ATTENTIVE, TOO

Two elephants were side by side,
Attentive to their needs,
The larger one was tall and wide
And that is why she leads...
The baby of the family
Saw big legs everywhere,
Yet each belonged to those that see
He lived without a care...

That little one had much to learn,
With many years ahead,
Sometimes new dangers to discern,
Sometimes to softly tread...
Sometimes to trumpet loud and proud,
Sometimes a tender touch,
Sometimes to stare up at a cloud
And wonder oh so much...

Attentive to each other's ways,
Their changing moods through time,
Rewarding those deserving praise,
When each one proved sublime...
Such are the choices each must make
Preserving harmony,
Avoiding every old mistake,
Yet living fancy free!


Denis Martindale, copyright, April 2015.


Poem based on a magnificent wildlife painting,
by artist Stephen Gayford nb Google-search
gayfordgallery and "Stephen Gayford poetry".

https://www.google.co.uk/#q=Stephen+Gayford+poetry

Poem shared here:

http://poemhunter.com/poem/attentive-too/

Shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/attentive-too

Printer-friendly text version, nb increase text size:

http://poemhunter.com/best-poems/denis-martindale/attentive-too/

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com/2015/04/attentive-too.html

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

My Stephen Gayford tribute poems are here:

http://poemhunter.com/poem/stephen-gayford/
http://poemhunter.com/poem/the-prince-of-prints-2/
http://poemhunter.com/poem/a-brush-with-genius/
http://poemhunter.com/poem/gayford-gallery/

The Stephen Gayford Gallery website is here:

http://www.gayfordgallery.com

It was being updated in April 2015!

http://gayfordgallery.com/the-artist/

Youtube video: http://tinyurl.com/gayfordgallery-dot-com-video

Click-a-pic!

http://gayfordgallery.com/original-paintings/

http://gayfordgallery.com/originalwatercolours/

http://gayfordgallery.com/originalpencildrawings/

http://gayfordgallery.com/signedlimitededitionartistproofs/

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
(that's for the A to Z title listings)

blog website links:

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

Framed pictures can be bought from UK websites,
NB use zoom-in feature when viewing pictures.

http://search.ebay.co.uk/stephen-gayford
http://www.amazon.co.uk
http://www.preloved.co.uk
https://www.google.co.uk/#q=Stephen+Gayford
http://www.gumtree.com/for-sale/uk/stephen+gayford
(Notice camera link to each image to view.)

http://www.for-sale.co.uk/stephen-gayford
(Various website sales of Stephen Gayford prints.)

http://xxl-sale.co.uk/search/?q=Stephen+Gayford+signed
(Notice similar items at the end of each webpage.)

http://www.bezoon.co.uk/stephen-gayford-prints

http://www.saleclick.co.uk/Stephen+Gayford+Prints

http://www.worthpoint.com/inventory/search?query=Stephen+Gayford&categoryurl=&search-right=

:::

TESTING THE WATER...

The jaguar was laying still
Between two cubs at rest,
The gentle stream produced a chill
By which each one felt blessed...
And yet one cub could not explain
Reflections there below...
Disturbing thoughts had filled her brain,
Who's that!? She did not know!

Her fearful paw extended close,
The other cub did, too!
Almost as if to touch her nose,
Yet what else could it do?
A wiggle left, a wiggle right,
The other paw gave chase!
That caused each cub to show their fright,
With frowns upon each face!

But then the cub above felt good,
She worked out what she saw...
And when at last she understood,
She lost her fear for sure...
'That's me!' she thought with wonderment
And all that brought because,
At last she grew to comprehend
How beautiful she was!


Denis Martindale, copyright, April 2015.


Poem based on a magnificent wildlife painting,
by artist Stephen Gayford nb Google-search
gayfordgallery and "Stephen Gayford poetry".

https://www.google.co.uk/#q=Stephen+Gayford+poetry

Poem shared here:

http://poemhunter.com/poem/testing-the-water/

Shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/testing-the-water

Printer-friendly text version, nb increase text size:

http://poemhunter.com/best-poems/denis-martindale/testing-the-water/

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com/2015/04/testing-water.html

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

My Stephen Gayford tribute poems are here:

http://poemhunter.com/poem/stephen-gayford/
http://poemhunter.com/poem/the-prince-of-prints-2/
http://poemhunter.com/poem/a-brush-with-genius/
http://poemhunter.com/poem/gayford-gallery/

The Stephen Gayford Gallery website is here:

http://www.gayfordgallery.com

It was being updated in April 2015!

http://gayfordgallery.com/the-artist/

Youtube video: http://tinyurl.com/gayfordgallery-dot-com-video

Click-a-pic!

http://gayfordgallery.com/original-paintings/

http://gayfordgallery.com/originalwatercolours/

http://gayfordgallery.com/originalpencildrawings/

http://gayfordgallery.com/signedlimitededitionartistproofs/

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
(that's for the A to Z title listings)

blog website links:

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

Framed pictures can be bought from UK websites,
NB use zoom-in feature when viewing pictures.

http://search.ebay.co.uk/stephen-gayford
http://www.amazon.co.uk
http://www.preloved.co.uk
https://www.google.co.uk/#q=Stephen+Gayford
http://www.gumtree.com/for-sale/uk/stephen+gayford
(Notice camera link to each image to view.)

http://www.for-sale.co.uk/stephen-gayford
(Various website sales of Stephen Gayford prints.)

http://xxl-sale.co.uk/search/?q=Stephen+Gayford+signed
(Notice similar items at the end of each webpage.)

http://www.bezoon.co.uk/stephen-gayford-prints

http://www.saleclick.co.uk/Stephen+Gayford+Prints

http://www.worthpoint.com/inventory/search?query=Stephen+Gayford&categoryurl=&search-right=

:::

GIRAFFE!

Young giraffes can feel unhappy,
With their Mums oh so tall:
Mum's always looking down on me,
Because I'm oh so small...
It can't be right that she's up there,
With tiny me down here!
That's why I think that life's unfair!
Her legs fill me with fear!

I could be trod on every day!
I keep safe distance now!
And I intend to stay O.K.
So that I don't shout OW!
My tiny tootsies I'll protect
Till I grow up at last,
When that time comes I'll get respect!
That day can't come too fast!

I love my Mum! She loves me, too!
But oh the things she's done!
You don't know what she's put me through!
You see, she weighs a ton!
She's like my uncles and my aunts,
Their eyeballs way too high!
Safe distance! That's my only chance!
Till we see eye to eye!


Denis Martindale, copyright, April 2015.


Poem based on a magnificent wildlife painting,
by artist Stephen Gayford nb Google-search
gayfordgallery and "Stephen Gayford poetry".

https://www.google.co.uk/#q=Stephen+Gayford+poetry

Poem shared here:

http://poemhunter.com/poem/giraffe-5/

Shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/giraffe-poem

Printer-friendly text version, nb increase text size:

http://poemhunter.com/best-poems/denis-martindale/giraffe-5/

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com/2015/04/giraffe.html

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

My Stephen Gayford tribute poems are here:

http://poemhunter.com/poem/stephen-gayford/
http://poemhunter.com/poem/the-prince-of-prints-2/
http://poemhunter.com/poem/a-brush-with-genius/
http://poemhunter.com/poem/gayford-gallery/

The Stephen Gayford Gallery website is here:

http://www.gayfordgallery.com

It was being updated in April 2015!

http://gayfordgallery.com/the-artist/

Youtube video: http://tinyurl.com/gayfordgallery-dot-com-video

Click-a-pic!

http://gayfordgallery.com/original-paintings/

http://gayfordgallery.com/originalwatercolours/

http://gayfordgallery.com/originalpencildrawings/

http://gayfordgallery.com/signedlimitededitionartistproofs/

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
(that's for the A to Z title listings)

blog website links:

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

Framed pictures can be bought from UK websites,
NB use zoom-in feature when viewing pictures.

http://search.ebay.co.uk/stephen-gayford
http://www.amazon.co.uk
http://www.preloved.co.uk
https://www.google.co.uk/#q=Stephen+Gayford
http://www.gumtree.com/for-sale/uk/stephen+gayford
(Notice camera link to each image to view.)

http://www.for-sale.co.uk/stephen-gayford
(Various website sales of Stephen Gayford prints.)

http://xxl-sale.co.uk/search/?q=Stephen+Gayford+signed
(Notice similar items at the end of each webpage.)

http://www.bezoon.co.uk/stephen-gayford-prints

http://www.saleclick.co.uk/Stephen+Gayford+Prints

http://www.worthpoint.com/inventory/search?query=Stephen+Gayford&categoryurl=&search-right=

:::

MAJESTIC!

Majestic is a simple word
The leopard never knew,
Yet that expression quickly stirred
As he came into view...
The way he walked so daintily,
Impressed me from the start,
As if his life changed history
And somehow thrilled my heart...

I raised my camera oh so slow...
I set it to record,
I followed where such creatures go
When thinking he's ignored...
His swishing tail flicked left and right
So full of confidence,
As if with future looking bright
And nothing made him tense...

Majestic, moving like Astaire,
So practiced, so refined,
So chic and full of savoir faire,
So focussed in his mind...
So pardon me, if mesmerised,
By leopards such as this,
Although today they're highly prized,
Their passing I would miss...


Denis Martindale, copyright, April 2015.


Poem based on a magnificent wildlife painting,
by artist Stephen Gayford nb Google-search
gayfordgallery and "Stephen Gayford poetry".

https://www.google.co.uk/#q=Stephen+Gayford+poetry

Poem shared here:

http://poemhunter.com/poem/majestic-5/

Shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/majestic-poem

Printer-friendly text version, nb increase text size:

http://poemhunter.com/best-poems/denis-martindale/majestic-5/

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com/2015/04/majestic.html

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

My Stephen Gayford tribute poems are here:

http://poemhunter.com/poem/stephen-gayford/
http://poemhunter.com/poem/the-prince-of-prints-2/
http://poemhunter.com/poem/a-brush-with-genius/
http://poemhunter.com/poem/gayford-gallery/

The Stephen Gayford Gallery website is here:

http://www.gayfordgallery.com

It was being updated in April 2015!

http://gayfordgallery.com/the-artist/

Youtube video: http://tinyurl.com/gayfordgallery-dot-com-video

Click-a-pic!

http://gayfordgallery.com/original-paintings/

http://gayfordgallery.com/originalwatercolours/

http://gayfordgallery.com/originalpencildrawings/

http://gayfordgallery.com/signedlimitededitionartistproofs/

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
(that's for the A to Z title listings)

blog website links:

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

Framed pictures can be bought from UK websites,
NB use zoom-in feature when viewing pictures.

http://search.ebay.co.uk/stephen-gayford
http://www.amazon.co.uk
http://www.preloved.co.uk
https://www.google.co.uk/#q=Stephen+Gayford
http://www.gumtree.com/for-sale/uk/stephen+gayford
(Notice camera link to each image to view.)

http://www.for-sale.co.uk/stephen-gayford
(Various website sales of Stephen Gayford prints.)

http://xxl-sale.co.uk/search/?q=Stephen+Gayford+signed
(Notice similar items at the end of each webpage.)

http://www.bezoon.co.uk/stephen-gayford-prints

http://www.saleclick.co.uk/Stephen+Gayford+Prints

http://www.worthpoint.com/inventory/search?query=Stephen+Gayford&categoryurl=&search-right=

:::

YOUNG STALKER, TOO

The cold Snow Leopard sat and stared,
No feast as yet to eat,
Just thinking of past meals he'd shared,
Right now, each seemed a treat...
The hunger pains were all he felt,
The snow made his eyes blur,
Yet he held fast to what life dealt
And all yet to occur...

The game of death was sometimes slow,
For here, such meals were few,
But he had nowhere else to go
And nothing else to do...
But suddenly, he heard a noise,
A yonder rustling scratch,
For his next meal he had no choice,
This was the one to catch...

And so he stalked on tender toes,
Across the void between,
Till all at once, the victim knows
And scampers from the scene...
But hunters scamper just as well
And nine times out of ten,
Their hunger pains they soon dispel,
Till hunger stalks again...


Denis Martindale, copyright, April 2015.


Poem based on a magnificent wildlife painting,
by artist Stephen Gayford nb Google-search
gayfordgallery and "Stephen Gayford poetry".

https://www.google.co.uk/#q=Stephen+Gayford+poetry

Poem shared here:

http://poemhunter.com/poem/young-stalker-too/

Shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/young-stalker-too

Printer-friendly text version, nb increase text size:

http://poemhunter.com/best-poems/denis-martindale/young-stalker-too/

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com/2015/04/young-stalker-too.html

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

My Stephen Gayford tribute poems are here:

http://poemhunter.com/poem/stephen-gayford/
http://poemhunter.com/poem/the-prince-of-prints-2/
http://poemhunter.com/poem/a-brush-with-genius/
http://poemhunter.com/poem/gayford-gallery/

The Stephen Gayford Gallery website is here:

http://www.gayfordgallery.com

It was being updated in April 2015!

http://gayfordgallery.com/the-artist/

Youtube video: http://tinyurl.com/gayfordgallery-dot-com-video

Click-a-pic!

http://gayfordgallery.com/original-paintings/

http://gayfordgallery.com/originalwatercolours/

http://gayfordgallery.com/originalpencildrawings/

http://gayfordgallery.com/signedlimitededitionartistproofs/

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
(that's for the A to Z title listings)

blog website links:

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

Framed pictures can be bought from UK websites,
NB use zoom-in feature when viewing pictures.

http://search.ebay.co.uk/stephen-gayford
http://www.amazon.co.uk
http://www.preloved.co.uk
https://www.google.co.uk/#q=Stephen+Gayford
http://www.gumtree.com/for-sale/uk/stephen+gayford
(Notice camera link to each image to view.)

http://www.for-sale.co.uk/stephen-gayford
(Various website sales of Stephen Gayford prints.)

http://xxl-sale.co.uk/search/?q=Stephen+Gayford+signed
(Notice similar items at the end of each webpage.)

http://www.bezoon.co.uk/stephen-gayford-prints

http://www.saleclick.co.uk/Stephen+Gayford+Prints

http://www.worthpoint.com/inventory/search?query=Stephen+Gayford&categoryurl=&search-right=

:::

STUDY FOR TIGER FURY

The artist saw the tiger there,
His camera clicked away,
To capture every glare and stare
Upon that very day...
For not all tigers show their hate,
The fury kept within,
Thus very few anticipate
The tiger's will to win...

Most of the time, the tiger walks,
By stealth he conquers all,
With hunting tactics as he stalks,
Before his victims fall...
So fury makes the artist look,
Then see the matter through,
Perhaps to find his sketching book,
Before he paints anew...

And yet what details scan that page,
Each tiger stripe stands out,
Each whisker marks that final stage,
Thus fury's without doubt...
That sketch determines everything,
That black mood makes us see
The anger of that noble king
The tiger's meant to be...



Denis Martindale, copyright, April 2015.


Poem based on a magnificent wildlife painting,
by artist Stephen Gayford nb Google-search
gayfordgallery and "Stephen Gayford poetry".

https://www.google.co.uk/#q=Stephen+Gayford+poetry

Poem shared here:

http://poemhunter.com/poem/study-for-tiger-fury/

Shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/study-for-tiger-fury

Printer-friendly text version, nb increase text size:

http://poemhunter.com/best-poems/denis-martindale/study-for-tiger-fury/

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com/2015/04/study-for-tiger-fury.html

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

My Stephen Gayford tribute poems are here:

http://poemhunter.com/poem/stephen-gayford/
http://poemhunter.com/poem/the-prince-of-prints-2/
http://poemhunter.com/poem/a-brush-with-genius/
http://poemhunter.com/poem/gayford-gallery/

The Stephen Gayford Gallery website is here:

http://www.gayfordgallery.com

It was being updated in April 2015!

http://gayfordgallery.com/the-artist/

Youtube video: http://tinyurl.com/gayfordgallery-dot-com-video

Click-a-pic!

http://gayfordgallery.com/original-paintings/

http://gayfordgallery.com/originalwatercolours/

http://gayfordgallery.com/originalpencildrawings/

http://gayfordgallery.com/signedlimitededitionartistproofs/

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
(that's for the A to Z title listings)

blog website links:

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

Framed pictures can be bought from UK websites,
NB use zoom-in feature when viewing pictures.

http://search.ebay.co.uk/stephen-gayford
http://www.amazon.co.uk
http://www.preloved.co.uk
https://www.google.co.uk/#q=Stephen+Gayford
http://www.gumtree.com/for-sale/uk/stephen+gayford
(Notice camera link to each image to view.)

http://www.for-sale.co.uk/stephen-gayford
(Various website sales of Stephen Gayford prints.)

http://xxl-sale.co.uk/search/?q=Stephen+Gayford+signed
(Notice similar items at the end of each webpage.)

http://www.bezoon.co.uk/stephen-gayford-prints

http://www.saleclick.co.uk/Stephen+Gayford+Prints

http://www.worthpoint.com/inventory/search?query=Stephen+Gayford&categoryurl=&search-right=

:::