Poems By Mary

What ails you ? have no idea ? 

The sun is high in the sky , yet low in mood 

Fingers crossed ? All seems in order 
Yet feel lightheaded , no rhyme or reason?

All avenues explored, no stone unturned 

The wasp searching for a home of its own 

Get on your bike , my hut is my domain 

Housing the tools for maintaining the lawn 

weeds in abundance , trees reaching for the sky 

Magnolia tree , dancing in the wind , a myriad of blossom

Rhubarb sprouting , a fiery red ‘ hidden amongst the bushes 

Dandelions sprouting , left to grow in stature ,

Grass needs cut , lawnmower idle , erasing the beauty of the splendour of gold 

The grass has a need for nutrition , the dandelions have a need to be natured or nurtured 

Doubt popular with the neighbours , with their neat manicured lawns 

Lawnmower at the ready , time for the cull

Those dandelions have had their last dance   

Going going going gone , the grass now neat and tidy 

Neighbour next door , all smiles as he drives past, thumbs up, proving the dandelions are the most unpopular, yet a splendour to bear witness to , albeit for a few days 

The three wasp bikes no more , the dandelions have bit the dust 

The sun is a joy to behold , the intense heat within four walls, is another matter 

Thirty degrees plus , the only respite is to bunker down 

All windows closed, curtains included , 

We yearn for Spring to arrive ‘ followed by Summer , and halfway through it , yearn for the time the leaves on the trees turn golden 

Halloween beckons , lanterns on spikes , bonfires alight 

The witch on her broomstick , with her cat sitting behind ‘ the full moon yellow , with hope 

The witch will fly past at midnight ‘ maybe next year?

The Harvesting of fields , then laid bare 

The trees lose their golden aura, the fir cones come to fruition ,

A large dish now piled high , on the table in conservatory , a delightful display of fully matured fir cones 

Christmas drawing near , Santa and his reindeers

The full moon , yellow with the shadow of Santa Claus passing on his sleigh , with a sack full of gifts for the children in their beds sleeping and dreaming 

Missed it ?  Maybe next year 

The Old Year will come and it will go , with a New Year taking a bow ‘ 

Memories are precious   

Dad would leave by the door at the rear , clutching a lump of coal 

On the stroke of the church bells ringing in the New Year 

Mum and us kids , standing quietly in the hall 

A knock on the front door , whose there ?

Mum opens the door , dad clutching a lump of coal

Happy New Year says Dad ‘ in unison we chorus his greeting   

Dad our first foot ‘ with a gift of a lump of coal clutched in his hand 

Secure in our belief heralding in a New Year that promises to bring health: wealth: happiness to us and the world 

is looming , a wish within us all , that the warring factions will cease . 

Bringing Peace & Prosperity at home and abroad . 

Mary G Douglas 

We enter this world crying 

It is the clarion cry of the newborn 

The unknown awaits us , all we ask of this world 

Feed and clothe us 

Simple requests for survival 

The child is quickly initiated on how simple requests can be complex 

We have no control on where we are born and raised 

The planet does not prepare us for entry into how hospitable or inhospitable it can be 

No guarantees given?  From the jungle out in the wilderness to the jungle of modern civilisation 
The luck of the draw? The Lottery with tick boxes ?

North South East West halved and quartered with a spot chosen without your permission?

Once upon a time , it was thought by many, their world stopped at their front door or the street lived in or if out in the jungle?

A river nearby not crossed?

Survival of the fittest , whether in the jungle or living in the maze of the civilised world 

The child well fed and clothed and astute aged five

Daydream of who or what they want to be when an adult 

In the nineteenth century , aspirations limited 

The few given opportunities , seizing the day 

With modern technology ? the world is your oyster? yet more of more less appealing if means lifting a shovel or getting one’s hands dirty ?

I want to study mindfulness? What is that? says one’s exasperated parents. 

A pause? as the teenager now nearing the age of thirty five struggles with finding an answer.

In 1900 there were young climbing up into the dark recesses of chimneys, not through choice 

in 2020 there are those of all ages searching within the dark recesses of their head space

with an elongated pause? 

Walk along any streets of any city in the western world 

Placards festoon the windows of shops and takeaways 

Vacancies staff wanted? yet a percentage of the population cannot find employment?

Freedom means accepting responsibility and if to be revered 

Nations are built on the backs of those who revere freedom 

It is my life says many, l can do what l want as they gaze at their naval ? with iPhone attached to ear plugs to shut out the world around them

Their world self contained within?

Little understanding on how the March of Time can tip the balance ?

Between Democracy and Autocracy?

The bank of Society is reliant on the majority 

and mindfulness has a rude awakening?

if the  mind if full of useless information 

There is a limit on the reliance on the bank of 

those who set up business on administering mindfulness? 

One requires an office , a table and a couple of chairs?  with a lap top to virtually one to one 

create an environment for mindfulness to take place ?

Cynical is as cynical does?  

Mindful on how centuries past, on the backs of the ants on the hill , carrying on their backs 

their respective burden , trudging onwards and upwards towards the pinnacle of success 

The proof is there for all to survey,

The magnificence of cities with a cathedral 

and streets , avenues and boulevards of stone carved and fashioned into blocks 

All from the backs of those over the centuries past 

Now with technology fast and furious enveloping our modern world in a protective shield ? 

Mindfulness on how to survive in this age of technology ? to not be seen and not to be heard ? unless one has had the mindfulness to keep up with fast moving art of communication 

Stone built  was not built in a day? took centuries of toil to fashion the cities of today .

Has the modern world been fashioned only for the virtual truth to be known 

Communication is virtually impossible for those in Society? 

How do l find out how to communicate with a company or the local councillor, or the doctor , the butcher , the grocer , the Candlemaker?

Algorithms? What’s APP?  

If neither sitting gazing at one’s naval with the expertise of the virtual world on one’s iPhone 

or having an appointed professional minder assist me with my mindfulness of need to be fed and clothed , with a roof over my head ?

It befalls to a generation ? who were not weaned on modern technology, if want to communicate outside one’s front door ?

To have the mindfulness to book a course on mindfulness on how to navigate the Web?

The story of “ The walls of Jericho “ centuries later with its hidden scrolls unearthed ?

now being studied by researchers sitting on a chair at a table in an office ?

Goodness me ? never a thought given on how it got there ? 

Centuries of those who toiled ‘ old age not for them , as with the ants marching one by one , with their burden to carry varied , onwards and upwards up the hill ? if one cannot achieve its mission? the ants keep marching , leaving behind those who can’t .

We cannot all be professors, politicians or researchers 

Why not lift one’s naval gazing mindfulness to apply for a vacancy ? No experience required 

the apprenticeship of how to survive in this modern world 

Take a tip from those who did , no barriers to those who seized the day ? 

regardless of impediments affecting their choice 

The world is your oyster if one has ambition 

The mundane employment, can open doors 

as this modern world offers much if one lifts one ‘s eyes and looks beyond ‘ outside their own narrow mindfulness of their lack of imagination and innovation. 

There is a niche for the majority with ‘ mindfulness of those whose needs are reliant on the able of society

If all that is wrong with one ? is a lack of mindfulness?  if mentally and physically able then who who knows what one can achieve ?

The advert in the window , vacancy for staff ? no experience required?  

Mary G. Douglas

Our yesterdays of wishes written with care 

Christmas Eve with anticipation, children of the World writing their letter , with joy in their hearts 

The ritual of leaving a saucer of milk and a carrot for Rudolph 

Off to bed once the stage is set , 

Excitement not marred with fears of yesterdays tomorrows 

the night sky with twinkling of stars , to light the way for Rudolph 

The imagery in yesterday’s child was filled with a Milky Way , the Pole Star , a guiding light 

Pointing the way to where they lay 

Sleep filled with dreams of their desired wish for the choice made , written on their letter to Santa 

Thrown into the flames red and yellow with tips of white , 

The coals hot , a backdrop to the theatrical dance 

The letter with the scrawl of the childish hand 

dancing to and fro ‘ 

All was well as yesterdays child happily went of

to sleep 

the child of our tomorrows with sharp minds honed by the smell of fear within their hearts 

this is not the world of yesterdays child 

it is a world far removed 

innocence of the young , belonging to the past 

is a luxury robbed of tomorrows child 

the media , i phones, filled with imagery the yesterdays child had little knowledge 

yet parents the World over , will fashion out of the spoils of war , a wish within the heart of tomorrows child ,  a doll , a mechanical toy ,

a car with wheels fashioned out of the rubble 

that was their home

yesterdays child , with joy in their hearts 

tucked up in a bed , 

the warmth of blankets smelling sweet 

tomorrows child , with fear of the unknown 

not wrapped in blankets smelling sweet 

yet within their hearts of hoping 

as Dawn breaks , the air will be stilled 

shells and mortar not raining down 

The World of their yesterdays , taking a pew 

with prayers answered 

let this be the Christmas , that will be visited 

with hope in their hearts 

The coming of their tomorrows , will have skies of blue 

A sun on rising sending rays of warmth 

birds singing , 

Miracles do happen, let this be the Christmas coming 

The dawning of a new World 

Arms of war laid to rest , 

The arms of tomorrows child hugging each other 

The war is over , peace will reign 

Mary G Douglas 

The great divide is now upon us 

Prior to the NHS it was the luck of the draw 

Good health was not taken for granted 

Great strides made over the 19th Century

The 20th Century now 22years old . 

The NHS continues to be at the beck and call of any accident or emergency 

However time of the essence ? based on principles , quality of care for all citizens of a Nation

The day will arrive , taking a decade or more 

to reflect on the privatisation of our first port of call 

The doctor face to face with their patient ?

Now becoming a rare occurrence ?

Now have a generation of doctors taking up private practice’ no longer a hit and miss financially ?

The modern doctor has the upper hand 

Now all General Practice is a title cloaking a modern reality ?  All doctors who are sitting in their respective surgery rooms are Private Consultants with the right to consult by remote 

Either sitting on the end of a telephone or face to face with a patient 

A screen between , the modern barrier now a new normal? 

The clinical approach is now the great divide?

Those in the public domain who can command a face to face with a GP 

Are those who are financially able ?

Those in the public domain whose finances cannot command a face to face with a GP?

New normal via a faceless Telephone discussion as dictated by the GP whose income is guaranteed by the public taxpayer 

Ensuring their right to a face to face with one ‘s GP in General Practice 

Self employed GP in General Practice ? with a guarantee of an income per population who are taxpayers covering the cost of those who are not ? 

Yet now have the autonomy to dictate to the patient to be seen on screen remote , or one to one faceless consultation ?

Who are the losers?  in this new normal NHS 

Not those who gravitate on foot to the Accident and Emergency Hospital based. 

The loser is the patient who sits on the end of a telephone attempting to verbally relate why they need to be assessed by a doctor ? the bridge to be crossed is the frontline staff member 

Are they trained medics ? or office secretarial?

The great divide is now the new normal ?

Private Health Insurance only the luxury of those who can afford 

The NHS umbrella is now divided by those who can afford ‘ and majority who cannot ? 

Hence General Practice Surgeries with few sitting on seats 

The public with their ailments from the mundane to serious are overflowing A& E ?

who can question ? 

The fault lies within the system of Health Care for all regardless of income  

The uprising of the Homeless ‘ owing to lack of political vision of Housing with affordable renting : the uprising of a toothless generation owing to lack of dentistry surgeries and reduction of  patients seen face to face with their Doctor within General Practice ? 

The 20th Century will be judged harshly by those of the 21st Century and beyond . 

Mary G. Douglas

Once upon a time , you were a patient patient 
Forward planning ? when did this occur? 

Private patient when attending General Practice 

Gone are the days , the expectation of a face to face consultation?

Progress or regress, this begs the question ?

A frantic phone call, l need an appointment 

Frontline staff at desk , the bridge to cross if given permission 

Can l help you? said the Frontline staff member 

What are your symptoms ? I have had a fall and think my leg is broken ! 

Are you in pain ? Are you sure it’s broken ? 

I am not a Specialist , however the angle of my left foot , suggests it is. The pain is intense ,

confirming my observation 

It appears best, you contact direct the NHS

Gone are the days of the bedside manner?

Now by remote , leaving one sensing a whiff of change 

This is not normal , it is now the new normal ?

The voice on the other end of the line ,

Phone direct for an ambulance, should not be long in arriving 

Front door locked , l live alone?

How old are you ? says the remote reply 

Eighty four , my birthday was yesterday 

Have you a community alarm , hanging round your neck ?

Prior to falling and breaking my leg , independent 

Voice remote , might be something to think about 

After all, you are a senior citizen , a pensioner 

Through gritted teeth , controlling manner 

May l have your name please ? I wish to make a formal complaint

I am not obliged to provide this information 

Suggest you phone the police , they can gain entry to your home 

Sorry l cannot be more helpful , have a queue awaiting my attention 

Police contacted, arriving promptly

Key in the door ? Lock cannot be picked ?

Battering ram at the ready 

Quick assessment ? Ambulance required 

Reassurances won’t be long , however cannot promise 

Dry of mouth , unable to comply ,  nil by mouth essential 

Wet cloth applied to my lips , brow wiped , made comfortable with pillow under head , blanket for warmth 

Cheery manner , to ease stress of waiting for the emergency of the situation, may take an hour ? 

Within fifteen minutes, siren heard 

Cannot be faulted , soon ensconced within 

ambulance 

House door barricaded , mental note , how much will cost to repair ? 

Fast forward , after excellent care , 

Now home , with a community alarm round my neck 

Care package fixed to meet needs until able to hobble independently with crutches 

Cousin once removed, now in residence 

Privacy of one’s life , now dependent on others 

Irony bites in ? to the conundrum of life 

Private General Practice’ now to the fore as NHS no longer an option , until required for removal of plaster cast 

Visit made by taxi , hospital bound , plaster removed 

Independence restored , back to the new normal 

General Practice ? A Private Enterprise 

NHS now off the radar ‘ once independent 

The cycle of life’s health needs met 

A phone call to General Practice if required 

Remote consultation , frontline staff assessment , advising Doctor will contact by phone to assess ? 

No wonder General Practice Waiting Rooms now lie empty 

No wonder Accident & Emergency Waiting Rooms jam packed with those of the population , surviving on coffee ‘ with frequent visits to the loo 

sitting  it out , a patient, with patience awaiting there turn to be patiently attended by staff 

who now appear to be the first port of call?

Progress or regress ? This begs the question? 

Mary G. Douglas 

Don’t confuse being confused with confusion 
When faced with a dilemma of being misunderstood 

Failing to appreciate another’s explanation of events unfolding within their own domain 

Does not present the opposing view with the admission of being confused .

I am confused can create a disarray within another ? 

If misunderstanding the train of thought of another ? 

Failure to listen with intent on what is being said by another 

Does not give one artistic licence to confess to being confused

One confusion to many , can confuse or lead to irritation 

The fleeting thought of the other , on the receiving end of another’s habitual state of confusion 

Are you actually listening? 

Differences of the viewpoint of the other ? ending up lost in transition? 

Too many confused state of confusion can lead to confusion by the other ‘ of what is not understood?

Frustration of an awareness ?  when one confuses another  regularly ?

yet not a habit formed with others ? 

Patience is a virtue , one that can wear thin ?

If regularly confusing another ? yet not others?

Is there a game being played ? Not necessarily 

A lack of interest? Hard of hearing if quietly spoken with ? 

I am confused ? Lacks diplomacy ‘ sorry did not catch that ?  softening the interaction 

If given the right of passage , on rewriting the Dictionary 

There are words , phrases , would love to ban 

One in particular is as follows “ l am confused “

said once too often 

There is nothing more confusing than having to repeat over and over ‘ the honesty of one’s decisions past and for future ‘ to be challenged once too often 

Sorry l am confused ? thought you said ? 

Confusion can be the precursor of Global Warfare ? 

To the minutia of a casual referral on a mundane matter ?

Creating a need for explanation of another ‘s decision making ? 

We all have the right to change direction ? without a voice futuristically piping up ? 

I thought you said ? 

Mentally driving down the desire to state the obvious 

one has the right to change direction without

paging the Oracle 

Love is unconditional, patience is rewarding ?

If one stifles the desire to vent one’s ire or another ? 

whose memory has failed to consider on how often they articulate the following statement 

I am confused ? 

Mary G Douglas