Roars of Pride
Celebrating England Women winning the Euros, 2025
Our lionesses now rightfully reign,
Making history, they’ve won the Euros again.
Sarina’s grand plan proved to be right,
As they pulled themselves through a nail-biting fight.
Poems
We’ll miss you Chris
A poem in memory of my sister, Chris Penny
How to describe dear Chris who is gone?
To her children she will always be Mum,
Granny Cats was also a favourite name,
With ‘Crazy’ perhaps her claim to fame.
Crazy Cat Ladies Do Care
A poem responding to JD Vance’s comments about crazy cat ladies and childless women
Crazy Cat Ladies have hit the news,
Thanks to Vance’s dreadful views.
He thinks women who’ve not given birth,
Lack future commitment, have no worth.
The Lies and Foes of the Election
A poem all about the entertaining highs and lows of the 2024 UK election.
Rishi pronounced all drenched in rain,
Our chance to vote had come round again.
With six weeks ahead of electoral fun,
Those empty promises could run and run.
Our Current Climate
A poem about climate change, made up of metaphors and clichés.
The heat is on, we’re in full flow,
Flooded by those gloomy facts,
Drowning out our sense of calm,
As clouds do not have silver linings.
Our Pride of Lionesses
A poem inspired by the brilliant performance of the Lionesses at the World Cup
Millions of us keenly tuned in,
A World Cup Final – could we win?
Go for it girls, it’s been far too long,
And Sweet Caroline’s now our favourite song.
A Magpie Muses
A poem from the point of view of the only magpie living in Shetland
Gannets and guillemots throng in their thousands,
Screeching and squawking across the cliffs,
While from the rocky ledge below,
Puffins gently rise and float free.
Face Facts
A poem about animal sentience and how we can understand chimpanzees’ facial signals
Since we descended from great apes,
Their gestures form familiar shapes,
We can tell if a chimp seeks some food,
Wants to groom or is in the mood.
There Were Only Eight Hundred
When visiting war graves on Crete, we were told that relatively few soldiers were buried there. But it still seemed a lot.
The bush-flecked Cretan slopes
Surround the glistening graveyard,
Where pale monuments salute in rows
Those heroes felled in war.
The repeated remorse of pointless loss
Laid out in military symmetry. …
Notes of Loss
This poem tells of my shock in hearing ‘God Save the King’ for the first time when for my whole life I have heard ‘Queen’.
In shock we tuned in to the rolling news,
And tears were shed across the nation,
Leaders stepped up to share loving views,
With tributes and stories of her dedication. …