I woke in dreamtime

Another poetry recording, this time of a micropoem written in 2019. To create the out-of-this-world, dreamy experience the poem needed, I channeled a mix of Luna Lovegood + Professor Trelawney (both Harry Potter Characters - The Pixie + I have recently finished reading the first 3 books together and she watches the first 3 films on repeat whenever she can. I've just binge watched the remaining 5 films in my generous parental duty to check if films 4-8 are suitable for a seven year old to watch - they are most definitely not suitable but are very good for a 48 year old!).

'I woke in dreamtime' can be found here.

A Harmless Lullaby

I can’t get out of bed she says,
I’m scared of Mannequin.

Mannequin sighs from ‘neath red wool hat
which Daddy placed on top
to hide the two neck bolts
that sometimes look like eyes.

At night-time whilst she sleeps soft
Mannequin comes to life
her fixed form glows
under moon enchanted,
bends and dips,
her one leg glides
‘cross bedroom floor,
bags sway like arms
in time to starry chorus
a constellation of notes work fire on dark skies
as Mannequin’s song sings soft -


‘Sleep soundly little one
There is no need to fear me
When this night is done dear one
Those night dreams will prove only
Flights of pure fancy little one
An imaginative journey
And when the moon is gone dear one
You’ll think nothing of me
A tall, silent mannequin
Single leg and no real arms
But I will watch over you little one
And keep you safe from harm.’

#VSS365 #VSSPoem 7thFeb2020

Places of Poetry - Honing Time

Here is my first poem for the wonderful Places of Poetry project where you can read, rate and pin your own poems about places in England & Wales.

This piece - Honing Time was conceived just outside the St Peter & St Paul church at Honing, North Walsham in Norfolk.

Sat in the car, warm
artificial coziness embracing
life worn bones, lovelorn tones
cossetting weak flesh in sleepy summer aroma.

Outside, mini helicopters whirr,
dragonflies zipping back and forth amongst
fields of wheat, ferociously engaged
in a busy ballet, a network of greetings.

Transported through millennia
in the blink of an uncertain eye
by the rogue time machine
that is this Norfolk countryside.

Searching for clues of who I might be –
notice the field, its hand has revealed –
the five of spades caught up in the shape,
the fiery beacon of glimmering trees

alight in the shimmering heat of just gone noon
on this pleasantly barmy august day.
Green olive branches sway gracefully,
long swathes of ecstatic leaves reach

out in all directions, beckoning me
towards their haze fuelled dream.
An aura of whispered secrets glows
translucent, spectrums sing

a multicoloured halo of time
traversing tales, long ago stories
of what might have been, what was
and what may be on its way.

Hypnotised mind fills with memories,
dreams and long forgotten hopes.
In a trance, I am thinking the thoughts of another;
Do I see what she sees too?

How many others have sat in this spot;
how many others have stood in this place;
observed the same view transformed
by the passing years? How long have these trees

watched us, overheard our sighs and
wondrous gasps? How long have they danced
their magic entrancing her and him and I
through glowing portals to other times?

Ask the dragonflies, what have they seen?
They will laugh at our notion, ridiculous
of individual lifetimes. Prehistoric creatures
have seen more than we could ever hope to be.

Mix-Tape 10 - The Long Way Round - Apr2019

Words to accompany my latest Spotify mix-tape The Long Way Round Apr2019

I’m Heading Home again. My mind is full of you. You, shining bright in all your True Colours, surpassing the glorious Starlight blazed across these expansive skies as I Drive slowly, pushing wearily against The Road at 4500m, tyres crawling over the surface, soft and sticky like Glue. Embracing, like your love.

The Lights from distant towns glimmer on the horizon whilst I listen to your voice playing over and over in my mind. You always know what to say to pull me out of my self-centred stupor and Push Me to My Limits. I need your voice now as I float across these Roads. Without you, it feels as though I might be foolishly Walking Away from Love, heading in the wrong direction to I Don’t Know Where. Back to you?

I’m taking the long way ‘round, of course, but I could Ride All Night along these grey, dark paths, pedalling endless cycles and it won’t change the fact that I Adore You, that I would gladly spend all my days and all my nights finding my way back to you. Back to you and I. You and I in our Private Universe, where the Algorithms are always spot on, feeding and holding our rhythms in perfect time as we live and love many Lifetimes together, weaving in and out of life’s never-ending web.

Thoughts spiral backwards (or was it forwards?) to that Easter in the city where we bathed in the Half-Light of early spring evenings, surrounded by the regal glow of hyacinths, fragrant as the new life blossoming all around our eager souls.

I’m often startled by how easily memory can Roll Back the moth-eaten blanket of Insecurities that have weighed heavy on my heart since 1976. But that day, lying Beneath You under the magnificent magnolia whose petals fell sweetly down upon us like kisses from an oceanic sky, drowning out all sound of distant Street Life, we gave ourselves up to the Purple Sun, confident that Everyone Should Have Their Day and this was ours. Ours for the taking. Ours for the keeping, alongside the myriad other jewels stored securely in our treasure chests, heart strings tightening with every remembrance.

Back on the road, the Okolona River Bottom Band sings loud from the stereo. Lilting voices harmonising thoughts into a dream-like reverie and I find myself and lose my self in a Labyrinth of recollections. Looking upward to the sky, Wide Open, blue as childhood summers, I fall to my knees as though Love in Itself were bearing down on my shoulders, pushing me to the ground through vivid vivacious sunbeams.

I awake to find myself alone and lost again. This time, at the centre of the puzzle caught up in an Inner Tale of half-truths, secrets and dilemma, bound by mythic string and you, Red Dressed floating toward me in Detached Motion. Here one moment, faded the next. Like all our too short days.

As the sun sets, we are reunited and lose ourselves in Love for Days - magical days that stretch on and on. Though each moment is delicious in many ways, my heart yearns to Take You Home but as we try to leave, our legs, heavy with love, seem to be drawn like magnets to the welcoming earth and we struggle to stop ourselves Falling Down. I start to worry, feeling confused but you are laughing in Turkish Delight as you take my hand and pull me from our dream back to the road.

The music has long since stopped playing and only your voice remains, resounding at Perfect Magnitude through the persistent drum beat of my heart, seeping into my bones, vibrating at comforting frequencies, forming a Bridge between our worlds as I keep on driving Until The morning.

Mix-Tape 7 - Let's Talk.. - Feb2019

Words to accompany my latest Spotify mix-tape Let's Talk... Feb2019

Let’s talk about these days 

Of the downtown lights and 

Motion sickness as we drive 

Anywhere through this winter valley.

Purple like the summer rain, 

Ultraviolet Northern Lights dance 

Across the moon river, reveal 

My disposition and light up 

The moments I’m missing.

Waking up at 4am 

From REM visions 

Of you and I running in the night. 

Are you near or far? 

I feel lost without you. 

I know it’s stupid 

And I want to let you love me 

But what’s love got to do with it? 

Somebody special is on my mind, 

Wide open.

Nostalgia for ’93 has me
Welling up. Ooh Lordy! 

I don’t want to change your mind, 

But we’ve already started out 

So, can you stay awhile? 

We can breathe and listen 

To the sound of liminal spaces.

Keep breathin’ cos it’s Friday, 

I’m in love and love’s in need of love today.

I can speak Spanish so 

Use your superpower 

My deadly valentine 

And we’ll head on down to 

Bobbi’s Second World to 

Meet the Moonchild and his MAH…

Mix-Tape 4 - The Sweet Darkness - Dec2018

Words to accompany my latest Spotify mix-tape The Sweet Darkness - Dec2018

Our final Mix-Tape of 2018 is The Sweet Darkness. It comes with a story so let’s gather round the fireside, blankets pulled up close, press shuffle (or play in date order as you wish) and allow ourselves to get lost in the flicker & glow of the flames as the music pulls us into a dream. This is no festive frolic - more a venture into the dark depths of winter’s renewing wonderland. So, pull on the thick, hooded cloak of friendship, grab an oil filled lantern of good hope and take my hand as we embark down a musical rabbit hole on a journey into the dreamy darkness of Winter…

Goodbye England (Covered In Snow). The Nightfall Pale Blue drifts down over this place where The World Is A Ghetto and the Hourglass is Falling, Catching the last beams of daylight behind the Winter Trees. We’ll leave the Dirty Old Town behind us this December Day, Burning Bridges as we go.

‘Everybody Loves You! Wdsg?’ the Villagers’ Fool yells down from a flaming flyover, running towards us with a toothless grin. He offers us V4 Fake Sugar which we politely decline as we pass by The River where Club 8 are Swimming With The Tide and Avril tries to Keep Her Head Above Water.

Turning away, we enter the enchanted forest through a Tunnel of evergreen hedgerow. Radio Silence falls and for a moment or two we are overwhelmed by the peaceful lushness of ancient trees and wild flowers blooming proudly in the moonlight. The cool calm covers us in a blanket of Serenity whilst high above in the canopy, Bowie sings his Opus ‘Wild Is The Wind’ from a glittering trapeze swing, making us sway with vicarious Vertigo as we watch the tails of his turquoise suit floating behind him like wings, a yellow rose in his lapel.

‘No CD!’ he calls down to us, dropping The Rose at our feet like a Sacrifice. We both move to pick it up, but before we get a chance, Eric appears from behind an old, beautifully snarled oak and holds up a warning hand.

‘Let It Grow’ he advises of the lemon flower and ushers us towards a new path. ‘Please Be With Me’.

We follow him into the darkest part of the wood where the trees have joined upper limbs to create a chamber-like arbour in which Cat’s Eyes glower in the gloom at the only Girl In The Room. Myela is stuck in a groove, lost in her past, Always whirling around singing,

‘Who Hurt Who on the 25th Of Last December? Now I’m Dancing On My Own…’.

We spin around the dancefloor with her for a moment until she disappears into the misty darkness and we sense another presence hovering behind us.

‘Is Someone Out There?’ we call through the greying murk. The only response is a repeated refrain of our voices echoing back and forth. A crunch of footsteps finds us spinning around again.

This time we spy Muse lurking in the shadows, softly tempting us to The Dark Side three times over in their Alternate Reality. We find ourselves drifting towards them when suddenly Lily runs over exclaiming,

‘I’ve Lost My Mind! If you find it, please Send To Robin Immediately!’

She hands us a battered leaflet with the faded headline ‘Things It Would Have Been Helpful To Know Before The Revolution’ before running off into the trees. What does it mean? It feels like a relic from another world.

‘Tough Love’ mutters Iggy Pop swinging down off the back of a passing Three Oh Nine bus. As he walks alongside us, we notice the landscape has changed to a more urban environment and we amble, unsettled, along the edge of a raucous city park complete with deafening fairground and dizzying carousels.

Iggy, sensing our desire to return somewhere quieter and more familiar, indicates towards the grand houses on the other side of the street and explains,

‘This is where The Pure And The Damned reside. Have you tried Thinking Of A Place When There’s Love?’ This seems like portentous advice, but we can hear Roberta inviting us to join her party. Glancing at your face, I can see you Feel Like Me and that we’re doing better than we’ve ever been, so we follow Minnie’s suggestion to ‘Close Your Eyes And Remember’ and cover our faces in gloved hands.

The Chromatics’ Camera clicks into place (and we love it despite the outrageously banging donk on it!) Opening our eyes, we find ourselves in a clearing surrounded by painted rose brambles and silver birch. In the centre of the clearing sits an enchanting, wood-framed, cob cottage bathed in a welcoming flickering glow. Like instinctive Detectorists we know we will B. Inspired to find the gifts waiting for us inside, so we head towards the golden fireside to tell our stories and sing our songs assured that Love Will lead us home.

The End.

Enjoy the holidays. Much love, Rache xx

Mix-Tape 1 - I Believe In Music - Jun2018

Words to accompany my latest Spotify mix-tape I Believe In Music Jun2018

This ‘mix-tape’ was put together as a musical hug for a friend. I've listened to it almost daily these past few months which have been a super challenging time for me. It has been a life buoy, comfort blanket, spirit lifter, solace, distraction + inspiration. I hope you feel moved by the music too x

Dancing in the Dark

The day before you came

I was dancing in the dark

All alone, a slow disco

To the rhythm of the night.

‘Keep your head’, I told myself

‘Keep it hid’.

Then you arrived, fresh from your bus ride to Gulu

With your unchained melody,

Big love and beautiful life,

Singing ‘O Virtus Sapientie’.

The soft rain fell

As you came to stand by me

And the stone cold heart of glass

Melted out of my system.

I realized it was not worth hiding,

I was already spinning over you –

My fire burned a gentle storm

As you left to slip into something more comfortable.

‘Dearly beloved, I can not but praise you!’

My guardian angel, Queen Mab

Whispered into my ear.

‘Take it easy. Don’t worry and don’t ask why.

‘As time goes by you will understand

‘We are all angels in chains.

‘There are no little lies

‘In this perfect world.’

As the summertime shed

Its glitter and gloss,

We met again at the river,

Waded into the blue

And, lost in music, reminisced

About halcyon days.

‘Remember New York, 2002?’ you asked.

‘We had to drive everywhere

‘Despite the deep waters.’

‘Like being in Wonderland…’ I murmured,

Recalling the afro blue

Shining far across the universe.

‘This sunshine feels so good.’ You remarked,

Laying your head on my belly.

I knew nothing but right here, right now.

I longed to close my eyes

And dream of sheep and clouds

When you sang your lullaby – Nwahulwana.

But the strange ways of this world

Had turned the day to night 52

And the May Queen arrived

In her soft machine,

Leaving her sister, Mahal Kita

To carry fire for us all.

They gave me a lamp

That spilled its light

Its very sound and vision

All along the sourire.

The seeds planted long ago

Within my childhood dreams

Suddenly began to crystallize

Into something more than being.

‘Credo, credo! Cocco bello!’

From the other side of the burgs,

As they began to sing Rachel’s song –

‘Cocco bello, Cocco bello!’

Jupiter flamed whilst the strings of life

Played a tango in the night,

And we danced together, you and I

Beneath the blue moonlight.

‘We are stars.’ You whispered softly

And I nodded. It was true.

‘I believe in music, my friend.

‘I believe in you.’