The Sliver

                                             Brenda Bryant

SKYWATCH

THE SLIVER

The sliver of light

Between day and night

Narrower and weaker grows;

The gaudy blaze

That met our gaze

Now pale and desperate glows.

With one last gleam

It casts a beam

Above the darkening sea.

The clouds roll in

And they will win;

That is how it has to be.

If I but blink

The light will sink

Defeated from my sight.

Farewell to sun;

Your play is done.

We all submit to night.

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THE CONSTANT WINNER

(Written on the occasion of the 2010 Cricket Test Match)

Would you like to 'win' when England plays Australia

For 'The Ashes'  are cricket's greatest prize.

Then get dual nationality, such as I have,

And nobody will cut you down  to size!

When Australia's on the top I am Australian,

But I'm English if the English rule the roost.

So, whichever side is winning, that is my side,

And my ego gets an extra little boost!

Well, this year I'm gaily singing 'Rule Britannia!',

So you'll surely guess which side is doing well!

The English seem unstoppable, as far as I can see.

For Australia I hear a funeral knell!

And just what are The Ashes? Well, many years ago

Australia beat England at the game.

And The English burnt the wicket on a sort of funeral pyre;

The wicket became 'ashes', hence the name.

As for our dual status, it's something that's allowed;

For, after all, our differences are few,

And we find it really useful on occasions such as this

To belong, not to one country, but to two.

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