Advisory Reminder

Honeybee_landing_on_milkthistle02

(source)

Remind me 

not to give

too much

It hurts

like hell and back

Remind me

to remember

what’s enough

Remind me

to keep

parts hidden

hid

not to over share

Remind me

to hold myself 

closer than I’m held

by those who take 

without a thought

to consequence

who leech 

the heart of

giving graciously

Remind me that hurting

hurts

And I’ll try to remember that

when next I’m asked

for asking’s sake

Remind me

else I always forget

as every giving fool

My advice to her and self

Remember to swat some b’s

before they land

or sting

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Take Heart

take heart from your sleeve

release in mid air

let yourself be 

open

loose-leafed

unbound

let our breaths

flutter pages 

with each glance

 each perusal

disclosure

with no one around

I’ll breathe

your pages

redeem

every word

rejoice with you

swallow you whole

caress

with my tongue

 set free

with a kiss

till I know you

mind, body and soul

take heart

from your sleeve

your secrets

are mine

treasured

as books I have read

your story

my pleasure

your love

my desire

place your heart

on our wings instead

No Shirking

Speaking in comments to Mark about work got me thinking about all the jobs I’ve had. I started writing about them and realised, with anecdotes, it would be a book if I kept on.  So this is the abridged resume. Well, kind of abridged. 😉

13

First the cafe tables with a spot of cook and clean,

50 pence an hour, child labour, boss was mean

15

Food store next, a small one, boss here was a prat

Started work in Woolie’s, ^^^^ sacked for doing that!

17

Office job for summer, pre to college term,

Boring after first week, job was way too tame

But stuck it for the lucre, had to earn some brass,

Education one thing but still a working lass.

17

College and a pub job, function suite, was great,

Illegal age, they never asked, silver-service wait.

18

Off to island, out in Greece, disco work, what fun!

Only paid if patrons in but drinks free, coke and rum,

Disco dancing with myself, easy-peasy groove,

Hangovers wild, not much cash, taking rough with smooth.

19

Hellas again for three months, chambermaid that trap,

Picking up for others, cleaning loads of crap.

(Have you seen those toilets!)

Restaurant next, souvlaki skewered, peeling spuds for chips,

Smiled and served, practised Greek, spouting from my lips.

Off to Athens for a spell, biscuit factory,

Women watching while I worked, too quick, apparently.

Back to college, different pub, smartarsed alecs joked,

Learned to smart them back, I did, the cheek of some young blokes.

20

Off to Greece to teach a year, English, yes, and Scots

Slightly different sometimes, ‘specially spelling of the US folks.

Term time finished, had to find other means of keep,

Watched a dog, a doberman, scared the shit out me.

Had to stay in penthouse and cook and sew and clean

And shop and serve and fuck knows else for bitch, (not dog), it seemed.

Took a pub job, served some pints, ouzo and the rest,

Met some fab peeps on their travels, that place was the best.

Watched a baby for three weeks, mum was on the prowl,

Hubs was on the game, she said, I gave her space to howl.

21

Back to home for nursing, no teaching jobs to pin,

Six months later, offered one, temping, but foot in,

Still some serving of some food, bar work, hotel near,

Two years teaching temporary, contract distant, dear.

First full-time in teaching! Tough place but a blast,

Two years there then moved on, still not near my last!

Fourteen years I laboured next in one place, not so swell,

Weans were fine, staff politics, ’nuff said, bleeding hell!

Had to leave, just had to breathe, off to pastures where

One year later and saddest kids, I resigned in great despair.

Took three years with my own kids, then youngest only born,

Supply work next, just filling in, liked it but it didn’t last long.

Six months in, head office, offered full-time plan

Cover schools in long-term posts, each different, every one.

This is best, I get to go in and out and round,

Here and there and everywhere, look and I’ll be found.

I don’t get bored. And politics? I speak and say my piece,

Mouths agape at cheek of me, can’t stand little cliques.

So, yeah, locations, odds and sods, jobs and places I have worked

Forty maybe, more or less, but, rest assured, I’ve never shirked.

Rain Dance

199

It pelted down from grey,

I had to wonder,

Were you hidden there,

Among the drops that splurged,

Pooling on me,

Filling all my aspects,

Seeping in,

Completion to my urge.

Did you see me

In the arid, panting,

Deserted by the floods,

A thirsty waif,

Eye of kindness,

Centred, calming, soothing

To parched you fell

From earnest plea to save.

I spied you

In the glimmer after, edging

Clouds were brighter,

Sharper than before,

Summer brought

Amid the dark descending,

A fount of love from deluge,

Dripped to core.

Did you see me dance with fervour,

Earthed to heavens,

Dust arise from feet

That stamped for rain,

Arms akimbo,

Did you feel the beating

Purged by purity

To ease dried pain.

 

By Purpose, By Joy

it is time

to gather

to filter and reduce

to expand

upon the joy

that ministers

to see wih clarity

free and freed from tumbled

thoughts and things

time to simplify

with touch of loving kindness

to self

to what has served

time to pleasure art

to clear the path

to creativity

it is time

by purpose by joy 

Lured

Lured by that flame

the dangerous one

desire drawn out

and towards

into the heart

the heat of it

consumed

consummated

burnt

singed 

on the wing

breast of me

beating

retreating

returned

flickered to flame

for the hell of it

tested

failed

nothing learned

Reading comments at Jessica’s – sparking imagination.