Poetry: Episodes

Another in the series of writings for the Equal Writes writing group in Belgrave, this one was on the topic of Episodes and is vaguely (OK, more than vaguely) autobiographical.

Episodes in my life

Growing up in Cardiff

City streets, city parks,
Trips to the Brecon Beacons.
Roman roads, standing stones,
faint echoes of the Mabinogion.

Autumn holidays in Pembrokeshire
Where Parry Thomas and Babs broke records,
and one sorry day, full of cold,
Babs broke his life.

University in Aberystwyth

Wyt ti’n siarad Cymraeg?
Not really.
Welsh, but not speaking Welsh.
In this Welsh University town.
Trying to learn the lingo but blocked,
timetable clashes and moved lectures.
Physics and maths getting in the way.
Instead I found computers,
almost lost a degree,
but found a new occupation.

Working in Great Malvern

Running computers for developers,
in the place where RADAR was developed,
to see in the dark.

During a war where computers first came to life,
to break codes,
to see into the enemies mind.

Later, working in computer security,
to keep the black hats out,
and keep the white hats safe.
Our own hats a lighter shade of grey.

Migration to Australia

Just married to an Aussie,
in the middle of the UK.
Our honeymoon is down under,
living in Cockatoo,
and an introduction to wonder.
New birds, animals, and mosquitoes.

A year passes and another trip,
and this holiday a decision is made
to leave the old country and try
something new.

Both of us migrants now,
me for the first time,
her for the second,
both taking a big leap together,
catching each other,
at the end of the red eye.