Twas the end of year when nights grow dark
And stars twinkle in midnight sky.
The earth was asleep and trees leaflessly slumbered,
Under the hedges sheltered small creatures and birds
While hedgehogs snuffled and dormice dreampt.
Softly it fell without fuss or trumpet,
Covering the ground with soft white blanket.
Stifling the sounds into still and quiet,
Laying on branches weighing them down,
Turning all the world white and brown.
‘Tis then that he comes all a twinkle and shine,
With shining toes and dazzling clothes,
With an icicle dripping from his nose.
Unseen and unheard pirouetting and pose,
Leaping and bowing until all is froze.
Creatures shiver and hold close
As star like, snow glistens and glows
But by mornings light and winter dawn,
He has passed by and gone,
Leaving only, the sound of twinkling toes.
Categories:
dormice, dance, environment, mystery, seasons,
Form: Lyric
Against all odds
I live to breath-in the daylight
that filters through dark curtains.
The green plant (grown from seed)
is still sleeping.
I forgot what kind it is, it has no name
but against all odds
it flourishes in a dream-like way.
In a dormant room
a laptop is singing quietly to itself.
in a distant land
paws pitter patter over moonbeams.
Stretching out my crooked frame
I once again
see the odds are good enough
to join all those other nameless beings
who populate my life
with ink and echoes.
Dormice scurry around brown teapots.
Jackdaws caw and whistle
looking for something to steal
while we, the innominate,
are not looking.
Categories:
dormice, poetry,
Form: Free verse
On a cold, dark, late April morning
beneath white, frosty blades of grass
and lacy labyrinth spider webs
I found two dormice, frozen in a bottle.
Eyes closed, tiny hands in prayer-like pose
furry tails wrapped around in last embrace.
It's easy to imagine the two together
seeking warmth and comfort there.
Or, after climbing in, they could not escape;
find their usual warm, soft nest
ride out this unexpected April frost,
and find a little treacle well.
Categories:
dormice, death,
Form: Free verse
A SIGHT FOR STRAW EYES
I have a little scarecrow friend,
To his eyes I must attend,
The straw is poking through you see,
So I see him, he can't see me.
But when I saw him just last week,
I heard a tiny little squeak,
Upon my further investigation
I found a Dormouse in location.
A cosy little nest she'd made,
And there four tiny babies laid,
I made my vow to let them be
Now my scarecrow would not see.
I turned and headed for the stile,
Something wonderous made me smile,
It was a whisper on the wind,
I turned around, my scarecrow grinned.
Thank you Sir for doing right,
Mrs. Dormouse she got such a fright,
You see my eyes are her safe haven,
From wind and rain and crow and raven.
A tear rolled down my dusty face,
What magic was there in this place,
My scarecrow gave his eyes you see,
A greater love there cannot be.
I did return and he spoke to me,
And through my eyes I let him see,
A family of Dormice having fun,
Scurrying, laughing in the sun..
Categories:
dormice, uplifting,
Form: Lyric
A SIGHT FOR STRAW EYES
I have a little scarecrow friend,
To his eyes I must attend,
The straw is poking through you see,
So I see him, he can't see me.
But when I saw him just last week,
I heard a tiny little squeak,
Upon my further investigation
I found a Dormouse in location.
A cosy little nest she'd made,
And there four tiny babies laid,
I made my vow to let them be
Now my scarecrow would not see.
I turned and headed for the stile,
Something wonderous made me smile,
It was a whisper on the wind,
I turned around, my scarecrow grinned.
Thank you Sir for doing right,
Mrs. Dormouse she got such a fright,
You see my eyes are her safe haven,
From wind and rain and crow and raven.
A tear rolled down my dusty face,
What magic was there in this place,
My scarecrow gave his eyes you see,
A greater love there cannot be.
I did return and he spoke to me,
And through my eyes I let him see,
A family of Dormice having fun,
Scurrying, laughing in the sun..
Categories:
dormice, nature,
Form: Rhyme
Monkeys Swing
Birds Sing
Lions Roar
Eagles Soar
Frogs Leap
Dormice Sleep
Horses Neigh
Donkeys Bray
Bats Fly
Flies Die
Owls Hoot
Hunters Shoot
Categories:
dormice, 1st grade,
Form: Rhyme
at night
when cats stalk
and horned owls scream ~
hibernating dormice
slumber
27.09.19
Categories:
dormice, night, peace,
Form: Cinqku
Trees display vibrant colours that fall in a glorious, crunchy tapestry.
Fruits are ready to harvest, lush blackberries, golden crabapples, plump, purple sloes covered in their purple blush.
Prickly hedgehogs and sleepy dormice gorge themselves in readiness for their winter sleep.
Murmurations of starlings create intricate, wheeling patterns in the sky, twisting and turning in harmony.
The air smells different. Glistening dew forms on spiders webs, highlighting their beauty and strength.
Hello October, so happy to see you, Autumn is truly here.
Categories:
dormice, autumn, bird, color, fruit,
Form: Free verse
Shadows darting here and there
Whispers echoing through the air
The Gentle wind sighing in delight
Under a starry, moonlit night.
Dormice rustling leaves for food.
Wide eyed owl in grumpy mood
Brushtail fox goes walking by
Brock the badger gives a sigh
Birds are sleeping in the trees,
Hedgehogs playing hard to please
Squirrels stealing nuts to store
Witches broomstick on the floor
Ripples swirling on the lake
Frogs and toads looking out to mate
Fish swimming round all half asleep
As lizard like newts night watch do keep.
The Shadows dart from pace to place,
The spider spins her web of lace,
These are the shadows of the night.
Before the dawn and morning light
Cockerel crows to say it’s dawn.
The birds dawn chorus wakes us all
The animal world has gone to bed,
The shadows of thee night have fled.
Barbara Brewin (c)) 2009
Categories:
dormice, animal,
Form: Rhyme
child-like eyes I look at the waving flowers
only ones as blue as this can be called the cornflower
resplendent in any bouquet loved by many artists,
noted favourite of Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer
fields of cornflowers make everyone smile, even
loving the dormice that lives in its midst.
oh so blue the united mixed colours of spring and summer
with its mixture of green and yellow as nature intended
even though to feel blue is feeling sad or low
revealing a silly grin when a nosegay of these flowers are given by a child.
penned 27 February 2016.
Categories:
dormice, beautiful, blue, flower,
Form: Acrostic
The nights out here are bright and clear,
Light pollution is not a fear, the North Star
Is unusually bright, while Venus shows its
Distant light.
The nights out here are clear and bright,
The clouds the stewards of the night,
And when the light is proud to dawn,
Comes the hare and spritely fawn
Thunder boxes wooden roofs, rain's
Rivers splatter nests and hooves, while
In the hedgerow’s brambled way, sparrow’s
Hop and dormice play
And as the milky day unfolds, mare’s breasts
Suckle shaky foals, and all lays well till day is
Old, in pastoral scene, spun clear from gold
Categories:
dormice, environment, imagery,
Form: Verse
Oh fantastic furry feline
So silent and still in slumber
White whiskers awaiting to wake
From dreams of docile dormice.
Mysterious and mesmerising moggy
Boundless beauty befalls you
Perfect plush paws and cutting claws
Bright beautiful eyes bestowed.
Oh valiant velvet cloaked vagabond
A spirit so wild and wilful
My love lies languishing in your heart
Come closer to comfort my soul.
Categories:
dormice, animal, beauty, cat, love,
Form: Alliteration
Up
in the sky
on thermals
riding high,
a kite;
Out
from below
looking to and fro,
three sleepy
dormice;
High
in a tree,
so,so hungry
nestlings,one,two
and three,
Straight,
to their door
today's plat du jour
live rodents
galore
Categories:
dormice, nature
Form: Light Verse