take me away
to a land of lightness and life
where the warmth of the sun
relieves the chill of aching bones.
take me away to the space
where my heart can dance
and my soul can sing.
my mind is restless,
I long for relief,
if only I could skip,
twirling careless and free
no more shackled to the darkness
that descends without warning.
take me away
to where the sun kisses the sky
and the clouds hover gently
their shadows chasing the waves.

The neighbours cat lies curled by my side,
close enough to the warmth
of my laptop
and me.
If I let her,
she would stretch all the way across the keys.
She lies, peaceful and serene,
whilst I maintain an increasingly uncomfortable stillness
trying not to disturb her midday slumber.

cats are inscrutable,
what lies behind their steely stare?
dogs love deeply,
but cats,
I'm not too sure.
Are we simply conveniences
that are trained to feed,
pat and care,
or is there something deeper
within their catty heart?

I am not a cat lover,
and yet,
here am I
well trained,
avoiding movement,
so this cat may sleep
within the domain
she has just subdued.

it's raining
a dull day
damp mists
cloak the valleys,
the sodden percussion
of raindrops,
rivulets meandering
across the sandstone flagging.
My mind is full of disquiet,
a mood to match the weather.
I am spending the day withdrawn
from view,
treasuring the moments of solitude
in between the conversations
that draw me back into the light.
Were it sunny, would I feel different
or is this the continuation of my sad malaise?
Soon I will be drawn back into the real world
of people, smiles and laughter.
How I wish I could join them.
I will play the part that I must
until I can be caught away again,
surrendering to this heaviness
desperate for a ray of light.