Poems Two

To mark my 58th birthday I want to share three poems that are particularly special to me.

The first poem was written back in 1985. As I walked home from the bus stop one misty November 5^th evening, I couldn’t fail to notice all the fireworks exploding in the sky around me, the heavy aroma of bonfires burning and the sound of children squealing with excitement. The sights, sounds and smells inspired me to write this poem.

Visions of November

Waves of murky brown smoke

gently ripple over my tousled head,

and that rich, intoxicating aroma

plays havoc with my sense,

conjuring up a thousand vivid memories

of chestnuts, brandy snap, childhood aspirations

and hot steamy breath evaporating in the night.

Unthinkingly I turn to stare

at the stark silhouettes of cold

bare trees on parade for the night,

then a rainbow coloured shower

suddenly bursts into view,

glittering like tinsel in the chilled November air,

until fading, twinkling, dying

it flutters down to kiss the ground.

Droves of excited children circle around,

their small frames protected by

thick woolly garments,

lovingly knitted by elderly relatives.

Their squeals are high pitched,

their laughter infectious

and their ruddy little faces

are so eager, so alive.

In the flickering orange glow of the bonfire

a bedraggled yet beaming Guy Fawkes

is crackling and burning

and in my mind's eye I see my father

leaning over to light a dormant gunpowder treat

whilst I clutched my mother's hand

and watched every second

in starry eyed amazement.

©Jill Webb

I wrote the second poem not long after the birth of my second son. His birthday is the same as that of my late grandfather and this caused me to reflect on my own childhood and the special place my grandpa had in my life. The poem was featured in an anthology named ‘Sealed With A Kiss’ in 2000.

Letter to Grandpa

I wish that I could tell you

how much you mean to me,

that all I now appreciate

I was then too young to see.

If only I could thank you

for always being there,

through growing pains

and teenage moods

I had no doubt you cared.

I wish that my two children

could play beside your feet

for them not to

have known you

means their lives

are less complete.

I hope that I can teach them

by actions that you showed

that those who give

without needing to take

are the ones

who love you the most.

As I briefly mentioned in my opening post on this blog, over the last few months I have taken the first steps towards fulfilling a lifelong ambition of writing a book. The story is going to have a strong psychic theme running through it and will be based around the subject of twin flame relationships.

The Twin Flames

You are

a reflection of me,

a mirror image

of what I see.

All that you feel

I feel it too,

my strengths, my failings

I see in you.

Those glowing shades

of gold and red,

the spark you ignited

inside my head,

without you

my life is incomplete,

a jigsaw puzzle

with a missing piece.

Without you

my life is no longer ablaze,

shades of misty blue

are all that remain.

©Jill Webb November 2018

Welcome to my new blog

Back in the 1980s I wrote a music and poetry fanzine in Hull, United Kingdom called Kindred Spirit. I also had a number of short stories published in women's magazines and I regularly wrote music reviews for a local paper. 

Sadly life got in the way from the end of the 80s and I drifted away from creative writing altogether for almost a decade, when I had another short spell of writing poetry. I had several of my poems published over a period of four years, then sadly drifted away once more. 

After taking my youngest son to Hull train station one murky October morning in 2015 the idea landed in my head from nowhere that I should revisit my creative days by publishing the contents of my fanzines online.

Fast forward to May 2017 and my blog - Kindred Spirit, the story of a 1980s Hull fanzine - finally went live. It is an unashamed nostalgia trip and has given me a massive amount of pleasure too. But more importantly, writing the blog combined with other life experiences has enabled me to tap back into the creative side I moved away from years ago. The fuse has well and truly been lit once more where poetry writing is concerned and I have taken the first tentative steps towards fulfilling a lifelong ambition - writing my first book.

In January 2018 my oldest son suggested I joined Twitter in order to further develop my fanzine blog. I was rather sceptical at first and I hadn't got a clue how it worked when I signed up, but I can honestly say now I am glad I took his advice! It has brought me into contact with hundreds of like minded people from all over the world and has well and truly taken on a life of its own.

As a result of joining Twitter I have been inspired to start sharing some of the poetry I’ve written over recent times, but in doing this I realise I am ready to spread my wings beyond the 280 character limit. Setting up a new blog where I could share my writing without limits seemed like a really good idea.

To start the ball rolling I've decided to to share two poems about a rugged little spot on the Humber estuary with a beauty all of its own called Paull. It is a place I have visited many times over the years and is a never ending source of inspiration to me. 

The first poem was written only a few weeks ago when I was feeling in a reflective mood. As I walked along the sun drenched River Humber more pieces of the jigsaw dropped into place regarding where I'm going with my book. The walk ended with me mentally drafting out the poem below.

The second poem was written back in 1995 and was published in a book called Eastern England Poets. It was the first piece of writing I'd had published for eight years and it has a special place in my heart for that reason. Because it was written during the period when my sons were both pre-school age, reading the poem always brings back memories of what were without a doubt the happiest days of my life.

I hope you will enjoy what I have to share. Please feel free to leave a comment on anything you see.

Shifting Sands

I’ve lost count of how many times

over the years

this river has mirrored

my laughter, my tears.

I’ve watched my two sons

who are now grown men

run side by side

to the water's edge.

Their breathless laughter

echoes in my mind

every time I reflect on

the changing tides.

I’ve mourned my losses,

searched for answers too

through misty horizons

and crystal clear views.

For each pebble, each ripple

through sunshine and rain

there is one thing

that will never change.

There is no other place

in this world

where I breathe more deeply,

see more clearly

or listen so intently

to what my heart tells me.

©Jill Webb August 2019

Reflections From Paull

Take a drive past the Saltend chemical plant,

By the pipework and exhaling towers,

Tucked discreetly behind this generating mass

Overlooking the Humber, a village can be found.

Quite often I find myself down here,

On the weather torn, ramshackle pier

Today is dull and overcast

But some days the view is astonishingly clear.

To my right is the small but proud lighthouse,

Peeping its head above houses and pubs,

My gaze swings along the river's edge

And there, swinging heavily are cranes in the dock.

The huge blue and white North Sea Ferry

Patiently waits to set sail,

The Humber Bridge - our jewel in the crown,

Seems a matchstick construction through feathery rain.

In the distance lies the flat south bank,

A patchwork quilt of multi coloured fields,

And a host of buoys accompanied by gulls

Seem to find their way home to this seaweed-soaked beach.

The misty view is by many

Not considered a picturesque scene,

But whilst I'm here, for several minutes at least

Cares gently dissolve into the ripples of the sea.

© Jill Webb

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