Words by A Wensley

Whiskers My wetsuit clings to my body like mermaid-scales, As I enter the water it feels surprisingly bereft of temperature I thought I'd feel cold but this second skin is absorbing my senses; Maybe this is how they feel when they enter the water too? Their heads bob to the surface in curiosity At ours doing likewise, As my young daughters peer at us all in awe from the rib. My mask on securely I lower my face into the water and see the wonders beneath - As another world opens out before me like some vast beautiful green flower. The mask feels alien, like an octopus With suckers over my nose and mouth. A tube with which to breathe above the surface from below, bubbles - "Don't suck the water in" the instructor reminds us, "Keep your head above the water and gradually descend"; It is in this descent that freedom lies - To breathe underwater with them, Share the same space, Face to face, No mask for them just whiskers. Puppy-dog eyes on your seal-pup face So c...

Examinations Everything has been building to this day - Self-expectations, to cope, weigh heavy, And as you enter the room The light stings your bleary eyes, The smell of cleaning products dominates, The clock ticks too loudly,  “You may start now”. Papers rustle And pen-lids click and drop like thunder Onto hard shiny tables With metal legs that squeak and scrape Just like the chair legs As your classmates fidget Taking your eyes’ and ears’ attention, You aim to sit still But feel the tags and seams from your clothes Sinking into your skin, The windows cast reflections on every surface Which make you wonder - Are the clouds shaped like that because… That cereal I had is still in my teeth, I'll just clear that then I'll be settled, I feel thirsty But if I drink I'll need the loo And I can't be going now, or later, And anyway what if I lose my train of thought?  I must focus…  Yes I must focus… But what if I… That smell is rank! Can you stop rustling your papers please? ...

For Adrienne It's one of those end of an era days So I'd just like to say... Thanks for the shelters, The encouragement to be helpers. The high times, The low times, You got us through them all times. The camaraderie  The cakes, the tea, But most of all the sincerity... Because you put the meaning in the word Support, The oil that runs the cogs in the machine, that's what you've always taught. From Environment and Property, Economic and Community Infrastructure, and Facilities, Scientific Services, Trading Standards And Children and Families - We thankyou,  And wish you, All the very best. A.Wensley 27.03.2026

No longer a kids party This is no longer a kids party No jelly and ice cream here, No towers of fairy cakes Topped with a cherry No, fawning a smile, insincere. I made a mistake with the doughnuts They make you fat it would appear, No takers for cake No chocolate intake No, let's all just get out of here. This is no longer a kids party The pop's fallen flat oh oh dear, You can't win 'em all Have Vegan food? Ball... Yes, plant-based food here comes in spheres. I made a big spread with cool fillings Sandwiches quartered, for real! BBQ chicken wings Lots of fun tasty beige things It went down well, so-so, surreal... Because this is no longer a kids party The talk's not of fun vibes I feel, For these young adults Have their own minds, their own cults, Quit Mum, no nostalgic ideal! A Wensley 19.03.2026

Why do birds sing? Why do birds sing? What is there to sing about? If the world were to end tomorrow - What's the point in singing? You tell me birds sing for a mate Not for ethereal reasons Merely to procreate. I hate to think it's that simple. Who died and made you God anyway? A Wensley 7.03.2026 From a Mary Oliver prompt - 3 questions you'd ask of nature, Jawbone workshop, Othona Recording of birds from that day:  Birdsong at Othona

Ode to a daffodil Your slender stalks march  silently              into                    Spring All trumpets blazing! Declaring brighter days ahead Like a jazz break Punctuating a misty blues LP. You are as yellow as the yolk, Rising like the sun, On my morning toast - And just as nourishing. A Wensley 7.03.26 Othona, Burton Bradstock