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