Author: Sue Young

Quote Of The Week

‘ I had a sense even at that age, of how the majority can submit to the bullying of a few determined individuals, and how a single man can restore to others a sense of the dignity of individuals and the power of a community.’

From The Land of Green Ghosts – Pascal Khoo Thwe

Quote of the Week

‘The Rat Race’ means a race where, no matter how fast you run, you don’t get anywhere. I felt bad about the title because, I thought, it wasn’t a rat race at all, it was a People Race, and no sensible rats would ever do anything so foolish,’

Mrs Frisby and the Rats of Nimh – Robert C. O’Brien

Famous For 15 Days – The Life Of A Crane fly

You left the window open

So I came in

You had a light on

And it was warm.

You seem afraid

When I flutter

I do not mean

To frighten you.

I seem chaotic

Haphazard

Bouncing around

Just trying to find

Somewhere to land.

I hope we can

Co-exist peacefully.

Now, just a bit of back story

To make you less afraid.

Our larvae spend

Most of the year

In moist soil

We are food

For many animals.

We do not bite or sting

Or spread diseases.

When we do emerge

We don’t even have

Much time to eat.

We have between 10 and 15 days

To propagate the species

To love, to live

That time is precious

It’s like the lifetime

That you have.

In school playgrounds

Boys pulled off our legs

Our legs are decidious

Easily coming away

But even decidious legs

Shouldn’t be pulled away

I know that used to upset you.

We are born to fly

In open skies

I was out the other day

A cloudy, windy

September Day

When the author

Saw me in flight.

They exclaimed

It was so nice

To get a glimpse of us

Outside the confines

Of a building.

Hadn’t seen

A more graceful flyer.

It’s like we’re in slow motion

With an invisible parachute.

The author finally realised

How gentle we were

I’m glad.

Also, we don’t need to be famous.

See you next year.

Can We Go Now?

I’ve been here before in this space

Between a rock and a very hard place

I don’t want to stay

Like a rat in a corner

Trapped and alone

When there’s no way out

Can we go now?

That’s two hours I’ll never get back

And I think we should scarper

Can we go now?

I’m starting to feel out of whack

This thing’s run it’s course

Can we go now?

It all seemed like the perfect dream

Turned into a nightmare scene

Looking at that clock

I swear the hands never moved

Frozen in time

It’s like watching paint dry

Can we go now?

This isn’t fun, nor is quirky

A watched pot won’t boil

Can we go now?

You said we could leave by two thirty

Let us head for the hills

Can we go now?

I Am Alive

At first I was afraid

I was mortified

Kept thinking I could never live

Without my nine to five

But then, you put me in a home

You thought that you’d got rid of me

But I’ll be fine

It’s pay back time

So now just go

Walk out the door

You’ve locked me up now

Because I’m almost ninety four

Well, I’d rather go to bed

After t.v bingo game

If you don’t get out this instant

I’ll hit you with my zimmer frame

So yes, just go,

I’ll laugh the last

That nice male nurse will be due soon

To give another long bed bath

I cared for you- I gave you love

I gave you all my precious years

But now you happily ignore

All my tantrums and my tears

So just get out

Don’t try to weep

You put me out with all the rubbish

Threw me onto the scrap heap

But if you really want to cry

Look at my new will today

Because I’ve left every single penny

To the R.S.P.C.A

I am alive!