SPRING THAW

The polar bear stepped gingerly,
Just one step at a time...
No longer thin as he should be,
No longer quite sublime...
The ice grew soft as morning dew,
Not hard as once he'd seen...
The ice was slippy-slidy, too,
And he was not so keen...
The seasons change, that's how it goes,
Life gently moves along...
Yet suddenly, the wise heart knows,
When something could go wrong...
He'd slipped before! He'd banged his teeth!
He'd yelped in pain that day!
He'd cried out loud in disbelief,
Till his pain went away!
One step... one step... one step... then pause...
As if he'd lost his touch...
A little scared with outstretched claws,
Reluctant now to budge!
Before you laugh at such a sight,
Have you slipped up at all?
Have you crashed down with all your might
When ice caused you to fall?
Compassion teaches us to care,
That's if we've 'thawt' it through!
Instead of laughing when we stare,
Let's ask, 'What should we do!?'

Denis Martindale, copyright, May 2010.

My Poetry website: http://poem.says.it

The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Spring Thaw'.
Shared on http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/spring-thaw/

The Stephen Gayford Gallery website is here:
http://www.gayfordgallery.com

Update: My poem, 'An Ode To Stephen Gayford' is featured in
the website's News Section!
http://www.gayfordgallery.com/news.htm

There's also a Guest Book!
http://users2.smartgb.com/g/g.php?a=s&i=g25-52612-21

The Stephen Gayford poems can be viewed here:
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems or
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems2
http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com

The framed pictures are bought from these UK websites:
http://www.bid.tv (on UK Freeview)
http://www.price-drop.tv (on UK Freeview)
http://www.speedauction.tv

WADING IN

The tiger knew that it was time
To wash away his woes,
To gently soften all the grime
That stuck between his toes!
That's why the stream seemed so supreme,
His perfect Shangri-La...
Now wading in, as in a dream,
As if into a spa...
The world felt distant, far away,
The water felt so good...
His problems melted, kept at bay,
Beyond this neighbourhood...
No other tigers shared his pool,
How could he come to harm?
And so he let his body cool
Amid the tranquil calm...
Of course he knew it wouldn't last!
He savoured it for now...
And luckily an hour passed,
That's all God would allow...
So up he got, as if reborn,
Blessed, baptised and renewed...
No more the feline so forlorn,
But full of gratitude...

Denis Martindale, copyright, May 2010.

My Poetry website: http://poem.says.it

The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Wading In II'.
Shared on http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/wading-in/
Shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/wadingin

The Stephen Gayford Gallery website is here:
http://www.gayfordgallery.com
Update: My poem, 'An Ode To Stephen Gayford' is featured in
the website's News Section!
http://www.gayfordgallery.com/news.htm
There's also a Guest Book!
http://users2.smartgb.com/g/g.php?a=s&i=g25-52612-21

The Stephen Gayford poems can be viewed here:
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems or
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems2
http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com

The framed pictures are bought from these UK websites:
http://www.bid.tv (on UK Freeview)
http://www.price-drop.tv (on UK Freeview)
http://www.speedauction.tv

WHITE HUNTER

Starvation festers deep within, just like a burning coal
And to that hunger each gives in, that hole that's in the soul.
The wolf, like lions, tigers, bears, must hunt for food to live
And just like them, he truly shares the need to take not give.
White hunter wolf is on the prowl, as predator not friend,
Intentions cruel and callous, foul, another life to end.
With no pure white, no impure black, no middle ground that's grey,
The hunger forces him to track, to find food night or day.
Against the snow, invisible, except for piercing eyes.
While his smile hides fangs that cripple and cut foes down to size.
His claws await their destiny, their moments in his plan.
Fulfillment of their infamy, since hunting first began.
This time, he hunts, yet all alone, no other wolf in sight,
And so his heart is cold as stone and dark as deadly night.
Condemned to forage for himself, the vicious victim preys,
His cunning, running, speed and stealth, from these he never strays.
Beware the white wolf's wicked stare, he hunts without remorse.
His is no game of truth or dare, it's life or death... of course...

Denis Martindale, copyright, May 2010.

My Poetry website: http://poem.says.it

The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'White Hunter'.
Shared on http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/white-hunter/

The Stephen Gayford Gallery website is here:
http://www.gayfordgallery.com
Update: My poem, 'An Ode To Stephen Gayford' is featured in
the website's News Section!
http://www.gayfordgallery.com/news.htm
There's also a Guest Book!
http://users2.smartgb.com/g/g.php?a=s&i=g25-52612-21

The Stephen Gayford poems can be viewed here:
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems or
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems2
http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com

The framed pictures are bought from these UK websites:
http://www.bid.tv (on UK Freeview)
http://www.price-drop.tv (on UK Freeview)
http://www.speedauction.tv

SAFETY IN NUMBERS

The elephants walked gently by,
Their leather trunks hung curled...
A tender twinkle in each eye,
Not a care in the world...
Just one foot was marching forward
In time with all the rest...
Knowing that all was well and good
And feeling somewhat blessed...
It's nice to watch such gentle grace,
A rhythm all their own...
As if somehow they owned the place
And this was always known...
No need for tusks to swing and hit,
No need to stand their ground,
No need to make a fight of it
Or throw their weight around...
Their confidence was plain to see,
Their offspring showed no fear...
In fact, it almost seemed to me
They smiled from ear-to-ear...
They ate the food that God supplied
And drank from streams He made,
As if He were their gracious guide
Whose love would never fade...
The elephants walked gently by,
Their leather trunks hung curled...
A tender twinkle in each eye,
Not a care in the world...

Denis Martindale, copyright, May 2010.

My Poetry website: http://poem.says.it

The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Safety In Numbers II'.
Shared on http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/safety-in-numbers/

The Stephen Gayford Gallery website is here:
http://www.gayfordgallery.com
Update: My poem, 'An Ode To Stephen Gayford' is featured in
the website's News Section!
http://www.gayfordgallery.com/news.htm
There's also a Guest Book!
http://users2.smartgb.com/g/g.php?a=s&i=g25-52612-21

The Stephen Gayford poems can be viewed here:
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems or
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems2
http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com

The framed pictures are bought from these UK websites:
http://www.bid.tv (on UK Freeview)
http://www.price-drop.tv (on UK Freeview)
http://www.speedauction.tv

YOUTUBE.COM GayfordGallery MAY 2010

http://www.youtube.com/user/GayfordGallery

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbNzZi47_sQ

Denis Martindale's 100 Stephen Gayford tribute poems:

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com

Having written 100 poems about Stephen Gayford's pictures, I was glad to receive an email about the Gayford Gallery and I thoroughly enjoyed the pictures I've seen here. I was delighted with the presentation style and the choice of music. I tune in to the UK Shopping channels on Sky Digital and Freeview and visit their websites to search for the keyword gayford. The tiny pictures I see there will help me to write my poems. I've visited Stephen Gayford's website and found so many exquisite close ups of these magnificent creatures. I've uploaded my poems to my blog website and to http://www.poemhunter.com and some describe the power of the big cats while others describe family life. I've tuned in to bid.tv's Stephen Gayford Art Evening events and was writing new poems at the same time Stephen was in the bid.tv studio. Imagine these pictures as seen on a Sky Digital HD box direct to the HD TV. Astonishing detail, well worth recording, even if you can't buy
any of the limited editions of the prints or the beautiful canvas pictures. The prints are already framed and so wonderful that you want to become a collector just like me! Stephen's fans should be told of his website and my poems seek to share details and provide links. I found loads of prints on Ebay as well and from some of these I was able to write some more poems. Google helped with the image search and linked to even more websites. But this presentation is an added bonus! Save this webpage as a favourite!

http://www.youtube.com/user/GayfordGallery

Keep up the good work. God bless.

Regards, Denis Martindale.

http://www.gayfordgallery.com/

http://en-gb.facebook.com/people/Stephen-Gayford/100000995751409

AIN'T LIFE TEDIOUS?

'I don't know about you, sunshine,
But I think it's getting worse...
There was a time I thought things fine,
But now it's like a curse...'

'Us meerkats, always running round...
And looking left and right,
And scared to death of every sound,
Nerves shattered day and night!'

'The kids don't care! It's all a game!
We get no sympathy!
The faces change, yet life's the same
And that's what's bugging me!'

'Variety's the spice of life!
That's what the humans say!
But all I see is pain and strife...
Constant running away!'

'Just look at these short legs I've got,
I was taller last year!
And why must it always be hot?
Oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear!'

'The humans drink Pepsi and Coke!
I think we should complain!
God, this is a terrible joke!'
Then it poured down with rain...

Denis Martindale, copyright, May 2010.

My Poetry website: http://poem.says.it

The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Ain't Life Tedious?'
Shared on http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/ain-t-life-tedious/
Shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/aintlifetedious

The Stephen Gayford Gallery website is here:
http://www.gayfordgallery.com
Update: My poem, 'An Ode To Stephen Gayford' is featured in
the website's News Section!
http://www.gayfordgallery.com/news.htm
There's also a Guest Book!
http://users2.smartgb.com/g/g.php?a=s&i=g25-52612-21

The Stephen Gayford poems can be viewed here:
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems or
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems2
http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com

The framed pictures are bought from these UK websites:
http://www.bid.tv (on UK Freeview)
http://www.price-drop.tv (on UK Freeview)
http://www.speedauction.tv

MANCHURIAN KING

He was the likely candidate
To be the tiger king,
The one that Nature would create,
From him new life to bring...
The one with fire in his eyes
And courage in his heart,
So that his foes would realise
That he would play his part.
There was no turning back for those
Who had to fight not fail,
Against another, way up close
To stay the Alpha Male...
The road ahead was paved with fears
That he alone must face,
Yet with defiance through these years,
These dangers to embrace.
There was no glory in defeat,
No pride beneath the stars,
No joy when some great beast can beat
And leave you scratched with scars...
For him, the years would not be kind,
Old age would sap his strength...
The tiger king would one day find
His resting place at length...
For now, defeat was far away...
In youth, he looked sublime...
His destiny he must obey,
Triumphant for a time...

Denis Martindale, copyright, May 2010.

My Poetry website: http://poem.says.it

The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Manchurian King'.
Shared on http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/manchurian-king/
Shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/manchurianking

The Stephen Gayford Gallery website is here:
http://www.gayfordgallery.com
Update: My poem, 'An Ode To Stephen Gayford' is featured in
the website's News Section!
http://www.gayfordgallery.com/news.htm
There's also a Guest Book!
http://users2.smartgb.com/g/g.php?a=s&i=g25-52612-21

The Stephen Gayford poems can be viewed here:
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems or
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems2
http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com

The framed pictures are bought from these UK websites:
http://www.bid.tv (on UK Freeview)
http://www.price-drop.tv (on UK Freeview)
http://www.speedauction.tv

MOUNTAIN MYTH

Snow leopards once were thought as myths, ghostly apparitions,
Upon the mountains and on cliffs, mostly superstitions.
Then photographs so quickly proved what first was hard to see -
The way they laid, the way they moved, no more a mystery.
Yet when I look, there's still a part that takes my breath away,
A majesty that strikes my heart, no matter, come what may.
For beauty still affects my soul, my spirit and my mind,
Such that it swiftly takes control, as if a spell to bind.
Cat lovers know their soft embrace, that purring noise they make.
No other creature takes their place, of that, there's no mistake.
Imagine, then, if leopards, too, befriended Man as well,
With purring noise said, 'I love you!' What tales we each could tell.
When Adam walked upon the Earth, with Eve right by his side,
The animals all knew their worth, each owned a sense of pride,
Each walked in peace, it all made sense, till sin and then the Fall.
Alas, we all know violence... its bitter taste is gall.
Snow leopards raise their families and do the best they can.
All creatures long to live in peace, yet none strives more than Man.

Denis Martindale, copyright, May 2010.

My Poetry website: http://poem.says.it

The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Mountain Myth'.
Shared on http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/mountain-myth/
Shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/mountainmyth

The Stephen Gayford Gallery website is here:
http://www.gayfordgallery.com
Update: My poem, 'An Ode To Stephen Gayford' is featured in
the website's News Section!
http://www.gayfordgallery.com/news.htm
There's also a Guest Book!
http://users2.smartgb.com/g/g.php?a=s&i=g25-52612-21

The Stephen Gayford poems can be viewed here:
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems or
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems2
http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com

The framed pictures are bought from these UK websites:
http://www.bid.tv (on UK Freeview)
http://www.price-drop.tv (on UK Freeview)
http://www.speedauction.tv