Steel Rimmed Glasses - a poem.

So this is a poem about Keith Bennett, the fourth victim of Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, whose body has never been found.

You'll find more information about him and the other murders here.

The first verse is set just after Keith was dumped on the moor, and the surrounding nature is seeking to comfort him.

The second verse it about Keith's body resigning itself to the moors due to a loss of hope of ever being discovered.

So, tell me what you think....

Steel Rimmed Glasses

You found a hillock for a pillow

When they said they couldn’t find you,

And in the marsh laid down to rest

let the heath land slowly claim you.

Purple moor grass bent,

in murmured conspiracy.

The stagnant ponds and flushes

Seep underneath your chamber,

the tenderfooted bracken

weaves your comfort blanket.

The lichen covered boulders

form a mossy, cryptic cairn.

The rushes whisper in the wind

that they know where to find you.

You slowly sank into the earth

and shed your doughy flesh,

the perfect dome of your skull

holds your spotless, milky teeth.

The crowberry weaves its roots

into the hollows of your ribs.

Peat resides inside your head

fell through socket hollows

You came apart piece by piece

Mineral by mineral.

Your bones, bleached and brittle

are the only clue of you,

aside from steel rimmed glasses

which lie broken on your chest.

x

Sleepy pictures.

Here's some pictures of Barney sleeping/looking cute. Too nice not to share!

 

Awww.

PS I'll put a poem up tomorrow, it's about a dead body. Yay!

x



Prof. Barnabus von Chocolate - video debut.

Well guys, look at what we have achieved:

He's like a finely tuned obedience machine! Check him out!

And, when he's in the trees, copse, grove, thicket or woody hollow, he even comes out intermittently to check if I'm still there. Awesome.

The only problem is he runs in one bit and then reappears somewhere completely different. A few times, I've been stood there waiting for him and he comes bounding out of the bushes in a completely different area. I think he gets onto a scent trail and goes nuts.

A cyclist was laughing at me as Prof. Barnabus had run through the fence to go for a drink/quick dip in the river, and I was calling and calling him and then I heard him bark, and he was right behind me. He'd found a different hole in the fence to come back through. Tricksy hobbit.

He looks so stoked when he's running around hunting for squirrels, total blissed out expression on his face. Amazing.

x

Operation Australia

Today is Friday (day off!) and on Sunday, my Mum and Mike left for a month long trip to Australia. Which leaves me and the Professor alone - for a whole month...

If I'm going to be honest, the operation did not start well. In an effort to alleviate the stress, I moved my laptop and all my books downstairs so Barnabus has some company. I have now completely taken over the kitchen table with all my texts, save for the space left for the massive chocolate egg which I have to 'share with the others'. At this point, Barney had not come out of his bed.

So, Sunday night and first walk time. I had to reach into his dog-cave, as he pressed himself up against the back wall, and attach his harness while he was in there. Once attached, he came out willingly, but eyed my over his shoulder the entire walk as if to say 'she is STILL following me.'

I did try and take him out into the sunshine as I was making poetry notes in the garden, but as you can see below, Barney was not in the mood for socialising.

Not in the mood at all.

The week seemed to continue this way, until on Tuesday night we had a break through. I went to his bed (where he has taken up permanent residence), and showed him his harness and he jumped right out! Amazing!

So, yesterday I think - 'this is it, he is finally used to me' and after a few experimental, but successful, 'Barney come here!''s I decided to let him off the lead. It initially went well; he ran off, I called him, he came back, I gave him a treat, he ran off, I called him etc but then, he ran off.

Like, properly ran off until he was just a brown blur with a little white bum bouncing around in the distance. I called and called, but he would not come. Off he went, into the bushes, out of the bushes, into the river, under the trees.

'Great' I thought 'half an hour before I have to leave before work and Barney has done a runner'

And it was then I heard the train. I was instantly reminded of the fact that two dogs had been run over on the tracks just recently and was convinced that Barney was careering towards the same fate. My heart began pounding and I felt panicky under my sweltering hot, gigantic winter coat.

And then, he appeared. Looking rather sheepish I might add. I put on my best 'come hither' expression and called him over, handing out a treat.

And over he came.

I clipped the lead on his harness and went to stroke his head but he jumped away, cowering.

It was a stark reminder of the treatment Barney might have suffered at the hands of his previous owners.

So, today I didn't let Barney off the lead. He was calm with the other dogs, let some little kids stroke him and even posed for a few photos:

And then, disaster. Literally seconds after these pictures were taken, two labradors came running over growling and bowled Barney off his feet. He was understandably upset and tried to run off at full pelt, but when the lead reached its maximum he was flung up into the air.

The owners apologised but Barney was terrified. I caught up with him and his heckles were up, his pupils huge and he kept trying to escape. I stroked him for a bit and calmed him down but on the way back, he kept hiding behind me at the approach of any other dogs.

It's a shame that the walk ended that way, just when we were making progress in his confidence.

He's out in the garden now, mulling it over in the sun with his peanut-butter-filled Kong.

Poor pooch.

x