A Child's Garden of Verses.

A few days ago, my Granddad and I took a trip to Cambridge. Whilst wandering round the second hand book stalls, I spied a beautiful illustrated copy of one of my favourite poetry books, 'A Child's Garden of Verses' by Robert Louis Stevenson. However, in a momentary lapse of good judgement, I pondered over purchasing it just a little too long, and ended up loosing it to someone else (sigh)! The experience triggered a creative moment, and so here's a wee poem about the experience.


"The world is so full of a number of things,
I'm sure we should all be as happy as Kings"

 

 

Half open, it lay there,

Pages rustling in the breeze.

Eyes running over delicate illustrations, I spied

familiar poems from childhood

that had taken me on new adventures

as I lay upon the land of counterpane.

 

Eyes swimming in sleep,

I would transport to the window of a railway carriage,

and see through glass blurred by my steamy, squashed nose,

bridges, house, hedges, ditches,

and scrambling children all scratched by brambles.

 I would gaze into pails half full of stars and water,
and see the face of the moon stare back,
chiding me to close my eyes as only the
squalling cat or squeaking mouse were granted her light.

I would watch as another child made sense of his shadow,

bewildered at a lost playmate on mornings

when he rose before the sun.

 

Half open, it lay there,

Pages rustling in the breeze,

but with my head full of thoughts of halcyon days,

new eyes were captured by its weathered charm,

and new hands had grasped its broken spine,

leaving my hands empty.

 

Alex's (Highly amateur) Running Tips.

1.       Dressing like a professional runner is absolutely crucial. Headband? Check. Running leggings with ultra high vis speed lines? Check. Even if you are sweating and out of breath, professional running gear will convince everyone around you that you are, in fact, a professional runner. (Perhaps just on somewhat of an off day.)

2.       Running on a treadmill is not like running on concrete. I repeat.  Running on a treadmill is not like running on concrete. Running on a treadmill is like bouncing on air. Running on concrete is like bouncing on, well, concrete. Ouch.

3.       Make sure that you listen to highly motivating gym music, with suitably motivating running related lyrics. My playlist favourites include, ‘Alive’, ‘Press on’ and ‘I Will Survive’.

4.       A banana with peanut butter is the best pre-run snack ever.

5.       Don’t be deterred by the guy on the treadmill next to you who’s doing a super-fast speed run – and don’t try and secretly race him either.

6.       A run is the perfect time to think of solutions for homelessness, write your first novel, become a saxophone improvisation goddess and ponder the various options you have for dinner. Fact.

7.       Don’t be embarrassed by your gym viewing material. So what if you’re the only person watching re-runs of Bake Off, or various NT Wright sermons? Intellectual and material food are important – and what better time to learn how to bake pastry, or understand the kingdom of God than amongst weight lifting Essex men?

8.       Sometimes dogs will try and run with you as you pass them. Do not be distracted by your new fluffy companion. He may be cute, but he will only slow you down.

9.       Never be deceived by your downhill run – it is always a lie.

10.   Enjoy! Look around – breathe deeply – get lost in thought, it’s worth it!

https://www.justgiving.com/alex-runs-le-half-marathon/