Protest

Do I protest?
Do I jump out in front of a charging horse because I don't believe in it having to race
and kill myself
and the horse
and possibly the rider
...or do I let it race?
and compromise my beliefs?

Do I quit eating meat 
and protest outside butchers
or rampage up and down meat aisles in supermarkets shouting "meat is murder!"
or do give others space
leave the butcher to run his business 
leave shoppers to make their choices
but quietly give up eating meat anyway
and compromise my beliefs.

Or if we could find ways of looking after these beautiful creatures without... 
without racing them,
loosing our shirts on them,
monitize them all the time, 
butchering and eating them,
working them to death,
exploiting them,
making them suffer,
making them serve us
...and maybe not be cruel to them,
and maybe release them,
to let them be,
let them be the beautiful creatures they are
we can do that - can't we?

(Haiku)

Meanings sought to clear 
lifes prying minds. Step back! Rest!
Remember to live!

And If

If I hadn't met her that night at the pub
and if we hadn't hit it off
and if we hadn't seen each other a lot
and if we hadn't moved to Brighton together
and if we hadn't got a flat 
and if we hadn't settled down
and if we hadn't got married 
and if we hadn't had a child
and if we didn't hit a rocky patch
and if it hadn't all become too much for us
and if we hadn't decided to move back to Devon
and if we hadn't decided to live at her parents place 
and if all that hadn't eventually split us up
and if I hadn't moved back to Exeter into the flat at Dads place
and if I hadn't found myself on a course with a job attached and some training
and if that job wasn't in Axminster
meaning I had to catch a train most mornings 
and if the station I caught it hadn't been Central Station, Exeter
and if the train hadn't been the 8am one
and if I hadn't chosen to sit on that particular bench
and if someone else had to catch that particular train
and if I hadn't got on with this certain someone 
and if I hadn't got to like her
and if I hadn't looked forward to seeing her most mornings 
and if I hadn't seen that same person one day in my local shop
and if that person hadn't lived four doors down from me
and if we hadn't got on so well
and if we hadn't moved in together
and if we hadn't have ridden the lumps and bumps of life
and if we hadn't decided to get married
and if we hadn't decided to buy a house
and if we hadn't decided to have a child
and if we hadn't decided move out to a village in East Devon
and if we hadn't had the twins
and if we hadn't worked so hard to keep it going to put food on the table
and if we hadn't had the support of each other and the love and the bond we found...

and if just one of these things hadn't happened 
we wouldn't have been together for over 33 years
and I wouldn't be the person you see today!


(Haiku)

Made by the tonne, used 
for five minutes, then dumped in 
landfill - forever


(Haiku)

Like a tidal wave 
they crash to the shore for their
few days off - tourists

Three Poems in One For Ukraine

(3 poems in one. Read through the emboldened lines together, or read through the italic lines together, or read the whole thing)

*The warmth of spring finally touches my face.
The stench of a woman's body left rotting in the street
partially covered with a blood soaked coat - lyes abandoned.
*In the hedgerows; buds are bursting
the noisy birds are building nests!
Colours and smells abound.
The red of her blood covers the ruble which was once a building  - her home
no more can the chill of winter heighten this terrible war for her - it is already hell anyway!
*Daffodils now colour the verge
fires lit by survivors; light the early morning 
*blossom covers trees
the smell of wild garlic fills the air - as does the bird song
the gin clear skies are streaked with rocket trails
*across the beautiful sky 
the roar of a missile 
and suddenly another explosion!
*Colour screams out from an orchard
followed by the sound of screaming voices coming from nearby - that was a close call!
*Sheep in a field enjoy the lush green grass as I walk passed.
Not my turn this time!