A Book There is no frigate like a book To take us lands away Nor any coursers like a page Of prancing poetry This traverse may the poorest take Without oppress of toll How frugal is the chariot That bears a human soul Emily Dickinson
The Paintbox Cobalt and umber and ultramarine Ivory black and emerald green What shall I paint to give pleasure to you Paint for me somebody utterly new I have painted you tigers in crimson and white The colours were good and you painted a-right I have painted the cook and a camel in blue And a panther in purple You painted them true Now mix me a colour that nobody knows And paint me a country where nobody goes And put in it people a little like you Watching a unicorn drinking the dew E V Rieu
For Ffion and her dog more lap dog than lone dog J M I would like to thank the friends who helped to form and shape this book Tessa for the long nights poring over poetry books all those who suggested poems for inclusion my children and Robin for their support and I would like to dedicate Fern Hill to Colin Leyshon who liked nothing more than to roll the words of poets around and had an enviable memory for poetry and song
