Poetry and Appleby Scenes 2

We have been inundated with requests for various poems! Some have been submitted by our website followers - thanks!
We will change the poems on these pages periodically.

Milda Morse: Thunderstorm

Atmosphere darkening
Clouds squeezed thin and black
Slither through the twilight
On their bellies
Riding the horizon.
Cold breezes slice through
All who stand and stare
The coming of the thunderstorm
Devouring the light blue air.
Birds swoop out of view,
Trees bend to the force
Debris flies everywhere.
A clap of thunder
Count one thousand one,
A streak of lightening
Before your done.
One mile away
Umbrella's explode open
The populous runs.
As the
Dark
Wet
Thunderstorm comes.

John Clare:
FIRST SIGHT OF SPRING

The hazel blooms in threads of crimson hue
Peep through the swelling buds and look for spring
Ere yet a white thorn leaf appears in view
Or march finds throstles pleased enough to sing
On the old touchwood tree wood peckers cling
A moment and their harsh toned notes renew
In happier mood the stockdove claps his wing
The squirrel sputters up the powdered oak
With tail cocked oer his head and ears errect
Startled to hear the woodmans understroke
And with the courage that his fears collect
He hisses fierce half malice and half glee
Leaping from branch to branch about the tree
In winters foliage moss and lichen drest

Disappearing Dialects

GAWP-SEED: Standing with the mouth open in amazement was known as catching gawp-seed! ‘Doan’t stand theere catchin’ gawp-seed or foalks’ll think ya’re soft I’ the ‘ead’!