A Poem a Day (492): Motion

 
This one was written for JD Mader's 2minutesgo writing exercise. Head over there this weekend to write or read - www.jdmader.com/2022/01/2-minutes-go_28.html

Motion
 
A dark black hole of despair
looms, a wide open pit
in which snakes rattle heads,
hissing. Their bodies curl, contract.
They wait. They have all the time.
You crawl. You paper over the cracks.
You conceal how you feel,
so the whole world can’t see.
A daily prison. You cannot step too far.
Its confines are now your life,
slimmed down, the joy sucked out.
The rain continues to plummet
and you want to drink it,
but your enthusiasm has died
on the wind. And the clock ticks.
 
Copyright Vickie Johnstone, January 29, 2022

A Poem a Day (491): Red Rose

 
This one is about a pub I went to last night with some friends. 

Red Rose
 
We sit with friends and talk
of simple things, amusing stories,
films we’ve just seen and football,
although I understand it not at all.
 
Dolly pleads with Jolene on the jukebox
as pale ale flows clear from the tap
and voices echo ‘round deep red walls.
Floral plates sit with grinning Toby jugs.
 
An award was won ten years back
and the plaque still minds our seats.
The dark wood and old stained glass
spin a tale, take us back in time,
sit us with the drinkers of years back
quaffing beer to an old Sinatra tune.
 
Copyright Vickie Johnstone, January 15 2022

A Poem a Day (490): Full moon

 
Full moon
 
The moon is full where we watch her
traverse the hidden waves of the skies,
overseeing our bustling miniscule selves,
counting the clouds misting over her.
She brings dreams on her back in idleness,
resurrecting them for us to breathe in,
acknowledges the stars following in her wake.
The dew on the grass is her gift to morning
as she retreats, shown out by the new dawn
spreading its deep, fresh colour over the world.
 
Copyright Vickie Johnstone, January 13, 2022

A Poem a Day (489): Thoughts

 
Thoughts
 
Thoughts take flight,
their wings drifting,
carried on the updraft,
set in motion to float.
 
Words scatter like pins,
blink in this worn-out sky,
forming murmurations,
recycled echoes of dreams.
 
Copyright Vickie Johnstone, January 12, 2022

A Poem a Day (488): Bell

 
Bell
 
The listening bell,
it rings invisible,
summons your arrival
while you’re sleeping in.
 
A clock rewinds itself
as light bleeds over the walls,
leaking a reminiscence of sky, 

curtains pale beyond.
 
It’s a low-humming whale,
born of the deepest seas,
an echo of vastness,
air drawn into a burrow.
 
It blows out the cobwebs,
welcomes space in its entirety,
summoning every listener
to tune in and dwell.
 
Copyright Vickie Johnstone, January 2022

A Poem a Day (487): Aperture

 
Aperture
 
Open or closed,
the world looks around
for its windows,
occasioning to go halfway
in strange appeasement,
anticipating an announcement
of something waiting
in the wings.
 
The walls, they close in,
embroidered with phrases
and pictures formed of words,
solidified, inaudible,
waiting to be born.
 
In this half-light we read
the tags on bright murals
celebrating lives passed on,
leaving their scent behind,
impenetrable but fathomable.
 
Copyright Vickie Johnstone, January 4, 2022

A Poem a Day (486): Moon days

 
Moon days
 
We rise, woken by the earth’s breath,
the whistle of life passing through,
creating shapes and colours of difference.
Cageless, life surprises and reawakens.
Signs of change blink, the wishing time,
forsaking the past to leave it in the dark,
a wrapped gift that doesn’t need to be opened.
We wish on pennies thrown under a new moon,
glinting in its promise of new beginnings.
It rises now, pushes the sun into the oceans.
 
Copyright Vickie Johnstone, January 3, 2022

7 of my books are free in the Smashwords Sale

 
Happy New Year everybody. Whatever you are doing to celebrate, have a lovely time, and lots of good luck for 2022. This year was a difficult one, so I hope that next year is better for everyone.

I have some books for free in the Smashwords End of Year Sale! So happy reading.

Kiwi's Christmas Tail

Fur, magic, thrills and comedy moments fill this fantasy adventure set over Christmas, involving a star, a fairy, a witch, some catizens and Santa. Amy, James and their magical cat, Kiwi, must rescue a fairy from the clutches of an evil witch before Christmas Eve when Father Christmas will return. Set in the human world, Cat City and Santa's Grotto. For ages 8-99.

A Poem a Day 

A collection of 446 poems, written between April 2020 and March 2021. 

The Sea Inside

A fantasy adventure about fate versus free will. Can you bend time or will it break? A diving accident leaves Jayne paralysed. As she battles to regain her strength, she finds herself alone in a parallel world. The crystal seems a bringer of good until her world shatters again. Then Jayne will face a series of trials to find her heart's desire, helped by a fantastical guide. For ages 9-99.

3 Heads & a Tail 

When nature lover Josie moves into a house share with two pals, dreamer Ben and model man David, she doesn't bank on an attraction developing. Meanwhile, Ben's dog, Glen, has the hots for Miss Posh, the beautiful Lab in the park. When dog meets dog it's puppy love, but a complication leads to Glen taking matters into his own paws. 

"Laugh out loud funny" - Donna Brown.

Day of the Living Pizza 

Detective Smarts of Crazy Name Town has a problem. Doctor Boring has been bumped off, and the only clues at the scene are some olives, tomatoes, mushrooms and a sprinkle of oregano. With the townsfolk dropping like flies and Pizza Dudes stumbling down the streets, Officer Dewdrop has an idea.

Life's Rhythms

Old meets new in this collection of 316 haiku, composed in the traditional pattern of three lines with 5-7-5 syllables. Subjects include: nature, life, food, animals, loss, love, longing, hope, the seasons, dreams and time.

Mind-spinning Rainbows

A collection of 109 poems and 45 haiku, divided into two sections: light and shade.

The link: www.smashwords.com/profile/view/vixie

A Poem a Day (485): Tabby cat

 
All summer we have a series of cats who cross the fence in our garden, travelling through. They come and go, and we’ve even had one cross our roof. But in the winter months they seem to be wisely staying inside – except that is for Mr Tabby, who continues to stride around slowly, like he owns the place.
 
Tabby cat
 
Mr Stripe takes passage through a stranger’s garden,
follows a zig-zag path down a stranger’s garden,
climbs walls and navigates fences, sniffing his larder.
 
With the air of a king, he strides, nose in air,
oblivious to friend or foe, he stalks, nose in air,
taking a pleasant Sunday stroll without a care.
 
He’s streetwise around cars, crossing the road fast,
looking from left to right, he runs the road fast,
saving his fancy park promenade right until last.
 
Today he’s on the shed roof, looking back at me.
With a wash of his paw, he stares right back at me.
I open a can of tuna and he charges, straight as a bee.
 
Copyright Vickie Johnstone, December 30, 2021

A Poem a Day (484): Red fox

  
Red fox
 
A sleek red fox sneaks between parked cars,
this hungry fox hides behind sleeping cars.
As people drive by he hides himself fast.
 
It’s cold out here where he lives and sleeps,
the temperature’s dropping as he sleeps,
shivers in the cold and the cold world weeps.
 
Tiny stars light the way for the moon’s crossing,
stars shed a crystal carpet for the moon’s crossing.
Black sky receives a dazzling, sparkling frosting.
 
A burnt orange hide slinks through the snow,
fiery red coat bobs right through the snow.
Fox sniffs the way ahead. He has far to go.
 
Copyright Vickie Johnstone, December 26, 2021