Riding High!

Uccle weathermen declare
The heatwave this June is severe
The plants run riot, puddles dry
And summer clothes tempt us to buy!

We pack our cases with fun things
School's out – the exodus begins
France fills with Belgians as does Spain
The city empties once again.

The Yellow Jersey says it all
As Brussels gears up for 'La Tour'*
With Eddy Merckx its figurehead
Huge wreathes of bike wheels overhead!

A 'pop-up' shop sells cycle wares;
The STIB's ** a muddle – but who cares?
As transport's free all next week-end*
We're moving with the times, my friend!

Concerts, festivals and sport
Make Brussels fun but also fraught
Couleur Café on Atomium heights
Weekend apéros on hot nights...

A mix of culture en pleine air
Summer sees the Midi Fair
To which the heat brings golden touch;
Yes, modest Brussels offers much!

(c) Poet in the woods 2019

* 6-7 July, 2019

** Brussels public transport system

A Heated Argument!

Time passes and the heat increases
For once no clouds with woolly fleeces
Sky paintbox-blue with buttered sun
Street fountains all switched on – such fun!

Bottled water flies off shelves
In such heat it sells and sells!
Beers are quaffed in ice cold glass
But chocolate shops see tourists pass...

On summer clothing there's a run
Shorts and sleeveless tops now come
On everybody's shopping list
As arms and legs are soon sun-kissed!

As we swelter under torrid skies
Our fragile northern skin soon fries
It's tropical – what joy! How rare!
The Ozzie sunhat gets some wear!

On the dark side, insects swarm
An arachnid army now the norm
Tough weeds crack our paving stones
And guess what? Endless traffic cones!

(c) Poet in the woods 2019

My Terrace - in Mid-June

The tension in the air gives way
To a warm and sunny, cloudless day
My plants drink deeply, they are parched
While weeds are dug out and frog-marched.

My green mint, chives and thyme await
Beheading for my dinner plate
While lavender, now in full bloom
Will soon grace vases in spare room.

No plastic here, all in good taste
Bar the tarpaulin* – still in place
Which billows over my far wall -
Bricked-up defence to pine trees tall...

Midsummer is but one day old;
The heatwave cometh, we are told
Time to stock cold wine and beer
As our 'rainbow salad' days are here!

(c) Poet in the woods 2019

* A new house was being built next door to mine ...

Are we being SMART?

How does one live, connect, survive
Without a SMART phone by one's side?
It's so convenient, fast and cool
Why, pupils sneak them into school!

You have a fact you need to check?
Just ask Google and you're set
Times of next train, bus or tram?
It's easy! No need now to plan.

Let's pay invoices on line
Instant transfers every time
Actions happen at top speed
As Apps anticipate each need!

Bewildering, to say the least
But memory spans may shrink or cease;
Why use our brains when hi-tech rules?
Will we need teachers in our schools?

But humans thrive when they connect
And I don't mean on Internet
How do we hone our personal skills
When just a screen our workday fills?

It's a disconnect – a paradox
We prefer «Netflix» to chatterbox!
We drink at home, stay out of bars
And watch alone fav football stars!

Is this the way to go, I ask
Must I.T. solve non-stop each task?
This 'so-called' progress burn-out causes
So isn't life best lived – in pauses?

(c) Poet in the woods 2019

Thoughts at Dawn

In June the days are early born
The haunting beauty that is dawn
Captivates me on tiptoe
How I admire its rosy glow.

Before the morning rush begins
The joyful beating of bird wings
As the nearby woodland comes alive
See swifts and swallows swoop and dive...

It's a stolen time, no one abroad
Man and nature in accord
Full of wonderment and peace
Happiness on a long lease ...

Wild flowers tremble after rain
But their slender stalks rise up again
Daisies peep through lush green lawns
Nature's art takes many forms.

The world's in such a sorry state
But stillness helps me meditate
I briefly let no fears intrude
And enjoy this blissful interlude ...

(c) Poet in the woods 2019

Joy among the Raindrops!

Humidity is high, we glow
But a raincoat's still the way to go
June's promise of warm sunny days
Is broken; this year it dismays!

Huge waves of rain come hurtling through ...
More lakes, not puddles, in full view!
What joy can brighten this wet day
Against a backcloth of dark grey?

Some lucky friends are far away;
Vietnam and Portugal display
Lush vegetation, scenic views
With smiling faces, they enthuse ...

Here exams are in full swing
Perhaps the rain keeps students in
As revision now has pride of place
High marks sought for Uni place...

But the terrace plants have happy mien
Mint, thyme and chives put forth new green
My salads have that 'fresh-picked' touch;
This unexpected joy means much!

(c) Poet in the woods 2019

The Conversion - Rain stops Play!

It's not just sport that stops in rain
Torrents flood the drains again
One workman, tarpaulin in hand
Against the weather takes a stand.

The Conversion's in a sorry state
It's soaked - but rain will not abate
Splashes come in constant flow
A swimming pool's the way to go!

A delivery of shiny tiles
Stacked up in untidy piles
Await their final resting place
But the fretwork roof has sorry face.

Faced by Neptune's wrath again
The building plan is under strain
Meanwhile outside the weeds run riot
And the poet gets some peace and quiet!

(c) Poet in the woods 2019

Thomas - at the Farm

By uncle's pond on stepping stone
Thomas, bravely on his own
Observes this water wonderland
A wealth of movement, all unplanned.

Insects flit or crawl on rock
Geckos peer from reeds, take stock
Perhaps some minnows swirl below
In the shallows, who's to know?

In this peaceful farmland stream
A myriad tiny creatures teem
Their lifespan short but ever new
A kalideoscope of derring-do!

Mini-food chains operate
Ripples mean an insect's fate
A bird perhaps sees a quick meal;
Nature's cruelty is real.

Though Thomas often walks this way
Does he see predators and prey
And marvel at pond life* extreme
Or just enjoy the burbling stream?

(c) Poet in the woods 2019

* Reference to "The Marvels of Pond Life" by Henry J. Slack

Tongue-Tied?

Easter – fifty days ago!
Where the time goes, I don't know
Brave sun fights hard to pierce the clouds;
Brussels buzzes; tourist crowds ...

Wend their way in some despair
Through roadworks to our famous square;
New Brussels Parliament sworn in
The Federal Parliament still aswim ...

Complex Belgium, which I love,
Needs divine help from Above
To solve its coalition woes
Election over – in the throes ...

Of getting all new sides on board
Though extremist votes have soared
Hum ... Pentecost, the gift of tongues
Now that would help them up the rungs!

(c) Poet in the woods 2019

A LIttle Rant

We're plagued by scams; I am depressed
Computers, bad as all the rest
Contrive to make life living hell
Rogue icons cast an evil spell...

Whizz-kid technology is fine
But danger often lurks on line
So much is artifice, unreal;
Take supermarket leaflet spiel:

Special offers: «Buy in Threes!»
Or «Second one, half-price!» – oh, please!
We'd need more shelves, more storage space
But should we really stuff our face?

We're not aware what's going on
It seems to me (I could be wrong),
Big corporations, run on greed,
Con us to buy what we don't need.

With all this hype, I'm not surprised
Obesity is on the rise
So sales of diet pills increase ...
When will this crazy spiral cease?

(c) Poet in the woods 2019

Belgium's Secret Rose Garden

In Flemish Brabant tucked away
Well hidden under clouds today
St. Pieters Leeuw, quiet, assumes
A treasure trove of fragrant blooms.

Here are roses in all shapes and sizes
Some worldwide hybrids garner prizes
Pale pink, coral, virgin white
And deep red velvet all delight!

Arranged in beds bordered by yew
And trellis-climbing rosebuds new
June's the perfect month to come
But alas, we did not see much sun.

Roadworks in the lane outside
The single roadsign tried to hide
So the entry, though access was free
Made visitors a rarity...

A band of gardeners did their stuff
While an outsize radio, loud enough
To shatter thoughts of meditation,
Pop songs played on Flemish station!

Nearby, complete with tower and moat,
The Coloma castle seemed to float
Down a rose-strewn nature trail
In a 16th century fairy tale ...

(c) Poet in the woods 2019



Coloma Kasteel - 19, Sint-Sebastiaansstraat 18, 1600 Sint-Pieters-Leeuw

The Power of 'Wow!'

Have you noticed when it shines
Smiles break out and no one whines?
Excited chatter in the street
As neighbours stop to meet and greet.

With deep blue skies, no threat of rain
There's no impulse to complain
New summer fashions are on show
Bright colours cheer when moods are low.

Some evenings glow with pinkish light
Nature's finesse: souls delight!
Luscious roses bob and sway
Warm subtle perfume wafts my way.

Raspberries, apricots and grapes
Bring a rainbow to our plates
What better than a BBQ
Before the storm clouds block the view?

(c) Poet in the woods 2019

World Milk Day - 1st June

I sip tea by my breakfast plate ...
Newsflash! Today we celebrate
World Milk Day*; for 18 years
In our sights - dairy careers.

Think peaceful cows in meadows green
Where buttercups in lushness beam
Up Swiss mountains, cows with bells
'Cos «Drinka pinta Milk!» still sells.

Just right for healthy growing bones
Ingredient in ice cream cones
In cappuccino's frothy head
Hot cocoa when we go to bed...

By cats and kittens much adored;
Since ancient times it has been poured
And Belgian pralines cut a dash
Filled with creamy, sweet ganache**

In cartons or in bottles sold
We take for granted this white gold
But have you ever stopped to think
Of the farmers who produce this drink?

They too deserve some recognition
So the United Nations' mission
Through its wing, the FAO
Now ensures that this is so!

(c) Poet in the woods 2019

** mixture of chocolate and cream, used to make truffles and other chocolate candies




* World Milk Day is a day established by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations to recognize the importance of milk as a global food. It has been observed on June 1 each year since 2001.