tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40354752872487261762024-03-13T00:34:00.939-07:00Casting a Pebble: Poetry by Janet Henderson'It is a mathematical fact that the casting of this pebble from my hand alters the centre of gravity of the universe.' (Sartor Resartus, Thomas Carlyle). Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-42726303986391671342022-07-20T06:24:00.003-07:002022-07-20T06:47:26.206-07:00Inauguration<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXymJgXqfN1F3DsdPuKhvT0kZjpm_VQjRlamM4eCBVsCjQ5gYrxt3kprC1w6hH4TgMV0B_R_zF4opuyVntHtjTcVTy0N9qNUiG6Wuwm-uQighkCCdiNOvdLUiVaAAJE7mEo6SFM4zoUp2GURBXqL90wuztiGJSzfSxwLTIZo663slb5vOu4mqjSX-0/s275/Unknown.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="183" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXymJgXqfN1F3DsdPuKhvT0kZjpm_VQjRlamM4eCBVsCjQ5gYrxt3kprC1w6hH4TgMV0B_R_zF4opuyVntHtjTcVTy0N9qNUiG6Wuwm-uQighkCCdiNOvdLUiVaAAJE7mEo6SFM4zoUp2GURBXqL90wuztiGJSzfSxwLTIZo663slb5vOu4mqjSX-0/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" width="183" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">On our screens a quietly spoken, elderly man</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">and a young girl in a yellow coat</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">stand on a blue carpet</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">before a ransacked Capitol</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">daring to speak words of hope</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">to a world in deep winter.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">@Janet Henderson January 2021</span></p><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-14387764977238411262021-12-21T05:31:00.005-08:002022-01-30T03:54:54.864-08:00Kindness<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXVZih2okP1N54DqtoR8E_Gm5pUaPJkh9aQgVsz-pRAn8iXtqrb6w9uDBMxrgQzAbCi7UrzsB9LgZBW--S-Ol8_sa1fW3kpkKgQ9gS9CiWgopZcst1QkKNPNFCBHzBHEyqf30mYVjRVjy9GYuTpU262_LKh2hyQ2E8XQrorRu-nvGB7o8-M3Xj9ojl=s1240" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="1240" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXVZih2okP1N54DqtoR8E_Gm5pUaPJkh9aQgVsz-pRAn8iXtqrb6w9uDBMxrgQzAbCi7UrzsB9LgZBW--S-Ol8_sa1fW3kpkKgQ9gS9CiWgopZcst1QkKNPNFCBHzBHEyqf30mYVjRVjy9GYuTpU262_LKh2hyQ2E8XQrorRu-nvGB7o8-M3Xj9ojl=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">©Roger Jones 2021 Independent.ie Farming</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Kindness</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">of warm straw</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">rough hands</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">and strangers' care</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">breathes into moments</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">of pain and joy</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">a sensibility </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">remembered eternally.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;">©Janet Henderson December 2020</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>Inspired by a 92 year old friend who said, 'You don't always remember what someone said or did but you do remember how they made you feel.' Originally this was a poem about the effect of loving care on the soul. Having watched the video of the capture of Geronimo the Alpaca, I reflected that in fact it is ironically also a comment on the cruelty many people and animals suffer at the hands of those they hoped would welcome and care for them.</i></span></p><p><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The photo is taken from <a href="https://www.independent.ie/business/farming/dairy/dairy-advice/eamon-oconnell-keeping-a-newborn-calf-warm-on-a-cold-frosty-night-is-hugely-important-40008637.html">here</a> 'Keeping a calf warm on a cold, frosty night is hugely </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">important' Eamon O'Connell</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><br /></p>Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-91110651864804432472021-03-06T14:41:00.026-08:002024-02-20T07:38:06.438-08:00Dilemma <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXwjCshttRFQrd478WZXW6P_AIFbaGb81nne96Swza_vZPJtQPMSUz7vCr622g-XlWkwWYKcV-fw0YzwexbbSpXi1Jny2-8-nECz8VYwEmwoIwGcUVvfgATiK_7AxmxttP-Qqcf1N1bQ/s2016/IMG_0036.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXwjCshttRFQrd478WZXW6P_AIFbaGb81nne96Swza_vZPJtQPMSUz7vCr622g-XlWkwWYKcV-fw0YzwexbbSpXi1Jny2-8-nECz8VYwEmwoIwGcUVvfgATiK_7AxmxttP-Qqcf1N1bQ/s320/IMG_0036.jpg" /></a></span></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Suddenly I have to report for work<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">knowing I could be in contact<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">with a deadly disease.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">1984. I remember the panicky feeling,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">supressed. It was new.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Nobody would give the information I craved.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">If his blood got into mine, might I die?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I shouldn’t even be worrying about this,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">my job is to look after him,</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">be there through night sweats, </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">pneumonia, </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Kaposi's </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">and when family don't come.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">HIV. 'It's a sin'.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">No!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">They were stigmatised. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">2020. First day of lockdown.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">People staying home.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I drive to work along empty roads with questions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">No protective gear and if I’m infected,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">how many will I pass it on to before I realize?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Two-pronged torment.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Will I take it home to my loved ones<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">or will I fail my patients?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">No answers. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Be there to support; to report<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">the withdrawal of medical contact for over eighties,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">death managed remotely, </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">no visitors, no GP,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">hold their hands, </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">love them as they gasp for breath.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">COVID. 'A protective ring.'</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">No!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">They're being abandoned. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">©Janet Henderson 6<sup>th </sup>March 2021 (first written March 2020).</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">A reflection on the similarities and differences between the initial UK phase of AIDS in the 1980's and COVID in the 2020's from a nurse's perspective.</span></span></p>Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-51183411088079720052021-03-06T08:43:00.004-08:002021-03-06T13:24:07.390-08:00The COVID Effect<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkp9TFBySo4H30WY8j-3lCXAr_SkiQ2x4WFkelWV6ZKyj0LbqsYp5PJ94G43zl_PuIVWmI2N2cQNIKoNiexbY12hfWTPjQHEHXWGH4LQnGQugbaxSEiiD96GR67kNRwP0z_zHfQ-OWj8/s2048/P2010255.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkp9TFBySo4H30WY8j-3lCXAr_SkiQ2x4WFkelWV6ZKyj0LbqsYp5PJ94G43zl_PuIVWmI2N2cQNIKoNiexbY12hfWTPjQHEHXWGH4LQnGQugbaxSEiiD96GR67kNRwP0z_zHfQ-OWj8/s320/P2010255.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Village Bus Shelter</td></tr></tbody></table><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Beforehand, I’d say we knew our neighbours well enough,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">meeting for drinks and allotment barbeques,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">the village panto or a cricket match.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">We chattered, exchanging views on planning applications,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">a garden centre offer and the best new place to eat out.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">We met in pubs, knew their taste in beer<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">and recognized their dogs, if not their kids,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">even spoke hesitantly of politics without getting in too deep.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">This year, we’ve met fleetingly, talked less, <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">keeping to the point behind our masks </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">then moving on. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Sal’s autistic boys found lockdown hard,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Luke dreams of medical school but struggles with his maths,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Jane’s horse had an early foal, Gwen moved and Edna died,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Trevor eats a hot meal only once a week <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">unless someone calls to check.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Knowing less, we know more,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">speaking less, we listen,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">tell only what matters most<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">and, when there’s nothing to say,<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">merely nod as we pass.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">©Janet Henderson 6<sup>th</sup>March 2021</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-35485682651543420272021-02-23T08:03:00.015-08:002024-03-05T03:26:58.656-08:00Too Soon<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLcPmbP60r2yUTQh-cO06MdmpTAVPP6OevsMYi11qMZ5_pBGtI8WQ1kkots-gTvXkxZStoyGA4GhmiKUs5MJnVax1rQq-3KI_P-OSInbRUCFC39wjam-ewkb4eKVJZLGJfDhvdM9iUIug/s1920/153643032_10220073270604894_8814023601921915420_o.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="1920" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLcPmbP60r2yUTQh-cO06MdmpTAVPP6OevsMYi11qMZ5_pBGtI8WQ1kkots-gTvXkxZStoyGA4GhmiKUs5MJnVax1rQq-3KI_P-OSInbRUCFC39wjam-ewkb4eKVJZLGJfDhvdM9iUIug/w400-h238/153643032_10220073270604894_8814023601921915420_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Last night she tweeted,</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">'Tested positive for COVID,'</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">this morning she tweeted,</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">“Very dopey’,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">by afternoon a friend’s tweet<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">told me she was gone.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">My spirit rebelled. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I called out in shock and grief,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">gutted. Very late to the party,</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">a Spirit of Wisdom came.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">'Listen. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">'Hear </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">echoes of </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">lives touched,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">potential sparked,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">cheese and lippy shared,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">online wisdom</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">conjuring vivacity and joy from fear.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">'Watch her soul<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">leap across the sand<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">and, reaching the waves,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">turn one more time<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">to take in life’s fullness,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">pressed down and overflowing,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">then dive headlong, seaward<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">into immortality’s sunset.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">‘In your eyes departure<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">may seem a disaster<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">but she is at peace,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">her hope full of immortality.'</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">For my online, in life friend Bex who died 18<sup>th</sup>February 2021, far too young. She loved God,<br /> wild swimming, digital space, lipstick, cheese and many other things. The poem quotes from the discourse on death in the Wisdom of Solomon, Chapter 3. What seems disaster in this life becomes the birth pang of immortality. This does not diminish the tragedy of a life cut short but opens a wider perspective in which to contemplate the mystery of a life and death, well-lived and well-died, something I think Bex embodied through her faith, her courage and her capacity for zestful living . <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">©Janet Henderson 23<sup>rd</sup>February 2021 </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-51248086972094999172021-01-22T10:50:00.007-08:002023-06-06T08:35:55.225-07:00Last Things<p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVTCDUW_9EZIN6XoJ_xa90x7BhGyphz44XA1gZFwyw9dZvZk4WB7KSHwkDD43sb6PuRO2j18QH7NfVsvSPMekSFuu1MWOtsXSJbj3vsa6FNKsQAB8a4zk0uo4WUT4CGeTFuigjYfr35Go/s2048/FullSizeRender+8+copy+2.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1530" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVTCDUW_9EZIN6XoJ_xa90x7BhGyphz44XA1gZFwyw9dZvZk4WB7KSHwkDD43sb6PuRO2j18QH7NfVsvSPMekSFuu1MWOtsXSJbj3vsa6FNKsQAB8a4zk0uo4WUT4CGeTFuigjYfr35Go/w299-h400/FullSizeRender+8+copy+2.jpg" width="299" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">©Janet Henderson 2021</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> <span style="font-size: large;">I</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">f life be neither constrained by creeds</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">nor measured out by power of deeds,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">it is both first and last relationship</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">as friends approach the common cup to sip.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">If things held dear be not too small,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">nor to petty jealousies in thrall,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">then life's expanse extends beyond the known</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">treading paths and spaces not yet shown.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Breathe free, my soul, your last duty</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">to greet and own affinity</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">with every love-filled glance, inviting more</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">from friend and beast and god-beyond-this-shore.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">©Janet Henderson 22nd January 2021</span></p><p><br /></p>Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-33127626146260932772021-01-22T10:19:00.008-08:002022-07-20T06:16:50.139-07:00Pandemic: Second Wave<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcMhmnwxuAf0F7uo_e8oNAn4Why99efq18mAFjU87bvG4-bQMLaCevYEhN5wb0QlFd11bU3XIO4nqxIIwAZ_CWMd4WEBfeT6rXAMmNWLmANWvPozGuzujiSE8BhZigMaQT4aqjhkhVUw/s525/1800x1200_virus_3d_render_red_03_other.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="525" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcMhmnwxuAf0F7uo_e8oNAn4Why99efq18mAFjU87bvG4-bQMLaCevYEhN5wb0QlFd11bU3XIO4nqxIIwAZ_CWMd4WEBfeT6rXAMmNWLmANWvPozGuzujiSE8BhZigMaQT4aqjhkhVUw/w400-h266/1800x1200_virus_3d_render_red_03_other.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.webmd.com">https://www.webmd.com</a></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Corona, crown, virus,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">we learn to call it COVID,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">livid, vivid in our minds' eyes</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">as machines pump oxygen</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">and gowned, masked figures</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">move between monitors and hand-holding.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Gasp for breath, at the statistics,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">at the restrictions, at the loss.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Ninety-four thousand; what battle is this?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">'All be over by Christmas.'</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The last time the country believed that</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">it took four years.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Three months' lockdown and a break;</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">lulled into a false sense of hope</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">as, silently, the virus mutates,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">locating its next unsuspecting hosts;</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">denial creeps, lies are peddled</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">but the quiet scientists know.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Job loss, school-at-home,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">shop online and zoom your friends,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">an unchosen life emerges</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">with some as crowded as rabbits,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">others home-alone stir-crazy, cash-strapped</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">and scared to venture out by tales of fines.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Negotiating Christmas without seeing family,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">'Is it worth it?' the pragmatic question,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">transmission-worries tussling theology,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">faith tested in visceral ways</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">by sudden losses, everything from</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">life-long partnerships to grandkid's nativities.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Back to television broadcasts,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">5pm and the P.M.'s late today</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">with his figures, regrets and coloured charts</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">showing rising R rates and hospital admissions</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">pitted against economic decline </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">and empty classrooms.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Cover face, wash hands, stand back,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">keep your distance, sing happy birthday:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">still the ambulances queue,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">doctors and nurses sport cheeks</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">smudged with tears, sweat, and mask marks,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">and unsung men dig graves.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">©Janet Henderson 22nd January 2021</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-25578739883037296822020-02-19T07:17:00.006-08:002022-07-20T06:54:50.478-07:00Whispers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVOSJEesIGFnOmoD_tCv4fzwDKsZxe2612JFRc7PE6P2ckDMjPuEBrRU7ORk3e9muLc-1dTFTCkvE9D7MB_HH0tcL_gKXk6BZfYei0gKiSq0Jlp8UIDMwLeMU6bOYLdHcGFyvZMg9xMs/s2048/IMG_0234.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVOSJEesIGFnOmoD_tCv4fzwDKsZxe2612JFRc7PE6P2ckDMjPuEBrRU7ORk3e9muLc-1dTFTCkvE9D7MB_HH0tcL_gKXk6BZfYei0gKiSq0Jlp8UIDMwLeMU6bOYLdHcGFyvZMg9xMs/w512-h342/IMG_0234.JPG" width="512" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Wreathed in light who live</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">and strive with those who have nothing</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">and yearn with them for sunlit uplands</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">and stretch out hands </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">to the one </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">who sheds tears </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">of grief </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">with those who've lost </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">everything; </span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Desolate who find strength</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">in noticing the gentle, </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">who do no harm yet persist</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">in fashioning a world</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">where thirst for justice turns hearts</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">and allowances are made </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">by those themselves falling short.</span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Hidden among the shining-faced</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">who </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">invite </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">others first </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">coming last themselves </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">to find God at the celebration</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">beckoning her guests to witness</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">enemies embracing, dancing </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">in meadows where</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">from a lace-clad escarpment </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">those who've persevered </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">spill scarcely upright </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">under </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">weight </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">of ills </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">they've suffered </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">championing right,</span><div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">hidden in plain sight and</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">wreathed in anonymity</span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">subverting </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">self-centred purpose. </span></div><div><span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">I've heard whispers</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">heaven</span><span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> is the home</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">of many </span><span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">such as these.</span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms", sans-serif">©Janet Henderson 19th February 2020</span></div>Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-23640061051990665652020-02-07T11:33:00.002-08:002022-07-20T06:46:00.802-07:00Stolen Light<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMjY9rbq4LuHF-Nu9h4WDlhxzfXw-74OEEZBnZNOi-uSpHMnhXpr6Kmn50oMdf6rPeJLjSJFW23xTLZ9KWLNW-l3dYBiTprQ8CS6deIUsXlN_XxVR7Al5Q0LPDbB7dBCX0L1Bkb3d1eis/s1600/FullSizeRender+2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMjY9rbq4LuHF-Nu9h4WDlhxzfXw-74OEEZBnZNOi-uSpHMnhXpr6Kmn50oMdf6rPeJLjSJFW23xTLZ9KWLNW-l3dYBiTprQ8CS6deIUsXlN_XxVR7Al5Q0LPDbB7dBCX0L1Bkb3d1eis/s320/FullSizeRender+2.jpg" width="239" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMjY9rbq4LuHF-Nu9h4WDlhxzfXw-74OEEZBnZNOi-uSpHMnhXpr6Kmn50oMdf6rPeJLjSJFW23xTLZ9KWLNW-l3dYBiTprQ8CS6deIUsXlN_XxVR7Al5Q0LPDbB7dBCX0L1Bkb3d1eis/s1600/FullSizeRender+2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">I'm fond of my parents' ivory lamp,</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">elephant and palm tree</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">carved on one face,</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">terraced urban scene </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">and huge bird of prey</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">on the reverse,</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">casting its subdued orange glow</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">around the evening walls </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">as moths flutter </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">and the cat comes in to groom.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">I'm ashamed of my lamp,</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">ivory torn from, who knows,</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">mother of a calf, leader of the herd,</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">hunted down half a century ago</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">on Ghanaian savannah lands</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">as elephants began their journey</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">to extinction near Larabanga's</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">markets; bought </span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">from a local craftsman </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">who'd lost money at the races</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">and was keen to sell.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Is this why I keep my lamp</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">half hidden on a high bookshelf,</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">take it down only on evenings</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">when the cat brings in a rabbit</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">she's caught to show proudly?</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">I cannot revive the creature </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">any more than I can put tusks</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">back </span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">on elephants, </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">so I secrete my lamp, </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">not </span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">advertising complicity </span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">in Molé's*venatic past any more</span><div><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">than in feline hunting now. </span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">©Janet Henderson 7th February 2020</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>*Molé National Park in Ghana was created in 1958. Formerly an area where elephants and other species were hunted, it is now Ghana's largest wildlife refuge and an important site for scientific studies due to the relatively undisturbed habitat the animals enjoy.</div><div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-30386703071492290782020-02-05T06:22:00.011-08:002023-06-27T03:48:40.294-07:00Avalanche<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">©David Challoner</td></tr>
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<span lang="" style="color: #181818; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">I</span><span style="font-size: large;">n the car park, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="" style="color: #181818; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">rain spattering the windscreen,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="" style="color: #181818; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">grey walls topped with slate <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="" style="color: #181818; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">enclosing what it's possible to see, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="" style="color: #181818; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">space shifts. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="" style="color: #181818; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Boundaries of opportunity draw in <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="" style="color: #181818; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">with dizzying unexpectedness<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="" style="color: #181818; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">making her sick to her stomach.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="" style="color: #181818; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The light of unsought prescience flames,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="" style="color: #181818; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">branding the moment <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="" style="color: #181818; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">a tattoo on her soul.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="" style="color: #181818; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Trust shatters,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="" style="color: #181818; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">its explosion littering the future <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="" style="color: #181818; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">unequal and uneven;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="" style="color: #181818; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">rejected, snatched up,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="" style="color: #181818; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">distorted phrases gaining ground<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span lang="" style="color: #181818; line-height: 28px;"><span face="">in minds and hearts, </span></span><br />
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<span lang="" style="color: #181818; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">reputations flayed, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="" style="color: #181818; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">veracity concealed, </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span lang="" style="color: #181818; line-height: 28px;"><span face="">the high-speed, </span></span><span style="color: #181818;">anonymous </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #181818;">maelstrom </span><span style="color: #181818;">wreaks havoc.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">In the car park,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">the rain turns to sleet</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">and she knows without yet knowing</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">the creeping, wintry fingers</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">of misrepresentation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="" style="color: #181818; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">©Janet Henderson 14th January 2016</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="" style="color: #181818; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="" style="color: #181818; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A reflection on misrepresentation, the speed at which untruth is disseminated, the breadth of its reach and its lasting impact on a person's life.</span></span></div>
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Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-27180813051957853072020-01-14T03:41:00.001-08:002020-08-01T13:00:15.851-07:00Who Cares?<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIQKYzvuWUK-KYdC2L_KqPIoRU_qbYjpeTNdlZ5AMuTmt7YmLQRu0ZUNvg6RFF7OqKvKM2iavhfNiMdkEbffzlA9K9Tl1oGuAf-m8EGaeMyhJg3lp3-_V_KC-N3x6qCJVmL5rBNURkKc/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIQKYzvuWUK-KYdC2L_KqPIoRU_qbYjpeTNdlZ5AMuTmt7YmLQRu0ZUNvg6RFF7OqKvKM2iavhfNiMdkEbffzlA9K9Tl1oGuAf-m8EGaeMyhJg3lp3-_V_KC-N3x6qCJVmL5rBNURkKc/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Expertise is not what’s wanted</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">in a health-care system favouring</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">a labour force we can underpay,</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">train by rote or not at all.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">‘Do it like this,’ because that’s what a woman</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">who doesn’t understand the implications</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">of what she’s teaching tells us.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">‘The latest research shows you should</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">rock from the hips when moving a load,’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">‘Chlorhexidine kills all bacteria and spores,’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">‘Best interest can be defined by a set of criteria.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Who says? What about using the knees to lift<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">and being less confident about the destruction<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">of notoriously persistent spores, what about<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">the <i>art </i>of discovering the individual’s best interests?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">At eighteen </span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">you take it all in </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">unquestioningly.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">At thirty two you’re training others,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">wanting them to abide by the policies<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">and protocols you’re all locked into.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">At fifty you wonder how much of it is<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">arbitrary depending on which training company<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">your organization employs,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">which set of research papers they choose<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">from the wide range of journals</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">(if they read them at all).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You wonder who listens to patients, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">residents, clients’ families, carers,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">who learns by careful attention to <i>them,</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">reflecting on their experiences.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It often seems that those who know most<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">have no voice because who listens<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">to a carer, paid or unpaid? </span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyone can do the job,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">‘no experience required.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In fact it pays better to be a waitress,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">or till operative or pot washer,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">so obviously we can’t expect much <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">of someone who cares.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">©Janet Henderson 6<sup>th</sup>September 2019</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I wrote this in response to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jun/14/hidden-workforce-saves-billions-more-state-support-hardworking-britain">this article in the Guardian</a>. You can read about my thoughts on the value we place on care in <a href="https://socialhorizons.blogspot.com/2018/04/crisis.html">this blogpost</a> on my other blog, <i>Social Horizons</i>.</span></span></div>
Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-78344401675091261732020-01-13T08:17:00.001-08:002020-02-05T05:21:28.001-08:00Inverted World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6IMZcRarj0F_VULXlZuQrYUNsxOsDNPyrPcyXv34EPArbY5sYSgOPoENoX00JmQDTLzfpztsyFUNWjZ1uoeYIJsgrJ0nuBbWPlIIWW-E4YVrQiNGVQ9wD43-9LwaKHpNU2_6-u0k6CbI/s1600/Snowdon+053.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6IMZcRarj0F_VULXlZuQrYUNsxOsDNPyrPcyXv34EPArbY5sYSgOPoENoX00JmQDTLzfpztsyFUNWjZ1uoeYIJsgrJ0nuBbWPlIIWW-E4YVrQiNGVQ9wD43-9LwaKHpNU2_6-u0k6CbI/s1600/Snowdon+053.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In an upside down, topsy-turvy world,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">how would we perceive ourselves?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If I walked across the ceiling</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">would my head's contents empty</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">across the kitchen floor?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Would the cat lick them up</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">only to be caught in the act</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">by a mouse and pulled down a hole </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">where badgers and wombats</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">beckon motley creatures</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">to safety out of a raging blaze</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">that savages a country</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">inhabited by ecologists and children</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">while </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">the political descendant </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">of George Washington </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">tells the world</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">(as everybody knows) </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">most of this is illusion?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">All I know is my head hurts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the mirror, </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">we walk on floors</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">where cats catch mice who inhabit holes, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">badgers hunker down in sets</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">and wombats live overseas in places </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">where fires destroy </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">children's futures </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">as </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">ecologists warn politicians</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">to be wary of the railings</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">of supreme heads of state against</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">science-based research</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">alerting us to a</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> planetary disease </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">whose break-through pains cause</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">cyclones and fires across continents,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">swirling plastics beneath seas,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">and dropping survival rates among species</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">(even as we edit images of mass migration</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">and death </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">to exclude human extinction.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">©Janet Henderson 13th January 2020</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Partly inspired by reading Eve Ensler's wonderful letter addressed to Mother Earth which she wrote as an addendum to <i>The Apology, </i>Bloomsbury 2019 <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1635574382?linkCode=gs2&tag=braipick-21">here</a>. 'I am the reason the birds are missing...I am made of dirt and grit and stars and river, skin, bone, leaf, whiskers and claws. I am part of you, of this, nothing more or less. I am mycelium, petal pistil and stamen...I am energy and dust. I am wave and wonder. I am an impulse and an order...I am all your missing creatures, all the sweet birds ever born. I am daughter. I am caretaker. I am fierce defender. I am griever...I am here now, Mother. I am yours. I am yours.'</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span>Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-28159362284444563702020-01-13T04:34:00.000-08:002020-05-16T10:42:03.279-07:00Shark's Smile<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAR7YVBHaJwv7ZUnvs4KXpuUOatSkZD1jowPbl4RkGCvp4CxoINDLzUngLvw0gHaalOXIV2rfUKYwmkhZ8s0LssxpmJySXMosDSFzdiV9u6yX3NDqVcWyk7jKFo-avRk50PQPR3X5feE/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAR7YVBHaJwv7ZUnvs4KXpuUOatSkZD1jowPbl4RkGCvp4CxoINDLzUngLvw0gHaalOXIV2rfUKYwmkhZ8s0LssxpmJySXMosDSFzdiV9u6yX3NDqVcWyk7jKFo-avRk50PQPR3X5feE/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The grin is engaging,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">not exactly warm,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">but coaxing,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">the slight angling of the head,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">as though a question is asked,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">serving as a clamp</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">around my attention.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Stomach muscles tighten.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">'Tell me...' What better</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">invitation in all the language?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Opportunity opens out</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">bright and calm and spacious,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">an expanse for the filling.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Water glistens, sunlight </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">intensifies then fades.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lips press together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">(Those teeth, are they real?)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Slowly I begin to tell the smile</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">my story, entranced </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">as the mouth sucks it all in,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">laughing, dancing, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">nodding </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">among the waves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">conveying delectation,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">of a sudden,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">breaching the water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">to snatch</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">a revelation,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">jaw </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">momentarily</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">slack.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">©Janet Henderson 13th January 2020</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-546337219587539182019-09-09T08:05:00.002-07:002021-01-23T06:28:23.046-08:00Withdrawal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Bury yourself deep</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">until you have no contact</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">like a turtle pulling into his shell</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">under the sand.</span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Comforting as the space is </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">the blank walls begin to numb you</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">slowing emotions</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">decelerating breath</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">until a sort of paralysis sets in</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">and the chill fear of nothingness</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">grips, </span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">vice-like.</span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Disturbing dreams, night terrors, </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">even predators </span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">would be preferable </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">to this </span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">struck-dumb-stuck-down-impostor</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">-maybe-this-is-all-there-is state</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">deep within your shell</span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">with the pounding of waves</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">far off.</span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;">©Janet Henderson 5th September 2019</span>Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-91111690064296092252019-09-09T07:58:00.000-07:002019-11-23T07:25:19.364-08:00Tal-y-Bont to the Dyfi Estuary<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1Wtm5PwZjWning8Kspk_Q93v9xWHRc7e2PYRsW9tb-hwszlgK-8ozcl1tof4N8vVG8rDicDQEXS_t1LXOolF89APIjmEWStrwg1TNIr3355ncUuGvR-8PlB_WLR3KvvBQspifJzOHoo/s1600/Jan+Mist+Borth+128_2867_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="1600" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1Wtm5PwZjWning8Kspk_Q93v9xWHRc7e2PYRsW9tb-hwszlgK-8ozcl1tof4N8vVG8rDicDQEXS_t1LXOolF89APIjmEWStrwg1TNIr3355ncUuGvR-8PlB_WLR3KvvBQspifJzOHoo/s400/Jan+Mist+Borth+128_2867_edited-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ty'r Allt* sits</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">in bright noon sunshine,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">earthen tiled floors seeping</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">into berry-red ash.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A log shifts in the gate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fox, at a clearing in the trees, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">sees </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">virgin snow with slash</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">of crimson-red blood</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">and angry fur.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Run</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">now</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> go</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> directionless,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">adrenaline-panicked</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> heartbeat urges limbs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> toward dunes and the red-rusty sea</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> with salt to sting the wound,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">nimble across myth-drenched waun**</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> between riverbed and mountain -</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> seat of giants - where </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> brown peat sucks the life</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> out of foal, fowl and fiend</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> who succumb to silt closing over them</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> under cover of a soaking sea mist</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">that bewitches the senses.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Gone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Far off, from another shore,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">comes an estuary cry,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">bird or faery, bog spirit or human child</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">mewling as the tawny</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">-red cat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Don't go, don't go.'</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">'Come back.'</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">©Janet Henderson 4th September 2019</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">*Ty'r Allt - 'the house on the wooded hillside'</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">** waun - a boggy stretch of land</span>Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-11043636119591272832019-09-09T07:47:00.001-07:002019-11-23T07:36:04.326-08:00Surviving the Storm<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitjkEyRS4_lJtSee6n8a8f2t0eV9lc7VV5iHiKpHmlTgfl5Q3n5DRQDjj0kCxb8rP_H7AxEYXShLl74rBNDIzGR1sYxgMRaX7e4j09V_RNgCNa7aKaRc1z8oE8RXF_c2pQAyFkBIQgOlo/s1600/20190815_131232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitjkEyRS4_lJtSee6n8a8f2t0eV9lc7VV5iHiKpHmlTgfl5Q3n5DRQDjj0kCxb8rP_H7AxEYXShLl74rBNDIzGR1sYxgMRaX7e4j09V_RNgCNa7aKaRc1z8oE8RXF_c2pQAyFkBIQgOlo/s320/20190815_131232.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">©Janet Henderson 2019</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Struggle against ferocious wind,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">kagoule drenched in minutes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">seams breached by sweat-mingled moisture</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">dripping between shoulder blades;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">descending mist chokes peaty scent of heather</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">obliterating landmark and horizon,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">disorienting map and compass</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">as land and sky shrink.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Isolation shivers down the spine;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">eerie, this private sodden </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">cathedral, birds long flown,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">might pitted against capricious </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">gods flinging thunder,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">magnesium-streaking the sky,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">obscuring crag and gulley,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">rendering life precarious.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Crouch still amid the chaos,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">keep small, well-earthed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">as hidden forces swirl</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">overhead and underfoot. Submit</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">in space and time until the land</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">tilts on its axis, the gale subsides,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">the mist's skirts lift, shaking out rain</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">and cloud and a moorland sheep track.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">©Janet Henderson 3rd September 2019</span>Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-72645764220824142112019-01-04T06:16:00.000-08:002019-11-23T07:01:53.453-08:00'Funny What You Remember'<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8syld-X8DuILOl0M0SYbssYtoQMh-7eRPKjDlNnnk3lRkDcehPOUkYNCAhdVmw-svABAnDUPSi6Rv6OcYig2-lJfKYti5BJVkMp5P3GQ5vS6aewSqpiVlXbsfONDbc_G4XSFjmzWEFo/s1600/John+Wilson+Henderson+in+Uniform.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="763" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8syld-X8DuILOl0M0SYbssYtoQMh-7eRPKjDlNnnk3lRkDcehPOUkYNCAhdVmw-svABAnDUPSi6Rv6OcYig2-lJfKYti5BJVkMp5P3GQ5vS6aewSqpiVlXbsfONDbc_G4XSFjmzWEFo/s320/John+Wilson+Henderson+in+Uniform.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John W Henderson ©Janet Henderson</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: large;">I opened a bottle of cider.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Someone had shaken it up too much</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">and the froth sprayed across the kitchen floor.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The phone rang.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The doctor's voice was kind but firm.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">She did not speak for long.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Coming back into the kitchen</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I saw golden tears of cider dripping</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">from a cupboard door and thought,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"I'll never have a drink with Dad again.'</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">'Funny what you remember,'</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">said my mother twenty years on,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">through her tears.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">©Janet Henderson 4th January 2019</span>Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-39859965088686557972018-12-31T04:03:00.002-08:002019-11-23T07:25:51.350-08:00Soulful<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpyKtfezEMgvJClaMFYrBFkLNatI6rVsYD-BWYQ3mOtvmXXb_Zxorq_UGFd2MNry4VTSA_GwbWq6N449PczkOrNK4QYwU_AsJrwmW58lBkDrNvd6DhRQiOUxduW76VWu_OxATiy0QTsrU/s1600/FullSizeRender+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpyKtfezEMgvJClaMFYrBFkLNatI6rVsYD-BWYQ3mOtvmXXb_Zxorq_UGFd2MNry4VTSA_GwbWq6N449PczkOrNK4QYwU_AsJrwmW58lBkDrNvd6DhRQiOUxduW76VWu_OxATiy0QTsrU/s400/FullSizeRender+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">On the Year's threshold</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">there is magic afoot</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">lurking in each shadow,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">waiting to break as light</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">from behind clouds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">that veil the unknown.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the Eve's stillness</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">a mist enfolds </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">field </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">and forest, horses stir,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">restless, unsettled,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">the fox raises his snout</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">to sniff a new scent.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And I catch it too,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">an intimation of hope</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">eddying, disembodied,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">between tree and hedgerow,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">poised to fall as a shower</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">gently washing the soul.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">©Janet Henderson 31st December 2018</span>Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-83273239038304672762018-10-19T14:49:00.003-07:002022-07-20T07:04:39.416-07:00Anonymous Blogging<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj-lMumJD9ICSvERVo-q6eysmz_iGVSWfmGdWyixzfOz48LiZ7x1afqgORsQYVNTlDb4RCeubTKPQ8iSv42jmjHl4tJ4FILB-iPOj-untUxf4ynSZNRyphx1zHLxNMhHhkV7XNWVLyaYU/s1600/FullSizeRender+3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="239" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj-lMumJD9ICSvERVo-q6eysmz_iGVSWfmGdWyixzfOz48LiZ7x1afqgORsQYVNTlDb4RCeubTKPQ8iSv42jmjHl4tJ4FILB-iPOj-untUxf4ynSZNRyphx1zHLxNMhHhkV7XNWVLyaYU/s1600/FullSizeRender+3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">©Janet Henderson 2017</td></tr>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Acid-tongued</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">unable to reply,</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">with </span></span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">odious</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">©Janet Henderson 30<sup>th</sup>September 2017<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">The blogpost <a href="https://socialhorizons.blogspot.com/2017/03/anonymous-blogging.html">Anonymous Blogging </a> on my Social Horizons website explores the damage that anonymous comment can do and sets out the reasons why anonymity is cowardly and counter productive in a society where there is freedom of speech. </span></span></div>
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Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-45197552537454542902018-10-19T04:30:00.003-07:002022-01-04T00:58:13.010-08:00Out of Reach<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCtM2K30Vcq4wBJbAhNhMQPJ6kfG1zkp9LEVvCMcVuLvfwUzcqAkH9-CjmSnzGjPNr7XqYOwfN7vqBFqt5BKuUTqb7fT9pSNPBpwm3t2ScafEi-rEqEoBHi0cIBF2d2GXLoiflsul5aJM/s1600/reachinghands.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="964" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCtM2K30Vcq4wBJbAhNhMQPJ6kfG1zkp9LEVvCMcVuLvfwUzcqAkH9-CjmSnzGjPNr7XqYOwfN7vqBFqt5BKuUTqb7fT9pSNPBpwm3t2ScafEi-rEqEoBHi0cIBF2d2GXLoiflsul5aJM/s320/reachinghands.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://thecoffeeklatch.com/dear-school-personal-community-members-and-neighbors/">thecoffeeklatch</a></td></tr>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">We stood at the Boots Haircare Counter</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">taking in pink hairnets and firm-hold lacquer,</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">my mother searching, picking, pausing, rejecting.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">This went on for some minutes. My interest</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">in slides and gold-threaded bobbles waned,</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">and my feet began to kick the under-counter drawers</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">containing products in less popular colours and sizes,</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">probably things my mother would need to consider.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">I whirled toward a pillar, thought I glimpsed</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">my second-best friend from school hanging</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">on her brother's pram, trailing an arm in the air,</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">'Come on, come here, take my hand and dance!'</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Together we swung through the entrance doors</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">onto the street. Only then she was gone</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">and I was confused and stopped dead, without</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">the familiar swish-swish of my mother's plastic mac.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Just the swish-splash of passing cars. I ran,</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">ran to the market through dark green glazed doors,</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">to the butcher and the fishmonger and the stall </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">that sold curtain hooks and I looked and I looked</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">but she wasn't there. I couldn't work out how </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">to get back </span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">to the counter with the pink hair nets </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">and the smell of lacquer. In my stomach a huge roar</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">was gathering. I breathed, shut my eyes and bellowed.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">A lady with red gloves and a rain-hat bent down.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">'Take my hand and keep calm,' she sounded like a teacher.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">'Are you alone?' I wasn't sure I knew 'alone'. My mother</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">would have said 'Are you by yourself?' so I just shrugged</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">and walked past the enquiring eyes, my hand in hers,</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">her coat not swish-swishing at all until suddenly, my mother</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">was in front of us. Boots security guard holding her elbow,</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">scarf askew, hairnet in hand, she reached out for me.</span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">©Janet Henderson 16th October 2018</span>Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-26149639850672566172018-10-08T05:10:00.000-07:002020-01-13T05:57:59.496-08:00School Refusal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzmK2zdb-NHfG0nhzsHZrOaCF9Uh0LiwZvgJFVFusJZNEawPCQOGpyBJ2Squv8WTRJhaQh0dXwFqOwpgGZQ-JTf6mTscP36J50Vt88LDpG8PB2KOFRqu-U8QvKBdsJNcYsYSwqd1chWM/s1600/IMG_8629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzmK2zdb-NHfG0nhzsHZrOaCF9Uh0LiwZvgJFVFusJZNEawPCQOGpyBJ2Squv8WTRJhaQh0dXwFqOwpgGZQ-JTf6mTscP36J50Vt88LDpG8PB2KOFRqu-U8QvKBdsJNcYsYSwqd1chWM/s320/IMG_8629.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I do not want to read,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I do not want to write,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I cannot do my sums,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I do not choose to work.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">No lessons for me today,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">no classroom to confine me,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">no chalk, no pen, no book, no school,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">no teacher saying, "No, no no!'</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">©Janet Henderson October 2018</span>Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-82784366105632732122018-10-01T09:53:00.001-07:002021-02-24T03:41:51.331-08:00Life of a Poem<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz3rK4Va50TQaZUtB3wq9r7ZvLr1DXUeshassAInelt2hyphenhyphenidKmfFqfNVVrGhn82ygaisTxqfC5hiz-fJezjcA7WNejTkqpLooZYJ6z0E8kceOyc1aPZJWd1pb5s9LRSCba6tTSXeE69rQ/s1600/P9030056.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz3rK4Va50TQaZUtB3wq9r7ZvLr1DXUeshassAInelt2hyphenhyphenidKmfFqfNVVrGhn82ygaisTxqfC5hiz-fJezjcA7WNejTkqpLooZYJ6z0E8kceOyc1aPZJWd1pb5s9LRSCba6tTSXeE69rQ/s1600/P9030056.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">©Janet Henderson </td></tr>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Round the table,</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">copies shared,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">coffee brewed,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">notebooks opened,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">concentration.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Poet’s introduction,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">comments flow,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">structure unpicked,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">laid bare,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">technique examined,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">concision,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">allusion,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">metaphor<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">and metre<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">recognized,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">applauded;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">it’s assumed<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">this poem<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">will live.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">In the barn<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">wind howls,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">footsteps tread the
stair,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">lights flicker, subdued<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">in anticipation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Poet stands<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">in cavernous space,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">faces turn.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Small voice<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">reads,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">heavily accented,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">mouth scarcely <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">open,</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">eyes down,</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">scanning the page,</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">on and on,<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">unvarying tone,</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">unintelligible,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">and so <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">the poem dies.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">©Janet Henderson October 2017</span></span></div>
Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-57321027822284930122018-10-01T09:46:00.000-07:002019-11-23T07:24:45.264-08:00Present Without Leave<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: large;">(The
Final Leave)</span></span></i><br />
<i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></i>
<i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmRf2y0EUSn06Qvtf3aYqiIa1Gm3xPhAVj4vduFF6pJRePThH6IzEM4WXqOeDbOvMCq8E7lVaXzW7DwN-KwhvEPND8jXu8EFizNCdvEZliliCSTC8TaqPWbeJcJZTLvJigUBaigp6fU9Q/s1600/57E8A22C-B092-4E9D-AAE0-E9342055237A.jpeg.83616abb2710c3e78a216fcc85bd80a7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmRf2y0EUSn06Qvtf3aYqiIa1Gm3xPhAVj4vduFF6pJRePThH6IzEM4WXqOeDbOvMCq8E7lVaXzW7DwN-KwhvEPND8jXu8EFizNCdvEZliliCSTC8TaqPWbeJcJZTLvJigUBaigp6fU9Q/s320/57E8A22C-B092-4E9D-AAE0-E9342055237A.jpeg.83616abb2710c3e78a216fcc85bd80a7.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Silhouette Soldier, Ripon, N. Yorks<br />
<a href="http://greatwarforum.org/">greatwarforum.org</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">End-of-summer daisies,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">nasturtiums struggling
on,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">wooded hillsides
browning,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">lingering evenings gone,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">smouldering embers
dying,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">dark night drawing on,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">with gnawing dread I see<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">your uniform put on.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">How shall I dare to live<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">when un-blest war is
done?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bless you, ever keep
you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I give you up. My son.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">© Janet Henderson October 2017</span></span></div>
Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-59043101835341754302018-10-01T09:31:00.000-07:002019-11-23T07:26:26.240-08:00Cry for Help<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I know what I saw.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Thank you for your email</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I know what I felt.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">telling me what you believe happened to you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It wasn’t right.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">What you describe happened a long time ago.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Nightmare of nightmares.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It is not possible to investigate at this distance.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It recurs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">There are legal time restrictions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It never goes away.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I hope you can move beyond your present distress<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Often it seems there’s no escape.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">and trust that currently we take steps<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I’ve blamed myself for not speaking up sooner.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">to ensure safe practices.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Did others suffer?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I pray for you and everyone affected by your disclosure.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Until you show me how things have changed<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Believe me, things are very different now.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">there is no good end to this,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Most warmly,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I fear.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">©Janet Henderson 1<sup>st </sup>October 2018</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMxfJdWR3M2Au0XxoIEKsw1cBpt6kvKtYk1tHz3_WI6FRU0ZDaTBxL3NAl4CBnAhQ7PeRGVEpxEUH9chyphenhyphenwRq8A1HOyL_NX79nx2NtS2iw1RT_JsSLWZSOiOps1-bu_wxWpydlP1mI9kts/s1600/safeline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="615" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMxfJdWR3M2Au0XxoIEKsw1cBpt6kvKtYk1tHz3_WI6FRU0ZDaTBxL3NAl4CBnAhQ7PeRGVEpxEUH9chyphenhyphenwRq8A1HOyL_NX79nx2NtS2iw1RT_JsSLWZSOiOps1-bu_wxWpydlP1mI9kts/s320/safeline.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.safeline.org.uk/">safeline.org.uk</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4035475287248726176.post-36888669901745493092018-09-30T04:03:00.000-07:002019-11-23T07:24:02.178-08:00Pause for Breath<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-vyZe6pdBsSzFdpL5QBACFF430KQQ3UkbFbk95LAQ_zd14-bXqT4j5NjyYALN1vLd03k6gCrldRNxE_pp66-CxqszixdY5gus6xBKUnyRyA_Iqcl92lwHtfLqDNNRtb9Y4Z-ddEbhnw/s1600/IMG_4878.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-vyZe6pdBsSzFdpL5QBACFF430KQQ3UkbFbk95LAQ_zd14-bXqT4j5NjyYALN1vLd03k6gCrldRNxE_pp66-CxqszixdY5gus6xBKUnyRyA_Iqcl92lwHtfLqDNNRtb9Y4Z-ddEbhnw/s320/IMG_4878.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">©Janet Henderson 2016</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the space between two lives</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">the room draws breath.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Soon the house-keeping team</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">will come with vacuums</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">and mops and coded cloths to dust.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But now all is quiet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Carers have been with boxes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">and instructions from the family,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">'Keep the Lladro china she loved,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">received as a retirement gift,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">testimony to thirty years' </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">careful care of others.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">'Bubble-wrap her photographs -</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">weddings, grandchildren, babies,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">earnest young nurses with</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">porcelain skin and starched caps</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">who did not run in emergencies</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">and knew how to sterilise a clamp.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">'Throw away the trinket boxes, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Christmas gifts </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">from grandsons working abroad,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">crammed with cotton buds and nail files,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">tiny pots of face cream - all the paraphernalia</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">of a ninety-year beauty regime</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">that drew admiration in its day.'</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The room breathes, inhaling</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">the receding scent of four years' living,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">preparing itself for the blitzing</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">with pine and polish and new paint</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">that announces a fresh</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">approach to living in care.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Out on the drive a four-by-four pulls up,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">disgorging wheelchair, fame and boxes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">all neatly cleaned and labelled,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">packed with hope and apprehension,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">tears of regret and anticipation </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">of a safer, </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">supported place to be.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">©Janet Henderson March 2018</span>Janet Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00663828975134608297noreply@blogger.com0