The Life Force

Time’s like a river; on it flows

How it meanders, no one knows;

Rocks may cause it to slow down,

Or form deep pools where fish are found.

 

It starts, like life, from mountain spring

High in the clouds where no birds sing

Acquiring strength past cliffs and screes

Perhaps reflecting lofty trees…

 

It picks up debris in its wake;

Which new direction will it take?

Watch it wend round crops and hedges

While friendly reeds skirt outer edges.

 

Its pace slows down in middle age

Gone forever youth’s wild rage

Its power harvested, it yields

Its flow to irrigating fields...

 

 Then the mighty sea lies straight ahead

Where it will slowly lose its head

And mingle with the salty waves;

Just so is life, from birth to graves …

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

Thomson River - Canada

 

 

 

Excursion to London Farm - Steveston

New impressions make life full

As links with home exert less pull;

Our thoughts escape, float on long-lease;

Without routines, souls are at peace.

 

In the stillness of Vancouver dawn

Where shadows play on curtains drawn

This stolen, jet-lagged, hour is real

Hot coffee has a sharp appeal!

 

This Autumn season overseas

Arrives with unexpected breeze;

Though skies are clear and sapphire blue

Windcheaters are in constant view!

 

On edge of Steveston - London* Farm

Once private homestead full of charm

Where passers-by, though we saw none,

Can learn how fruit farms once were run.

 

Threshing machine, hoes, rakes and scythes

In open barn, arrest our eyes;

While in allotments dahlias bloom

And herbs and veggies fight for room!

 

Vast ditches dug to stave off flood

Recall past times when silted mud

Birthed cranberries in a big way

We know this crop as “Ocean Spray”!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

* Built and worked by the 'London' family in the 1890s.

London Farm Barn

Ye olde threshing Machine

Richmond Revels!

Fraser River - misty, swathed in cloud

Incoming ships sound foghorns loud

I see a bird or two swoop low,

Along the dyke, dog walkers go.

 

A rosy pink sky meets my gaze

Yes, jetlag has a magic phase;

This topsy-turvy scene invites

A new perspective of delights!

 

The change of hour is extreme

My body feels lost in a dream …

When to get up? When to eat?

Out of step - with happy feet!

 

At Farmers Market, fruit piled high;

Bins of apples catch my eye;

The Fraser Valley proud to be

A fertile plain quite condo-free!

 

Walmart, where most locals shop,

Had an almost empty parking lot ...

Closed sans warning?  Shock to all!

Hence Hobson’s choice was Richmond Mall.

 

Their food court had an Asian feel;

Gold ornate jewellery looked surreal

In brightly lit, garish displays;

So much to look at and amaze …

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

Richmond Farmers Market

Richmond Mall Food Court

Fishing - for Compliments?

 How wings get tired as one flies;

But joy to see a new sunrise

As flying West means endless day,

With Night encroachment kept at bay…

 

Rush hour traffic here is light;

The River Fraser* sparkles bright

Its estuaries all cloaked in blue

Once airport red tape is gone through!

 

Where am I? Go on, have a guess;

As hinted, I have flown out West!

Vancouver high-rise looms in view

But clapboard homesteads* spring up too.

 

Once, salmon canning enterprise

This fishing hamlet grew in size;

Known now for tech-smart generation:

Its laid-back style – a revelation.

 

In summer – blessed with climate mild

(Though rainy winters are reviled!)

Progressive, spawned with West-Coast chic

A mecca for the Get-Rich-Quick!

 

Nearby, away from city sprawl

Beyond each local shopping mall,

A tiny enclave fringed by sea …

Richmond, where my heart roams free!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

* The Fraser River is 854 miles  (or 1375 Km) long, all in British Columbia.

** Located near Vancouver Airport, Burkeville village  - comprising 328 houses  - was built in 1941-1943 to house workers for Boeing Aircraft construction.

Richmond Fishing Museum, British Columbia, Canada

Backcloth to Indian Summer

This Indian summer beams*, unchecked!

October’s Autumn leaves collect

On kerbs, in gardens, in the park:

In life’s wild chaos, a bright spark!

 

But time is on the wing, I’ve seen

Promotions start for Halloween!

What’s the rush?  Don’t azure skies

Provide a boost to jaded eyes?

 

But there’s an underside to this

While our mornings are sun-kissed,

This lack of rainfall is a sign

Of stressful livelihoods – big time …

 

When water, now tagged as “blue gold”,

Evaporates, life goes ‘on hold’;

With landscapes tinder-dry, a blaze

May ruin crops in harvest phase …

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

* Over 20°C in Brussels in early October!!

Glorious Autumn palette!

A Snapshot of Dilbeek

Dilbeek*, claimed by Flemings, HOME,

Has leafy glades where people roam

Near neo-Renaissance brick pile

And castle-farm** revamped in style.

 

Lake tinged with green in ‘Indian’ *** heat

Sports three fountains which now greet

Daytime strollers through the grass

A host of birds swoop as we pass!

 

Ideally placed, with awnings bright

A choice of venues in sunlight,

Fine dining in this scenic spot;

Traditional fare, served piping hot!

 

White marquees trimmed lawns now grace;

Soon, annual "Oosthoek Live" takes place;

It has an "otherworldly" feel,

But I have seen it and it’s real !

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

* "Dilbeek, waar Vlamingen THUIS zijn" is the local motto.

(Dilbeek is on the edge of Brussels)

** KasteelHoeve - Dilbeek

*** In Indian summer temperatures on 2nd October, 2026

Between Church and State?

Momentous meet-ups now take place:

Chinese leader at Trump’s place

Where trade agreements are on song

And both First Ladies come along…

 

While Nôtre-Dame, flamboyant, proud

Surrounded by Parisian crowd,

A hearty welcome now extends

To young Pope Leo – they are friends!

 

Both meetings, well planned, go ahead

But we’re not privy to what’s said

As Politics and Faith spark views

Which may cause worry or confuse…

 

The poet treads on thin ice here:

As some agendas aren’t made clear;

These outcomes offer the world’s Press

 The chance to launch a Media-Fest !

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

Pope Leo XIV in Paris

Equinox Equanimity

The Autumn Equinox ignites

Thoughts of cosy fires, cool nights

With magic carpets on our paths,

September mists, bright woollen scarves  …

 

Russet apples, pumpkin pie

Swooping birds in burnished sky

Puddles, blocked drains, business rush

A change of tempo, stone fruits lush …

 

The year has reached its middle age;

Retirement from old Sol's fierce rays;

Bumptious mushrooms flaunt pert faces

Soups and salads now swop places.

 

New films on TV or on line

Entertain us now, big time!

Lofty trees long shadows cast;

Car-free Sunday is a blast!

 

Back to school for kids and teens;

Autumn breaks for those with means!

We’re on the turn with vistas new,

I lose myself in books - do you ?

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

Buddha - a Case of Attitude

Old Buddha knew a thing or two;

When minds get cluttered (as they do),

High time to step aside and say

We need to filter thoughts away!

 

Too much ‘stuff’ destroys our peace;

As foreign wars will never cease,

We have to ask ourselves deep down

Why let world worries grind us down?

 

Beset by turmoil every day

Minutiae make emotions sway;

With much ‘out there’ beyond control,

We struggle to let good times roll!

 

Our influence may be but small 

When depression makes us stall,

But simple things we CAN decide:

Each rules his roost from the inside …

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

A propos the Vuylbeek

This scenic Boitsfort brook flows free

Through wooded glade and rocky scree ;

Scheldt affluent via la Woluwe

Where reeds and rushes shelter too.

 

Deep aquifer means water pure*

Both teal and tufted duck breed here ;

In ponds, the crested glebe resides

And salamander deftly hides !

 

Medieval fishponds are no more

But there is still much to explore :

Neolithic camp and tumuli

Remind us what there used to be…

 

Poplars cut down, beech trees grown ;

This ‘zone humide’ we like to roam

Is a well-protected Nature site**

And keen photographers’ delight !

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

* It is not a 'dirty brook', despite its name!

** Since 1992

'

At the Poetik Bazar

From Rue Royale it isn’t far

To Brussels Poetik Bazar

Where editors (most francophones),

Offer a wide range of tomes…

 

On one stand lay some Tarot cards

With little rhymes by local bards;

I chatted with a Québecoise

En français - that is what one does!

 

Slim volumes spread out on display

From poets foreign-born – hooray!

These mostly in the Gallic tongue;

Skilled adaptations every one!

 

 It’s no small thing to translate rhyme

As puns and idioms take time;

Rhythm often must be kerbed

In the search for the right word!

 

Imaginative, creative flow!

Where thoughts may mingle and then go

In other forms across the seas;

Could it be I’m one of these?

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

At the Halles de Schaerbeek 22 Rue Royale Sainte Marie

The Strasbourg Parley

The E.U.’s outreach goes beyond

Its borders - to the Nouveau Monde;

Will special status be assigned

To Canada ? This blows my mind !

 

Our kaleidoscope of States

Works in union through debates;

Smart politics and trade deals flow,

Laid down by those-in-the-know !

 

Today, it seems we’ve upped the stakes

With Maple Leaf and those Great Lakes;

In Strasbourg, Carney* will discuss

The advantages for all of us.

 

Our leading lady**, Ixelles born,

Envisages a bright new dawn;

If assistant-membership is tried

We’ll have the brown bear on our side !

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

* Mark Carney - P.M. of Canada

** Ursula von der Leyen (President of the European Commission)

The Strasbourg Parliament building

The Crux of the Matter

The season turns, but heat stays high!

Lacy-pink clouds delight the sky;

Crinkling underfoot - crisp leaves

Whisked up gently in the breeze…

 

Warm autumn is my favourite time

Where russet palettes royally shine

Above the paths in my beechwood;

Such Baroque artistry is good!

 

But news and media harp on fears;

Think budgets sadly in arrears,

Upset trade, wars of all kinds …

No wonder joie de vivre declines.

 

This isn’t how things ought to be;

A walk in Nature is still free!

Get a grip – switch off your phone

Make magic moments all your own!

 

This hectic malaise is a crime …

Our wounded souls crave more ‘me-time’;

Hence, friends-who-care come top-of-list:

Tea and chats – next thing to bliss! 

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

At the House of European History

In leafy glade by duck-filled pool

A Museum!* Once smart dental school;

In imposing, Nineteen-Thirties chic …

Here Europe’s stories thrive and kick!

 

You reach it up a cobbled way

(Though lunchtime joggers barred my way);

What a fascinating peep inside:

Strong social themes sharp-cut and dried!

 

It’s vast - with stairs and corridors;

Fun facts await us on all floors:

We played a Generation Game;

Opinions voiced showed pride and pain…

 

Each culture validates its view:

Background and era weigh in too;

Our prisms form the way we think:

Our humanity the link...

 

In a select group, with a friend

For lunchtime tour; a happy blend

Of old and young and in-between;

In short, our European dream!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

* at 135 Rue Belliard in Parc Léopold - built 1934-5

Wardrobe Worries?

Should we to memories kow-tow?

Pre-loved clothes are clutter now…

Gifts from friends no use somehow

It all piles up;

Keep for a rainy day? No good!

Clothes, too tight to wear, we should

Donate to friends - because they would

With ease close up!

 

We’re richer than we used to be;

But buying garments seems to me

A weak excuse for shopping spree …

Do we need more?

Yet “Make and Mend” is so old hat;

Sew on a button? Who does that?

We just go out and buy more tat

Stop!  Less is more …

 

Wardrobes bursting at the seams;

What to wear?  The stuff of dreams

A daily tough decision means

We’re never sure;

Have we forgotten to take stock

Who remembers what they’ve got?

Must we always go and shop?

Caveat emptor!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

Internet photo - not my wardrobe!

Our-Lady-of-the-Heavens Chapel

Nothing ever stays the same;

Our modest chapel down the lane

In sprucewood artfully designed,

Has for the Faithful served its time.

 

“Our-Lady-of-the-Heavens”* lies

In Boitsfort - by a gentle rise;

Nearby, the ‘All Saints stream’ ** would flow;

In green valley - lost below…

 

Its congregation is no more;

Since Fifty-Six, they formed a core

Of locals – many now demised;

It ended up desacralized***.

 

Its fragile status made it dire;

In Seventy-Six, it lost its spire;

No more the heart of village buzz

It lost its purpose, as time does!

 

Now, workmen occupy the site;

An upper floor will soon delight

A group of special people who

Are looking for Day Centre new!

 

A pilot scheme**** which may surprise;

The Commune backs this enterprise;

Far cry perhaps from sacred heart;

But twenty souls have brand-new start!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

* La Chapelle de Notre-Dame, Reine des Cieux

*** in 2023

****An initiative of the ATIPI asbl (Atelier Inclusif Pilote)

** Heiligenborre 14-16

Taking a Moment ...

We cannot always shout “Hooray!”

As niggles creep in, ruin our day;

Something wrongly put away

And we are lost!

Too busy, we forgot to phone;

A wealth of chores await - we groan!

We can’t do everything alone…

We count the cost…

 

Something breaks, can’t be replaced;

We’re pulled up short by rancid taste

Of expired food in fridge – more waste;

Bad start to day …

We fail to run, so miss our bus;

That trusty trowel shows signs of rust;

Daily pressures mount on us

Nerves start to fray…

 

Then one glance reveals warm sun

Plants seem so joyful, every one;

September’s pageant has begun

And I’m alive!

How is it with you all - out there?

Please make time to stop and stare

A moment’s respite, free-from-care

Helps us survive!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

Does Size Matter?

Eckert IV beats ‘Mercator’!*

Where have I heard this name before?

On new world map all eyes train:

Africa - made great again!

 

With this scale-up, Greenland shrinks;

Most vote in favour; U.S. thinks

That its landmass is down-sized;

A lonely ‘no’ voice; who’s surprised?

 

Let us get land in proportion:

Mercator’s world map caused distortion

So, the U.N. Powers decreed**

This new version fills a need!

 

In what way will our views change?

A smaller Canada is strange;

Why does its Neighbour make a fuss?

As there’s still room for all of us!

 

(c) Poet in the woods 2026 

* Gerardus Mercator was a Flemish geographer, cosmographer and cartographer. He is most renowned for creating the 1569 world map based on a new projection which represented sailing courses of constant bearing as straight lines.

** On September 4th, 2026

Nearly a Disaster!

A simple purchase*, bought by card

(As counting coins out can be hard)!

In a quiet shop at end of day

With all things “couture” on display.

 

At nearly six**, I had a date

With a friend to celebrate;

My mind distracted, Heaven knows

We all have silly days like those…

 

I took my purchase, grabbed the bill

Dropping bank card by the till…

Too late I tipped out bag and purse …

No card to be seen – a first!

 

Quick email to the sewing shop;

Happiness – my card they’d got!

Reunited joyfully once more

My heartfelt thanks to friendly store!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

*  For the curious - a needle threader!

** just before closing time

 Chaussée d'Ixelles 143