I saw you
In the tender birth of a summer’s day
Emerge,
Fragile to a new life,
New freedom,
Feast delights of nectar
On the brambled cliffs.
I saw your fluttered dance of courtship
In the gladed woods
Above the Lyn.
Those crowded flights
Of summer’s quiet agitation
Fade one by one
To loneliness.
I saw those wings
That floated in the easy lightness of an August heat
Falter,
Chill-damped
In a late September mist
Above the bouldered shore.
I saw you
Weary of life once precious,
Hesitate along the edge of the western bay,
Your wings dip to the water’s gentle swell.
You rested brief
As though to rise again,
Gave in to weakness frail,
Surrendered to the ancient sea’s embracing wave,
Pale essence of those cycled ways,
I saw you die.
On holiday in North Devon, watching a tortoiseshell butterfly at Bucks’ Mill as it fluttered along the gentle shore.
Categories:
tortoiseshell, beach, butterfly, creation, england,
Form: Free verse
It's the time since feeling sandy grit scratch between my toes
Transparently do I remember, although the years have flown
Chilling memories sitting here, Ice cold and nervously alone
Once a place was my escape, to flee a troubled home
I never liked the water, even now that I am grown
Only would I climb the rocks and carve my name in stone
The sharp edges of a tortoiseshell, engraving with its bone
Despite a life so undeserving, forgiveness I have shown
But I shall never forget their malice, nor their actions will I condone
Categories:
tortoiseshell, cry, dark, family, meaningful,
Form: Rhyme
Cat
Proud, playful
Purring, miaowing, stalking
Tortoiseshell, Persian, Siamese, Burmese
Running, jumping, playing
Soft, small
Kitten
Categories:
tortoiseshell, cat, pets, poems, poetry,
Form: Diamante
Mottled feline lush smooth fur
Golden eyes and soothing purr
Your fine bushy tail and padding
Gait, you're a living tapestry so
The Colours state' black in circles
Spots of gold then orange drops
With brown in bold! White underbelly and startling socks
Beautiful creature rhythm like my
Clock, up at six you stretch and go
Out to the garden gladly, but not when it Snows; in summer in the
Shade you lay, feigning sleep yet
Ready to play; a mini milk to cool
Your tongue then by evening you’re
A hunter; second to none!
©Joe Maverick 13-5-2021
Categories:
tortoiseshell, pets,
Form: Rhyme
Shark my tortoiseshell cat of pure arrogance has stepped on my tail today
I had my front door propped open, confident because I live in the country.
Confident that the breeze would help me stay in a great mood.
Confident that Shark would not do what Shark did.
He used up seven of his lives when he came with the wiggling creature.
I saw it happen, and ran to stop it.
Bam! He dropped the terrified rodent at my feet.
In two blinks the creature was gone, under my empty filing cabinet.
I went from zero to sixty in three. Beyond irritated.
Shark looked pleased, which added to my irritation.
“It’s your friend,” I said. “Get it!”
He was not in the mouse-collecting mood any more.
Wandered off to the porch, took two prissy steps,
Laid down and rolled over, furry tummy up.
I tore the filing cabinet apart; no mouse of course.
I cannot wait to figure out where it will end up tonight.
Categories:
tortoiseshell, cat,
Form: Narrative
The sun shines bright,
brilliant glowing white
and the last flowers of the day,
catch the last of summer rays.
Morning glories wake
white, purple, pink along the gate
and the climbing roses wither and rebloom
as the bees and butterflies hover and loom.
The end of August is on parade
come the varied monarchs in ballroom masquerade;
a black swallowtail, inked and transfigured
and Milbert's tortoiseshell beautiful and bigger,
the red admiral and the Queen Alexandra Birdwing,
the Julia and Morning Cloak amidst the birds that sing,
the Peacock and southern dogface
float in and out the garden graced,
another beauty Ulysses and Adonis Blue
a silouetted dance with the Duke of Burgundy for you
and Montezuma's Cattleheart
to entice the beating of your heart;
nature's waltz and discotheque
in beauty revealed and well dressed.
Categories:
tortoiseshell, butterfly,
Form: Rhyme
ABOUT A CAT
They found you at the bus stop in the bin.
scraggy mog with unmatched staring eyes.
The soaking fur made bones show through your skin.
How could we all resist your plaintive cries.
We brought you home and loved you from that day
A tortoiseshell with absurd velvet ears.
Remember how we taught you how to play
And climb the trees to allay all your fears
For eighteen years you clung to every heart.
Our feline friend from destination 'bin'
We sorrowed when your time came to depart
And watched as moggy heaven let you in
Sleep well my friend beneath your favourite tree.
There's a hole in our hearts where you should be.
catherine wilson
2018
MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT A SONNET
Categories:
tortoiseshell, cat,
Form: Sonnet
Dedicatedt
to
Maureen McGreavy
*********
butterflies, the best time to see,
the time to, time to, time to see.
summer gardens, yes, come with me.
summer in my garden.
did I say I beg your pardon,
beg your pardon, beg your pardon?
tortoiseshell no there's no cordon,
tortoise wanders freely.
a free lift for all, that's lazy,
all that's lazy, all that's lazy.
mistaken for a rock, crazy!
mistaken, no just coy!
nectar, proboscis seeks sweet joy,
yes, seeks sweet, seeks sweet, seeks sweet joy.
cabbage white males succumb, a ploy,
female whites estrogen.
these words record each where and when,
yes where and, where and, where and when.
yes, where from if not my garden?
yes, where informations free.
butterflies the best time to see
yes where informations free
***********
Categories:
tortoiseshell, butterfly, nature,
Form: Rhyme
I see the image
in a mirror on the wall
light reflecting eyes
gleaming a greenish yellow
from my large tortoiseshell cat.
bougainvillea
covered in bright pink flowers
picture of delight
A standard with a ball on top
li
Categories:
tortoiseshell, garden,
Form: Tanka
fur of winter snow
with burnt autumnal hues
a bundle of love
Categories:
tortoiseshell, animals
Form: Haiku
Autumn’s tortoiseshell sky
reclined across mountain’s chaise longue,
content to linger
while night stirred and rose.
A tangled weave of broken limbs
lay like nest for dragon’s sleep,
and they came, draped in woolen armour,
quilted masks pulled high
against flailing artic wind,
virgin warriors, wide eyed
tasting the wild adrenaline,
anticipating their conquests flesh
as it roasts in dying embers
of funeral pyre.
Now from the cart
frozen in fear, they carried our victim.
Alabaster skin reflecting flickering brands,
no sounds escaped his painted smile
when we placed him, like a king
upon his final throne.
A circle of stony stares
let murmurs slip,
“Remember, remember the fifth of November
gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
should ever be forgot... “
Categories:
tortoiseshell, anniversary, education, imagination
Form: Free verse
Comes silently
on sorrel moccasins
roosted on tortoiseshell
of root cellar
singing, stumbling
in numb imaginings
lit with half-light
vegetables
squeezed in jars
of russet and avocado
above
a cornice of sky
split with laughter
searching
for broken arrowheads
gold and silver among leaves
air billowed white
from lips
soft frail bones
of snowflakes
magically appear
scattering in breath
taken away
into apple night
Categories:
tortoiseshell, childhood, imagination, nature, time,
Form: Free verse