Miles Whinfrey

The Acrobats

When they had finished all their tricks,
blindfolded- leaping, somersaulting, forming pyramids-
They crossed the stage in little jerky rushings,
bodies very pink across the footlights
bottoms prominent and shoulders held well forward,
legs detached and stiff, like those of dolls-
and again leaping, somersaulting; made more pyramids
and caught each other from great heights
and all blindfolded-
How we clapped them.

They took the call calmly,
placid and unsmiling like horrible pink dolls.

Suddenly I saw their bellies breathing fiercely.

Miles Whinfrey © December 2015

Hugo

Hugo is a friend
Always sure and in perfect complacence
He’s no short measure or Merry Andrew
How likely was this? move to the village was ticklish
Not through err or error, no-one jejune
As far as we know always a Handsel- a radiant soul

An invigilator, messenger, chef. Health service doyen.
A man of faith who positively loves his Princes.

With concern and beliefs rather than greatest overarching purpose,
monetary motivation
Time split is now coming back together for contentment and happiness

Sometimes put in a pickle by hardened attitudes
“Great Scot people have crowded lives
We all start in needing lessons in to how to best suit each
others purposes”

When decerning peoples position and direction
Terrain can be seen, land and water,
Like standing up in protest in a meeting over principle or
to make an offering of love
The reason’s to notice, to examine, assess

The day after the fayre, a clean breast, new thinking
More support for tricky lobbying
And a smile and special message on a Florists card
Everyone benefits from guerdicies

“One cannot build life from refrigerators, politics, credit statements and cross-word puzzles.
That is impossible.
Nor can one exist for any length of time without poetry,
Without colour,
Without love.”

Antoine De Saint-Exupery.

This poem makes me conscious of my own social drinking. But it is not really about that- more about the Greek ideas of the good things. It’s often a reading at weddings.

Drink to me only with thine eyes

Ben Jonson

Drink to me only with thine eyes,
And I will pledge with mine;
Or leave a kiss but in the cup
And I’ll not look for wine.
The thirst that from the soul doth rise
Doth ask a drink divine;
But might I of Jove’s nectar sup,
I would not change thine.

I sent thee late a rosy wreath,
Not so much honouring thee
As giving it a hope that there
It could not wither’d be;
But thou thereon didst only breathe
And sent’st it back to me;
Since when it grows, and smells, I swear,
Not of itself but thee!

Winston Churchills thoughts on communication
and brevity

‘The aim should be reports which
set out the main points in a series of
short, crisp paragraphs.

Often the occasion is best met by
submitting not a full-dress report,
but an aide-memoirs consisting of
headings only, which can be ex
panded orally if needed.

Let us have an end of such
phrases as these: ‘It is also of
importance to bear in mind the
following consideration’ or ‘consider
at ion should be given to the
possibility of carrying into effect…’
Most of these are woolly phrases
and are mere padding, which can be
left out altogether, or replaced
by a single word. Let us not shrink
from using short expressive phrases,
even if it is conversational.’

PM Poets- 8th September Derby Museum & Art Gallery
Miles Whinfrey © September 2015.

Turner’s Paintings & Clouds

Born Covent Garden, in the rule of George the Third
Barbers son
From a child drew and painted
Pictures up and sold in fathers quarters
Wanted to be an Artist

Thomas Malton Topo Draughtsman took as apprentice
Have a go Joseph- It’s for money

On to the RA of Joshua Reynolds
No direct entry- through the Schools
Wasn’t taught painting

A feature artist for magazine travelling Britain and
Europe
In France saw first Claude Lorrain, then more and more

‘Work before life,’ the whole regime, practiced
and perfect: Chalk, pencil- tobacco juice, watercolour
Fine touches of aquarelle, bold strokes of impasto
Around then made Academician

The modern world we know was emerging at this time
Must have thought hard- ‘what can be achieved with painters
roll and easel?’
Photographic insights, paint development, and Goethes colour
selection rules

Light, force of elements, clouds, enormity of the geographic
Searching sunlight through mist: ‘Louis Phillipe at Clarence Yard’
Tumultuous swirling maelstrom: ‘Slavers in the Typhoon’
What great achievements.

Miles Whinfrey (c) January 2013

No poem for ‘Hands’

Hand me downs

From mum and dad- they got it when they got married
Coming from a department store in the days of customer service- no doubt matched perfectly to demand
In it’s time it has refreshed me and them both
Set of 4 pieces, one tray and a hinged lid
Futuristic and shiny in steel
Do you dip or stir? Or just wait for time to take it’s effect?
Don’t keep looking- We’ll know when it’s ready
Without mesh ball originally
Have you asked the vicar if he wants more? –What vicar?
On hand for as long as the conversation takes, best for a coven of 2 or 3
I can’t imagine the time coming when we put it on the tip
We can’t do without it.

LITTLE WILLIE

M Whinfrey © August 2015.

Little Willie

Little Willies’ congeries of collogues
Didicoy Equivacator he is really.

Hoyden are welcome, picking up lessons, Hwyl yes Hwyl
No Imbroglio, can’t be immiscible, he inveighs.

Jermaid, no, far from it I say
Jocose rather, I think. My own Jynx.

Lachrymous thoughts not for me, win some-loose some
Loquatious as I am.

Hi there

I have 2 or 3 speeches to do between now and september or october 2015. The first is on negotiation and has taken quite a while to come to fruition. I have cancelled 2 speech slots because I just didn’t think I would have done the speech justice if I had gone and done it and either of them. So now with more knowledge and time it will finally be on the 23rd June.

The second speech is diffusing criticism which I am giving a lot of thought right now. The 3rd is demonstrating a skill and explaining it to club members for ease of understanding. All of these are interesting and are going to end up being rewarding. Cheers everyone…

Miles Whinfrey (c) April 2015.

FOREST

‘Enjoying Tobacco is natural, part of which is the great taste,’
Along with English pint, the smoker needs their little packed
tube between fingers to be happy,
Take a draw for satisfaction.

The hardened toker swears by the lights. It’s a ‘pick me up’
we chuckle, whether big strong men or plucky women,
Omnipresent and there through every time and trend, slow
change, upheaval, war and peacetime.

People realise the downside- they burn your clothes, and
make you cough,
But otherwise among other things singer’s improve husky
tone, and so desirable to opposite sex.

What does the smoker say after having too many in a night?
‘Nine fifty a pack,
It’s bad for the kids.’