While you slept

 

While you slept…

Curtains drawn

Not long after dawn.

A dream stays with me

And need some tea.

Already burnt out

But best set about

The cleaning -

Get the house gleaming!

Clean kitchen counters

Vacuumed (an all rounder)

Cleaned through with cloths;

Looked at Moths!

Loos disinfected

And as I expected

Bins need unfilling

(Am very unwilling).

All the floors -

Got on all fours!

Anything that needed

A wipe indoors.

A damp dust,

Always a must.

I need to make the bed

And get ahead!

Washed up,

Wiped up,

Cleaned up!

Second cup of tea

In my rude tea cup!

Stroked my kitty

She is so pretty.

Washing done

Now hung on the line

Outside.

Now sitting down

On my backside!

And while you slept

A fly or other insect

I had to inject

Some fly spray

Before it got away

Now I feel wrecked

Put more washing

In the machine

This just leaves me to

Shower myself clean…..

Copyright Linda Lawrence

Our offspring

 

Our offspring

The sun is lower in the sky,

A warmer duvet justified.

Winter is on its way I sigh

But last summer, has left us dry.

Autumn now has got near,

It’s been a scary time this year,

Leaves on trees have disappeared,

The seasons now are unclear.

Autumn colours all so pretty,

Cheers up all the gray in cities

But dull it stays , it’s all so bitty,

Not what we knew, it’s such a pity.

Maybe there will be no snow.

Still quite warm, our grass will grow.

Signs of butterflies in the meadows,

All is changing that we know.

Nights of coolness, heating used

Even though we’ve been confused

Darker evenings, I am bemused.

Warmer clothes, we’ve been excused.

Spring was wet, torrents from the sky,

Parts of the country were knee high

In floods - but no hosepipe until July,

We had little choice but to comply.

Then the wetness turned so warm

The Spring was not the usual norm.

Many flooded after several storms.

Farmers couldn’t grow their corn.

Scared to go out in the sun,

Changes to our sphere begun.

Shared our water with everyone.

Frightened that it can’t be undone.

And when the sun was much higher

Parts of our world went up in fire!

Grasslands, meadows we admired,

Forests, animals all expired.

Summer came and seemed so long

A memory now that’s been and gone.

We all know that so much is wrong,

Dread the seasons when they come along.

We wonder what next year will bring,

Will there be change or sudden upswing?

Will there be Autumn, winter, spring?

None of us will suffer, but our offspring.

Copyright Linda Lawrence

9^th September 2026

 

Cut up

My hair feels tangled and matted,

My hands are covered with glue.

The skin on my fingers are peeling

And its all for the love of you.

My nails are brittle and splitting

And I am spitting feathers!

The obscenities are atrocious

But love our get-togethers’!

There are legs all over the table

And bodies fallen on the floor,

The hours of cutting you out -

You’re going to make a lovely décor!

With all the picking and snipping,

At times they have been ripping.

The arduous amount of sticking

And all the tea I have been sipping!

The antennae where the legs should be,

And legs they were akimbo!

Their balance now so upside-down

Hope to finish this tomorrow

Some are common but not seen many,

Some are even mating!

Some out on a wing and a prayer

And it’s all been very frustrating!

Stuck to where they shouldn’t stick

And I’ve been climbing the walls!

And wondering why the hell

I started it at all…..

Scissors, paper everywhere,

Mess taken over the room.

Take a break and a deep breath -

In a minute I’ll be back to resume.

Over the days for a labour of love,

Tweezers, wire, copied chart.

Love all the browns, greens and blues

Little creatures, close to my heart.

The fifty nine British Butterflies

And their outside wing,

Live on some twigs in my house

So special you beautiful thing.

Copyright Linda Lawrence

31/08/2026

For my dad and all butterfly lovers