Just in case!

Just in case!

So in go your prescription pills

And packed are all of mine,

We've accrued so many more

Between us over time!

One hundred mg of these

Marked out on this day;

Twenty five ml of that

To be taken – or so you say!

Any room for flip flops

Between the hormone cream?

And the tablets for BP

The therapy for our regime.

Uppers, downers, inners outers
We need to get them packed
And something for our feet
In case they start to crack.

Now don't forget the eye mask -

And the drops to drip in!

Some paracetamol for ear ache

And tablets of antihistamine.

Mozzie repellent, emollient

Anti – D’s and Sterile wipes!

Find some room for sunscreen -

Amid plug-ins to stop more bites!

Now here's that stuff that aids digestion

For different kinds of our ingestion

Must pack something for indigestion;

Every year - without question.

The medicine containing vitamin C,

Effervescent for calcium deficiency,

Plastic shoes to crush sand fleas.

Glasses worn to read and sight-see.

And the suppositories - just in case

I feel the need or get caught short!

Any more room in the luggage?

Don’t want problems at the airport.

Now earplugs – they are a must!

Olive oil for excess wax,

Packed in the other case, I trust

Am hoping now we’re packed!

So while going through customs,

There are things I'd rather not disclose.

But we had to buy another case

To take all our holiday clothes.....!

Linda Lawrence

Copyright 21^st June 2017

Risqué!

Risqué!

I know this is going to be very risqué!

But sent another Top Fifteen list;

Looking back and to my dismay

There are so many tracks I have missed!

It’s Linda from East Grinstead!

Oh no please – not her again!

The Self employed carer’s off her head,

Who loves music and Jeff Lynne.

I thought perhaps you just might

Consider my other chosen tracks

And to understand my plight!

(I know I’ve sent in stacks!)

The list, over time just accrued;

But to pick out 15 – just a few

Was agonising and painful to do!

So thought just send more to you....

June 2017

Hey Linda

In the trash, I think not. 

Even if you've sent in a lot.

It will never be wrong

To play more great songs

But to get to the gist,

Please whittle down your list

Or we'll all still be here

Rockin in the new year!

Tony 

Hi Linda

Thanks for your recent verse.  

We know you’ve sent another list,

But keep on sending. Don’t desist

You’re latest tracks are in the pile

We will play them in a while

Keep on sending we don’t mind

We are here to help on Caroline

Thanks for supporting Radio Caroline

Roger

(Top 15s Producer)

Dear Roger,

Thank you so much for your poem and encouraging words

You might have guessed my ‘top 15’s’ have just reached two-thirds!

But have been advised to shrink or whittle down

From a very long list – (now that did make me frown!)

Having said this, you Deejays s are so very gifted

Finding long lost loved tracks – it keeps us lifted!

And not only that, there are some who write rhymes -

Can imagine you’d jotted them down during prime time!

Am listening closely to those rediscovered great records

There must be zillions of us that are aboard!

Can only apologise for my usual digressing,

But just so chuffed now I’ve got your blessing!

It’s been such a great journey with you, Tony and Pat

And you’ve all a great sense of humour - no doubt about that!

Am re-reading these odes, they’re making me laugh

It’s good to know, it’s not only me that’s so daft...

Demise

Demise

I never thought I'd see the day

When Tiger moths would go away.

Am full of upset, anger and pain

Now seldom will we see again.

Void of colour that filled the sky;

They really are in short supply!

I think back over fifty years;

Things have become so unclear.

Our gardens' were full on in flight

Where Red Admirals and Cabbage White

Adorned the flowers and the walls,

Hardly any creatures at nightfall.

Tortoiseshell pupa could be found

On nettles, or crawling on the ground.

On Privet leaves lived long and furry,

Stroke them and they'd roll up curly!

Kept in jam-jars, fed it leaves -

Kept it safe I do believe.

Until the time it started to weave

Then fly away when safe to leave.

Their habitats are being replaced

By new-builds taking up their space.

Artificial grass, insecticides;

Until no more we'll see them fly.

Endemic fields have been burnt down

By vandals from their concrete town,

So further now they're in decline

Wished I kept them safe in a shrine.

The Common White, now so rare,

The Peacock disappeared, but where?

Feeling sad from their demise

Miss the pretty Moths and Butterflies.

Copyright Linda Lawrence

3^rd May 2017

For my Dad

On the Spring-cleaning!

What’s the point?

Why do we put it upon ourselves so?
Pressure is here cos it’s that time of year.
Dusting and cleaning where no man should go,
Thick cobwebs loop but we shouldn’t go near.

Whoever looks under your bed my dear?
No one peeks behind that vintage cupboard.
Is it gossip that one possibly fears?
So and so doesn’t clean their house, m’lud!

Please take thy home at face value we must,
Just be here, drink tea, eat cake and enjoy.
Ignoring the crap, the dirt, and the dust,
A cleaning company’s devious ploy.

To make us buy their products and offers,
Charge a small fortune to line their coffers.

Written by Julie Reed

And my reply...

Empty wine racks...

Well, as long as I know it's squeaky clean
And please let me try and explain!
It's got the 'feel' of back to pristine
Cleaning products we did abstain.

I've used a lot of our alcohol;
Some Aldi white vinegar too!
Spruced the house until nightfall -
You've got to see my point of view!

Lemon juice and salt from the table
Peroxide put by for my hair!
Nothing with a company label
I humbly promise and swear!

So if you notice the wine rack's now empty
You know why now, as there used to be plenty!

PS. I forgot to mention Elbow Grease
And hope by now I've said my peace!

Spring has sprung

Spring has sprung

How time has flown

And Spring has sprung,

Will have a moan

About my home!

And the Spring cleaning!

It's so demeaning!

Scrubbed the floors,

What a bloody bore!

The windows cleaned

And now they gleam;

Feel like the cat

That's licked the cream!

Had a lust

To rid all the dust

From behind the PC -

Hoovered, sucked out

Debris, such disgust!

Inside the control keys

That was a must.

Been a busy bee!

Cupboards tidied

Chucked out of date tins

By about four years,

(And some other sins).

Now up to my ears

With washing curtains

Am so uncertain

That they might shrink!

Or now hang out of sync!

Not always been a tidy person...

Pulled the bed out,

Vacuumed underneath,

Was so heavy,

Clenched my teeth,

Disturbed some homes;

Dust mites,

Things that might bite,

Tissues, underpants and a sock

And wrappers off chocks,

A book I'd mislaid

So that's where it strayed!

And all the lamp shades -

Am very dismayed!

There were dead flies,

Moths, a white butterfly

And over the months,

Turned a blind eye.

Have disinfected, mopped,

Cleared and sorted.

Haven't stopped.

Almost dropped.

Nothing aborted.

And as the hoover

Was on overkill

Thought to best to 

Clean that, I feel

Slowly going downhill...

The duvets, the nets,

All looking their best!

Worked with my hot sweats!

But got to confess,

It looks exactly the same!

And will all be done

Next year again.

Copyright Linda Lawrence

19th March 2017

Progress!

Progress

I buy most of my clothes from charity shops;

It’s like a compulsion, I just cannot stop!

Of garments, there are rows and rows

What people wore, with much loved clothes.

Some colourful dresses, now who wore that?

A wedding outfit, complete with hat!

It fits like a glove, this winter coat

And tucked in the pocket, a five pound note!

I just popped in to make a donation

But had to give in to my temptation!

Came home with more than I handed down,

There are generous people in my home town.

But wonder who gave them, had they passed?

I paid for an item and hated to ask.

Or maybe someone who had just got bored

And needed more room and wanted to store.

Or was it because it just didn’t quite fit

(Don’t want to sound like a hypocrite)

And this top here is a counterfeit -

But who cares because I like and want it!

Or some little people that have grown tall;

A picturesque drawing to hang on the wall.

Outgrown a game and a much used football;

A little girl once played with her Barbie doll.

It’s not just clothes I like to look through,

There are many films to watch and get into.

Like the person that gave, got lost in a tale,

Cried tears, like they did, at the sad detail.

Some puzzles that have entertained;

A blanket with a little stain

Curtains with a colour to match;

Gardening tools for a flower patch!

Old LP records, once cherished and played;

The sleeves, they are a little frayed,

Now for sale in a box for me to peruse

And wondered who got into the groove!

The books that many authors wrote,

The love stories or crimes cutthroat!

The thoughts of such great imagination;

My mind is full of illustration.

The ornaments that adorned a dwelling

Why did they give them, there’s no way of telling!

So now it lives on my window ledge

And pleased that I’ve helped to make a pledge.

A penny here, a pound well spent,

To help towards some great event,

To help others who are not so blessed

It’s good to know I’ve helped with progress.

Copyright Linda Lawrence

12^th March 2017

Vice versa

Vice Versa

I remember a reel to reel
Complete with microphone.
Listen close to Pick of the pops,
Used to be my comfort zone.

And then there was a record deck
To play my records on;
Stereo sounds that filled the room
Though in time they were withdrawn.

Pocket money of fifty pence
Bought a vinyl single.
Chart countdown Sunday afternoon,
Filled with much loved jingles.

In-between, there were cassettes;
Tape all, tape that, tape this!
Hand written labels very neat
How much I reminisce!

Much was replaced by compact disk
But they sold at a price.
No scratches heard nor did they skip;
The sound it was precise.

By now there was the mini disk
And spent so many days,
Record the stuff I loved so much
But this was just a craze.

Then the MP3 it found its way
Into our music homes.
So very small and very light
And used with big headphones!

The MP3 it grew quite big
Into an Apple ipod,
So many tracks and album songs
But have turned into a tightwad!

So now I have a record deck
Some records need replacing.
Play music from yesteryear
My heart is really racing!

Now C.D's are so cheap to buy
Vinyl’s become expensive.
Searching for some great old stuff
My search has become extensive.

Déjà vu want to repeat it

‘Tho my search is incomplete.

My hands held up, feel defeated

Some vinyl’s been deleted.

Gone back to where we started from
Vice versa gone quite mad!
Nothing to play my C.D's on.
Paid a price for all these fads.

Copyright Linda Lawrence

2nd March 2017