Poet in the Woods

Monday, 2 February 2026

In Adelaide's Botanic Gardens

A simple tram ride takes you there;

North Terrace high rise buildings glare

Their window panes caught in sun’s rays

Admission free – I am amazed!

Beyond its entrance, all is calm;

A couple walk by, arm-in-arm;

I spot two ladies* brightly clad

A lawyer and a teacher, glad

To pass the time of day with me;

Birds chatter in a nearby tree;

The white pavilion on a rise

A kind of folly in disguise…

Vast palm trees wave in lush profusion

A duck-filled lake in quiet seclusion

Shady paths, discrete, edged neat

What an enchanting place to meet!

Artworks are sometimes here displayed;

None seen this visit, I’m afraid!

Instead, we met and dined in style

Putting life on hold awhile …

* For Gay and Jo

The Palm House is an exquisite, painstakingly restored Victorian glasshouse imported from Bremen, Germany in 1875. The gardens were inaugurated in 1855.

Friday, 30 January 2026

Brighton Jetty Sculptures

The Tour Down Under fills sports news;

Clad in Lycra, scenic views

As peddle-pushers pit their skills

Up Adelaide’s amazing hills.

Slight breezes cool – it’s hot outdoors

At Mount Lofty, cyclists pause

One biker “Eddy Merckx” displays:

A touch of Belgium in heat haze!

Meanwhile, amazing artworks stare

On Brighton’s sandy thoroughfare:

Bold dolphin “Snowflake” made me start;

Two yellow blooms – surrealist art?

One feature though, amused me most

Called “feathered cyclists” at this coast:

Gull, Puffin and a Penguin ride

Streamlined, flat out, side by side!

Snowflake the Dolphin - crafted out of scrap metal by Axel Klem

"Sunshine bloom"- crafted by Chris Murphy

Made of steel and cardboard by Tom Buckland, these wacky and whimsical feathered cyclists share humour, ecology, and the joy of cycling at Brighton, South Australia.

Wednesday, 28 January 2026

Errare Humanum Est!

Go on, admit it, life is tough

Time-poor, we have had enough

Of crazy politics and stuff

Which rocks our boat;

Such drama takes a myriad forms;

On life’s chessboard, we are pawns;

Constant weeds spoil our dream lawns -

Fear - less remote …

Abroad, at home or just next door

Raids and riots lie in store

Like sport, we try to guess the score

So much - unknown;

But Power and Greed go hand-in-hand

As Man’s worst enemy is Man,

Conciliation a vain plan

Peace flags un-flown …

Monday, 26 January 2026

Overheated!

Parched grasslands threaten to catch fire

We’re overdressed in pants and bra!

Cute gecko crossing backdoor step

Some shady spot keen to detect…

Clay courts at Melbourne’s Open roast

The world’s inferno? No mean boast!

Cold water pipes in fierce sun bake,

To Hell with chores - they all can wait!

More torrid outside than within;

To sleep “perchance to dream” is in!

Those wayward flies get frequent flick,

My fingers to the keyboard stick!

It’s a witches’ cauldron scene down here

The Aussie weathermen declare.

Where ‘Hot as Hell’ takes on real meaning;

While at the Top End, it is teeming!

Saturday, 24 January 2026

Wilting!

Plants wilt in heat;* we humans too

But this, Down Under, isn’t new!

Peerless blue skies, lack of shade

No wonder people’s nerves are frayed.

Forget the gardening or the shops

Stop outside tasks – like watering pots!

Now’s not the time for heavy chores

With aircon on, just stay indoors.

While Europe braces for more snow

A daily walk is a no-no

A dawn stroll with one’s dog is fine

But best to go out before nine!

Most habitat is tinderbox

Even snakes hide under rocks;

In minutes, laundry is bone dry …

Hatless and your brains may fry!

The freezer, choc-à-bloc with food

In every household, fits the mood

As no one cooks from scratch – too hard

A new experience for this Bard!

* on 25-26 Jan 2026 = 45°C

Thursday, 22 January 2026

Snippets on 'News Breakfast'!

New Zealand landslide *– heavy rains!

Wrecked campsite – death a couple claims…

Nature’s vengeance unrelenting

Means more campers lose their tenting!

“News Breakfast” on the ABC:

Daily climate update spree!

Extreme warnings: floods, bushfire

As summer heatwaves can be dire.

Some quirky items make the cut:

The corpse flower** “Titan Arum” stuck

In my mind, as when in bloom

Its stink can quickly clear a room!

“Lady Gaga” here is python white

To visitors - a rare zoo sight;

Today’s news: she is to retire***

While Tamworth**** "roper” skills inspire!

A cull of pesky cane toads planned*****;

While “Hate Law” politics is damned;

Today’s new capsule of Oz news

All grist to my cheeky Muse!

* At Mount Maunganui, North Island

** In Adelaide Botanic Garden

*** From NT Wildlife Park

**** At annual Country Music Festival held at Tamworth, NSW

***** This invasive species threatens Australia's native Quoll - a carnivorous marsupial

Casper - the Corpse Flower

Monday, 19 January 2026

Shark Bytes on the News!

This heat evokes strong urge to swim:

What a temptation! We jump in

To cool off in the ocean brine;

Though this could be for the last time!

Today - horrific prime time news!

Interview