Sheena Blackhall Poems

He came at first to a chapel in France near Arras,
Next day, to a guarded castle at Boulogne.
And lay in this chapelle ardente overnight,
Soldiers awarded the Légion d'Honneur stood vigil
...

The extra magic of history's hocus pocus
Distance of time can blur or sharpen focus

Three thousand years BC, flint weapons scraped my sides in Orkney
...

Ballet buns twist stray childish locks into shape
Flamingo legs of the young, the pink, and the pretty
Flex within pumps, and leotards and tutus
Pirouetting behind the curtain
...

Ruminations
Before I'm pitched into the grave
I want to revisit lupins by the Dee
I want to savour lilac in a lane
...

How many steps to yesterday?
To days of sun and clover?
Where is the map to show the way
To restart life fresh over?
...

Wirds
Cam, lat us spikk in the leid o oor forefaithers
Lat us sing oot blithely usin the guid Scots wirds
Spik it in luve, in rage, in clishmaclavers
...

Wishes
I wish for a good death
I wish I could heal those I have wounded most
I wish for the hurt earth to be nursed to wellness
...

The Round Robin
Dear All,

Another year away! Here's an update
...

Children who eat the bogies they pick
Owners who let dog's poo lie
People who use shop doors to be sick
Horror movies where innocents fry
...

The first joy is a field of corn in summer
Swimming bright with poppies in the wind

The second joy is a chair brought back to life
...