I

 

[I]

 

I, the undersigned, being of sound mind

admit to repeats, infrequent defeats

indiscreet yearnings, natural burnings

crazy ambitions, dumb inhibitions;

recall motley nights, some singular plights

those dodgy neighbours, the extra labour

idiocies a score, faux pas more and more

payments outstanding, my own moon landing;

deny wrongdoing, at least what’s ensuing;

accept every wonder, the blessed thunder

a rain gauge of tears, the drain of the years;

bequeath all these words, whatever’s preferred

to your passing eyes, good-humoured and wise

my name writ at last, as I join the cast.

L

 

[L]

 

L was a light which burned all the night

and lighted the gloom of a very dark room.

 

L was Lear who wrote without fear

inventing new words strictly for the birds.

 

L was for London all of a sudden

that in a fit said it’s best to flit.

 

L was landscapes, large romantic shapes

sympathetic, with parrots alphabetic.

 

L was laureate, to whit counter-laureate

his In Memoriam a pea-green gloriam.

 

L was for limerick, simple trick

that in a stroke makes a million jokes.

 

L was Liguria, curious curiouser

departed alone but by all, well-known. 

 

The image is Edward Lear’s watercolour of the red-sided parrot (Eclectus Roratus Polychloros) made circa 1830-32. More history about this painting is here: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/363843  

 

 

P

 

[P]

 

A.M. is suncloud houses, mind’s myriad post-it notes

every post a winner different but the same

youth a room of posters and what’s in a name.

Soonest a sonnet, the world trip postcard quotes.

Soonest friends posthaste, timewise prosperous.

Soonest post-prandial, post-coital, post-graduate

signposts to say it is never too late.

Poignant, precious, sometimes preposterous.

 

P.M. wishes to postpone its memories

this morning’s preludes turn a tinge of postlude

because postmodern becomes the postancient

because posthumous prospects render reveries

because posterity soonest learns new attitudes,

postscripts reminders life’s impatient.