Silver Surfer a poem

[gumbud]

Forget Me Nots

The clock stood on the mantelpiece
Where it had always chimed
But the batteries had long since wilted
Stopped in between the time

Canary lay on sandpaper floor
No water or no seed
There was an air of quiet neglect
It had missed its final feed

No newspapers in the hallway
She must have cancelled these
As her world closed in to no more din
Of tradesmen she had no need

Some ashes in the fireplace
White and cold and grey
The poker lay across the fender
Left to poke another day

We’d found her resting on her arm
Sat at velvet tabled cloth
Her hankie tucked within her sleeve
A vase of ‘forget me nots’

No letter, explanation
Of these final lonely hours
As she sat and waited for the call
Of heavenly chorused choirs

We all had been too busy
Said we’d call another day
She seemed to manage fine alone
And so we did not stay

Something about that final hour
That beholds us all to chose
To take our final farewell calls
And not to miss the cues

© gumbud 2022

[Donkeyman]

@gumbud , really good gummy, you have excelled yourself !!
Very, what’s the word, poignant ?
Brought a tear to me eye it did
BTW,. is that a copyright l spotted ?
Good on yer !

[gumbud]

I thenk you dear sir I thenk you!!

[PixieKnuckles]

That is really moving, Gummy, well done. I gave my canary a big hug after reading that!

[gumbud]

A Lonely Valentine

I used to visit once a week
From “community friends who care”
they said that her need for love
was as longing as her stare

so I just sand and chatted
as she looked through wooded gloom
she seemed to be oblivious
of the din around her room

I told her of my childhood
my loves and lost ones too
what the world was up to
and how the years just flew

then one week out of the blue
I mentioned Valentine
Said ‘I wonder how I’ll do this year’?
just to pass the time

the muscles in her cheeks grew taut
and her eyes closed narrower still
“I’ve never had a valentine-
And guess I never will”

the words hung in the moment
and the silence deafened me
I think I fumbled some response
and took my leave to flee

I thought about those words all night
they burrowed in my head
a lost soul had just cried out
and all I’d done was fled

my visits ceased for several weeks
as I went about my life
and then one frosty snow clad day
I returned, my step was light

as I entered through the hall that day
I was called aside to hear
‘your lady passed away last night -
no pain - no longer cared’

I walked across to where she’d sat
a card lay on the ground
I picked it up and read the verse
it spoke of loves lost and found

but underneath in shaky hand
a message had been left
you always were my valentine
and always were the best!

© gumbud 2022

[Mags]

That’s so touching Gumbud, well done…

[gumbud]

thank you much appreciated

[Tiffany]

Infatuation

I can’t believe I was taken in
By all those flirty games we’d played.
I thought he’d meant the things he’d said,
His feelings genuine and displayed.

I craved his company every day,
When he’d not arrive I was heart sore,
Then he’d be there and with spirit high,
I’d joyously greet him at the door.

Sometimes he took me out to dine,
Or to a show, bought me gifts gallore
And said he loved me, seeming sincere,
But as time passed by, I learnt the score.

The fateful last time he went back to sea,
As I saw him off on the train that day,
“It is all over!” He said to me,
I cried as he turned and walked away.

Seven years pinned on hopes and dreams,
Now was the time to start a new life,
So hard at first, but I found the strength,
When a kinder man came, I became his wife.

I still do wonder about my first love,
Where is he, what is he doing now?
How has he aged? He is older than me.
But never look back should be my vow.
Tiff.

[Tiffany]

London…Not For Me.

The nightlife and the sights
Of London were so fine
When I lived in that City
I knew the World was mine.

But that was many years ago
I prefer where I am now
No traffic noise, no crowded streets
No going back I’d vow.

I did go back for a few days
Of break from countryside
But everywhere was strange to me
Nothing I recognised.

That City now is not for me
A Country girl am I
Though yes, I miss the Theatre shows
And the old river Thames flowing by.

Tiff.

[Tiffany]

Age Gap

My Daughter then aged twenty three
Was far, far more grown up than me
Then at her age of thirtyfour
She said I have regressed some more
Because I was buying cuddly toys
And children’s films plus other joys

Now I have discovered the internet
The 21st Century I have met.

She thought I’d never reach the stage
Of copy, paste and post on page
Or type a message, send a link
She thought me far too old I think.
She says I’m mad to spend my day
On Facebook chattering away
To people I don’t even know
May never meet, but even so
I now spend hours on my P.C.
On forums that I’ve joined for free
Discovered, I have, a whole new World
The cyberspace, is now unfurled.

Tiff.

[Donkeyman]

@gumbud Outstanding my good man !
Keep em cummin !!

[gumbud]

thank you sirely !!

[gumbud]

nice collection there tiff - true to life heh?

[gumbud]

I THOUGHT

I thought I heard you laugh last night
But you had long gone –taken flight
I wish that I’d recorded you
To play that laugh when I felt blue

I thought I heard you laugh last night

I thought I heard your singing lo
Like long forgotten echo; echo
Almost forgotten how sweet you sound
But now just silence all around

I thought I heard you singing lo

I thought I heard you call my name
In that mock authoritative vein
It always made me smile and think
I know he’s calling with a wink

I thought I heard you call my name

I thought I felt you touch my arm
You always felt so strong and calm
Or hold my shoulder in your grasp
Back then thought it would always last

I thought I felt you touch my arm

I thought I heard you whisper me
Just like you did upon your knee
Back then a secret always kept
Know you have gone; the memories left

I thought I heard you whisper me

© gumbud 2022

nb: all about my Da!

[gumbud]

funny how the mind goes this has suddenly made a connection with another sorta love story found in the film Fried Green Tomatoes - of course you’ll only see it if you’ve seen the film a few times or read the reviews? - oops the connectivity is with Lonely Valentine anyone spot that??

[gumbud]

The laughter still lingers on

The first time that I met you
You impressed me with your smile
It started off your laughter
That still echoes in my mind

But it wasn’t just the laughter
Nor the smile that held my gaze
It was the sparkle in your eyes
That said “these may be crazy days”

Your laughing gaze could penetrate
The coldest of our stares
And you challenged us to see the fun
Hinting “he will win who dares”

Just for that briefest moment
Before commitment comes
You shared ‘genetic humor’
From the father to the son

And then you’d gone; departed
Marriage, family, kids and wife
Perhaps your dreams got buried
In the career, mortgage, wife?

The next time that I saw your smile
Some ten years down the track
It looked the same; just aged a bit
Wrinkled, wanned and waxed

The laughter still hung in the air
Punctured with a cough
But heh! That twinkled eye was there
You could still pull it off

I can’t tell when the fire burnt out
It must have been one spring
The twinkle in the eyes grown dull
But the laughter still could sing

I put it down to just old age
It catches up with all
What I hadn’t realized this time
Was you’d given it your all

The show goes on; the lights must burn
Regardless of the soul
We watched your lights keep shining
Even though your heart was cold

Who knows when we’ve had enough
It’s just hard to say goodbye
Especially when your master card
Was that twinkle in your eye

We stood around your grave that day
Confused, withdrawn and mad
You’d smiled and grinned and laughed a lot
But we’d never seen you sad

They say that memories fade with time
Well maybe yours; but sure not mine
When people say your name out loud
I see your face in any crowd

You may have left this mortal coil
But you’ve left some remnants of your toil
A laugh from generations down
Can still be heard when guards are down

From father, Son and Holy Ghost
The laughter echoes through our hosts
You still are missed at special times
I hope you smile and laugh sometimes.

copyright gumbud 2022

[Mags]

Another great poem Gumbud

[Donkeyman]

@Mags " another great poem"
Ditto! Gummy, is in his nostalgia phase at the moment !
Cheer up gummy!

[gumbud]

in a sad place like the rest of us - most of my stuff just enters my head from somewhere - I don’t strain hard at it but all are usually connected to my life in particular or taken from events around us - my father was a poet of sorts but my mother never was! nor my brother or sis!

[gumbud]

ok cheer yuz all up see if ya can handle this square cats!!

She Came in From the Gloom

We met one night by chance
As a storm raged on outside
The rest of us were partying
She walked in without a smile

I was busy doing Tangos
So just caught her with a glance
And as the night wore on
She just sat and watched us dance

I remember stopping for a pause
Sat down with drink in hand
And then she gentle sidled up
No drink within her hand

I recall I said “well how are you
not seen you ‘round these parts?”
and then was yanked upon my feet
Another tango part

The evening just became a blur
As the pace of things grew faster
And I just caught a glance of her
And kept seeing her flash faster

It was way past dawn when all had gone
And truly trashed my pad
And then I saw her on the couch
Just watching me slouch past

I eventually smooched besides her and asked
“Well ; watcha think of that?”
She looked at me and blinked a while
And purred “well honey I’m just a stray cat?”

I stroked her silken body
And felt it arch a little
She purred said keep on goin
Now that you’ve wet ya whistle?

And every time I stroked that girl
The purring just grew louder
And then she stood up on all paws
Asked would you have some powder

I gulped and gulped and gulped again
And found the powder quickly
She said just a small sprinkle dear
And smooth it really wickedly

My mind was in a crazy haze
Was this a cat of nine tails
She said NO but I’ve got nine lives
So I may move quite quickly

She turned and climbed upon my lap
My heart was pounding madly
Then wrapped her forearms ‘round my neck
And licked my cheek quite gladly

She seemed to purr be still my love
My mind was racing badly
And then jumped to the floor
Said “well we haven’t fared so badly?”

It was then I woke in just a flash
And realized I’d been dreaming
What exotic fruits I’d had this night
Whipped up the passions within me

copyright gumbud 2022