Lexley George has been writing poems and has very kindly shared 9 with us. Here are the first 3.
SMALL TALK
Bombarded with charts and facts,
we have begun to see
how important small talk is
for you and for me.
All those chats on the phone
that take over an hour
and still we have lots to say,
talk again the very next day.
What do we talk about?
Life and all its turns,
sympathising, sharing,
showing our concern.
Little moments retold,
showing that we care
are even more vital
so we should all still share,
for though it is essential
that the experts give us facts
it’s small talk
that oils the wheels
and lets us interact.
Small talk, music, books and art,
they give us soothing balm,
and always, but especially now,
they keep us sane and calm.
CLEANING UP MY ACT
I’m not much of a housewife,
clean only when I must –
hardly ever dust,
I’m really not that fussed,
In the past I used a plan
which had always proved sound
of asking friends to come round.
This spurred me into action
I’d Dyson, dust and polish,
cobwebs demolish
and my family astonish.
But then came lockdown
and I discovered quite soon
that the cameras on WhatsApp,
Facetime and Zoom
need only feature my face
not the rest of the room
so I thought I would relax,
and just let the dust settle
on the knick-nacks.
I really thought that
now it wouldn’t take as long
to prepare for a meeting,
but I was wrong.
With that close up camera
full war-paint is required,
and oh dear - I already feel tired
Now I long for that day
so very far away
when I welcome friends,
and it will be fun -
even if it means housework
will again have to be done.
SELF ISOLATION
Now it’s got worrying,
is it too late?
We’ll have to be sensible
for it is our fate
to be, or near, the age
the virus seems to love
but we’re not ready yet
to be taken up above
(or maybe below
only you and your God will know)
because let’s face it we’re still in our prime
so let us all take some vital ME time.
Lets paint a mistress-piece,
write, or just read, a book,
learn Bridge or Yoga,
organise all those photos you took.
Yes, I have great plans
of what I could do
Spring clean and garden,
become expert in immunology,
there’s just one snag,
my chronic lethargy,
(sorry about the terrible rhymes
my brain has gone all feathery.)
But I’ll get down to work,
no longer shirk
what I have put off for years.
I’ll forget cabin fever
no longer be a deceiver.
Then, after 12 weeks I will
emerge,
a well rounded person
in so many ways,
for without any exercise
I’ll be a much larger size,
and have to loosen my stays!
See Part 2 poems here.
See part 3 poems here.
