LET'S TALK ABOUT TEDDYBEARS

When people pass by our front window, they are often tempted to look in, well that's what I thought they were doing, but I know think, because of the reflection, they are treating our front window as you would a shop window, to check on their own reflection. 

Anyway, that has nothing to do with why I have have put all my teddybears and friends in the window. They are there to bring a smile - and they have. The notices are cards sent to me by our neighbour's little girl (sweet) to say stay safe. 

From left to right: Barnsleyted, (he's the biggest bear I have, given to me by my granddaughter's quite a few years ago), Gatapus (the cat) came from Crete, he must wonder where he's landed, next is Luckyted, he's a little grey bear bought from a couple of kids who were having a garden sale to raise a bit of money. Squirrel is just poking out behind Luckyted, and next is Huggleted (he's the nursey bear that I hung on to when I was in hospital a couple of year's ago). Miss Prim with the pink ribbons was given to me by a good friend who knows I just love poodle type doggies. Behind Miss Prim, in the dark, is Dumbleted, the wizardywitch bear who enjoys halloween. Next to Miss Prim is Hector, he belongs to David really (I'm not the only crazy one in this house) and lastly Hazzo, who is a dumpling of a softy dog rescued from a cardboard box destined for the rubbish. Lastley, hanging in the centre of the window are miniature Pooh Bear and friends who were the delight of our grandson, Jack, and I couldn't possibly part with them.

The bears: Barnsleyted, Luckyted, Huggleted and Dumbleted have one other friend, Susan, she is the doll which was given to me when I was about seven years old, and who I have treasured all my life. Susan is a little reclusive and refused to sit in the window. 

Like I said, my window display has brought many a smile from passers by, and that is just what I wanted to  see, a smile on the faces of otherwise very serious people in the street. On that one trip out of the house for exercise or to walk to the shop, people can look at my bears and smile.

And look who passed by today, you see, bears attract bears. This bear and his partner were handing out sweeties on behalf of Chatterbox. They made me smile, what a lovely gesture, thanks you two.

I'm not really going mad in this lockdown, but I must say a few hidden eccentricities are surfacing. I have taken to walking to the bottom of the garden and back 50 times a day (just over half an hour) which in itself may look very odd to the neighbours, but I can assure you it is well worth the effort to help keep body and soul together, and I have started knitting fingerless gloves with the odds and sods of wool that were left over from past projects.

No matter how much I talk about teddybears, the real world is out there, and there is no escaping the reality of the moment. The news that the Prime Minister was taken into hospital on Sunday really upset me, and yesterday he was put into intensive care. News is that he is stable and not in need of a ventilator, so all we can do is send him good wishes for a speedy recovery, and of course, offer up a prayer to that end. Dear God give Boris Johnson the strength to fight this virus. And God, please help all those who are suffering, and all those who are working to help alleviate the suffering. 

The whole world is in a right pickle at the moment, please stay inside your home as much as you can, dear reader, and stay safe.

Love and hugs,
Jane x

I Keep Boris Johnson in the Fridge, and other new poems.

Today I've been to the Poetry Society Stanza meeting in Sheffield. It is held in the Library, and we get together with other poets to put our work forward for comment, and possible improvement. As there is a Harry Potter exhibition on at the moment, we were asked to contribute something on that theme. This is my effort, if you pass by the Library pop in, you may see my poem on display. Obviously, it is written from the point of view of a man. It's not all about me, you know. 

She Put A Spell On Me - Jane Sharp

The minute I saw the black cat, I knew.

I didn’t want to let on I’d clocked it,

so I feigned coolness, talked about the weather,

strange words tripped off my tongue.

latine loqui coactus sum.

The cat grew monkey bits,

a probiscus nose – Nasal Larvatus,

a long tail – Macaca Fascicularis,

and it’s claws began to morph into fingers.

I turned the conversation to philosophy,

‘You strike me as a very deep person’ I said.

Apparet te habere ingenium profundum.

I knew I was talking her language. And I could.

It didn’t go down well. The cat arched its back

like a medieval bridge, the Pont de Diavolo, hissed,

in cantatorum tuorum vehementem. Spells.

She must have sensed my fear, my battle with reality,

but she ignored it, handed me another cocktail,

saying, ‘Drink this.’ I knew I shouldn’t have, but I did. 

When I looked again, the cat was a tiger.

Et vidi cum Tigride Catus.

O Harrius Potter, ubi eras quando opus vestrum?

(Where were you when I needed you?)

Last week David and I did an Owl Walk with Steven Ely (brilliant poet) round Elsecar. We had a guided tour of the Newcomen Beam Engine and a night walk around the village. I fancy my ancestors may have been looking on, as I can go back four generations in Elsecar with my Royston blood.

 The next day, taking advantage of the bright Autumn weather, we headed for Birdwell woods and Rockley Iron Works. The colours were wonderful. There were lots of  ambers, reds, crisp golden browns and marmalade tinted leaves to crunch underfoot. And we were able to hike up a good appetite for lunch at the Cock Inn, before going home.



I also attended a poetry workshop which was about political poetry and how nursery rhymes are often based on politics, e.g. The Grand Old Duke of York, or Humpty Dumpty. It was a good chance to get together with other poets from the area, and hear their work. These is my 'political' poems, just to show I wasn't idle at the workshop.

Once Defrosted Use Within 24 Hours -  Jane Sharp

1.

I keep Boris Johnson in my freezer

just on the chance I need a blond geezer

who, like a packet of deep frozen peas

survives quite well at minus two degrees

It’s a wibbly, wobbly packet, but then

he’s noted for being one of those men

who can be shaky, in fact, unstable

sure enough when defrosted he’s able

to cause chaos, mayhem, turmoil, it’s like

watching a whirlwind whip snow off a pike

Sometimes, however he’s just the right bloke

to serve at a party, crack a good joke

2.   

I keep Boris Johnson in my freezer,

along with Chris Grayling, and Theresa.

They came in a packet of frozen MPs

I bought, to de-swell my arthritic knees.

Some say, deep-frozen are better than fresh,

and, if you can find them, back-benchers are best,

but even though my MPs ’re high profile

they’re about as sweet as a crocodile.

They’re a moribund bunch, a misshaped mix,

effective enough for a short sharp fix,

but I doubt even these stonyfaced MPs

will ever relieve my arthritic knees.

However, I’ll keep them in my freezer -

Bumbling Boris, Cross Chris and Theresa,

their packet is near to its sell by date,

and I’ll throw it out soon, at any rate.

Next time I’ll buy Birds Eye frozen peas,

go au naturelle, take vitamin Bs,

fill up the freezer with iced G & Ts,

and forget all about my arthritic knees.

Close Encounter at the Ritz – Jane Sharp

Mary Jane went to the Ritz

For supper with her daughter,

When old Wino showed his bits

She said: ‘you shouldn’t ‘ave aught – t’.

Wino! Wino! We know you,

We know what you are after,

Mend your ways you fat gnu

Or be prepared for slaughter.’

Well, I had lots of fun writing those. I hope you had fun reading them.

We are on the run up to Christmas, and I have written a little verse for my cards. All in all it has been quite a productive week. I'm going to relax now with a couple of episodes of Game of Thrones before bed-y-bies. 

I hope your weekend is going as week as mine, and that the sun shines on us all tomorrow.

Love and hugs,

Jane x