Surprising Brussels!

Brussels, source of inspirations!

Home indeed to many nations

Has a zany but warm feel

Much is off-the-wall, but real!

 

What do I mean? Well, there’s a thing

How long is a piece of string?

Its complex politics arcane

At every vote – a change of name*!

 

Its buses, cycle tracks and trams

Cross-cross the city causing jams

And of roadworks, let’s not speak

‘Chantiers’ spring up each week!

 

But the locals are a kindly lot

Explaining to us what is what

As change is ever in the air

And all of us must get somewhere.

 

Fine food and drink are a delight;

The Grand’Place magic - lit at night!

Its Atomium – a format rare

Its architecture makes you stare.

 

Unique, petite yet grandiose

See weeing boy’s amazing clothes!

Pralines, gift-wrapped, oversell

To happy tourists, I can tell!

 

True haven for the polyglot

Though united nation it is not!

While its modesty and joie de vivre

Make it difficult to leave …

(c) Poet in the woods

* in 2024 it is 'Arizona', previously, 'Vivaldi' and 'La Suèdoise'!

The Power of Memories

What memories do you recall?

Some Latin tag, etched on a wall?

Love letter penned by youthful hand?

Lyrics sung by Sixties’ band?

 

A catch phrase overused at school?

A reprimand unjust and cruel?

Somehow, and we don’t know why

Memories bring back times gone by.

 

Heard out of context, they still spark

Deep feelings hidden in our heart

Perhaps a dear friend passed away

Yet we can hear her words today.

 

We try to keep on even keel

But cannot control how we feel

Such memories can hit us hard

Perhaps that’s why I am a Bard! 

(c) Poet in the woods 2024

A Few More Golden Days!

When screens are blank and days are dull

And we’re still in pre-school lull

I see dark rainclouds scudding through;

Above me, trees have burnished hue…

 

What heat we had has now abated

Traffic gets more syncopated

Appointments come in thick and fast

With deadlines fixed for each new task.

 

It’s a challenge now to park the car

Sometimes the walk home is far

Suntanned neighbours say hello

Their smiling faces all aglow!

 

Peace still pervades, but I suspect

More busy-ness on Internet;

September means a brand-new term

Nose to the grindstone – more to learn!

  

(c) Poet in the woods 2024

R.I.P. Alain Delon (1935-2024)

 French heartthrob - Sixties generation!

Young Alain Delon tried the patience

Of parents – so was fostered out;

His life was restless, plagued with doubt…

 

Raw talent – saved from life of crime

Lured by the Movies just in time

Courted, loved, admired, respected

Soon by Louis Malle directed.

 

Then Jean-Luc Goddard, Antonioni

Propelled to fame this one and only!

See Visconti’s: “Rocco and his brothers”

And a kaleidoscope of others!

 

Although untrained, his star soon rose

A whirl of actresses he knows!

He throws his love-net ever wider

But none compares with Romy Schneider!

 

“Un Flic”, “The Leopard”, “Purple Moon”,

 For this sex symbol – ladies swoon!

A long career, a household name;

Then age took its toll – a shame…

 

Failing health, Légion d’honneur;

In the background - always there

Until his death* at eighty-eight;

Let’s sum him up in one word: great!

(c) Poet in the woods 2024

 * on 18th August, 2024 at Douchy-Montcorbon, France.

Rooted to the Spot!

While theatres,  bars and restaurants

Social clubs and local haunts

Recharge their batteries abroad

Brussels welcomes tourist horde!

 

Sultry August – long weekend

Where people holidays now spend

Away from busy office desk

Indulging in fun downtime fest!

 

Its covered flagstones in new guise

The Grand’Place - object of all eyes

 Puts flower carpet on display …

Art Nouveau swirls take breath away!

 

Called “Rhizome” – it’s a Liège design*

Where dahlias** strut their stuff this time;

From first floor balcony we stare

At dazzling son et lumière!

 

Old Gothic facades glow in light

Making this a special night

I raise my glass of bubbles high

And marvel at this flood-lit sky!

(c) Poet in the woods 2024

* By Liège street artist Océane Cornille

** Usually begonias are chosen!

August 15th, 2024

Frolicking on West Beach, South Australia

Though end of winter, spring awaits!

Time to pack the picnic plates

Put rug and basket in the car;

Excursion to the coast – hurrah!

 

Australia’s beaches never end…

A parking spot? No problem, friend!

Down here there’s space for one and all

To read or swim, or simply sprawl.

 

Here Tom and Isabella thrive

Their smiling faces so alive

Decked out in sunhats pink and blue

The colours tell you who is who!

 

Still young enough to learn through play

With Mum and Dad to guide their way

They too must rest on days like these

On sand - resembling crumbly cheese!

 

Here Nature rules - with no high-rise

How Cook* once saw it; a surprise!

Allowed to roam through dunes of sand

They too enjoy the Promised Land!

(c) Poet in the woods 2024

* Captain James Cook (1728 -1779) credited with discovering Australia

A Meditation on Sirius ...

We can wear our shorts at last

With sleeveless T-shirts, they’re a blast!

Bare feet in sandals wriggle free

Bright painted toenails flirt with me!

We loll about, kick off our shoes,

Grab a deck chair, maybe snooze

As the heat saps all our strength

We like to meditate, full length!

 

Not everyone has fled abroad

Trains to the North Sea coast have soared!

Blue skies with not a trace of rain:

Awesome Dog Days back again!

 

Wise Ancients knew it would be dry

With Dog Star Sirius in the sky

This welcome heat meant harvests ripe

And marvels to be seen at night.

 

The immensity of deepest space

Put us humans in our place;

Electric light, though quite amazing,

Lacks the magic of star gazing…

(c) Poet in the woods 2024

Sirius the dog star heralded the hottest days of the year

On Judgement and Gossip

My mind is troubled by this thought:

How is it we are oft distraught

About impressions that we make

On others? Are our lives at stake?

 

Of course, we try and do our best

But life is not a gruelling test

There is no ‘norm’ that fits all cases

Why put mud on others’ faces?

 

Politicians are the worst

Attacking rivals to come first;

The public, fickle, tows their line

With judgements - right or wrong – on line!

 

The human ego, frail, is bruised

No politician wants to lose

But reputations are destroyed

And truth is rendered null and void.

 

With age, we hope some wisdom comes

We know our worth, stick to our guns!

What others think, is their affair

Words cannot bite – why should we care?

(c) Poet in the woods 2024

Drought in Sicily!

We swelter briefly in harsh sun

Then comes the rain and torrents run

Down ageing roofs and cellars flood

So, firemen have to pump out mud!

 

Meanwhile, in Sicily there’s drought

Crops fail and reservoirs give out

Now farmers have to order feed

With water rationing decreed!

 

Climate change seems here to stay

Extremes - the order of the day

Why travel South to burn and fry

With the North Sea so close by?

 

A cool breeze blows through terrace door …

Nature thrives on woodland floor

Here, it rains a lot, but still

Wild flowers give our bees a thrill!

 

(c) Poet in the woods 2024