(As if it was painted with coloured inx)

And the sun it ever so swiftly sinx

Behind the hills in a couple of twinx

You may hear (if you’re lucky) a bell that clinx

And also tolls and also tinx

And they say at the very same sound the Sphinx

It sometimes smiles and it sometimes winx

But nobody knows just what it thinx.

Charles Causley

Contentment

Contentment

I’m glad the sky is painted blue:

And the earth is painted green;

And such a lot of nice fresh air

All sandwiched in between.

E. C. Bentley

Sun is Laughing

Sun is Laughing

This morning she got up

On the happy side of the bed,

Pulled back

The grey sky-curtains

And poked her head

Through the blue window

Of heaven,

Her yellow laughter

Spilling over,

Falling broad across the grass,

Brightening the washing line,

Giving more shine

To the back of a ladybug

And buttering up all the world.

Then, without any warning,

As if she was suddenly bored,

Or just got sulky

Because she could hear no one

Giving praise

To her shining ways,

Sun slammed the sky-window closed

Plunging the whole world

Into greyness once more.

O Sun, moody one,

How can we live

Without the holiday of your face?

Grace Nichols

Changing Places

Changing Places

The day is disappearing,

she’s off to meet the night

where she will share with darkness

the present that is light,

like sunrise, sparkling oceans,

the middle of July,

the oak tree and the blue jay,

the hopscotch butterfly.

The day is disappearing

as light begins to fade,

the night-time’s tinsel treasures

are ready to parade:

the helicopter fireflies

and bats in cloak-like flight,

the comets, stars and planets,

the grotto of the night.

So let us praise the noon-shine

and celebrate the night.

The diamanté darkness

and the dancing light.

Stewart Henderson

Smile

Smile

Smile, go on, smile!

Anyone would think, to look at you,

that your cat was on the barbecue

or your best friend had died.

Go on, curve your mouth.

Take a look at that beggar,

or that one-legged bus conductor.

Where’s your cross?

Smile, slap your thigh.

Hiccup, make a horse noise,

lollop through the house,

fizz up your coffee.

Take down your guitar

from its air-shelf and play

imaginary reggae

out through the open door.

And smile, remember, smile,

give those teeth some sun,

grin at everyone,

do it now, go on, SMILE!

Matthew Sweeney

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

The compiler and publisher would like to thank the following for permission to use copyright material: