Grass
Always, for me,
the smell:
new-mown
after rain.
The window,
drops running down.
A few inches visible
the other side of the path.
the other side of the path.
Original (July 2011):
‘Grass,’ he says.
‘Grass,’ he says.
‘What does that word
make you see?’
Always, for me,
it’s the smell:
new-mown grass
after rain.
What I see
is the window,
rain running down
and just a few inches
of visible grass
on the other side of the path.
on the other side of the path.
******
Unmasked
Helen demands,
‘What beasts
inhabit my garden?’
A marmalade cat
sunning its upturned belly
shifts its rump,
flips onto paws.
It stands, a tiger
with orange stripes;
flexes painted claws
deep red with sparkles.
An amethyst hangs
centre forehead.
It lashes its tail and snarls.
A flash of sequins.
Cubs shelter
behind its flanks —
a female ready to hunt;
a drowsy male.
Helen, domestic and wild,
fierce to guard her children,
dances and flashes her belly.
Original (May 2005):
Helen demands to be told
what fabulous beasts
inhabit my garden,
what masquerading friends
adopt fantastic disguises
to surprise me so.
I do not garden well or often.
Anything might appear
among the luxuriant weeds
and the long grass of the lawn.
I spot a marmalade cat
sunning its upturned belly —
nothing strange about that
(although it isn’t mine).
A sinuous wriggler,
it shifts its rump
and flips onto its paws.
Oh! when it stands, I see
it’s a tiger with orange stripes.
It flexes painted claws.
They are deep red with sparkles.
An amethyst hangs
in the centre of its forehead.
It lashes its tail and snarls;
I catch a flash of sequins.
Two cubs are sheltering
behind its flanks —
a purposeful female
ready to hunt,
and a younger, drowsy male.
Well, Helen, which of my friends
is both domestic and wild?
What magickal sexpot
dances and flashes her belly,
or passionate matriarch
is fierce to guard her child?
Oh, and while you’re there in my garden,
I hope you might plant some veggies
and give me a hand with the weeds!
(After seeing the original of this poem, my friend Helen informed me that she had a ginger cat, and that one of her spirit familiars was a tawny tiger, neither of which I knew at the time!)
