A BRUSH WITH GENIUS

Before the brush was in his hand,
The artist said a prayer!
For all his friends across the land
With whom he planned to share...
Lions, tigers and bears, oh, my!
The artist sketched them all,
So expertly, for by and by,
Each one would grace his wall...

Each canvas like a photograph,
A treasure to behold,
As if that wasn't quite enough,
Each one was framed in gold...
Each masterpiece was well received
And prints were sold worldwide,
As tributes to what he'd achieved,
Of which he should take pride...

And yet here was a humble man,
Self-taught and yet what skill,
Yet when we do the best we can,
There's bound to be a thrill...
Release your hidden genius
And God will bless you, too!
Like Stephen Gayford can bless us
With paintings old and new...

Denis Martindale, copyright, December 2011.

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

The poem is based on the magnificent paintings by
artist Stephen Gayford of gayfordgallery.com
especially the wildlife art collection 2012 calendar
which has been sold on bid.tv, price-drop.tv and
speedauction.tv as well as pricedropper.co.uk

More Stephen Gayford poems HERE:
http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com

Shared on

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-brush-with-genius/

Shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/a-brush-with-genius

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com/2011/12/brush-with-genius.html

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:

poemhunter.com links:

http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems or
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems2

blog website links:

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com
http://tinyurl.com/stephen-gayford-poetry

Framed pictures can be bought from 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

TREADING WATER

The tired tiger made his way
Until he found the stream,
The sight of it had made his day,
It truly was supreme...
His whiskers twitched at newborn scents
That stirred within the mud
And yet he felt the recompense
As water cooled his blood...

This is the life! No doubt at all,
Just walking here and there
And further on, the waterfall,
A sight beyond compare...
Just treading water, nothing more,
Content to rest therein,
With oozing mud between each claw,
Enough to make him grin...

The tired tiger gently breathed,
His heartbeat calmed as well,
His shoulder muscles now relieved
As Nature cast its spell...
God makes the sunshine then the rain,
Then streams upon the land,
So tired tigers can't complain
When times like these are planned...

Denis Martindale, copyright, December 2011.

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

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

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

Shared on

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/treading-water-12/

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com/2011/12/treading-water.html

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:

poemhunter.com links:

http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems or
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems2

blog website links:

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com
http://tinyurl.com/stephen-gayford-poetry

Framed pictures can be bought from 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

BROKEN SILENCE

The tiger's tail swished left and right,
His eyelids up and down,
The heat had sapped him of his might
And thus increased each frown...
That's why his body slumped and laid
Flat out to gain some rest,
Right there, completely unafraid,
Determined to be blessed...

The minutes passed and sleepyhead
Got comfy, warm, subdued,
No longer quite the beast who sped,
The predator so crude...
For now, he was a pussy cat...
One hour from a dream,
Disturb him now, he'd make you scat,
His change of mood extreme...

The broken silence made him stare,
With sudden angry eyes,
To seek that hidden foe somewhere
Who soon would realise
That here he was, plum tuckered out,
Completely on his own...
Till he stood up and walked about,
His heart as cold as stone...

Denis Martindale, copyright, December 2011.

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

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

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

Shared on

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/broken-silence-9/

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com/2011/12/broken-silence.html

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:

poemhunter.com links:

http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems or
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems2

blog website links:

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com
http://tinyurl.com/stephen-gayford-poetry

Framed pictures can be bought from 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 ITEM SEARCHES

http://www.gayfordgallery.com

Loads of high resolution pictures to view there.

Beyond the official website searches info:

We can search Google for keywords.

http://www.google.com
http://www.google.co.uk

Google has top tabs for images and for videos.
So we can check the old style or new style.
From Google, we can check youtube and others.

The UK Shopping Channels:

http://www.bid.tv
http://www.price-drop.tv
http://www.speedauction.tv

High resolution images here:

http://www.pricedropper.co.uk

We can search Ebay for keywords.

http://search.ebay.com/stephen-gayford

We can refine the results to help us.

http://search.ebay.co.uk/stephen-gayford

Ebay offers extra options for displays.
We may prefer viewing 200 instead of 25.

Some websites display Ebay results:

http://www.aquarist-classifieds.co.uk/fishauction/20754-stephen-gayford-1-GALLERY.html

From here, we choose the lowest to the highest:

http://www.aquarist-classifieds.co.uk/fishauction/20754-stephen-gayford-1-LOWEST.html

Or the Buy it Now items here:

http://www.aquarist-classifieds.co.uk/fishauction/20754-stephen-gayford-1-bin.html

Ebay offers Quick View, Zoom or Enlarge.
The supersized image links offer great detail.
Otherwise, scroll down for images in the text.

Some websites display the keywords or tags.
The blogspot website can also search for tags.

http://tinyurl.com/stephen-gayford-poetry

This helps find loads of titles and tags.

The poemhunter website offers us search options:

http://www.poemhunter.com

http://www.poemhunter.com/denis-martindale/poems/page-1/

Hundreds of titles or use the search for known titles etc.

Stephen Gayford's favourite picture Sheer Class:

http://www.poemhunter.com/denis-martindale/poems/?search=Sheer+Class&B1=Search

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/sheer-class/

I'm sharing these suggestions so visitors can check.
Perhaps seeing the old and new wildlife pictures...
Finding favourite felines or delightful dolphins.

Whether it's for Christmas prezzies or the New Year...

Merry Christmas, Santa Happy New Year!

Regards, Denis Martindale.

POLAR BEAR FAMILY

With meerkat noses all their own,
The polar bears stood near...
Without each other, all alone,
United, less to fear...
The mother like a giantess,
The two cubs half as tall,
As one against the loneliness
And dangers that befall...

With fur coats white against the ice,
The family could roam
And yet that made this man think twice,
For where on Earth was home?
No igloo built, no cosy room,
No respite from the cold,
Yet in their eyes no trace of gloom,
Just wonders to behold...

The scenery was all they saw
Above the depths below,
With coldness they could not ignore,
Just waiting where they go...
Yet I am cold this Winter's night
Beneath the silver moon,
Yet comforted by one delight...
Christmas is coming... soon...

Denis Martindale, copyright, December 2011.

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

The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Polar Bear Family'.

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

Shared on

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/polar-bear-family/

Shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/polar-bear-family

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com/2011/12/polar-bear-family.html

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:

poemhunter.com links:

http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems or
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems2

blog website links:

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com
http://tinyurl.com/stephen-gayford-poetry

Framed pictures can be bought from 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

FOREST PHANTOMS

Two twilight wolves were on the prowl,
Fur coats to keep them safe
And now was not the time to howl,
They must stay strong and brave...
For in the twilight, creatures stalked,
With camouflage and more,
As midnight came, nobody talked,
Of that you can be sure...

Two forest phantoms side-by-side,
United in their quest
And staring out, eyes opened wide,
Surveying east-to-west...
Ethereal ghosts in twilight blues
And also moonlight whites
Against the very darkest hues
That dress the solemn nights...

Two predators in need of food
Without a single qualm,
Fixated by their foulest mood
That seeks another's harm...
They didn't choose this way of life,
This awesome tragedy,
So have compassion on their strife
And all they're forced to be...

Denis Martindale, copyright, December 2011.

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

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

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

Shared on

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/forest-phantoms/

Shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/forest-phantoms

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com/2011/12/forest-phantoms.html

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:

poemhunter.com links:

http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems or
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems2

blog website links:

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com
http://tinyurl.com/stephen-gayford-poetry

Framed pictures can be bought from 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

FOLLOW THE LEADER

Two tigers traipsed the river's edge,
The leader heard a noise...
When entrusted with this knowledge,
Both tigers had no choice...
Two tigers traipsed beneath the sun
With one cold thought in mind,
Two heads much better than the one,
With so much strength combined...

In silent mode, they took their time,
Each stealthful step so slow...
While undetected, each new crime
Meant victims sensed no foe...
Suffice to say, their moment came,
The frantic prey ran wild,
The tigers chased like burning flame,
No longer meek and mild...

Though it didn't happen often,
The tigers had to pause...
For failure dogged them once again,
Their prey escaped their claws...
The starving tigers felt dismay,
The next meal had to wait...
With luck, they'd last another day
With cause to celebrate...

Denis Martindale, copyright, December 2011.

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

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

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

Shared on

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/follow-the-leader-9/

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com/2011/12/follow-the-leader.html

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:

poemhunter.com links:

http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems or
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems2

blog website links:

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com
http://tinyurl.com/stephen-gayford-poetry

Framed pictures can be bought from 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

TRANQUILLITY

Behold the dolphins interweaved
Like soulmates bathed in love
And see how gently each has breathed
From precious air above...
And there to glide in aqua haze,
In God's tranquillity,
Content to spend their nights and days
Where God meant them to be...

Exploring here, exploring there,
As if a Mystery Tour,
To look on sights beyond compare
Upon the ocean floor...
To celebrate this thing called life
That God bestows with grace,
The dolphins strive, against all strife...
And swim at their own pace...

God asks no more of such as these,
They serve their purpose well,
Yet Man must work, then take his ease
And simply rest a spell...
So meditate, when peace allows,
Like dolphins in the sea...
As if to seize the time to browse
For sweet tranquillity...

Denis Martindale, copyright, December 2011.

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

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

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

Shared on

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/tranquillity-6/

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com/2011/12/tranquillity.html

Previous to this, Stephen painted the picture of the
dolphin and that print was called Serenity.

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/serenity-73/

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com/2011/09/serenity.html

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:

poemhunter.com links:

http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems or
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems2

blog website links:

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com
http://tinyurl.com/stephen-gayford-poetry

Framed pictures can be bought from 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

PRIVATE VIEW

The leopard saw the tree ahead
And chose to check it out
And that is where his footsteps led,
No more to scout about...
He climbed the tree serenely calm,
To scan the land around
And so as not to raise alarm,
He barely made a sound...

How gingerly he walked on high,
As if above it all,
Yet not possessing wings to fly,
Was careful not to fall...
A gentle breeze brought no fresh scents
To help him find his prey
And since he saw no other friends,
He paused his paws to stay...

His private view brought sweet relief
With shade to cool him down,
Quite cosy, comfy, couched beneath,
He laid on bark so brown...
Now he could keep his soft embrace,
Surveying all in style...
This was his spot, his special place,
His palace for a while...

Denis Martindale, copyright, November 2011.

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

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

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

Shared on

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/private-view/

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com/2011/12/private-view.html

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:

poemhunter.com links:

http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems or
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems2

blog website links:

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com
http://tinyurl.com/stephen-gayford-poetry

Framed pictures can be bought from 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