The elegant crane stood still waiting patiently still, waiting in the silt filled shallows of the Tolka river

Rubber tyres, broken bicycles, abandoned prams and large striped red and white traffic cones were sticking up out of the clinging mud

The rattle of the dart train as it passed overhead did not disturb the crane from it's purpose to catch a fish

A, splish, a, splash a dash the crane had caught it's catch

A flap of elegant wings took the crane above all earthly things

The clacking of the magpies will soon be a forgotten thing

Brilliant rows of daffodils nod their heads gently in the warmer softer winds

The farmer steps out more sprightly now this season has begun.

Lambs jump friskily in the fields full of gentle fun

Small birds are flitting madly between bush and hedge and tree

It will not be long before a nest or two or three

Dad pushes out the lawn mower to cut the lush green grass

The cats roll in the sunshine they know that winters past

Boys heads are turning as girls wear brighter clothes.

Cats and dogs start straying as the love scent hits their nose

People sit in parks until the evening goes, housewives polish windows until they glow and glow

Children blowing heavily through reddening noses

The moon acquires halos as it waxes and wanes.

The crackle of ice as it melts in the drains

Cars crunch over frost on slippery streets

Steam seems to come out of people as they talk in the streets

Birds nests abandoned in skeletal trees people rapped up from the head to below knee

Children throwing snowballs with unbounded glee

Old folk looking forward to their nice cup of tea

The singing of larks from their heights at noonday

The crying of sea birds as they swoop and they soar

Keen eyes from the sky's as they search out below searching for scraps from burgers to baps

Boys are skimming stones that go plip plop in the sea

The shrill cry of kids as they crash through the shallows with buckets and spades and all kind of paddles

They jump scream and shout as they splash water about

Beach ball are dancing away in the breeze of the day from bare foot to the hand the sound they make feels grand, when they bounce of the beach they're quite elusive to reach

The hole in the sand that some children had dug is now filling with water going glug glug glug glug

The fat man lies snug in a rug under the shade his beach brolly has made

Cars are lined up in shining rows they reflect sky and sea and our company

The sun as it sinks in an orange red glow seems a signal to all to pack up and go.

Wearily homewards we go , happily because we know we've come to the end of a perfect day when we've all had our fun and play.

They bring rain and hail and even some snow as they sweep over houses in wailing rushes they cause windows to creak and floorboards to squeak.

Some gates are swinging wildly and playing odd tunes, overhead cables are whining your songs

Dustbin lids and tin cans come clattering along quickly to join this unusual choir as the wind grows in pitch getting higher and higher

Pedestrians are walking in peculiar ways , cyclists are putting strains on pedals and chains trying to get home before you pelt them with rains

All clothes are now flapping on weak and on strong, washing lines snapping as you whistle on.

People are starting to loose their grip brollies and canes are starting to slip, some have even taken to flight much to the youngsters sheer delight

Hats are being whipped off several heads to scatter down roads like mad jumping toads

As you sweep up the mountains and howl down the glens blowing rubbish before you from pond and from fen

You frighten all animals asleep in their stables as you rattle all doors and swish off end gables

At night clouds seem to skim past the moons face like giant pillow cases in a crazy race

The trees in the forest seem to be paying you homage as they bow and they sway in each gust you send there way

You whip up the seas causing breakers to race and all the boats to start bobbing as they slow down in pace

We're suddenly surprised when you go as quickly as you came

Perhaps you've got tired of playing your game

It's a cold wintry morn the sun has a pale silvery hue.

It pierces my window panes causing the ice crystals to reflect a myriad display of colours of light silver streaked blues

Crows croak on the white stubble of frozen grass, birds beaks are crunching through this upper frozen mass seeking out food from beneath the less hardened earth below

Snails are deep in shelter under their frost covered shell like igloos.

A plastic bag gently unfolds as the chill begins to slip and moisture starts to slowly drip

Clouds of steam starts to rise from the queuing buses, lorries and cars

Spiders webs stand out starkly like strings of fine white pearls

The sea roared in with a deafening booming sound lifting from its angry giant waves that sent rivulets of criss-crossing sea snaking speedily up the beach like an army of hissing snakes

Plastic beach furniture was snatched at random by this tumult and were pulled back quickly into the boiling surf

Some palm trees with their little surrounding turf were uprooted from the sucking wet sand and were slammed in a whirling mass into the fearsome foam

Fishes were flipped up and out and were left open mouthed gasping and bodies rasping the sharp shingle at waters edge

Sometimes they were rescued by a returning rush of sea ending their misery

Tourists were staring with their mouths agape wondering if their holiday choice was a bad mistake

The old owl perched high perfectly still in the willow tree Its branches and leaves whispered their timeless secret songs to the gentle breeze that floated softly through the trees

The owl sighted a small glow of infra red and launched out on its near silent deathly flight. The overhead moon seemed to be smiling down on this frightening sight and its slanting shafts of light cut through the trees occasionally briefly catching the owls outline like a spot lit star.

The wood mouse knew to late of its disastrous fate as a large talon claw crushed its tiny jaw leaving no room for a scream. Small sprinkles of blood spread for a short distance across the forest floor and insects rushed quickly to sup this precious midnight cup

The wraith like figure of a fox appeared scenting the midnight air hoping for an abandoned kill but disappointed left in dispair. The owl returned with a flutter landing on the willow tree still clutching its late night supper. A passing tom cat was disturbed by this slight commotion while on its nightly loving devotion. It thought to itself, one day the old owl will sleep to long in that willow tree and what will be will be

O Soft River I see you gently meeting the incoming tide

Mingling in its salty mass I see you slowly let it pass

Wiping out your tracks and numerous records, from leaping frogs to playful otters that crossed through your gentle flow.

It's the end of your path as you know it, what shall you do when you go

Whence you came.

Running through all seas with the greatest of ease

Rising to the skies, again before your creators eyes

Decending again to be of use to all women and men

You know it must end one day my watery friend

What of the time when Vikings laid their flaxen heads down on your soft

River banks

Their beautiful longboats slipping gracefully upon your smooth surface like a

Host of golden swans

They stopped to name the town of the wide opening "Baile Atha Cliath"

You have always been its extended tongue O soft one

Watching the waves encroaching remorselessly on the ever shortening shore line

The hissing in the shallows of various pebbles and shells

intermarrying in rolling balls through the effervescent foam

The sight of moonlight shimmering accross the deeper

Water as the surging tide moves landwards with a silent menacing force

The war between land and sea has gone on for aeons both worthy foes each interchanging roles beneath the smiling moon, whom is responsible in part for many ensuing battles

Nations and civilizations have disappeared before these surging tides and only whispers of their existence appear from time to time

When a surge in Neptune's locker reveals a secret from the distant past

Wading birds flock into Bull islands marshlands, sometimes their underbellies are lit up by a section of moonlit sea as they glide into land

Some honking as if pleased with their successful landing, like a sailor greeting friends after returning safely from a long voyage

A family of swans glide serenely by in brilliant
luminous white

Lapping waters seem to murmur and whisper
as they flow over and through small stones at waters edge

An owl haunts the nearby woods with its eerie cry
The sound causes the wood mice to quickly hide and scatter

Time seems to quicken as the first rays of the rising
sun strike the dewy morning grass reflecting a
kaleidscope of colours through the droplets

A cascade of birdsong heralds the dawn of a new day