Saturday 29 January 2011

LAZY AFTERNOON


Two little lions closed their eyes,
So tired in the sun...
No longer now the cool wise guys,
So spritely, full of fun.
Plum-tuckered out, as is the way,
As afternoons take hold...
Then little lion heads will sway
As their neck muscles fold...

Their parents grin from ear-to-ear
To watch them fall asleep...
As sunbeams gently, softly steer
Them to their dreams so deep...
At first, they gamely stay awake,
Refusing to submit...
Then suddenly, all strength to take,
The battle's lost, that's it!

Then little lion heads must fall,
For forty winks again...
As if obedient to that call
That even masters men...
I know they tried to do their best,
But now they're sleeping sound.
Their floppy heads with closed eyes rest,
To doze on dusty ground...


Denis Martindale, copyright, January 2011.

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

The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Lazy Afternoon'.

Thanks for the story of the lion called Christian
and his mate and their cubs...


More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com

Shared on
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/lazy-afternoon-2/

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
http://www.pricedropper.co.uk
http://www.pokemoncraftstore.com/index.php?cPath=24

PROUD MOTHER


Within this world of wondrous things,
Snow leopards learn to live...
From gentle cubs, as underlings,
To parents, life to give.
To each his own, that's how it goes,
The male and female breed,
Such that new life within her grows,
Until they, too, are freed...

Then all at once those cubs must learn
What life is all about,
And thus, in time, respect to earn,
No longer rules to flout...
They choose to serve within a team,
Survival to ensure,
No matter if through acts extreme
That shake us to the core...

Their mother is their constant guide
And yet their closest friend.
That's why she looks on them with pride
Until the bitter end...
For she's known love and she's known death
And yearns to stay alive...
Until she breathes her final breath,
She'll help them to survive...
 

Denis Martindale, copyright, January 2011.
 
My Poetry website: http://poem.says.it

The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Proud Mother'.

More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com

Shared on
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/proud-mother-2/
Shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/proudmother

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
http://www.pricedropper.co.uk
http://www.pokemoncraftstore.com/index.php?cPath=24

Stephen Gayford Canvas Prints


January 2011 update

Thanks to my receiving an email recommendation, I got news of a website selling the Stephen Gayford Canvas Prints. These aren't the standard quality glass-framed prints usually sold on the Shopping channels like bid tv, price-drop tv, speedauction tv or the www.pricedropper.co.uk website.

This new website sells the large pictures with the textured canvas finish so we can expect a higher quality and usually a different frame style, too. I've only bought from the Shopping channels and from Ebay and I really do appreciate the canvas style prints and find they're worth paying extra for.

http://pokemoncraftstore.com/index.php?cPath=24

This is the URL and from here you can also check the Specials to see if there are any Stephen Gayford pictures at reduced prices.

The website has strict terms and conditions regarding purchases and returns, so please don't buy anything without checking what restrictions there are, whether you are a new or an existing customer already.

Many collectors can remember missing out on the Stephen Gayford Art Evenings as on bid tv. Several canvas prints were on display, but we couldn't buy every single one of them, even if we loved them dearly. So this, as well as other sellers, will offer us second chances on those we missed, as well as showing us ones we've never seen before. That means we should really check all the pictures before choosing which to buy. We may see a more beautiful picture we'd like from what's available than the ones we remember. Maybe our collection would be better with more lions than tigers or we'd like to add different creatures to our collections.

When you visit this new website, it gives you a chance to view the pictures and to visit my blogspot website to see if there are any poems with the same titles. If yes, then you can read my poems to see if they match the picture in a way that you like.

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com

For these limited edition prints eg only 50 or only 300, it's higher prices when the print is number 1. I'm happy with whatever I can get, so I see no worries not having the number 1 print.

http://pokemoncraftstore.com/index.php?cPath=24

Or check elsewhere eg

http://www.bid.tv
http://www.price-drop.tv
http://www.speedauction.tv
http://www.pricedropper.co.uk
http://search.ebay.co.uk/stephen-gayford


When viewing the website images, check for any zoom or enlarge display options or whether your web browser can magnify the image or not eg The Enigma Web Browser and The World Web Browser. The pricedropper website has a zoom view to supersize the image like the Stephen Gayford website does here:

http://www.gayfordgallery.com

So shop around and enjoy the masterpieces you get!

Happy View Year!

Thursday 27 January 2011

WHITE MAJESTY


The white wolf stares at all he sees,
His kingdom to protect
And like all royal majesties,
He, too, commands respect...
So if alone or in a pack,
He does what he must do.
To go without, some food to lack,
That's not his point of view...
 
The days are cold, the nights are cold,
He must endure them all.
No wonder, then, at night's he's bold,
To howl and fear install.
Condemned to prowl, new meals to find,
He doesn't beg like some.
Such thoughts like these don't come to mind,
Not even for one crumb...
 
He knows his place upon this Earth,
Beneath the sun and stars
And in his realm, he proves his worth,
Despite the wounds and scars.
For him, there's no sweet home from home,
No comforts meek and mild...
His majesty was born to roam,
To live life in the wild...
 
 
Denis Martindale, copyright, January 2011.
 
My Poetry website: http://poem.says.it

The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'White Majesty II'.

More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com

Shared on
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/white-majesty/
Shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/whitemajesty
 
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
http://www.pricedropper.co.uk
 

Tuesday 25 January 2011

A WALK IN THE SUN


The penguins waddled gamely on,
Not one said, 'Boy, we're lost!'
They had the sun to hope upon
And so the ice they crossed!
They first went left a mile or two...
Then waddled to the right...
No fish in sight! What should they do?
They could go on all night!
 
They turned around, then waddled back,
To where they started from!
The ice was white, but things looked black!
Yet they kept their aplomb...
They huddled close some warmth to keep,
A gentle breeze blew by...
They found some water, oh, so deep!
They heaved a long, long sigh...
 
They all went crazy running fast!
One mad dash for some fish!
And after dinner, peace at last!
That was their fervent wish!
They all laid down upon the ice,
Their tummies resting there...
To them, this place was Paradise,
While they've got fish to spare...
 
 
Denis Martindale, copyright, January 2011.
 
My Poetry website: http://poem.says.it

The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'A Walk In The Sun'.

More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com

Shared on

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-walk-in-the-sun/
 
Shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/awalkinthesun
 
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
http://www.pricedropper.co.uk
 

Sunday 23 January 2011

RIVER PATROL


The tiger tip-toes here and there
As he goes on patrol,
Close to the river's edge aware
Of every living soul.
Assessing ones that he could catch,
If he should prove his worth,
Avoiding ones that are his match
And giving them wide berth...

He's in no hurry for a while,
And yet he's on the prowl...
For now he wears a smirk, a smile,
Till these become a scowl...
It's too late then to run away,
To scamper off and hide...
Too late if you've become his prey,
So don't cling on to pride...

Don't dilly-dally like a clown!
Don't play the fool, my friend!
Play safe or else he'll hunt you down,
On that you can depend!
Head for the hills or trees somehow,
Don't stick around for fun!
If I were you, I'd scarper NOW!
While you've got time to RUN!


Denis Martindale, copyright, January 2011.

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

The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'River Patrol'.

More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com

Shared on
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/river-patrol/
Shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/riverpatrol

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
http://www.pricedropper.co.uk

WOLF TRAIL


How gingerly the wolf leg hangs,
Now poised there in mid-air...
As he fights back the hunger pangs
That could lead to despair.
Each gulp reminds him of his pain,
Each footstep costs him time...
Yet on the trail he hunts again,
No longer in his prime.

He thinks about the coming feast,
If luck is on his side.
If Nature serves the starving beast
With some new soul supplied...
For him to live, another won't,
That's just the way it is...
Today wolves hunt, while others don't.
Will his plans go amiss?

The hunt went well, at least for him...
His victim breathes no more.
The wolf survives, his chances slim...
Somehow he must endure.
He leaves no legacy behind
Beneath God's sun so bright...
Yet seeks no pity from Mankind,
No prayers from us at night...
 

Denis Martindale, copyright, January 2011.

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

The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Wolf Trail'.

More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com

Shared on

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/wolf-trail/

Shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/wolftrail

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
http://www.pricedropper.co.uk 

Wednesday 12 January 2011

CUTE


The tiger cub rests on his own,
All scrubbed up, looking cute...
His lifestyle you may not condone,
When he hunts meat not fruit...
Yet doesn't he look stunning there
With fur refined like gold?
As if he didn't have a care,
A sweet sight to behold?

Admit it, aren't you somewhat drawn
To study him at length?
No longer quite so full of scorn
When thinking of his strength?
He's not the average pussycat
That whimpers soft meows...
Nor does he seem to be a brat
While he lies there to browse...

But give him time, for he must grow,
In length and height and weight,
No more the little so-and-so
You either love or hate...
Is it so hard to comprehend
What Nature makes him do?
He'll not look quite as cute, my friend,
When he starts chasing you!


Denis Martindale, copyright, January 2011.

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

The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Cute'.

More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com

Shared on

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/cute/

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
http://www.pricedropper.co.uk

Monday 3 January 2011

SUN WORSHIP


Three little meerkats looked ahead
At different angles then
There was no sudden awful threat
That was beyond their ken...
Each held their gaze transfixed in time,
Like statues frozen still...
And though at first this looks sublime,
It soon must lose its thrill.
 
The only thing that they see move
The whole length of the day
Is that old sun that seeks to soothe
Their frayed nerves come what may...
That little circle in the sky
That glides and glides and glides...
I bet it makes them question why
At night it goes and hides...
 
They worship what they hold most dear -
It helps them to survive!
It helps each smile from ear-to-ear,
So glad to be alive...
Next day the circle's back again!
The meerkats look above...
Their Grandad smirks and nods and then
Each looks at it with love...
 
 
Denis Martindale, copyright, January 2011.
 
My Poetry website: http://poem.says.it

The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Sun Worship II'.

More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com

Shared on

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/sun-worship/
 
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
http://www.pricedropper.co.uk