I wake early and look into the darkness for a sign of dawn
the pillow is soft beneath my head,
my body snug in its cocoon of warmth

wake up

for a few seconds I turn off the hot water
and allow icy needles to shower down my back

sunday morning

it is only me out walking
and the twittering birds that dart from fence post to tree to telephone wire

the coffee filter utters a throaty gurgling sound
steam rises from the pot
and a fresh sweet aroma wafts down the passage

the house is quiet;
all I hear is the occasional click of the mouse, the tap of the keyboard, the hum of the fridge
outside a bird squawks an early morning call

a percussion of raindrops on tin muffles the usual morning chorus

through the window I catch a glimpse of dawn,
the eastern sky is pink above a silhouette of trees
perhaps it will rain today.

winter sunshine burns through mist
revealing a crisp clear morning

a towel lies in a lumpy heap of dampness on the bedroom floor

a slinky black cat stalks through a green field of white sheep