Review of 2016
(not quite a poem)
You gave me Vice-Captaincy,
coffee with friends,
massages, the gym, weight loss.
You gave me a published poem
about a girl in white socks.
You gave me time with Fiona
who flew in on a plane,
it was so good to see her again.
You gave me heaps of golf
at clubs new to me.
You gave me a Writer’s week
that topped every retreat
I’d ever been on. You gave me
Cornwall. Another
published poem came. The North –
so chuffed, so chuffed about that one.
You gave me hope
then took it back again.
You gave me a hospital bed.
You gave me a Daily Mail golf win.
You gave me a new boiler.
You gave me pub lunches.
Another Daily Mail win, on home ground this time.
You gave me a coffee morning
sodden with rain.
You gave me
a cottage just me and the dog
where walks along the cliffs
brought views hard to top.
You brought me sheep and log fires.
You brought me Jungle book.
You gave me practice rounds
where the sun was red hot.
You gave me golf with a girl
with not much time left…
You gave me river walks
and strolls through the woods.
You gave me thoughts for a friend
going for an op.
You gave me delicious times in a
locally coffee shop.
You gave me bunkers to sift
(no, that’s not a joke!)
You gave me Ferndown then
shingles. Made me want to rip –
my face off.
You gave me hope of more poems
being published in books
then sent them straight back
saying competition was tough.
You gave me the Canary Islands –
sunbathing topless.
You cancelled a 4BBB
but gave me the cream tea.
You gave me a shock
worse than Brexit
same date though, my birthday,
23rd June. Thanks. Not.
It was worry, anxiety
like no other.
First second by second
minute by minute
to hour by hour
then day by day
which grew to understanding
and new skills to try
which pushed me further
along my timeline
taught me life lessons
to share if need be.
You gave me a greenhouse.
News more poems to be published
and my first acceptance
of flash fiction, both in The Beacon.
You gave me a Buddhist retreat
at Ledbury Festival
where I learnt I can’t sit still
enough to meditate.
You gave me the tallest tree swing
I’ve ever seen
where I swung so high,
no-one else in the field.
You gave me the New Forest Folk Festival
with a stage to stand on
with an audience of hundreds
and a thirst for more.
You gave me a cousin reunion
in the heart of Oxford
with a night of karaoke
which I doubt will be topped.
Shopping with a sister
who doesn’t drop
golf with a new friend
at Paulton’s Park.
You gave me Ancient Egyptians
to share with the kids
at Winchester Discovery Centre
and I’m glad you did.
You gave me the garden
and hope in small seeds.
You gave me Friendly matches –
my aim just to win – and we did, (mostly.)
You gave me nieces and cousins
to catch up with. And a brother
from NZ and his lovely family.
And parents, aunts and uncles too,
a September Sunday, a family BBQ.
A fairy festival deep in the Forest.
A Captain’s Away Day, hot enough to melt in.
A club championship in torrential rain
soaked to the knickers by the first tee!
You gave me a platform
in the form of an interview
in a local magazine.
You gave me blackberry picking with special little girls.
The New Forest Rally with first prize a glass rose.
A meeting with a son and his granddad at last.
An Anti-slam where I was no good at being bad.
So much golf crammed into one week
with a baby competition, all dressed up in pink.
A poetry festival, meeting with poets.
Editing stories to help someone get published.
Shocking news of a friend gone too soon.
Another poetry retreat that matched the last one
in Shropshire. I love Shropshire.
I could do that again.
And a personal invite from The Poetry Business.
Fingers crossed I hear back from them.
Catching up with a cousin once again,
in a pub, and in shops, trying on things.
Golf into December as the weather was good,
It’s a way to keep fit and be out in fresh air.
And through all of this I’ve had family,
with grown up children doing their thing –
So on thinking this year had not been that good
my review serves to show that it has been just that –
There were times where I didn’t know which way to turn
but it was 2016 – and I had things to learn.
Sandra Lyn Gordon
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A lovely positive poem, Sandra.
Thank you, Richard. A very Happy New Year to you.
Wonderful poem, Sandra. I just love the idea of September Sundays. Great imagery.
Many thanks, Allison.
Fabulous Sandra! I saw a post on FB where we write something positive (I guess it can just be something) that happens every day, fold it up on a piece of paper and collect them in a jar so that at the end of they year we can read them and be grateful (or not lol) for the year that has passed. At least we can see that lots has happened. I had thought about doing it but you have inspired me to start this today! Always good to plan forward but lots to be gained from being grateful for or recognising our progress.
Many thanks Wendy
Ah, many thanks, Wendy! Yes, I’ve seen that too and have started one this year because of writing this little account of 2016. I ‘d just used my diary for my poem but it was a very interesting process which led me to think exactly the same as you. Being grateful for the little things, turn out to be the big things, I find. Good luck with your jar. Perhaps you’ll write an account of 2017.
All the very best,
Sandra