Five minutes' peace, in the shade

Five minutes' peace, in the shade

Lying amongst the butterflies

On my hammock in the orchard,

Mountain ranges all around,

Birdsong in the trees

(Walnut, apple, plum and cherry),

Soon the bears and squirrels will come

In search of plums and nuts.

The grass is long, I’m lazy,

I’ve cleared enough to scare off snakes.

But what’s that slithering through the undergrowth?

Vitsa, September 2016:

Squirrels and Walnuts (for Frixos Tziovas)

Skiourakia kai Karidia

Squirrels are jumping in our walnut tree.

They leap among leaves, from branch to branch;

They’ve gnawed and nibbled all our nuts,

Bored and drilled, left shells with holes –

Part-payment for their filling meals,

For a tree’s supply of food that’s free?

We gather the few that fall intact,

For a Christmas stocking, for the kids to crack.

We may make gliko tou koutaliou,

One jar at most.

Efcharistoume, skiourakia!

Oraia, ta karidia mas?

A Close Call with a Venomous Viper (Ohia, Adder)

The ohia that lives in the old stone shed

Tried to bite me today, I could have been dead.

I lifted a plaka, he aimed for my hand -

I’m not ready to join that old angel band.