Cuppa
​

Reading tea leaves
A dying art it seems
But when the teabag
Is floating
In the shape of a heart
That’s smart!

Womenfolk
​

Is there anything better
Than womenfolk being together?
When it’s right that is
Without agenda
Supporting each other

Many a time I bemoan
How bitchy girls can be
Watching my teen 
Go through it you see
It’s been a bit of a nightmare
I’d not wish it upon her

And I hear others say
It doesn’t go away
The office, the workspace
It can be ‘bitchy girls’
In a ‘grown up’ place

But when it works
Oh la la
There’s nothing quite like
Women together 

I’ve been there at festivals 
When one kid shouts “mum”
And there are several of them
It often doesn’t matter
Can be anyone
To help fix the food
Help with the good mood

I love it
Women working collectively
It fees that’s how it should be
And I wish, and wish
They could see this as girls
Instead of being all about
The boys and the curls

Hopefully one at a time
We lift each other up
So… on this fine day
What can you do 
To show someone?
Or to say
“You’re awesome”
To another woman

Phenomenal farts

Now there’s an art
To making someone laugh
Just by using your bottom
And a cheeky twinkle in your eye
As ‘excuse me’ passes you by

Perhaps in ‘civilised company’
When you can’t be rude
It might be seen as crude
Not to excuse oneself
But here by the river…
Fart away

The only question is inside 
Or out of the stream
What does that mean?
Well in the river 
You get the jacuzzi effect
And outside
Here the sound effects

Especially if you have a friend
Who’s not proud
Or shy
About farting out loud

There’s something about farts you see
Brings out the kid in me
And I love to laugh and giggle
At farts that come from 
Deep in the middle

So the next time a fart slips out
Don’t be ashamed
You don’t have to shout
But a little giggle
Is good for us all

So as I finish my rhyme today
I want to say to y’all 
If you need to fart
I hope you can learn the art
Of being amused
At phenomenal farts 
For what else is life about?

Rose hips
​

Full lips
Wide hips
Land of plenty
And we’re starving
Worshipping skinny
What are we doing?

Because it seems
Apart from the magazines
Much of the nation
Are bursting their seams

What if we prioritised
Healthy and happy?
Didn’t think too much 
About the belly?
Because it seems it’s not working
This shame and non deserving
This starving ourselves
Whilst gorging elsewhere?

Gorging on Netflix
On salsa and chips 
Lying on the sofa
Then working out in the gym
To try and get thin
Or yoyoing weight
Barely loading the plate 

What if we focussed
On being outdoors
On strength and games
And let go of the shame
Being happy
Making friends
Playing sports
At the end
Of the day
And hopefully 
All this shame
And blame
And weight game
Can go away

Because some are skinny 
Just because they are
And some are bigger
Not because they’re always in a car
And not walking
Can we let go of the judging
And be happy 
Be free
How we were meant to be?

Big, small
Short and tall
Let’s prioritise 
Different things
Than size

Let’s look at love
And think of kindness
I think that’s more important 
If you disagree don’t mind us

But maybe muse
And see if it fits
For you like it does for me
I think healthy and happy 
Is the way to be

The river
​

Sitting by the river
Peacefully
It’s anything but peaceful
Fish jump
With impressive regularity 
Birds sing
Their songs
Planes soar overhead
Children laugh and cry and scream
And yet
I sit
Peacefully
By the river
Observing
All these things
Noticing life
In all it’s forms

               Chasing flies
​

Watching the puppy chasing a fly
Reminded me 
Of me as you walk by
Throwing out unkind comments
And instead of observing
Like our chilled out lurcher
I’d get swept up in responding
Reacting with passion
And taking offence
Instead of sitting calmly
On the fence
Like the cat
As you walked by 
And glared at him
He didn’t give one
Not surprisingly so

I’m going to aim to be
More like them
And calm the reactive side of me
Allowing the feeling
But feeling the calming
Presence of knowing
That like the fly
You are who you are
And I
Get the peace 
Of knowing
I am
Who I am

I don’t have to hiss
And swear
And I do care
But that’s a positive too
And so if you
Carry on
Continue to be like this
I know asking the police
To ask you to stop 
Doesn’t work
Not a jot 
And I only tried
Because I realised
I’d done everything I could

And you continue to video
My daughter
Surely that ought to
Be wrong
But apparently not
And you can do
As you choose

I choose not to respond
Not to dance
To your song
And it’s taken me time
(Far too long
The judgemental part 
Of me says)
But finally
Here I am

And I’m proud
Finally
Of the journey
That I’ve been on 

The mask of normal

I have this feeling 
That so many of us do this
Perhaps without even thinking 
Or meaning to do it
I call it the ‘mask of normal’
Before we go out we make sure it’s in place
Metaphorically slap bang right over our face

It may just be Brits
I have a feeling it’s more
But Brits I do know
Because that’s where I live
I say with compassion
it’s not about fashion
Maybe you versus me
But more about safety I feel

About wanting to be ok
Protection?
Suppression?
Or repression?

We can let go behind closed doors
But outside it’s far less likely and instead
We’ll say ‘I’m ok’
If somebody asks us today

It’s almost an art
This hiding show
The danger is that it grows
And more and more people
Look around
And ‘know’ everyone else
Is normal

But
They
Are
Not

So how can you start a conversation there?
Surely people would stop and stare
If one of us were to say
‘I’m not ok’

I shared my not okness with a friend
Shared I was a bit of a mess 
And in reply she said
‘I’m glad you told me
I always thought you had it together
Knowing that makes me feel a bit better’
I told about times of self harm
Crippling anxiety and near anorexia 
I’ve not always got it together

The idea we’re all a bit fucked up
I think is helpful
Can be useful
All with our different baggage
But all with baggage the same

It’s not a given
That you’re rich and life will be easy
Or poor and things will be hard
I sort of think we’re handed a card
And challenges come for us all
Some may be later in life 
Some earlier
But I don’t believe 
That any of us don’t have them

There’s the old adage 
A problem shared
Is a problem halved
I don’t know if that’s the case
But I can say 
Knowing others have challenges too
Definitely helps me to face them

I’m inspired by reading
Obsessed by it really
I consume books 
Like others drink wine
Always a few 
On the go at a time

And reading of struggles
Tough situations
Helps bring me inspiration
Maybe not to fix it
But learning to endure
Learning to be graceful
And that I want more

It’s not about making them go away
How does Tony Robbins say?
‘Don’t wish for less problems 
Wish to be stronger’
I think perhaps now 
They’re a map for us
But before this gets any longer
I hope I’ve made my point

It’s so worthwhile dropping the mask
Because normal is something no one is
So I’m sending you hugs and a great big kiss
And love and the knowledge
That sharing is worthwhile
And though it takes courage
I can recommend it

Let’s get rid of the mask
And get back to real
And being ok to feel
However we feel
​

Freedom

Freedom
Doesn’t come from 
Not being in chains
But from within
Deep in our brains

It’s like the gold
In stories of old
From Buddhist philosophy
A nugget of gold
Buried in a field
Forgotten
And covered in mud
But there all the time
Waiting for us to find

Searching, digging deep
Waking from our sleep
And digging down
Freedom can be found
There in the mud
Covered in crud
But there all the same
Deep in our brains

Freedom is there 
For everyone
We can all struggle
Including myself
Freedom doesn’t come from
A shop, on the shelf
We can’t buy it
Find it out there
But in here
Quietly
Persistently
It’s always there

Digging through the mud
Through the crud
Finding the nugget of gold
From stories of old

Or another analogy
From Buddhist philosophy
Following through the mud
Up the roots
Of the lotus flower
As they tower 
Up towards the light
Reaching for the sun
It’s there for everyone

But not without the mud
Do you see?
The common factor here?
The mud is there for us all
It’s a journey, a lesson
Even a blessing
To encounter the pain
And heal all the same

Freedom
Is 
There
Within 
All
Our 
Brains

This year for the world
2020-2021
Has been a learning one
We’ve seen how little
We can, we do control
And many have rallied
Feared for our souls
Whether from disease
Or from politicians
Hands greased
There’s been a whole 
Load of fear 
Out there

But we forget
How much stability we’ve had
Especially here in the UK
For a long time
It’s all felt OK
No dictators
(or at least 
quite hidden ones)
No huge wars
(or at least
not in my back yard)

It’s a gift to realise
When we open our eyes
How little we control
And whilst fear
For our souls
Could be a natural response
I think we need 
To move deeper
To freedom
In every situation
Freedom
In every song
We sing

Freedom
For as Thich Nhat Hanh says:
“You can scrub the floor
As a free person 
Or as a slave
That is up to you”
How we choose to behave
Is within ourselves

Freedom
It’s there
Deep within
Go journey in.

With love xoxox