Poems By Mary

The buzz of life around me ‘ yet silent 

As l sit here’ drinking coffee with no cake 

The clatter of dishes’ staff kept busy 

Whiling away the time ‘ crossword puzzle 

not my fix ‘ more at home with numbers ‘ takes a different approach ‘ not so taxing on the brain ‘

Five letters ‘ a Q’ a J’ an X’ sets the pace ‘ a U’ turn ‘ the usual after a Q’ 

The letter Q’ in itself ‘ an interesting letter ‘

A cue ‘ when observing a queue ? 

A third of a century is spent ‘ on the phone ‘ or at a checkout ‘ cinema ‘ theatre ‘ pizza on foot ‘ waiting in a queue ‘ for a cue on how long one

must wait ‘ 

One’s feet aching ‘ back is breaking ‘ mood swing ‘ hopping from one foot to the other’

or the easy option ‘ 

Sprawled on an armchair ‘ lying prostate on a sofa ‘ remote in hand ‘ favourite programme 

Speed is of the essence’ hunger  racing ‘ must satisfy 

No need to raise oneself from sitting to standing ‘ 

One jab of a digit ‘ is all it requires 

Within seconds ‘ one ‘s command reaching its destination. 

A takeaway ‘ fast food ‘ there goes the bell ‘ 

the knock at the door ‘ 

down goes the remote ‘ someone at the door ‘

the cue to raise oneself ‘ From sitting to standing ‘ or the swing of the body ‘ from lying prostate to standing ‘

A walk or a shuffle ‘ from chair to front door ‘ 

No need for plate or cutlery ‘ as likely comes with a wooden spoon ‘ or knife and fork ‘ 

climate friendly ‘ organic material naturally sourced ‘ 

No need for a table ‘ one has one’s lap ‘ 

Bliss ‘ with one hand holding the remote ‘ changing channel ‘ back and forth ‘ using one digit only to flick into action ‘ 

The other hand ‘ with wooden spoon ‘ or from recycled plastic ‘ 

Finger food?   The recycled paper napkin provided suffice ‘

As time goes by ‘ over days rolling into a week ‘ a month ‘ years ‘

The modern sedentary life style of many ‘

A walk in the park ? why bother ‘ all l need is behind my front door ‘ 

If one has a garden ‘ with decking and plastic lawn ‘

It is a grand life ‘ washing machine ? with drier combined 

A microwave ‘ a remote  floor cleaner’ for carpets or wooden flooring ‘

Duvet on bed ‘ shower encased in an easy clean plastic box ‘

The years ‘ a decade past ‘ 

WFH ‘ with alternating from sofa to chair ‘

sitting for the allotted hours of work per hour ‘ paid direct into one’s bank account 

Children if around ‘ given instructions ‘ 

WFH commitment’ determining parental time? 

No more commuting to and from the suburbs to city office ‘ 

Freedom to choose ‘ what a grand life it is ‘

As decades past ? 

Many not appreciating the downside of WFH’

if one’s lifestyle stops at one’s front door ?

Swimming ‘ cycling ‘walking ‘ is on the increase ‘ 

Essential for one’s mental & physical well-being ‘ if one has the luxury of WFH. 

Over the centuries ‘ robots taking over ‘ a fast moving world ‘ with WFH ‘ with fast food ‘ 

Will this accelerate ‘ a wall of silence enveloping us all ?

eyed locked to screens ‘ ear plug sticking out one’s ear ‘ 

Accelerating visits to specialists ‘ 

Peripheral vision much reduced ? Sensory hearing ‘ not acute ? 

Stiffening of joints ‘ a virtual world on the March 

Outdoor sports ‘ hillwalking ‘ sailing ‘ swimming ‘ cycling ‘ 

WFH advantageous’ however on reflection 

Senior years ‘ with memories ‘ working with people and for people ‘ adding a dimension 

when the journey in life ‘ can for many

‘ stop at one’s front door ‘ if one’s working life spent ‘

WFH with evenings spent ‘ remote in hand and watching telly ‘ Fast food ordered ‘ delivered at the drop of a hat ?

What then ?  

Mary Douglas

The world of those who think they think 

and those who don’t 
A Global phenomenon, complex, can be confusing 

The Art of reading between the lines of 

what is not written is an art in itself 

Listening to what is not said , a gift not given 

to all

The Scientist needs proof , analytical 

The Lawyer has the gift of reading and listening , knowing  and able to know the difference between fact and fiction ?

each to their own , adding to the complex mind over matter,  fictional if cannot be proven? 

It takes a good lawyer to work out the difference.

His role to present the case for the prosecution?

In life some we win and some we lose , it takes digging and delving of all clues 

A truth is a truth , with passing of time 

remains unchanged.

A fictional selection of truth , over the passing of time lacks credence 

the power of truth is stronger with the passing of time 

The flippancy of how untruths can be altered 

weakened over the passing of time 

A photographic mind , discovered is but a myth 

It is the explicit and implicit that wins in the end. 

documentation can throw up discrepancies 

especially in this modern world of technology 

the past over decades can now be proven 

if guilty or not guilty 

There are now no safe havens at home and abroad 

The World has not shrunk ‘ with bits falling off 

Now living in a world of tracking?

Within seconds all is exposed for what it is 

A mythological thought can now be processed 

To be feared ? not if honest and true 

the only way to travel , as thought and actions can be translated 

A fictional story of events over the phone 

technology can decipher the Fact from the Fiction

Truth of the Matter ‘ if be told 

Peace of Mind prevails , proving the point 

Decades later , to be the Passport to Success

There are no hiding places left  

The Globe has not shrunk , with bits falling off 

Humans have created a “no hiding place “

if nothing to hide , why worry , 

living under the radar of technology is now only possible .

If one lives one’s life begins closed doors 

Honesty now proven prevails 

No secrets can remain secret if desire a career 

one that has a tag , 

The old adage ‘ Your World is your Oyster “ 

Now comes with a Price, no longer can we live behind closed doors 

Now  technology , iPhone   telephone , laptop the. the web , 

“Your World is now an Open Book “

Mary G. Douglas 

Born free the animal in the jungle ‘ 

yet can be killed ‘ with a gun owned by whom?

One has to have a licence to have the right 

to own such a lethal weapon ‘ 

Nature is in charge ‘ species come and species go’ 

The human arrives on the scene ‘ upsetting the apple cart ?

Plant life is foraged  ‘ til’ the day arrives The human species cannot survive by bread alone ‘ After the wild ‘ has had its fill’ along comes the human ‘ 

Raw it is ‘ until one day ‘ a bright spark finds fire ‘ 

The cave is the abode ‘ fleet of foot ‘ survival of the species ‘

Down through the ages ‘ BC ‘ nature is as nature does ‘

AD changing all ‘ centuries pass ‘

Who or what ? owns Who or what ?

Along comes How and Why ?

Meanwhile the world spins on its Axis 

The Human species ‘ survive we must’ 

By fair means ‘ by fowl ? 

Centuries pass ‘ from a few to billions ‘

The world now complex ‘ with rules and regulations’ 

Conquering all in our path ‘

Land sea and air ‘ we can circumnavigate’

The hills and the valleys ‘ the mountain pass 

The natural rule of law ‘

Now all is written ‘ statutes surface and documented ‘

Word of mouth ‘ handed down ‘ with drawings and symbols ‘ on the walls of Time ‘ catalogued and filed ‘ on the dusty shelves ‘

The human species ‘ over the centuries 

by fair means or fowl ? We survived ‘ 

In the process endangering other species ?

In this modern world ‘ despite famines ‘ shifting sands of Time ‘ 

The Human Race ‘ it dominates all in its path ‘

Now searching for Life ‘ amongst the stars ‘ 

Yet meantime on Earth ‘ what on Earth is going on ?

The World overpopulated ‘ resources depleted 

We are our own worst enemy ‘

We have conquered land sea and air ‘ now the race is on ‘ out their in the Cosmos ? 

Looking for answers ‘ to the meaning of Life ‘

Yet we cannot conquer ‘ the art of living peacefully ‘ side by side ‘ 

Who owns Who or What? Along comes How and Why ? 

Meanwhile the World spins on it’s Axis

The sun rises ‘ the moon and the stars ‘ disappear ‘ 

When nightfall comes ‘ the moon and the stars ‘ they light up the midnight sky ‘

The 24 hour cycle of Life ? All waxes and wanes according to the species ‘ 

The Owl high up ‘ sitting on a branch of a tree ‘

surveying all ‘ scurrying around ‘ looking for Means to survive ‘ the keen eye of the Owl’

Spreading its wings ‘ swoops overhead ‘

It’s talons at the ready ‘ it’s survival dependent 

on praying on the weakest ‘ 

On the streets of Life ‘ we have the Rule of Law ‘ wrapped up in Statutes ‘ passed by a Power ‘ now elected to legally act on our behalf ‘

The world ‘ is complex ‘ people even more so’ are complex ‘ 

Life has a plan for us ‘ we don’t have a plan for Life’

The search is on ‘ up there ‘ heavens above and beyond ‘

Meantime on Planet Earth ‘ taking it all in our stride ‘ Hope springs eternal ‘ 

As the song goes ‘ The answer my friend ‘

is blowing in the wind ?

Seize the day ‘ as tomorrow ‘ our today will be our yesterday . 

Mary Douglas 

The Fine line if crossed ? What then ?

A week and half again , my sense of sense lacked sense ? 

The pain intense ‘ my head filled with stabbing sensation ‘ a craving for a lump of sugar ?

Why ? 

A walk along the pavement , towards the East End 

Princes street buzzing with the noise of chatter 

Happy couples , friends , family of children 

The fine line is crossed ? No pleasure felt 

I was in a bubble ‘ with all out- with a muffle ? 

My left foot gave a wobble ?

Up went my hand 

Give me space ? as the power of the healthy young people cast its shadow 

Fear and trembling , felt out of control 

The shadow left my line of vision , the warmth of the sun returned 

The journey took on a sense of urgency 

The Haven ahead , The Mall 

Princes Street on the left , the Hub of sound beneath my feet to my right 

The trains speeding towards and away from 

Filled with the vibrancy of others , from over 

the border and beyond 

The young and the old , the mums and the dads ‘ with clued up kids ‘ on equal footing or in charge 

Grannies and granddads in their casual ware 

Pack on back , case on wheels with their clothes and belongings 

taking off to pastures new , or returning from pastures now explored 

I love it all: crazy in the eyes of many , but l love it all : a myriad of colour , size does not matter , rarely see the young unhappy , a million billion stories passing by , with one hand holding phone , finger of thumb of the other tap tap tapping away ‘ thoughts , ideas 

the world is their oyster ‘ eyes look down not up. the peripheral vision , a point . If you don’t use it , you lose it , 

nature over centuries adapts as requires 

Will we lose the peripheral sight of eyes front ?

With an eye on the left ? an eye on the right ? 

Giving those of the future , who knows what attributes , 

Handy in Parliament eg ; with ayes to the left and knows to the right ‘

Maybe we will be the Aliens ? 

As seen by those , who might arrive on Planet Earth when on a tour of the Galaxy from light years away .

Mary G Douglas

The world of those who think they think 

and those who don’t 
A Global phenomenon, complex, can be confusing 

The Art of reading between the lines of 

what is not written is an art in itself 

Listening to what is not said , a gift not given 

to all

The Scientist needs proof , analytical 

The Lawyer has the gift of reading and listening , knowing  and able to know the difference between fact and fiction ?

each to their own , adding to the complex mind over matter,  fictional if cannot be proven? 

It takes a good lawyer to work out the difference.

His role to present the case for the prosecution?

In life some we win and some we lose , it takes digging and delving of all clues 

A truth is a truth , with passing of time 

remains unchanged.

A fictional selection of truth , over the passing of time lacks credence 

the power of truth is stronger with the passing of time 

The flippancy of how untruths can be altered 

weakened over the passing of time 

A photographic mind , discovered is but a myth 

It is the explicit and implicit that wins in the end. 

documentation can throw up discrepancies 

especially in this modern world of technology 

the past over decades can now be proven 

if guilty or not guilty 

There are now no safe havens at home and abroad 

The World has not shrunk ‘ with bits falling off 

Now living in a world of tracking?

Within seconds all is exposed for what it is 

A mythological thought can now be processed 

To be feared ? not if honest and true 

the only way to travel , as thought and actions can be translated 

A fictional story of events over the phone 

technology can decipher the Fact from the Fiction

Truth of the Matter ‘ if be told 

Peace of Mind prevails , proving the point 

Decades later , to be the Passport to Success

There are no hiding places left  

The Globe has not shrunk , with bits falling off 

Humans have created a “no hiding place “

if nothing to hide , why worry , 

living under the radar of technology is now only possible .

If one lives one’s life begins closed doors 

Honesty now proven prevails 

No secrets can remain secret if desire a career 

one that has a tag , 

The old adage ‘ Your World is your Oyster “ 

Now comes with a Price, no longer can we live behind closed doors 

Now  technology , iPhone   telephone , laptop the. the web , 

“Your World is now an Open Book “

Mary Gill Douglas 

Listening is the receiver of much in life 

Found in environments where it is required 

When one walks through the door to work 

Their private life with its share of ups and downs 

Are left behind 

When one walks through the door to go home 

working life with its share of ups and downs, are left behind 

An ethos essential, as this golden silence ,

is the oath of silence 

the thread of life that must not be broken 

without this bridge of silence , we would not survive 

hill walkers, climbers in isolation, leaving no trace of where heading 

Swimming off limits, ignoring signs . beware of the bull ? until it is too late 

the dog walker who allows their favourite pet off the lead 

don’t worry says the owner , my pet is friendly 

to be obeyed 

after all. I know my pet well , good natured 

as one is encircled 

Who dare question the wisdom of such advice 

mentally thinking of the state now in 

paw marks and or the contents of their desire to make contact 

with those met on their daily walk to and from the park 

listeners are those who are caught up in the space betwixt them and another 

the world out there is full of those who want to be heard 

The world out there is full of those who do not wish to listen 

by deed, by letter card or by phone 

we all in this world of ours , there is this fine line 

The l need , l want, l must have , when faced with adversity 

The wind of change is fascinating 

We are all guilty of being one or the other 

some more guilty of being more of the other and less of the other ?

The hustle and bustle over one’s years from 

birth to toddler to teenager to adult to middling to senior , over the decades 

listening of many in one’s working life span

is par for the course ‘

after all , this is the career that one feels giving 

a value to humanity 

the thread of life that must not be broken 

without this bridge of silence , from the listener, when one desires to be heard ‘ when their need for a listener essential for their survival 

the longing within us all , when reaching the day when no need for an alarm 

choice is as choice does’ turn over as have all day to lie longer 

the conundrum hits us hard , when the choice is as choice does , turns into a nightmare of boredom 

no work and play filling the day 

the bridge of silence , essential for survival 

making sense to the listener ‘ 

when one has need to be heard 

the wall of silence is another matter ?

when one clocks off, homeward bound for the meal on the table 

an evening or weekend at our disposal 

to do with as wished 

On the day one clocks off ‘ knowing it is the final act 

The awakening of the fine thread broken of communication with one’s colleagues ?

valued as giving as well as receiving over decades 

No one is given an apprenticeship on how to be a Retiree? 

the apprenticeship begins on the first day of freedom 

Freedom to chose ‘ on how to spend one ‘s day , week , month, year respectively ahead 

A journey to be embraced 

Mary G Douglas