Elaine Whyley

© Elaine Whyley 2005

Hurting in Silence

I sat alone

Trying to focus

On work I have to do

But all the time

My mind is blank

My thoughts go back to you

You see, you’re always in my head

Whether at work or play

For at this time we are apart

Nights longer than the day

I feel your pain

I wipe your tears

I hold you when you’re down

But at this time

I need the comfort

But you are not around

Who wipes my tears?

At this time of hurt

Who tells me it’s ok

I try to put a brave face on

The tears still flow

The hurt won’t go away

18

18 years along time to know

Someone who is small

Someone who has grown

I remember with pride

Your first day at school

The tears in your eyes

The tears in mine too

Over the years

You never failed to surprise

Your drawings, your stories

Your dress sense, oh my

But through it all

I’ve loved every minute

I’m proud of you son

Happy Birthday

With love

Mum

The Sky

Red sky in the morning

Sends out a warning

That rain is on its way

Red sky that morning

Didn’t send me a warning

It was beautiful, that’s all I will say

White clouds racing by

‘gainst the blue of the sky

Were fluffy like new fallen snow

Those white clouds racing by

In the blue of the sky

Looked like faces of people I know

Living Memory

There are no magpies where I live

No black ‘n’ white

Except the odd football shirt

But I don’t look at them

I hate football

There are plenty of other birds

Tits of all shapes and sizes

Sparrows, wrens, robins and rooks

But no magpies

Here there are magpies

Flashing against the trees

Squirrels, rabbits and the odd plane

Here the magpies are everywhere

I wish I could take some

Home with me

To live in my garden

Then I would have

A living memory

Of my time at Newbattle

The Entrance

I stood awhile, waiting to see

If the choice I made was right for me

Strong stone walls, bars either side

I felt afraid, I wanted to hide

Then a feeling came on me

It meant me no harm

The walls curled around me

Like strong manly arms

Leading me in to a place unknown

New horizons, new beginnings

New things to be shown

My Private Hell

Hanging from a rock face

No room for fingers ‘n’ toes

Arms outstretched above my head

Fingers gripping for life

Daren’t turn my head downward

I’ll slip

I’ll fall

Focus on my arms ‘n’ legs

Too tired to climb up

Too high to jump down

A rope would serve me no comfort

Afraid to release

From the ledge

One foot would come unstuck

Then the other one would too

Pain in my arms is intolerable

If only I could let go

Relieve me from the ache

The ledge is barely big enough

For my toes

Let alone my weight

My mind wanders

Things I’d like to do

Move my arms

Bend my back

Free my toes

All these things

Would lead me to fall

So here I hang

In my own private hell

Halloween in the Hut

Well it’s all done

And looking good

From skeletons to skulls

Peanuts, sweeties, pumpkins

Spiders, bats, and booze

Tuesday’s gonna be just great

A night to remember by all

Well maybe not everyone

Toffee apples, crisps with dips

Face masks hang upon the wall

Fancy dress should be a laff

Webs could fall on your face

Ooze pouring off the tables

Music louder than words

Streamers all over the place

Fairy lights give an eerie feel

Its Halloween after all

The Match

It looks like a football match

On the grass in front of the house

Magpies running everywhere

Playing against squirrels

With a nut for a ball

A rook plays referee

And the crowd

A bunch of rabbits

Foul! I hear the rook shout

All the magpies turn to look

And quick as a flash

The squirrel nips in

And takes off with the nut

The Game

Two trees decide to play a game

Of poo-sticks in the stream

The oak and beech

Wait for a breeze

Then

They’re off

They watch till their out off sight

I won said the oak

No it was me

Said the beech

Oh well, said the willow

You’ll both have to wait

Till next year

For the rematch