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

Scan

Scan

No stones,

Still got my bones!

No sign that I've bled -

Not on my death bed!

Very relieved 

I've not conceived! 

A few tests to go

But oh, so slow 🦥.

She scanned my kidneys, spleen

Saw them on the screen!

The liver and other insides

Saw so much far and wide!

The liver, inflamed

Needs to be tamed!

Lack of cells that are red,

Tired, early to bed.

Eat my weekly steak -

Fishcakes, milkshakes!

But more bloods to take,

A root around

To see what’s found!

A deeper rake

(Is a bit of a bellyache)

To try to avoid mistakes.

Liver inflamed -

Is diet to blame?!

Bloods still not right

So still a red light.

A medical mystery?

Might go down in history!

Still feel a bit sick -

And appointments not quick!

It might be the pills 

That are causing the ills!

Until the next test,

It's good progress!

Feeling less distressed 

As they look and invest.

They might just find

My peace of mind.

Copyright Linda Lawrence

27^th August 2026

A burst of yellow

 

A burst of yellow

Somewhere in the troposphere over Atlantic and Med sea,

You’re carried along the thermal winds flying so freely.

If you survive the journey here, there are no guarantees;

Robust these little creatures, brave and so gutsy!

So dainty and delicate but powerfully strong,

You let the winds blow you on a journey so long.

High enough to stay safe and away from birdsong

In the clouds, above the ground helping you along.

A whole day of flying from May to early June,

Driven by our weather fronts in front of a full moon.

You are only slightly bigger than a tablespoon!

Basking in the sun from morning to late afternoon.

A massive cloud of yellow finally descends.

You stay here in our grasslands until it’s time for your ascent.

To the amazement of devotees to our eyes behold,

Your colours of upper wings of pretty yellow and marigold.

Watch you flitter from flower to flower to see you feed,

On nectar, wild flowers and some common weeds.

On our pastures you leave your eggs as you mate and breed.

From you so glad you leave us something of your seed.

And the ladies of white, so pretty a Helice they are named

Take a photo of this pretty female – put her in a frame!

From Africa, Middle East, Greece, Italy to Spain,

Until they land on our shores in the UK once again.

You cannot survive our winters, for you it is too cold

For a cold blooded insect on the sunshine you are sold.

Your colours are so stunning, from orange to green gold

This year you’ve been seen from Scotland to Cotswolds!

Your beautiful black borders, such a handsome little fellow!

It was overwhelming to meet and greet a migrant Clouded Yellow.

Close your wings and rest, see spots of greeny-yellow.

Enjoy your stay in Britain with your foodstuff in our meadows!

Copyright Linda Lawrence

16^th August 2026

Daylight murder

 

Daylight murder

You’re back again you murderers!

Destroying their abodes.

Chop them down with your cutters

Because it’s not far from a road.

Bats, badgers, amphibians, birds,

Habitats, all living things.

Woody shrubs, sheltered and safe.

Such diversity they bring.

Foodstuff for little creatures,

All gone in one crude swipe.

We can’t live without our bees

Or other kinds of wildlife.

They bring joy to little people -

Smiles of pure delight!

Colours of beauty on the eye -

Have you really got that right?

Keep using your man made machines

Your behaviour is malign.

Our creatures keep on struggling

And already in decline.

Eggs, caterpillars, chrysalis ,

And now they’re in demise

You must keep Britain tidy

But you’ll kill the butterflies.

Planted in, such small trees

Takes years for them to grow.

Now reaching out, your hydraulic arm

Along the pretty hedgerow.

Beetles, grubs, millions of insects,

Their safe migration pathways.

All gone in one fell swoop;

You just had to clear the way.

They don’t own the earth

Nor do those who live here

We were given to love and see

We cry but you don’t hear.

Copyright Linda Lawrence

8^th August 2026

Bone-dry

 

Bone-dry

Cars unwashed, plants are dying

We’re in a drought , there’s no denying.

Wild fires, forests all ablaze,

Mile on mile of smokey haze.

A punctured pipe that’s not been fixed

The South-East again, has been jinxed.

Line up in heat for our supplies,

Our taps, again have run dry.

Yet again, a water restriction

We’re so fed up with contradictions!

The grass is brown, we’re all struggling

And our new water bills are very puzzling.

Raw sewage spilt in the sea;

What is to become of you and me?

Drips of water from our taps.

The spiel you’ve given is just pure crap.

Now another massive leak

Used sticking plaster, give it a tweak.

Litres of water flood the road

The bottled water, saved up loads.

Thanks to your failure of supply,

Everything we look at is bone-dry.

There’s poo that we can’t flush away,

Down the loo it has to stay.

So when can you tell me why

The real reason why taps have run dry?

Without the need for excuses or lies,

When we need it most, in hot July.

On the beach, shells, pretty bits and pieces,

Mixed with raw sewage with stinking faeces.

The basic human right of seaside

Has become so dangerous, now people have died.

Allowed to swim in toxic ocean

Not one of us had a notion

They tell us shareholders will have to pay

For the mistakes you have made today.

Copyright Linda Lawrence

7^th August 2026