Springtime Haiku by Sue Akande

credit: Sue Akande

Cream and brown beauty!

A Speckled Wood is perching

In the dappled shade.

We Can Follow That Star - A Carol by Sue Akande

  This piece of writing first appeared on the blog in December 2020. 

The Three Magi by John Bowler

Three Magi saw something diff'rent that night.

Glimmering bright,

A guiding light.

Overjoyed and inspired by what this could mean,

They followed that star.

Oh how wonderful, that those men from afar,

Followed that star.

To Bethlehem the star lit their way,

And there in the hay,

A baby lay.

In homage they gave their gifts to the Prince.

Of God, Frankincense and Myrrh.

Oh how wonderful, that those men from afar,

Followed that star.

The babe was a gift to all humankind.

A love divine,

Yours and mine.

Bringing peace and joy to all the world,

Beneath that Bethlehem star.

Oh how wonderful, that those men from afar,

Followed that star.

And how wonderful,

That wherever we are,

Whoever we are, 

We can follow that star.

Writing on the theme of Cut ~ by Sue Akande

credit Sue Akande

It had seemed like a good idea at the time but now …

Every time she walked into the dining room it was there, in the corner, winking and twinkling at her, reminding her that time was running out! She had to take action; it had been there for far too long. Why hadn’t she started on it straight away, as soon as it had arrived? What was she afraid of? What was stopping her from making that first cut?

The highly coloured, heavily sequinned lace had arrived in plenty of time for her to make her wedding outfit - so what was it? Would her sewing machine be up to stitching all those sequins? Was it that she had no pattern for her wedding attire? She had sketched out her idea based on the traditional Yoruba buba (blouse) and iro (wrapper skirt). Other wedding guests were having their clothes made up in Lagos, had she taken on too much by saying she would make her own outfit? Maybe she had watched too many episodes of ‘Sewing Bee’!

She had made outfits like it before, many years ago though and never from such elaborate cloth. The material had been chosen by the bride’s family and following the Yoruba custom of Aso-Ebi or ‘family clothes’ the family and friends of the bride would all be wearing ensembles made from the same material.

She looked at the lace again – there was plenty of it so if she made a mistake, it surely wouldn’t be so disastrous, would it? She would start with the skirt – probably the most straight forward part of the outfit. Spreading the material out on the floor of the dining room she began to cut.

Hope on the Horizon? - April ‘21 by Sue Akande

It’s shocking that such a miscarriage of justice has happened to so many sub postmasters and mistresses,

Just ordinary men and women trying to make the best of their businesses.

 

Their troubles only began when the IT system ‘Horizon’ was installed.

Thousands of pounds inexplicably went missing but there was no help from the helpline they called!

The Post Office ignored their concerns -‘You are the only one having problems, you are responsible for the money lost’ - each one was told.

Yet, there were hundreds across the country having issues, one just 19 years old!

Branded thieves, prosecuted, some were imprisoned, some committed suicide,

The injustice has dragged on for years, so long that some have died.

Their time ran out before their innocence could be revealed,

Lied to by the Post Office, Horizon not fit for purpose, the ugly truth concealed.

How can it be that innocent workers have to take the hit,

That they had to pay the price for the pursuit of profit?

Finally, through the court, their stories have been believed,

There was a fault in the system, now relief, as their names have been cleared.

However, will they ever be free from the trauma they have suffered?

Compensation will follow but when will justice be fully served?

My Late Summer Garden by Sue Akande

credit: Sue Akande

There’s talk of morning fog on the forecast,

Leaves on my Sumac are starting to turn,

Cooler evenings are now drawing in fast,

Yes, summer will be over all too soon.

Yet the sun is still warm this August morn,

As I enjoy my late summer garden.

Butterflies on the Buddleia adorn,

Rowan with its scarlet fruits is laden,

Plump blackberries soon to be harvested.

The wood pigeon coos its familiar refrain,

Bees are buzzing, late blooms are targeted,

Crocosmia, Fuchsia, Cranesbill remain.

 

My late summer garden gives such pleasure,

And I am thankful for all its treasure. 

Winter Haiku by Sue Akande

illustration: John Bowler

A flicker of red -

A robin at my feeder

Brightens winter gloom. 

Weekend in Aberdeen by Sue Akande

Simbi Akande as Marta in Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Company’
(Aberdeen 2018)                           photo credit Sue Akande

I had ummed and aahed for ages about whether to go. It was a long way to Aberdeen from Wolverhampton, just for the weekend and in the middle of term too. Then there was the cost and what about the lesson prep and marking I had to do? My daughter was performing in ‘Company’ by Stephen Sondheim at Aberdeen Arts Centre so I toyed with the idea of catching the plane but the times just didn’t fit. I kept looking at the train timetable. I could just about do it if I left school sharpish, but I was still hesitant. Then, I heard my daughter singing a snippet of her song in the show ‘Another Hundred People’. It sounded amazing and I was propelled to book my trains for the weekend. I just had to go.

Friday came and all went well to begin with. I caught the train to Edinburgh and there were no problems with my connection to Aberdeen. However, we were barely on our journey further north when a passenger, slightly the worse for wear, decided to try and open one of the doors between stations and the train came to an abrupt halt! Had I made a mistake in deciding to travel?

Autumn Glow at Kingslow by Sue Akande

photo credit: Sue Akande

 Summer colour fades,

Now other plants start to shine.

Autumn takes over.

 

Rose pink Sedums star,

White blooms form on Fatsia,

Mauve Michaelmas beam.

 

Amber to scarlet,

Sumac gives a stunning show,

Its fiery leaves glow.

Ode to Uxbridge Road W12 by Sue Akande

credit Simbi Akande

Take a stroll along Uxbridge Road

And you can eat your way around the globe.

 

Start the day with breakfast - fill up on a full English, or the colourful veggie version.

What about Turkish Eggs, or go continental with a croissant or ham and cheese?

And to wash it down choose from a range of teas or orange juice - freshly squeezed!

 

Need a pick me up mid-morning?  Have a shot of Italian espresso, a latte or cappuccino, the choice is endless …

Try a piece of flapjack, a Portuguese Tart or a toasted teacake,

An American muffin, donut or a slice of cheesecake.

 

Then take lunch. Are you ready to order? Grab a slice of pizza, Mediterranean Falafel 

or grilled meat with a Greek salad, Spanish Tapas or Chinese Dim Sum

My mouth is watering - yum yum!

 

Still feeling peckish? Pick up some scones, clotted cream and jam,

Sweet pastries, a slice of carrot cake or honeyed Baklava.

And to drink - sample a tropical fruit juice made from mango, passion fruit and guava.

 

On to evening meal, how about Pie, Mash and Liquor? 

Enjoy Piri Piri chicken and chips, a Biryani or a Thai Red Curry.

Don’t want to eat out – don’t worry!

Pick up a takeaway of curried goat, rice and peas or buy something tasty

Like plantain - slice and fry to enjoy with your Jolloff rice or Eba and Egusi.

 

Room for Dessert? Well perhaps just some fruit or a scoop of ice cream

Then finish up at the pub for two pints of lager and a packet of crisps!

 

Enjoy a stroll along Uxbridge Road

And eat your way around the globe.

My Wily Visitor a triolet by Sue Akande

credit: Sue Akande

Sunning himself, I spied him through the glass,

What a shock to see this wily visitor on my lawn!

Sleek and reddish brown, sitting on my grass!

Sunning himself, I spied him through the glass.

The long snout, pointed ears, bold as brass!

No mistaking Mr Fox, that bright April morn.

Sunning himself, I spied him through the glass,

What a shock to see this wily visitor on my lawn!

Hostile Environment by Sue Akande

 Writing inspired by the theme 'The Closed Door'

From the Caribbean Islands to Tilbury Docks,

To the Motherland they came across the sea,

With hope of a new life, Lord Kitchener’s dulcet tones sang out:

‘London is the place for me, London this lovely city’!

 

They took up the invitation to work in car manufacturing and construction, as nurses, midwifes, transport workers, cleaners, cooks and porters.

Many were ex-servicemen – they had already served Britain on the frontline,

But when looking for a place to stay often the door was closed. Slammed shut!

‘No Irish, No Blacks, No dogs’ said the sign.

 

Despite the hostile environment they built new lives and helped repair and rebuild  post-war Britain,

Children joined their parents, families settled here, making Britain their permanent home.

 

But almost seventy years on from when they first arrived their right to remain was brought into question …

By employers, landlords, the NHS, banks, social services and the Home Office.

The hostile environment turned lives upside down and the Windrush generation found the door closed again.

Slammed shut! They were unable to prove their citizenship.

Denied their legal rights many became destitute,

Were wrongly detained

And even deported.

These citizens who had been invited - now found themselves not wanted!

 

In 2018 the Government finally apologised for its unforgiveable treatment,

Compensation could be claimed.

But the tragedy is many died before being able to prove their legal right to remain. 

SMOKE and MIRRORS by Sue Akande

Dressed in a smart, long coat and brimmed hat and carrying a large handbag,

She strode into Boodles, the jewellers in Mayfair.

This was ‘Anna’, sent to value seven sparklers,

Diamonds worth over four million pounds.

 

She was working for a group of wealthy Russian investors

Who wanted to buy the gems.

As a ‘gemologist’ she set to work examining the stones,

With the boss of Boodles and one of their diamond experts.

 

But the boss was called away.

‘Alexander’, one of the buyers, was on the line.

The diamond expert was left alone with ‘Anna’

And as she handled the jewels in their pouch, she put it into her bag!

 

She was told to give the pouch back and so

Anna duly produced the pouch and put it on the table.

Unsettled, the diamond expert raised her concerns,

Anna’s bag was searched but all seemed in order and the pouch was put back in the safe.

The meeting at an end ‘Anna’ stepped out into the sunshine.

 

So, imagine the horror when, the very next day,

The pouch of jewels was opened and

Instead of seven diamonds

Seven pebbles were in the pouch instead!

 

Who had acted with such audacity?

Who had committed this sleight of hand heist?

And how had she pulled off this sort of smoke and mirrors illusion

At the top jewellers, in Mayfair?

 

‘Anna’, age 60, real name Lulu Lakatos,

Had put the diamonds in a hidden compartment in her bag

And produced an identical pouch full of pebbles,

When asked to return the purse of diamonds.

 

Making efforts to disguise herself

She hot footed it to Paddington, jumping on Eurostar to make her escape.

But CCTV footage provided strong proof of her identity and crime

And she was finally arrested and charged to do her time.

 

The grand larceny has been likened to a scene from a Hollywood movie.

There is no doubt, Lulu played a key role.

But she did not work alone.

And while she sits in jail, enquiries are ongoing to capture the rest of her gang, who have flown. 

Hey Little Sparrow (a little ditty) by Sue Akande

 Hey little sparrow, where have you been?

I’ve missed seeing you from my kitchen.

I haven’t seen you for many a day,

Since my neighbour took his clematis away!

Hey little sparrow – it’s good to see you.

 

Hey little sparrow, where have you been?

I’ve missed your cheep, cheep, chirping.

I haven’t seen you for quite a while,

You and your family always made me smile.

Hey little sparrow – it’s good to see you.

 

Now it’s spring and the daffs are in bloom,

You’ll be building your nest quite soon.

I hope in my garden you will stay,

Bringing a little cheer every day.

Hey little sparrow – it’s good to see you.

Belonging - I am a Wulfrunian! by Sue Akande

Wulfruna by Simbi Akande

I am a Wulfrunian!

Even though I’ve lived in various places

And enjoyed visiting other spaces,

Wolverhampton is my home.

Now a millennium city, it was founded by Wulfruna in 985

And this town on the hill has had a market since 1179.

Initially, it was known for its wool trade,

Then later coal mining, lock making, die casting

And the manufacture of cars and motorcycles -

We have a proud industrial past.

 

Wolves has been described by some as one of the worst places in the world.

Queen Victoria famously drew down the blinds of her train carriage on approaching

So as not to see the industrial landscape, what a sight!

However, on her arrival she said she was greeted with ‘great friendliness’.

                        ‘Out of darkness cometh light’

 

People from all over the globe have settled here,

It’s a special place to be.

I am proud to be a Wulfunian!

 

Yes, I’ve lived in other places

And still enjoy visiting other spaces,

But Wolverhampton is my home.

We Can Follow That Star - a Christmas Carol by Sue Akande

Three Magi by John Bowler

Three Magi saw something diff'rent that night.

Glimmering bright,

A guiding light.

Overjoyed and inspired by what this could mean,

They followed that star.

Oh how wonderful, that those men from afar,

Followed that star.

To Bethlehem the star lit their way,

And there in the hay,

A baby lay.

In homage they gave their gifts to the Prince.

Of God, Frankincense and Myrrh.

Oh how wonderful, that those men from afar,

Followed that star.

The babe was a gift to all humankind.

A love divine,

Yours and mine.

Bringing peace and joy to all the world,

Beneath that Bethlehem star.

Oh how wonderful, that those men from afar,

Followed that star.

And how wonderful,

That wherever we are,

Whoever we are, 

We can follow that star.

 

A Day in the Life of Amari McKenzie 13 ¾ ~~~~~~ by Sue Akande

                Hightown Writers respond to October's challenge to write inspired                  by 'The secret diary of Adrian Mole aged 13 ¾'           

Classrooms are empty - pupils log in from home

Thursday 4^th June 2020                                            Week 11 of Lockdown

I’ve been in my bedroom all day, another wonderful day on TEAMs! It’s different this term though as we are having what the school calls ‘live’ lessons. I’m not sure I’d call them that!

The teachers are in school now and call us up on TEAMs when it’s time for our lesson. My teachers aren’t brave enough to have the camera on in Maths and English so we just hear them talking to us and follow the tasks they set on the PowerPoint.  This morning my English teacher kept asking us to mute as there were some very strange noises at one point.  Mira said that they were having a new carpet fitted at her house and Ryan said that he was just finishing his breakfast! My English teacher didn’t realise she was on mute for the first five minutes of the lesson. What a noob! At least my maths teacher knows what she’s doing. We can use the little hand icon to let the teacher know if we want to say something or ask a question. I wonder if they realise that half the class answer the call and then go and do something else while they are rabbiting on – who’s to know? That’s what Sean says he does.

Mother and Father have been arguing all day. Both of them are on furlough and getting on my nerves. Mother keeps saying she wants to use this time to decorate the house. She’s bought loads of paint but I bet it’s still sitting in the hallway at Christmas. She wants to decorate the bathroom with a paint called ‘Elephant’s Breath’! Yuk! It sounds dead disgusting but Mother says it’s an uplifting mid grey with a hint of magenta! She’s bought ‘Blue Escape’ for her and Father’s bedroom and she wants jewel colours in the living room. She’ll be lucky!

I’ve been thinking quite a lot about the new girl in my class today. I wonder what she’s like. She’s called Hermione. Of course I haven’t seen her yet but she did ‘like’ my comment in the chat box about our science homework – haha!

What will teaching and learning be like in the Covid Era? by Sue Akande

Empty classroom before COVID ... what will change this September?

As always at this time,

My mind turns to the new term,

New classes and lesson prep.

But this year there is something else new to think about.

What will teaching and learning be like in the Covid Era?

 

I must confess that when I saw my classroom last week,

All set out for the new term -

I was shocked!

After being used to a classroom for a maximum of six,

How will thirty pupils fit in?

 

What will the reaction of these pupils be?

Some will be excited to see their friends again, no doubt.

Some will be apprehensive about being that close to others again.

Some will be concerned about the learning they have missed.

Some will be missing, I fear.

 

And what about us, the staff?

We need to be confident with the new routines.

Risk of infection cannot be totally eliminated; there are so many unknowns...

What will teaching and learning be like in the Covid Era?

I begin to find out next week!

Watersmeet by Sue Akande

My mind meanders

Back to a wonderful walk,

Where two rivers meet. 

photography: Simbi Akande

 

Everlasting by Sue Akande ( a sonnet dedicated to Mum and Dad )

I love my garden, foliage so green,

The passion flower with blooms exotic,

My Clematis, its mauve petals supreme,

Honeysuckle, evening scent hypnotic.

I think of the plants from my Dad and Mum,

Flame Crocosmia, pink Anemone,

Red Fuchsia and purple Geranium,

A love for the garden, their gift to me.

Buddleia, bees and butterflies adore,

And the herbs, with their beautiful fragrance.

As time goes on I appreciate more,

My little patch, these plants from my parents.

The joys of watching nature unfurling,

Nurturing nature ~ nature nurturing.

Photos: Sue Akande

A Postcard from Bournemouth, June2020!! from Sue Akande

 Bournemouth beaches looking eastwards

Hi there,

You must visit Bournemouth again soon - it’s beautiful! The scent of the pines is still invigorating, the coastline views are absolutely stunning and the Lower Gardens are bursting with colourful blooms -just as you remember.

I spent this morning mooching around Boscombe. The Victorian Royal Arcade has an abundance of fascinating shops. Ambling back along East Cliff towards the Pier, I walked past the Russell- Cotes Art Gallery and Museum. You still haven’t been inside – you must put it on the list for next time!

The beaches are award winning –so good for the kids when they were little. I spent the afternoon on Durley Chine, having a spot of lunch. Then I took the zig zag path back up to West Cliff. Catching my breath, I stood on the top and let my cares drift away on the tide. Promise yourself you’ll make it back soon (but not while the beaches are so crowded!)

Love Sue x