hand -
became a poem
that sang to me
of luminescence

January 20th
Black wellington boot
thick grey sock nestles inside -
resting on it the husk of a butterfly

A Week of Small Stones

January 6th

Bare birch branches
brush the sky
banishing contrails

January 7th


Blue stained-glass sky
framed
by the monkey-puzzle tree

January 8th

Solitary Sunday
companionable
the drip of water from the gutter

January 9th


Looking up -
a sinister plume of cloud
slowly moving east

January 10th


New Year gale -
hurtling past
the garden chairs
I meant to put away

January 11th


Late again -
time slips through my grasp
like a bar of soap

January 12th

The door blows open
sunlight
rolls a golden carpet down the hall

Twelfth Night

5th January

Christmas lights brighten
the drab sky
their days numbered

Small Stones 2

3rd January

Half light -
hovering in the darkening sky
half a moon

4th January


Lone toffee
in the chocolate box
austerity bites

Small Stones

1st January

Half seen
a flash of red
goldfinch
among the blue tits

2nd January

Slab of green hillside
against the skyline
a row of trees curtsey
their backs to the sea
tableau of motionless sheep -
it's still life

I'm joining with the River of Stones to pay attention each day and write what I see. I might not keep it up for the whole month - I didn't last year - but I shall try. I've found it such a valuable way of honing my perception so that I don't only look but really see and then weave the experience into words, uniting outer and inner and making it visible.

Feel free to post your own Small Stones here if you'd like - I'd love to read them!