REFLECTIONS and RHYME

Saying Goodbye Looking back over my life, I have always found saying goodbye really hard to do and I am sure this is the same for many of us to varying degrees. Perhaps a little sad at times, this poem looks at those occasions, but finishes, as ever, with a more upbeat and positive slant, because after all, where there is darkness, there is always a place for the light to fill.

Oh! the angst of teenage years! Its such a pity that  when you are a teenager and probably in your prime physically, you don’t have the wisdom to accompany it. That always comes a little later. Had I then had the wisdom which I have now, I would not have gone through the worries and stress which I felt back then. “ C’est la vie” I suppose. If you enjoy my poems, please buy me a coffee by clicking here! 

I suppose that this short poem is a cautionary tale for life and of how sometimes things are not quite as they initially seem. It teaches us to be cautionary and to not assume that we know what we are looking at or experiencing. If you enjoy my poems, please buy me a coffee by clicking here!

I think the main message in this poem is the importance of ensuring that you build a good relationship with yourself as surreal as that may sound to some. At the end of the day, the only person you will be with all of your life is likely to be you, so it’s worth putting the effort in. If you enjoy my poems, please buy me a coffee by clicking here! 

This is a poem about that sense of something bigger than ourselves which we all feel, if we are honest and open. It speaks of the many others down the ages who have also felt it during their time here. It is about not disregarding it, but instead learning to respect and include it in our everyday world. If you enjoy my poems, please buy me a coffee by clicking here! 

Sometimes smells can be so important. They can immediately trigger happy nostalgic memories and also some sad and bitter/sweet ones too, such as people we have lost and times gone by. We immediately recall a poignant moment, where we were, who we were with and the feelings as well as the images, can come rushing back. This poem is about some of the special scents and smells which linger in my brain from my life thus far.  If you enjoy my poems, please buy me a coffee by clicking here! 

This poem is for those listeners who have left the UK to live elsewhere. It takes a walk down memory lane at the kinds of things they my think about when they look back at their earlier years in the UK.. I guess in a way it is really a poem for us all, no matter where we have put down roots. Home is, after all, where the heart is.

I wrote this poem when I was eighteen. It is a simple children’s fairy tale story about a little mouse and her adventure with some fairies. It is descriptive and I hope, takes you back to those childhood dreams and fantasies.

Do you find that things just suddenly go missing in your house?    Do you spend ages looking for them, only for them to suddenly appear a few days later, often in a different place? If so, then this one is for you. These happenings are explained by the potential existence of Clutter elves. Scoff all you like, but it's an explanation when you cannot find any others and those elves seem to be everywhere! If you enjoy my poems, please buy me a coffee by clicking here!  Thank you!

This poem is about those wonderful furry best friends who come into our lives. The ones who are always there, no matter what, who empathise, sympathise and just know when you are out of sorts or sad, but are also  always there to share the happy times. They are loyal and have no hidden agenda other than to love and be loved. Thank goodness for our furry friends. If you enjoy my poems, please buy me a coffee by clicking here! 

This poem is basically a homage to the great British cup of tea and of Course, the scrumptious biscuits which we accompany it with, whether nibbled, dunked or shoved in whole!   This great institution has helped us over hundreds of years, through world  wars and through the many trials and tribulations of everyday life. Thank goodness for tea and biscuits! If you enjoy my poems, please buy me a coffee by clicking here! 

If you are in any way a twitcher, this one is for you. In this poem I take a look at the many birds that visit in and around my garden and the delight my husband and I find in watching them. From the Bluetits, to the Thrush and Blackbirds, not forgetting the Owls who call in the nearby woods at night along with the Buzzards and Hawks that soar above. They all bring us joy and a special kind of peace as we watch them on the feeders and in the nesting boxes.

I’ll bet that many of us of a certain age can remember “ Watch with Mother” and the various characters we met back then! Simple programmes, peaceful, no horror or gore, just simple rules of life for simple times. Happy Days!

Irony is a fact of life and we have all experienced it! From the fantastic  summer holiday which we have looked forward to for ages, being rained upon whilst the sun shines back at home, to the guy you have idolised for months who turns out to be a real disappointment. Often the simple and spontaneous things turn out to be the best things and not the ones we get time to build dreams around, but when all is said and done, you just have to laugh at life’s ironies. If you enjoy my poems, please buy me a coffee by clicking here! 

This is a tale about perseverance and of never giving up, even when the odds seem totally against you. There have been many times in my life when this has been the case, but each time, somehow I push on through. Although a tale aimed at children, I hope that it also inspires big children too. If you like my work, please support me with buy me a coffee by clicking here!

This one is about my love of singing and dancing, in addition of course to writing. It considers the importance of these two activities for me, along with the memories of taking part in them over the years. It ends with my current involvement with them and my hopes for continuing with them in the future. I hope through reading this poem, that others can discover the joy which any kind of singing or movement, no matter how small, can bring to most people.

Music is everywhere in the natural world. This poem tells of the wonderful music that can be heard at night time in the Winter months.

I know that for many people these months can be tough, but in this poem I consider the little things which I love about them and which may help others to get through them and even maybe, grow to like them. Probably weirdly to many, I love these months and in this poem and I tell you why.

Tjis is just a short New Year's Eve greeting poem as many of you may be busy tonight. Thank you for listening to my poetry this year and all the best for the new year. Allison

This is a short Christmas story about a small fir tree growing near a disused barn. It represents many human resources such as resilience and the down-trodden becoming strong. I wrote it because I have always kept a Christmas carol in my head which I learned at primary school called “ The Little Green Fir tree” and I wanted to give credit to that carol. No matter what your belief or religion, I hope it sends a magical message of triumph over adversity, hope and love this Christmas season.

This one is about childhood Christmases as I remember them, when the world seemed simple, easy and straight forward. I hope it makes you again feel the magic of Christmas if you have somehow lost it along the way. Happy Christmas to you and yours!

Do you have an odd sock pile in your home? If so, this one is for you. Its quirky little tale about one such odd sock who is desperate to find his long lost other half. A children’s story really, but also enjoyed by adults. I have made this one into a book with illustrations and it can be found on Amazon.co.uk. If you enjoy my poems, please buy me a coffee by clicking here!  Thank you and Merry Christmas!  Allison.

This poem captures the excitement when as children, we woke to an eerily quiet world and a strange light around the closed curtains and at that moment, we just knew that it had snowed in the night! From there came the frenzy of debate as to whether school would be closed and the possibility of being able to have a snow day. The story follows the thoughts, feelings and joy of one such day from it’s start to it’s end as the sun goes down. If you enjoy my poems, please buy me a coffee by clicking here!  Thank you!  Allison.

I used to sit upstairs sometimes just in the dark at night and hear the barks of the dogs through the window. One would begin, echoing through the cold and still night air and then another would answer it and so it went on. I found these communications to be a great comfort when I felt lonely as a child growing up and they gave me the feeling that I was a part of something far bigger than me. If you enjoy my poems, please buy me a coffee by clicking here!  Thank you!

This poem is about a wonderful encounter which I had with a wild mountain Hare a couple of Christmases ago. It was such a special meeting and was a beautiful escape from the Christmas build up, which sometimes can be overwhelming. If you enjoy my poems, please buy me a coffee by clicking here!  Thank you!

Unusually for me, a slightly darker poem about the “ progress” of man and of his lack of care for the world and his refusal to ease up. If nothing else, I hope that this poem makes us ask ourselves- is it really progress or is it in fact less. A couple of Wordsworth’s choice words are used in this poem as even back in his day, he was cautioning the world on the dark side of “ progress”. I would really appreciate it if you would 'Buy Me a Coffee' by clicking here!

Remember back in the day when Bonfire Night was a simpler affair, just family and a few friends in the garden with a small bonfire, a guy which you had made yourself and a box of Standard fireworks? Remember the excitement of buying a box with your mum or dad and then opening it at home and feasting your eyes on the contents? Remember the bonfire toffee, perhaps toffee apples and for some reason, in our house, Heinz tomato soup? Happy days! If you enjoy my poems, please buy me a coffee by clicking here!

Did you used to go “Trick or Treating” on Halloween with your friends? If so, this poem might bring back some great memories for you. Remember when you spent weeks getting your costumes ready, thinking of tricks and the treats which you might get? The dark cold night, the banging of gates and running around the houses with your bag of goodies? Ghosts, cats, witches, zombies, they were all there. I hope this poem brings some good times back for you. If you enjoy my poems, please buy me a coffee by clicking here!

This poem contains my musings on the speed of life today and how this is often propelled by seasons and events happening before their time. The appearance of Christmas decorations in the shops in August is one example, Summer holiday adverts at Christmas is another. It just feels like we need to slow down and put things back into their rightful seasons again. If you enjoy my poems, please buy me a coffee by clicking here! 

This poem is for all of those sisters out there who have been so supportive over the years and been there when we needed them most. I hope it brings back a few memories of you and your sister, or brother for that matter. If you like my work, please buy me a coffee by clicking here!

A short and simple poem extolling the virtues of some of the small and simple things in life. In a world that is so busy, it's good, I think, sometimes just to be reminded that they are still there. I would really appreciate it if you would Buy Me a Coffee by clicking here!

In addition to writing poetry and short stories, I have also worked as a Speech Therapist in the area of special needs for over thirty- five years and also have family experience of some of the conditions mentioned in this poem. Whilst aimed at children, the main themes here are applicable to all. These are that is that its ok to be different and that you can still succeed in life if your brain just happens to be wired a little differently. Its all about reaching out if you find that you need help. At the end are a few organisations which may be of assistance. If you enjoyed this poem, please buy me a coffee by clicking here!

This poem is a reflection on Autumn, both in the Uk and around the world. It also looks back at the kind of Autumn days that I remember as a child.   If you have enjoyed this poem, please buy me a coffee by clicking here!

This poem contains my thoughts and musings on the end of Summer turning slowly in to the Autumn. As with all things in life, we must learn to say goodbye, whilst then embracing the new for as long as we can.   If you have enjoyed this poem, please buy me a coffee by clicking here!

This poem has a look at the many treasures which we have in our beautiful county of Derbyshire and also at the treasures within these obvious treasures which may be missed. I guess it is about the smaller, quieter delights which are all around us if we know where to look and if we sometimes take the time to stop, notice and enjoy them. If you enjoy my poems, please buy me a coffee by clicking here!  Thank you!  Allison.

Here is the next poem which is basically about my experience of secondary school, the good bits and the not so good. I’m sure that it will jog old memories of that first day there, the giant uniforms, the feelings of being someone very small in a huge place and many other recollections. Perhaps you remember the dominant gang who seemed to rule the roost, or some of the lovely teachers ( and not so lovely teachers) who taught you, along with some of the friends you made there. Whatever you remember, I hope you enjoy this walk down memory lane. If you enjoy my poems, please click here to buy me a coffee!

This is a delightful piece of reminiscence for those of you, like me who have always had a sweet tooth! I’ll bet there are a number of sweets in this poem which you had completely forgotten about, but which will bring back a load of happy memories regarding where you were and who you were with when you used to buy them. Supporting me through Buy Me a Coffee would really be appreciated!

This is a reflective poem and is basically an ode to the people we grew up with way back when and how they and the times we had together remain with us.  Even now, these memories can give us strength when needed through the ups and downs of today. If you like my poems, please buy me a coffee by clicking here!

This is a look back at a wonderful childhood in Derbyshire, which I hope many can empathise with, wherever your countryside upbringing was and if you didn’t grow up in the countryside, I hope you enjoy the pictures in your mind which I have tried to create here. The long days when we would set off early and get back at dusk without anyone really worrying for our safety because if we had any problems (which we rarely did), we would just run back. The woods and moors were our playground and our imaginations could run free to create all sorts of places and games. Such experiences still give us strength today. If you like my work, please buy me a coffee and click here!

This is a short poem, which I wrote for my mum when she was alive.  From somewhere in her past she had the first line in her head, but after extensive research, I couldn’t find anything with that line in it, so I started with that first line and wrote the poem myself. It combines memories from her childhood and mine in Baslow where there was a field up the road which we called "the Bunny Bank" because there were always lots of rabbits playing in the briars there. Mum loved this poem, in fact it was one of two poems that I read at her funeral last October and looking back, was a catalyst to getting me writing again. So, as I say, the first line isn’t mine, but the rest is and if anyone knows where the original can be found, I would love to hear. If you like my work, please support me through Buy Me a Coffee!

This poem is a gardener’s delight, at least that is what I initially set to to write about. However, as I continued to write, I realised that it is about other things too. It is about the solace which being amongst nature can bring and the calming effect which it has for us. It is also about our connection to the nature all around us and it to us, the oneness of everything. It looks at the joys and satisfaction of feeling the soil between your fingers and the wonderful flowers, fruit and vegetables which be plant each spring time and eat or harvest in the summer and Autumn.   The poem’s conclusion is that we are not only planting for ourselves, but by doing so, we are hopefully also planting for our children’s future years. If you like my work, please buy me a coffee!

This poem is a nostalgic walk around my old Primary school classroom. I only have to close my eyes and I am back there with the sights, smells and feelings experienced. Everything from the clanking radiators, the store cupboard and the smell of dinner cooking next door, gets a mention. Do you remember the smell of the plasticine and the sound of the blackboard revolving, along with the kindly voice of your teacher as she taught you how to read and write? Do you recall the book corner where she read a story to everyone at the end of the day as you nodded off?  I hope that some lovely memories are triggered for you as you listen. If you enjoy my poems, please buy me a coffee by clicking here!  Thank you!  Allison.

This poem is about the pre-school nursery which I went to in the hamlet of Bubnell, England,  when I was 2 or 3 years old. It covers my old memories and  also musings as to what happened to the teddy that I used to play with. A little more melancholy perhaps.

This is a poem about some of the curve balls that life can send us and how we can get through such tough situations or have to learn to adapt and find a new way of living with things that can’t be fixed. It also looks at some of the good things which can ultimately come out of such situations—things which you probably would never have noticed before life changed.

This poem will take you back to carnival time, wherever you went to yours and wherever you might still go to now to join in the fun. Can you hear the crowds cheering and see the bunting blowing in the wind, as the variety of floats, walkers and marching bands go past? I hope this poem re-captures for you some of the joy and energy of a summer carnival day wherever and whatever that means for you

I loved writing this poem because I was immediately back on our local "rec" in Baslow, and could see the bunting blowing in the wind and hear the children shouting! I hope it takes you back to the egg and spoon race, the sack race, the infamous tug of war, the tiny tot’s race and of course, the embarrassment of watching your mum and dad in the parent’s race. You’ll remember the anxiety, the fear, the pride and the interesting techniques used in some of these races. I hope you enjoy it

This poem takes a look at my ageing process and also that of my husband as we bumble along together. It is a tongue in cheek study of the changes we have seen and continue to see from needing glasses, our hearing changes, the menopause ( obviously me only), through the various new aches and pains experienced and our reactions to them. As there is little that we can do about the process, we basically have a good laugh at it and go with the flow as it were. I’m sure that there will be much that you can empathise with either now or in the future.

This poem takes the listener on a walk around the old town of Bakewell in Derbyshire, England.    This is the Bakewell that I remember when growing up and is a special glimpse into a few frozen moments in time. If you are local it may trigger many memories and feelings which you thought were long gone. Even if you are not local, I suspect that it will take you back to another special town in your life, experienced long ago and the people you met there along with the places you frequented.

This poem contains a load of memories about dinner times at Primary School, from the meals we ate such as Cheese Pie and beans to the kind dinner ladies in their orange overalls who brought the trolleys to the tables for the very important servers to dish up. When you listen to it, I hope you hear the sounds from the kitchen, the chatter of the children and I hope you see those meals once again in front of you and catch again their lovely smell. I also hope you see the faces of long lost childhood friends around the table with you.

The Village Hop  is a nostalgic walk down memory lane to the local village discos and hops which we used to go to as teenagers! Although the villages and towns mentioned in the poem are in Derbyshire, the verses will undoubtedly take you back to your youth and the parties you went to as a teenager. Wherever you spent those years, it may also remind you of some of the poignant feelings you experienced back then. If you like my work, please support me through Buy Me a Coffee!