The Canary Islands

YELLOW MELLOW MONDAY

http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

THE CANARY ISLANDS

Here I am with a 'Canary' a thousand years ago!

I look dull but she appears with a lovely yellow glow.

We were on a journey on a ship back to the old U.K.

And this was a Fancy Dress affair we indulged in on the way.

Leaving Africa behind we had to sally forth

To a cold green country known as Home some way to the North.

I was feeling very miserable though it doesn't really show.

I'd adored Rhodesia and I was loathe to go.

But my sister was terminally ill and my parents needed me

So I set off on the journey over the wide, wide sea.

I'd left behind good friends and sun; I knew not what lay ahead

And I viewed with future with alarm, and a certain amount of dread.

I was heading to a Winter; something almost forgotten.

In other words, I was sad, depressed and life felt really rotten.

But halfway through the journey a Gala Night occurred

And my cabin-mate (forgotten now) dressed up as a yellow bird.

I dressed up as an island; on my head there's a green palm tree!

In fact, I'm dotted with islands as far as the eye can see.

Yes, we were the Canary Islands! And we actually won a prize!

(Though on closure inspection I can see some sadness in my eyes.)

The year? About 1962; great sorrow lay ahead.

In fact I find I much prefer 2010 instead!

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Gerald Gee

RECOGNITION!

What do I know of art? Practically nothing at all!
But sometimes I see a painting and I hear a clarion call.
I stumbled on this, one morning, surfing the net as I do,
And I felt that it was a treasure that I should share with you.
Can you feel the wet sand squelching between your innocent toes?
Can you feel the dark cliffs looming as the evening darker grows?
Can you picture the warm interiors of the cottages by the sea?
And can you imagine their tables, where they're sitting down to tea?
Can you hear the cries of the seagulls, even though they're not in view?
Can you hear the lisp of the water, with its pale so-English blue?
I can hear and see and smell and dream and imagine I am there.
And, if I 'don't know nuffin'' I simply do not care!
You may tell me only Gaugin or Rembrandt rates a mention,
And often I view my artistic taste with a certain apprehension!
That awful phrase......'I know what I like'...... is such a condemnation!
But I like this because I get a frisson of elation
From tuning-in to another mind, another way of seeing,
Another attitude to life, another way of being.
And so I recommend to you the artist (see the name)
And if you don't agree with me, well, I am not to blame!
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