Poetry Magazines - The best collection of poetry magazines online - Simon Armitage

January

Awaken
to a white world,
and on the way
to work
a snowman
politely
removes the pipe
from his mouth and tells me
to have a nice day.

February

Pluvius
in the ascendant.
An elderly lady
ahead of me in the queue
lends me an umbrella, saying
she always carries a spare
and I can
let her have it back
tomorrow
if I am catching
the sixty-eight
at the same time.

March

Ferocious
winds from the East,
and distressed gentlefolk
scampering down the hill
to restrain
runaway
wheelie-bins.
 
April

A penthouse party
celebrating
the end of Lent,
and a Bunny Girl
presents me with
an Easter egg
containing
a chocolate rabbit.

May

Cruel return
of winds from the East,
and the avenue
is carpeted
with blossom.

June

Midsummer Eve
and
my neighbour’s barbecue.
A myriad fireflies
light the evening.
Dragonflies hover over
the artificial pond
where
frogs chorus,
and a nightingale
sings
under the full moon.

July

Visit
the annual village fete,
and am told
by a gypsy fortune-teller
that, come Guy Fawkes night,
the blind
will be leading
those who cannot see.

August

Bank Holiday at Cleethorpes,
nostalgic for
childhood outings
with Mum and Dad,
who could not afford
Blackpool.
Fish and chips,
but no candy floss
to be found.
Cleethorpes
is known as
the last resort.

September

The days dwindle down
to a precious few.
Strike up conversation
with a woman
in the queue for the sixty-eight
who assures me she once sang
with Frank Sinatra.

October

The end
of British Summer Time
and
a date with an angel
does not come about
because
one of us has forgotten
to put the clock back.

November

Lost
in a pea-souper.
Guided safely home
by a stranger
in dark glasses,
with a white stick.

December

Peace on earth, goodwill to all,
and going home
from the office party
am stopped by a reindeer
asking directions.