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

Entente Moins Cordiale?

Long-stitch embroidery unrolled

King Harold’s stitched-up death is told

1066 is long ago

But Hastings changed the world we know.

 

French became the Saxons’ tongue

‘Twas, indeed, adroitly done;

William-the-Bastard seized the throne

And all things French became well known…

 

We bear the consequences still!

But BREXIT was a bitter pill

We swallowed - due to flagrant hype;

Can Bayeux’s artwork make things right?

 

Across the channel Macron comes…

He meets King Charles; are they now chums?

Museum visit – moments shared;

New Entente Cordiale declared?

 

Fly-in-the-ointment: Number Ten

In the shadow of Big Ben

Larry-the-Cat keeps well away

Unimpressed by this display!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

11th century Bayeux Tapestry

Larry - Chief Mouser to N° 10 Downing Street since 2011

A Trip to the Recypark

What is junk but misplaced treasure?

Items we just keep “forever”

Which still function though not new…

De-cluttering is hard to do!

 

You never know when you may need

Much-loved books – for second read?

Wires and plugs may come in handy

Chipped coffee mugs, carafe for brandy…

 

We hoard, we keep for rainy day

But somehow, much gets shoved away

In boxes, bags or under stairs …

One day you think: it’s junk! Who cares?

 

Then joy of joys, September comes

Vast skip appears - which can take tons

Of items we no longer use,

In Commune* car park – we enthuse!

 

A kind friend drove my ‘junk’ away;

Keen neighbours also joined the fray;

For three days - great chance to unload

And regain space in cramped abode!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

* Watermael-Boitsfort

Uncertainty - a Definition!

Often schedules are derailed

With challenges we are assailed;

We try to get the mix just right

But damned change happens overnight!

A death, a sudden accident,

Misunderstanding of intent,

Commitments unplanned, friends in need,

Repairs that must be done – at speed!

 

It happens to us all, we know

Rocks complicate our river flow;

The unexpected looms ahead:

Some days we wish we’d stayed abed!

 

But, as we age, we realise

That every day springs a surprise;

Somehow, we must muddle through;

There’s always such a lot to do!

 

We search for patterns – hen’s-teeth rare

Just sometimes - we succeed with flair!

But just to keep afloat - is key:

Flotsam on life’s sea are we!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

A Watery End!

August bows out, washed in rain

Exhilarating plants again!

Dame Nature brings us to our knees:

Flooded roads - drains blocked with leaves!

 

Without our brolly, we are lost!

While burnt-out Fagnes*-land counts the cost;

Its forlorn landscape, blackened, bleak

Recalls three heatwaves at their peak…

 

But uncertainty is Nature’s way,

She keeps us guessing every day!

To politicians we now turn

Ecology – our top concern.

 

The Army starts recruitment drive

To help dear Belgium to survive;

Budget shortfall, talks intense:

But we need firemen, not Defence…

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

*Les Fagnes, Eastern Belgium

From Nepal to Norway ...

I’m flattered when you find my blog!

The Internet maintains a log

Of all the countries that alight

Perhaps, by chance, on what I write…

 

I keep a handle on world news

But carefully avoid strong views

As you must make up your own mind;

Poets do try to be kind.

 

But it is clear the world’s a mess!

Disasters of all types cause stress;

Witness flooding in Nepal*

Where Man can't take the blame at all!

 

Poor country, where the living’s hard;

Hapless souls now deeply scarred;

Survivors faced with mud display

As fragile homes are washed away…

 

Wars rage on – a truce is sought

But selfish interests lead to nought

Young lives, full of promise, die

While petrol prices leap sky-high!

Death comes to stars** and kings alike;

Norway’s King Harald** *died last night …

The world we loved and knew, departs

Before us now – a new game starts!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

* Over 2000 deaths on night of 26-27.8.2026

** i.e. Dolly Parton aged 80, who died on 25.8.2026

*** King Harald V of Norway, aged 89, who died on 27.8.2026

He is succeeded by his son King Haakon VIII

The Repurposed Box!

Though retired, not unemployed;

Auntie is quite overjoyed

When new family photos come …

My photogenic niece is fun!

 

Not jack-in-the-box – but Jill!

A nursery rhyme – a modern thrill

As Isabella is encased

With laptop and a smiling face!

 

You can’t stop progress, come what may

Her office, all-in-one today

Proves imagination thrives

And enhances mundane lives!

 

Fully plugged in, up to date,

The joy upon her face is great

But what she watches, I can’t see

I tiptoe off, and let her be!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

R.I.P. Dolly Parton (1946-2026)

She was no “9 to 5” type girl

Her hair - a forest full of curl

From “dirt poor” down in Tennessee

She made it to top of the tree!

 

Petite but buxom, a live wire

“Jolene” set our hearts on fire!

Mrs. Carl Dean, kind, warm-hearted

A reading scheme for poor kids started.

 

Ebullient on the silver screen

Of Country Music – uncrowned queen!

The public, faithful, loved her stuff

A real trooper, she was tough!

 

Now eighty - she has turned the page:

The footlights dim, she leaves the stage…

But Dolly Parton’s songs survive

And make us glad to be alive!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

Her Imaginative library was founded in 1995

The Possession Obsession

Please don’t try to sell me things!

What I have is quite enough

I dread sales calls when the phone rings

We’re often overwhelmed with stuff!

 

Owning more means living less;

With shelves and cupboards packed jam-tight

Fast fashion causes endless stress;

Too much choice just can’t be right!

 

De-clutter websites flood the Net;

See hoarders burden their own nest!

Which kitchen gadgets to collect?

Perhaps a simpler life is best …

 

I do not judge, but contemplate

This mindset where goods are the goal,

As clearing clutter out is great

And pours warm balm upon the soul…

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

Little Blessings

Do you count your blessings? I dare say

You take for granted life each day;

When things go wrong, as oft they do,

The French phrase - “C’est la vie!”  - rings true…

 

But when something good takes place

You just click on ‘smiley’ face!

I like to think this means I see

Small miracles occur – for free!

 

A book, lent long ago, comes home;

A pal turns up when you’re alone;

A fond track played on radio

Awakens memories – you glow!

 

You realise people mean so much

When long-lost friends get back in touch;

A compliment out-of-the-blue:

Eureka!  Someone esteems you!

 

O.K., We don’t know why we’re here

But when shown signs that friends care,

Our hearts vibrate with a new spark,

And banished are bleak moments dark!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

A Visit to the Design Museum

Let’s talk DESIGN in letters proud!

Near the Atomium’s milling crowd

Down a small path, tucked away

Avant-garde style on display!

 

Up red, yellow and black steps

Bold presentations, helpful text.

Val-Saint-Lambert coloured glass

Whose name recalls a fabled past!

 

Strong focus here on Fifties’ chic:

Tubular furniture was "it"!

These moulded works of art show guile

Their clever shapes - a certain style…

 

Cute furniture for tiny tots!

Each chair and table neatly slots

Into smart forms – with such flair

I almost wish I could sit there!

 

Rue Ravenstein was once its home,

But over time, with space outgrown,

It now resides, for our delight,

Near the TradeMart on the right! 

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

Place de la Belgique 1 (Laeken)

Temporary exhibition on children's furniture

When Rain is Welcome!

Drought-ridden Belgium? Surely not?

This thudding rainfall hits the spot,

As over two months have gone by

With heatwaves rocketing sky high!

 

My plants perk up, quite overjoyed

But navvy workers are annoyed;

Asphalting means re-routed bus;*

All done, we hope, for the school rush …

 

Just days ago - a burning sun ...

My hand-held fan was Number One

With bottled water in my bag;

I wish right now hot tea I had!

 

A wise Greek** centuries ago

Worked this out and so we know

Life is awkward to arrange

As our sole certainty is – change!

Poet in the woods 2026

* or buses (N° 17 and 95) as road surfacing work is carried out at Place Wiener for a week.

** Heraclitus of Ephesus (active circa 500 BCE), said that change is the only constant. While the exact modern phrase is a paraphrase, it summarizes his core teaching that the universe exists in a perpetual state of flux.

An Incident on the Track

Let’s take a train to see a friend!

No crowds, no queues, so I expend

A modest sum with “Senior Plus”;

It should take less time than a bus!

 

“S” class – nothing untoward

Means stopping train; I climb aboard;

Except, and this is nothing new,

"Track incident”  bars our way through!

 

A crackling Tannoy fills the air...

How long to wait? It isn’t clear…

“Moensberg” station looks deserted

Does this mean we’ll be diverted?

 

The passengers, and we are few,

Grumble, as all Belgians do!

This is indeed a “stopping” train!

At last, we pick up speed again.

Guess what? We  halt a second time:

More scenic views in bright sunshine!

Irritation, resignation...

Post  Linkebeek, next rural station.

My friend awaits, in bright red dress;

But I alight, so end of stress!

Down leafy lanes we make our way

Amused, perhaps by this delay!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

Quaint Rhode-St. Génèse station

 

All Records Broken!

Summer this year wears new guises:

Heatwave Number Three surprises!

The Belgian Fens* combust and blaze

Mass exodus in black cloud haze…

 

We like it warm, but not this hot!

Smart aircon cafés hit the spot;

The start perhaps of a new trend?

Streets deserted – long weekend …

 

Rain is promised, but I tread

On pavements apt to fry an egg!

Large water bottle is a must;

Even weeds die - dry as dust…

 

Uccle**– weather records tumble;

Meanwhile, no sign of a rumble;

So, hot and bothered now are we

As the skies remain cloud-free …

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

* Les Fagnes, Eastern Belgium - over 3000 hectares destroyed since 14th August

** Belgium's weather Observatory

Highest temperature ever recorded! 41.8°C : 107.2°F

Great Awe In August!

The birds are silent; there’s a pause;

As thousands gather out of doors

Eager to observe the sky

And see the valiant moon glide by.

 

‘Inconstant orb!’, so said the Bard*,

Curse making women’s lives so hard!

Source of wonder, hope and dreams …

Which acts today as strong sun screen!

 

“Protect your eyes!”, broadcasters shout;

Queues quickly form and stocks run out

As special lenses fly off shelves;

Punters must safeguard themselves …

 

Spain is the hot spot for best views

Today’s** eclipse is headline news

Observers gather on high ground

Bathed in atmosphere profound…

 

Wars and politics be damned!

All eyes on the heavens scanned

For just an hour – life put on hold

Suspended in an arc of gold!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

* In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, written c 1594-6

**  on 12th August, 2026

Shake-up for Columbian Coffee?

Columbian coffee gets the shakes:

7.4 on Richter takes

The local populace by surprise

Crumbling buildings and high-rise…

 

Sharp tremors felt in Panama

And in Ecuador so far!

Nature’s rage can’t be curtailed

In an instant, lives derailed!

 

It’s true we live in shaky times;

I hear today the death toll climbs*

So many - taken unawares

The nervous voice of local mayors…

 

We humans think we know the score

But Tectonic Plates know more!

We’re helpless to avoid our fate

Each day, new troubles fill our plate!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

* 132 deaths reported on 11th August, 2026

Western Columbia - coffee plantation area