Weather Patterns!

September: Brussels - skies bright blue!

Brazil, alas, has flood scenes new;

Weird weather has us by the throat

Our Powers-That-Be just cannot cope…

 

For fashionistas – what to wear?

A Mac and brolly? Leave arms bare?

Disaster scenes on evening telly…

G20 pow-wow in New Delhi.

 

I ask myself, and you must too

Quo Vadis -  as I have no clue;

Obsessions with I.T. are fine

But not all progress is on line.

 

Which world leaders still inspire?

Here, media politics is dire!

When elections give way to bun fight

Uncle Sam just can’t sit tight…

(c) Poet in the woods 2023

Pelé and Vivienne

Death comes when you expect it least;

Today we learn, between-two-feasts*,

That Brazil is now in mourning

As its post-Pelé world is dawning …

World-class supremo of The Ball

Major hero - ten-feet tall

Deep in the hearts of all fans held

At 80 by the ‘Big C’ felled …

 

Followed one day later by

Bold fashion icon; a far cry

From convention, O.B.E.

Vivienne Westwood, Punk Queen Bee…

 

It’s always too soon when sink low

Famous names we used to know

But as they join the stars above

We can remember them with love …

(c) Poet in the woods 2022

* Christmas and New Year

born Edson Arantes do Nascimento (1940--2022)

 

Vivienne Westwood  (1941-2022) 

While in India ...

Curtailing freedoms breeds deep stress

The thin blue line put to the test;

“Boum 2” happened in the Park*

Disturbances till after dark …

Such revels water-cannons blight;

A vast clean-up in morning light;

1-3-2 arrests were made

As party tempers were soon frayed.

 

The jabs continue; Belgians queue

It seems the safest thing to do;

While India bears the greatest brunt

Sad families for health beds hunt…

 

Bergamo, Rio and now Delhi

Mass overcrowding shock - on telly!

Faced now with a mammoth task

India’s vaccines roll out fast.

 

Though top producer on huge scale

They're overwhelmed; supplies soon fail;

Man struggles but has lost the plot,

Though doctors give it their best shot!

 

Two years ago, who would have thought

In this pandemic we’d be caught?

Rich and poor, retired or young

More succumb, their song unsung …

(c) Poet in the woods 2021

* Vast impromptu party in Bois de la Cambre, Brussels: Saturday, May 2nd, 2021.

In a Delhi hospital ...

Tightening Up!

Freedom comes at a great cost
No good bemoaning what is lost
We cannot do just what we please
Our selfish lives are put on freeze.

We have to queue, we cannot go
Without a smart mask, 'comme il faut'
In weekly markets, city streets
And outside cafés where one eats ...

The stats a sorry tale now tell
For 16 million, a death knell
Brazil, U.S. and now Peru
Have escalating figures too.

Airlines despair with quarantine
Imposed on July Brits who've been
Enjoying holidays in Spain;
A wealth of cancellations rain ...

But should we harp back to the past?
How could our excesses last?
The Virus our whole world has shaken
Hence drastic measures must be taken!

(c) Poet in the woods 2020

Summer Spikes Unmasked!

Graphs and statistics are so telling
They signal how Corona's spreading
From a high point back in March
The curve has dipped - but is not past!

Fine weather: masses on the beach
Where masks are flung off – out of reach
«Let us tan while the sun shines
Who wants a face with stripey lines?»

Crowds, t'other side of Pond, are key
In Tulsa, many keen to see
Their President* pronounce his pitch
(What virus, Folks? It's just a hitch ...)

Big cities in Brazil now quake
Another spike is hard to take
But people swarm, still on the go
As the economy is slow ...

Dear Belgium likes to hedge its bets;
While many planned trips have been wrecked
Borders re-open in July
And charter flights are standing by!

(c) Poet in the woods 2020

* D.T.

The Pettiness of Politics

It's all too hard to understand
Flames real and metaphoric fanned
In all directions; our hopes burn
Much goes up in smoke we learn.

Resources, natural or man-made
Are being squandered, I'm afraid
This wastage makes the angels weep
But politicians only bleat ...

Injustice, poverty and greed:
Have all our values gone to seed?
The «I'm alright, Jack» suits top brass
But fails to help the working class -

That's YOU and ME who foot the bill
In terms of altruism – nil
With the «Haves» and Have-nots» wide apart
Business booms but has no heart...

At least no war adds to our joys
But BREXIT is an ugly noise
With two blonde generals* centre stage
The scene is set for a new phase!

(c) Poet in the woods 2019

*Boris  Johnson and  D.T.

A Burning Question

Brazil, vast country, in the news!
Drought crisis as it stands to lose
Swathes of rainforest to black ash
Winds, scarce resources, lack of cash ...

The Amazon in deep distress;
Caused by lightning strike, unless
Its origin is man-induced ...
Have pigeons now come to roost?

From outer space the scene looks dire
Our Planet's green lung is on fire
Scorched earth seen with naked eye
Acrid smoke where no birds fly ...

Engulfing flames leave blackened trail
Destruction on a massive scale
Beleaguered wildlife on the run ...
A sign of yet worse things to come?

(c) Poet in the woods 2019

Taking a Step Back ...

We ought to step back, leave the buzz
As bad news hurts each one of us
Pittsburgh synagogue attack
Brazil elections - fear creeps back...

Baggage handlers stop the planes*
BREXIT wobbles – who remains?
Success just feeds those in the know
As stocks and shares are in free flow.

Indonesia – crash in sea
More mayhem for the Powers-that-Be
Where is goodness and compassion?
Traditional values – out of fashion ...

Why this trend to spend and splurge?
What fuels this strong buying urge?
Each has only one short life
It's precious – so why all this strife?

(c) Poet in the woods 2018

* Zaventem Airport - Brussels

Off to Rio!

The talk is all of vast Brazil
Our modest world's 5th largest nation
This August's biggest sporting thrill
First summer-winter invitation.

Rio de Janeiro lies
In cooler climes this time of year
Despite bad rumours, it now tries
The Olympic Games to steer.

Since London, four short years ago,
Where security was tight all round,
The Latino tempo seems to flow
On more relaxed lines – is this sound?

The Russian team, somewhat reduced,
As anti-doping is the key...
But are these “check-ups” of much use?
How many teams are still “drug-free”?

We hear that walls are being built
To hide the country's darker side
The city's mortgaged to the hilt;
By locals these huge costs decried...

Two hundred plus teams will compete:
Top athletes in all disciplines
Huge stadia (are they complete?)
Will soon be bursting at the seams...

Two weeks with Rio in our sights
Doubtless an exciting phase
The excellence of sport delights
Yet fragile mask for deep malaise...

(c) Poet in the woods 2016

Belgium United!

Please buy a flag – support your team!
Red, black and gold flap in the breeze
World Cup fever grips our scene
What to do at times like these?

Rear-view mirrors – patriotic
Red Devil T-shirts on display
Tripartite fright wigs are exotic
Mass hysteria every day!

And even those, like me, who find
This phenomenon beyond their ken
Observe this country’s of one mind
As our King is in Brazil – Amen!

United we stand; now there’s a thing
With royal seal how could we fail?
Before big screens supporters sing
While the vanquished Russian team turns tail!

(c) Poet in the woods 2014

22nd June Score: Belgium: 1 Russia: 0

Getting a Kick!

The streets are strangely quiet tonight
No lawns are mown, no children fight
No dogs with owners come my way
Despite the warm and balmy day.

No neighbours stand by doors and chat
All I can see is one lone cat
Parading queen-like past the wall
Tail in air, surveying all.

It’s eerie, weird and quite bizarre
I can hear no passing car
I stare bemused at cloudless sky
Then I realise I know why!

The World Cup kicks off in Brazil
For millions this is such a thrill
Red-black-yellow flags unrolled
Red Devil T-shirts quickly sold.

I imagine crates of Belgian beer
Piled up in cafés far and near
And families grouped round TV screen
Rooting for their favourite team.

This fervour spreads around the globe
Such excitement, nerves in overload
Mass hysteria in all but name
And all for what? A football game!

(c) Poet in the woods 2014

Day 1 - 12th June