PARD

A leopard cage
marked "Pard",
and Pard
was waiting for his lunch.

A man in blue
came up with meat
in large tin bowl,
and Pard devoured meat hungrily.

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TUESDAY

A foreign guest
Pouring over papers,
Not knowing how to fill his day.
Maybe he will hire a car
or go on a ramble.
He knew that coming here
Was a foolish gamble.

What was there?
A dairy farm;
A butterfly farm
that closed on a Tuesday.
His spirits sunk
At the thought of all
The Tuesdays yet to come.

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A SHEPHERD

The only shepherd seen
was from the train,
in pouring rain...
I knew him by his crook...
"Oh look!"

One moment, then,
a proof to me that
shepherds do exist,
although few in number
near that track of train.

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season's transhumance

sheep are returning from hills

clouds mimic the backs

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THE MANGER

Moment of glory for the manger -
That it is part of the range
Of tales about Christ...
Now it has returned to the stall
Humbly, forgotten outside of the Bible.

Moment of glory for the manger -
Its link with "to eat" -
A French-learning feat...
Now we rarely think of the manger
Except for the carol, "Away in a".

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BLUE MADONNA

I need to see a certain pueblo blanco,
and go in the white, high church to pray.
They have, by all reports, a blue Madonna...

I will kneel by the blue Madonna,
and pray for all the people - every one.
I'll pray they'll have good fortune in the pueblo;
that their Madonna, blue Madonna,
will see them safely Home.

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THE SEXAGENARIANS

This is the first wedding
for a hundred years
and they have brought out
the centenarian from her home.
She'll watch the sexagenarians
on their wedding day.

There will be no sex in their marriage,
but nonetheless we'll honour them.
There will be no children to run
to the centenarian; no babies,
but in their cottage tonight,
the sexagenarians will hold hands.

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