under another sun

Greatly cheering text this morning from Jane, saying: "Just turned on radio. Reading one of your poems in the town church for liberation service..." Guernsey was liberated on 9th May 1945, and to hear the liberation day service click through. It starts around 1:31 and my poem Root and Branch is read at 1.52  rather beautifully by Dr Jonathan Frost, Bishop of Southampton. Obviously actually being part of the sermon made me feel incredibly proud and slightly amazed as I had heard nothing about it beforehand. Lengthy chat with Sonia about knee cartilage before heading up to London. Beautiful day in Brighton, so I stupidly set off in shirtsleeves. Pouring with rain when I arrived in London, so Pooterishly purchased a umbrella which I then did not need to use. Had a dental appointment at 2:30 (or tooth-hurty as I couldn't help but think of it) in my old Strand on the Green stomping ground. Had a walk across Kew Bridge and wandered about there for a bit past my old house and...

Kew Gardens Working on the premise that necessity is the mother of invention. So up early and back home to feed Calliope, and a think about what I could send Matt for our last-minute piece, and duly pinged over three options. In the afternoon Lorraine and I caught a train to Kew Bridge, to visit Kew Gardens, which I had not been to for years. I lived close to it when I was married, and my return had a slightly bittersweet feeling, but I really enjoyed walking about it again with Lorraine, despite the weather constantly threatening rain. We stayed until closing time, and for the last hour felt almost alone as the garden was reclaimed by squirrels and the miaow of peacocks. I noticed the incessant planes flying over far more than when I lived under their flightpath. Tried out the treetop walk for the first time and it was empty among the trees, and quite windy too. Also enjoyed lurking in the hothouse, and taking snaps. The buildings of Kew Gardens seeming a little shabbier than I rememb...

A green interlude Woke up with a hangover at 6:30, but I had slept heavily undisturbed by the party nearby which continued well into the following afternoon. Got up after a while, left Lorraine sleeping and started a new jaded poem about drinking, called A quiet drink . In the afternoon off to Wakehurst Place, a beautiful place, belonging to Kew Gardens. Slightly overcast and humid this afternoon, and we sniffed up the green and fragrant air greatfully. Wandered about, past the vast ark of the seed bank, and into the wooded areas. Spent a happy hour or two wandering about here, taking the odd photo and Lorraine touching all the plants and looking greedily into their flowers. Below became a little obsessed with twisty Oaks branches today. We will return.