Hopper

A dusty track,

a cricket leaps.

As I approach,

she leaps again.

Slowly, I step up to

stalk the little jumper,

hoping for surprise.

She stands cool as rock

until, with a blur

of high air,

opening

her gossamer,

she floats and weaves away

into a spectacular destiny.

Glimpse

At the top of my favourite

Lakeland mountain

I catch the sea

glinting distant – flat and grey.

Peering from

the summit cairn

a far skein of steel

glints, communicating.

Of course, it’s nuts

to think the sea could really

communicate

although, when close,

it never stops talking,

waving and rushing,

supporting and killing;

impeccable, unrelenting

salt. Different from sand,

electricity or breath:

impossible to own,

upping the ante

- like love.

Feral café

A kitten,

neat as a razor,

leaps on my lap and purrs

like a Harley;

curls fast asleep

with its nose in the folds,

trusting its time to relax.

Next night, we buy the vibrating furball

dinner for our trouble.

Sweet as a swordfish.

You monkey!

Greek Island

Pop music, sunset,

swallows arc at mosquitoes,

boats, clouds and sea rocks.