The Robin and the Rainbow – poyum

Earlier today

against a sullen sky

I saw a rainbow

on a bitter cold

December day

while to my right the sky

was blue and sun was

shining

weakly but shining

nonetheless

It’s snowing in Sheffield

and Maltby

our driver said

as the rainbow was fading

and the traffic lights

changed to green

It was too cold

for Xmas shopping so we

bought our food and 

had our lunch then 

hurried home to where

the boiler burbled busily

and the radiators radiated

while the kettle boiled

but first I had to feed

the birds they need it

here in Britain where

global warming has

messed up their migration

and mobile phones

have mixed up all their

patterns so the pundits say

A robin

red breast glowing

not a cliché really glowing

was busy at the feeding table

he watched me then he flew

away to let me make his tea

A robin and a rainbow

in one day near to Christmas 

and now it is tries to snow

outside my window

but our low valley

hides us from the

worst of winter

and as I write

the brave robin is back

his chest like brighter blood

against the grey and

slate and sleeting sky

A robin and a rainbow

a robin and real snow

I am living in a Xmas card

and my world is magic

but real

Until I step outside

the shielding door

into cold reality

but still

I saw a rainbow

and a robin

and a robin and some snow

on one cold damp and dull 

December Day

 (C) Eunice English