Two Poems

Cultural

 It must be that
 there are fewer cats these days
 wheeling their low haunches
 along the margins of small back-gardens

 where the honeysuckle pervades
 and the roses are blowing
 their pink and apricot petals
 in the wind –

 I'm not making this up, you know!
 Some of the English
 haven't yet surrendered to cheap decking
 and cheeky coloured balls on sticks

 imported from Ireland –
 the garden birds are so tame
 this year I can almost
 scoop up a handful

 of song-thrush
...