A Walk In The Sun
The penguins waddled gamely on,
Not one said, 'Boy, we're lost! '
They had the sun to hope upon
And so the ice they crossed!
They first went left a mile or two...
Then waddled to the right...
No fish in sight! What should they do?
They could go on all night!
They turned around, then waddled back,
To where they started from!
The ice was white, but things looked black!
Yet they kept their aplomb...
They huddled close some warmth to keep,
A gentle breeze blew by...
They found some water, oh, so deep!
They heaved a long, long sigh...
They all went crazy running fast!
One mad dash for some fish!
And after dinner, peace at last!
That was their fervent wish!
They all laid down upon the ice,
Their tummies resting there...
To them, this place was Paradise,
While they've got fish to spare...
Denis Martindale, copyright, January 2011.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'A Walk In The Sun'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
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poem by Denis Martindale
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Drying Off
The tiger's mouth was open wide
When he first saw the stream,
Because he knew what it supplied,
An answer to his dream...
The hot, hot sun was beating down
And sapping all his strength...
Yet there, amid the trees so brown,
Would be some peace at length.
So inward joys soon bubbled up,
Urged on in sweet surprise,
As if he were a week-old cub
So near to Paradise.
The water welcomed what leapt in
With one almighty splash,
With surface circles made to spin
And nearby fish to dash...
An hour passed and he must leave
His Paradise on Earth...
His former life and times retrieve
And show what he was worth.
But first the drying off a while,
So he would look his best,
So he could make the ladies smile
When suitably impressed...
Denis Martindale, copyright, October 2010.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Drying Off'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
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poem by Denis Martindale
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Elephant Heaven
The sun was hot, the breeze was cool,
The day had just begun...
The elephant must find a pool
Where he could have some fun!
So off he went, his trunk held high,
Remembering the past!
With one huge twinkle in his eye
Till he arrived! At last!
The water waited patiently...
Warmed by the sun above...
The giant slipped in daintily...
His heart so full of love!
'This is the place! I'll stay awhile...
I'll rest and take my ease...'
He slurped the water with a smile,
'I'll do just as I please! '
With that, he splashed and thrashed around!
The fish fled for their lives!
They'd lost the sense of peace they'd found!
God knows how each survives!
The elephant then had a whim...
Submerging like a whale...
'I'll show these fishies how to swim! '
Flat out, he swished his tail!
The fishies looked enthralled, amazed!
Astounded he could float!
If men had seen this, they'd be dazed,
For he was like a boat!
The elephant went on his way...
Refreshed, revitalised!
At last, he bid them all good day...
Gob smacked... and still surprised!
Denis Martindale, copyright,2011.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Elephant Heaven'.
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poem by Denis Martindale
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Fondness
Two penguins stood in one embrace,
United side-by-side,
Despite the coldness of the place,
They shared a sense of pride...
An inner warmth then grew within,
Like humans often feel,
As fondness grows and dreams begin
When something seems so real...
The ice stayed cold beneath their feet,
The sky stayed blue above,
Yet God knew how they looked so sweet,
As warmth turned into love...
From that day on, these two stayed close,
Contented lives to live,
For each goes where the other goes,
Companionship to give...
That's why they never felt alone,
Each sheltered from remorse,
While others nurtured hearts of stone,
As if the only course...
I envy all that fondness shared,
No matter, day or night,
Alas, for me, nobody cared...
And folks, that just ain't right...
Denis Martindale, copyright, November 2012.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Fondness'.
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poem by Denis Martindale
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Jungle Prince
Fresh-made prints of the Jungle Prince,
A tiger, to be sure!
The sight of these could well convince
With every new-laid paw...
Perhaps he was a mile away
Or maybe up a tree,
Content to stay, content to lay,
Perhaps in wait for me!
I paused and gulped, a tad distraught...
But just a tad, mind you...
I wasn't scared or overwrought,
But did what I must do...
I stayed subdued yet stayed alert...
I looked both left and right
And to make sure I wasn't hurt,
I ran with all my might!
Then, suddenly, the tiger stood
As if to block my path...
As if he owned the neighbourhood
And thought he'd have a laugh!
He glared at me, I stared at him...
Oh, dear, he did look vexed!
I must have feinted! Things looked grim!
God knows what happened next...
Denis Martindale, copyright, March 2011.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Jungle Prince II'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
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poem by Denis Martindale
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The Resting Place
A fallen tree was found one day
As one young tiger strolled
And that was where he chose to stay
To let tense claws unfold...
The sun was shining, gliding past,
Just like each day before,
Yet there below he found at last
A place to rest each paw.
The tiger's whiskers lowered down,
Like tiny twigs at ease,
While peace began to melt each frown
Amid a soothing breeze...
This was the life! For him, at least:
No hunger, thirst or fear.
Like music to the savage beast,
His thoughts were crystal clear...
A fallen tree, well past its prime,
While sad, still served him well.
To him, a precious place sublime,
Where he could pause a spell...
Let others chase their tails around!
Let others build their nests!
For him, a paradise was found...
No wonder that he rests...
Denis Martindale, copyright, April 2011.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'The Resting Place'.
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poem by Denis Martindale
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The Sublime
The leopard left his sleep behind,
Arose and walked around
And with that walk his waking mind
Was glad at what he found...
The sun was shining in the sky,
A wondrous breeze drew near
And yet not once did he ask why
Such blessings should appear...
And yet this world is so sublime,
In every single part
And blessed are they that spend their time
In painting perfect art...
Think of all creatures... great and small...
That artists sit and paint,
Yet Stephen Gayford, he stands tall,
To some, he is a saint...
He captures insights when on tour,
He gets each detail done
And then he thrills us to the core
And shares his sense of fun...
From meerkats to the giant cats,
Fantastic dolphins, too!
He paints them like aristocrats...
Sublime... each time... for you...
Denis Martindale, copyright, August 2012.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'The Sublime'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
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poem by Denis Martindale
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White Lord
The pure white lion chose his spot,
Content that it would do
And there he didn't move a lot,
He just enjoyed the view.
To him, this was another day,
No worries on his mind
And so he let time pass away,
Slow breathing to unwind.
The years had taught him how to live
And if to walk or run
The time to take, the time to give,
The battles to be won.
Of course, by now, the heat was strong,
So why not have a rest?
No point in running all day long,
For who would be impressed?
The white lord in the sky above
Was just like him below,
When that old sun had shone enough,
It gave the moon a go.
Let lion cubs run left and right!
Let lion cubs climb trees!
For now, it was his prime delight
To nestle on his knees.
Denis Martindale, copyright, June 2011.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'White Lord'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
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poem by Denis Martindale
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Dignified
The wolf watched everything in sight
While he heard every sound,
For soon he'd run with all his might
Across the unturned ground...
No farmer ploughed across this land,
The wolf was on his own,
No creature there to understand
His hunger that had grown...
So there he stayed before his crime,
As if quite dignified,
So statuesque, so cute, sublime,
Yet starving deep inside...
Of course, he'd done this all before...
That's how he still survived,
But, oh, my goodness, what a chore,
Till his next meal arrived...
He licked his lips, let out a sigh,
Then breathed in long and slow...
For all day long beneath God's sky,
He stayed, nowhere to go...
But that wise wolf survived again,
Another moon to see...
That's why we'll hear him howl again,
All night, till half-past-three...
Denis Martindale, copyright, September 2011.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Dignified'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
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poem by Denis Martindale
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Day's End
As cotton clouds still crossed the sky
As if they'd just been spun,
Lionesses watched the day pass by,
Relaxing in the sun...
Contentment conquered all their qualms,
They saw no need to move,
No sudden panics or alarms
And nothing left to prove...
For them, it was a normal day,
With sunshine everywhere,
A gentle breeze seemed here to stay,
As if without a care...
A mellow mood from first to last,
Perfection, so to speak
And yet day's end was coming fast
To end another week...
And so they lingered side-by-side,
Just blinking now and then,
With sunshine as their only guide
Till moonlight shone again...
The heat would fade, as light must, too...
The lionesses sighed...
A shame they can't give thanks like you
For all that God's supplied...
Denis Martindale, copyright, June 2012.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Day's End'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
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Eye To Eye
I like most elephants I've seen,
I like them, yes, I do...
I like it when they don't act mean,
I like how they swim, too...
I like the way that each one grins,
I like their tusks like nails...
I like their wrinkled leather skins,
I like their swishing tails...
I like it that they look so wise,
I like their marching troop...
I like the twinkles in their eyes,
I like their ears that droop...
I like the way they walk along,
I like their patient grace...
I like it most that while they're strong,
Thank God, they know their place...
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Eye To Eye'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
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Staying Cool
'O.K., that's it! ' the tiger said!
He'd simply had enough!
And in a rage, he shook his head,
Yes, things were looking rough!
He'd searched the jungle for that stream
Because he'd lost his way,
So hot, he wandered in a dream
And thus was bound to stray!
Yet suddenly... he smelt wet leaves,
Their scent upon the air
And thus a long, long sigh he heaves,
'At last, I'm almost there! '
Since staying cool was his concern,
That water saved his skin!
The path that led here he must learn,
So he could get back in!
And all at once, he waded past
The leaves that helped him find
This precious Shangri-La at last
That offered peace of mind...
Tense muscles slumped! His body swayed...
The heat was quickly gone...
And motionless, he thus delayed,
Beneath the sun that shone...
Denis Martindale, copyright, November 2012.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Staying Cool'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
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poem by Denis Martindale
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Group Hug
The meerkats looked and looked and looked,
But nothing was in sight!
Yet all day long, the sun had cooked
And fried and fried and fried!
They'd stood their ground, while standing tall,
Through teamwork, each was safe...
When evening came, I watched them all,
Defiant, noble, brave...
Then suddenly, they huddled close,
Like bugs upon a rug...
Now crouched up tight, each cuddled nose
Caressed in their group hug!
I've never seen the like before!
So intimate, so sweet...
A parable I'll not ignore:
Love makes our lives complete!
I'm not the sort to cuddle folks!
Most folks don't seem to care!
I'd be the butt of countless jokes,
If I should ever dare!
Yet should I envy the meerkat,
With friends on every side?
Oi, you! Watch out! Whose foot was that?
Be careful, pal... all right?
Denis Martindale, copyright, September 2010.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Group Hug'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
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poem by Denis Martindale
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Homeward Bound
The elephants were homeward bound
And walked as in a dream,
As if their peace were newly-found,
Content to be a team...
Left-right, left-right, they marched as one,
Slow motion, gently paced,
Beneath God's precious golden sun
They travelled without haste...
No point in charging dead ahead,
When patience was the key...
For that would merely lead to dread,
With great uncertainty...
The little ones among the herd,
Must be protected still,
Such that no troubles had occurred,
Here's hoping that none will...
Just look at how they live so long,
Till pensioners at best
And think of how they look so strong
And then you'll be impressed...
Thus homeward bound, the herd moves on,
From day to day to day...
Until, at last, the last mile's gone
And home's the place they'll stay...
Denis Martindale, copyright, December 2012.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Homeward Bound'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
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poem by Denis Martindale
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Contented Mother
Behold the truth in black and white,
Two Pandas truly blessed,
Together, what a wondrous sight,
No wonder we're impressed!
There's the mother, so contented,
As proud as proud can be...
There's the baby there, presented,
For all the world to see!
To think, the mother's lived so long,
Endangered though she is,
Yet now her hopes are oh so strong,
Her heart's now filled with bliss...
Her baby's barely got a clue,
Yet peace seems everywhere,
A tender touch says, 'I love you! '
For true love's in the air!
Yet each father, mother, baby
Needs something to be done!
Each Panda has a destiny,
If Man protects each one...
Consider wildlife charities,
Can you provide support?
The chiefest of all remedies
Is that we spare a thought...
Denis Martindale, copyright, August 2012.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Contented Mother'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
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Full Attention
The tiger took his merry time
Wading in the water...
Why shouldn't he? It felt sublime,
Perfectly in order...
So he went up and he went down
And he went left and right
And though each stripe looked like a frown,
His joy was at its height...
This is the life, he seemed to say,
Nothing else quite like it!
No hurry to be on his way,
In truth, he must admit!
Up to his neck in Shangri-La,
Nirvana, Heaven, peace...
It wasn't likely he'd go far,
When he could take his ease.
Did it have his full attention?
Yes, he felt comfy there...
Had he lost all apprehension?
He didn't have a care!
No point in leaving for a while...
So he felt mighty glad...
If anything can make you smile,
Like him, get stuck in, lad...
Denis Martindale, copyright, July 2010.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Full Attention'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
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poem by Denis Martindale
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Savannah Slumber
Sometimes a lioness must sleep
Despite her cubs in-tow,
Into the Land of Nod to creep,
With eyelids hanging low...
And long deep breaths soon come around
To signal her retreat,
Until she hears a purring sound
From one cub small and sweet...
She almost made it! Both eyes closed!
'What now! ? ' she thinks once more,
Yet her young scamp has just imposed,
So how can she ignore?
Can't someone else please help her out?
They look the other way...
Alas, there's not one friend about!
How typical today!
She still pretends she's fast asleep!
But he's a pesky pest!
Despite the fact she's like a heap,
I don't think he's impressed!
So up she gets, left paw, right paw,
Then back legs follow suit...
Now's not the time to sleep and snore!
'Hey, Mum, don't I look cute! ? '
Denis Martindale, copyright, October 2012.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Savannah Slumber'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
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poem by Denis Martindale
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Close Companions
Two tigers rested, both at peace,
No arguments at all,
No disagreements to release,
No sudden need to brawl...
Serenity was in the air,
Tranquillity sublime...
As if they had all day to spare
And yet not waste their time...
They gently breathed the sunshine in,
As if they felt caressed...
No pesky flies, no tails to spin,
Contented and so blessed...
Was this their dreamworld filled with love?
Was this their answered prayer?
If so, perfection proved enough
That they were glad to share...
If only Man had peace like this!
A place to sculpt or paint,
A paradise of precious bliss,
So delicate, so quaint...
Where music lilted lyrically,
Like waterfalls at play...
Like Heaven, where God's majesty
The angels praise each day...
Denis Martindale, copyright, September 2010.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Close Companions'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
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poem by Denis Martindale
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Sundowner
The lioness was nestled there,
As grass stalks swayed nearby,
A gentle breeze caressed the air
As if it were a sigh...
Enough to calm the sun that shone
To soothe her as she lay,
Enough such that her cares had gone
Towards the end of day...
Like hers, each human heart needs space,
Each mind some time to chill,
Regardless of what else takes place,
Just motionless and still...
For life can't run at break-neck speed,
So vivid and so real,
For every creature knows the need
To help the body heal...
So learn the lesson, learn it well,
The body needs its rest...
Please choose the chance, stay still a spell,
So that it can be blessed...
Sundowners let their days wind down,
Like vigils meant to keep,
Such that this time melts every frown
Before their beauty sleep...
Denis Martindale, copyright, January 2012.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Sundowner'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
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poem by Denis Martindale
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Winter Repose
A lone Siberian tiger
Was resting on a hill,
All dressed in white and golden fur,
Reclining, oh, so still...
Accepting all that Fate had thrown,
Resigned to come what may...
Yes, there he was all on his own,
Just taking in the day...
He couldn't see a soul for miles
And nothing flew above...
And every day he faced new trials,
He met no-one to love...
The lonely figure looked around
At all his eyes surveyed...
And there, he didn't hear a sound
And so, felt quite dismayed...
Without true love, what have we got?
It's true, God only knows...
We know that it can't be a lot,
Like tigers in repose...
Yet hope abides in tigers, too,
And so they persevere...
Yes, they must do what we must do,
Until true love is here...
Denis Martindale, copyright, December 2010.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Winter Repose'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
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Sun Worship
Three little meerkats looked ahead
At different angles then
There was no sudden awful threat
That was beyond their ken...
Each held their gaze transfixed in time,
Like statues frozen still...
And though at first this looks sublime,
It soon must lose its thrill.
The only thing that they see move
The whole length of the day
Is that old sun that seeks to soothe
Their frayed nerves come what may...
That little circle in the sky
That glides and glides and glides...
I bet it makes them question why
At night it goes and hides...
They worship what they hold most dear -
It helps them to survive!
It helps each smile from ear-to-ear,
So glad to be alive...
Next day the circle's back again!
The meerkats look above...
Their Grandad smirks and nods and then
Each looks at it with love...
Denis Martindale, copyright, January 2011.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Sun Worship II'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
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