I Know Yellow and Blue

I have heard it said that purple and mauve

stand for memory, nostalgia, or loss.

Lavender scented cupboards spring to mind.

I know that purple is yellow and blue,

mixed by an artist’s brush

Summer skies, cornflowers, sunflowers,

sunshine and bluebells in spring,

daffodils, delphiniums,

bunting across the street,

blue doors in white walls

under an awning that flapped in the wind,

a boat on a tossing sea breeze,

blue ripples across the bay,

a beach ball of summer stripes thrown up to the sun,

the bucket and spade we left behind

on that glowing yellow day

Our memories shine in full colour

or age to a lesser thing

Under the Willows

When we were young and dreaming

we hired a boat, floated beneath the bridges

made of worn and ancient stone

we rowed stronger and further than anyone else

to be alone on the tranquil river

We pulled in and laid back beneath willows

toes touching, smiling, reading

while the afternoon drifted downstream

dazzling sparks and flashes on ripples

sunlight filtering green through the leaves

We never thought to look deeper

into the darker shadows

to the tangle of weeds beneath us

but we rowed against the current

to make our way home in the evening

We were young and we were dreaming.