When I climb the slope of Bottom Field, I run my open palm through the stalks of barley. The little cobs are green and the stems are a ghostly blue and those grouped antennae are just junior whiskers. This multitude, though young, has buried the hill and is its own horizon. I shall come down the slope of Bottom Field some day in the coming months, heading for home. And I shall run my brown hand through the barley stalks, now a dusty gold, each ear a dream of bread, each stalk a dream of chaff and we shall know each other.
I'm a post-retirement Drama teacher, currently working part-time. I have a grown-up son and daughter, three grandchildren and three young children from my second marriage. I write - principally poetry but prose too, both fitfully published. My poetry collection Ancient Lights is published by Phoenicia Publishing (www.phoeniciapublishing.com) and my translation of Blaise Cendrars' 'Trans-Siberian Prosody and Little Jeanne from France' (illustrated by my friend, the artist, writer and long-time blogger Natalie d'Arbeloff) is published by Old Stile Press (www.oldstilepress.com).
I play bass guitar & bouzouki in the song-based acoustic/electric trio Moorby Jones, playing entirely original material.
https://www.facebook.com/moorbyjones?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
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https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=MOORBY+JONES
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I have a dormant blog with posts going back to 2004 at Dick Jones' Patteran Pages - http://patteran.typepad.com - and I'm a radio ham. My callsign is G0EUV
Sorry, Dom, an unrecognised nom de plume! I’ll chase up the chap’s work.
BTW, I’ve deactivated my Facebook account. Whether FB Central got tired of me or I overdosed everyone with my constant newsfeed material, I found that my interactions and post likes suddenly dried up. I put out a couple of distress calls but got no responses so I got my coat. I’m currently hanging out not very comfortably on Instagram.
Similar experience here. One factor perhaps is I think people used social media more during the lockdowns and have drifted away since. I’ve totally wound down Facebook too (even deleted almost all past posts, comments, etc.), but have kept it active on account of a village group I’m admin of and Messenger, which I use quite a bit. Will probably use it to share blog/Bandcamp/etc. posts now and again.
It’s a beautiful, eloquent poem Dick, and those below (which I hadn’t read until now) are marvellous too. I am very ashamed not to be visiting you on this page more often and have no valid excuse. If time is an excuse it’s a feeble one but I can’t deny that currently my time (as years go by… la la la la) is spent with minimal social interacting, whether online or in reality. I carry on making art because that’s my life and I’m more aware now that I haven’t got forever anymore! 93 next birthday very soon! Anyway, forgive me. I’ve sent you an email. Thankyou for the music of your poetry.
Please don’t apologise, Natalie. Time pressure needn’t be an excuse, but it can be an explanation. I know of (and envy) your practical commitment to work. I’m just happy that we get to see the fruit of the daily labours! And thank you for your words. Your praise is very welcome and much valued.
sisyphus 
I like the dream of bread. We get ears growing in our garden every year. I guess birds must drop the seeds.
Thank you very much! It’s rare to have new visitors to this lonely outpost.
Not new! Carruthers is the name I blog under. 73, M0KXD!
Sorry, Dom, an unrecognised nom de plume! I’ll chase up the chap’s work.
BTW, I’ve deactivated my Facebook account. Whether FB Central got tired of me or I overdosed everyone with my constant newsfeed material, I found that my interactions and post likes suddenly dried up. I put out a couple of distress calls but got no responses so I got my coat. I’m currently hanging out not very comfortably on Instagram.
Similar experience here. One factor perhaps is I think people used social media more during the lockdowns and have drifted away since. I’ve totally wound down Facebook too (even deleted almost all past posts, comments, etc.), but have kept it active on account of a village group I’m admin of and Messenger, which I use quite a bit. Will probably use it to share blog/Bandcamp/etc. posts now and again.
It’s a beautifully lyrical poem and a gorgeous last line.
Thank you so much, Lynne. I’m delighted that you enjoyed the poem.
It’s a beautiful, eloquent poem Dick, and those below (which I hadn’t read until now) are marvellous too. I am very ashamed not to be visiting you on this page more often and have no valid excuse. If time is an excuse it’s a feeble one but I can’t deny that currently my time (as years go by… la la la la) is spent with minimal social interacting, whether online or in reality. I carry on making art because that’s my life and I’m more aware now that I haven’t got forever anymore! 93 next birthday very soon! Anyway, forgive me. I’ve sent you an email. Thankyou for the music of your poetry.
Please don’t apologise, Natalie. Time pressure needn’t be an excuse, but it can be an explanation. I know of (and envy) your practical commitment to work. I’m just happy that we get to see the fruit of the daily labours! And thank you for your words. Your praise is very welcome and much valued.