Thomas plays Mine Host!

We all need and love a home
Look – Thomas has one of his own!
Concerned with Nature, it's in wood
And has an Outback feel – that's good!

Master of all he surveys
Thomas, the happy owner, plays
In his very own domain
Flat-roofed – there's very little rain

In South Australia – driest State
Here storms and floods so rarely make
Eruption on this sun-parched scene
Where only eucalpts stay green!

Bright gingham curtains peep from frames
While doorway Thomas entertains
His guests – that's you and me outside -
Quick – let us from the harsh sun hide!

(c) Poet in the woods 2016

Is This an Age Thing?

When we grow old, we lose our spring
With aches and pains much more the thing
Odd twinges halt us in our tracks
Our vision loses sharpness – facts!

But the human body's a machine
Wise use will keep it lean and mean
While the mind which tends to rule the roost
Can recall fond memories – like Proust!

Well oiled and cared for, we survive
With all our faculties alive
If we indulge a little less
And meditate to calm our stress.

But in the news I read each day
Many young and famous pass away
In drug-fuelled overdose or worse
Fame and its lifestyle are a curse!

I hope Age brings us wisdom too
A daily aim: learn something new
And take this mad world in your stride;
I wish you all a long, safe ride!

(c) Poet in the woods 2016

Armageddon at Calais!

Six-thirty and the clean-ups start
Police and bulldozers move in
French Calais now has lost its heart
Demolition can begin!

Migrants in this bidonville
Must be rehoused so buses wait
Disrupted lives with anguish fill
Uncertainty their only fate.

News spotlight on the plight of those
Compelled by constant war to flee
Who find themselves caught in the throes
Of this evacuation “spree”.

Displaced split families, single men
Children left to fend alone
All seek a better world – but when
Will they find a kinder home?

The Calais jungle will be razed
But many still seek England's shore
Is the Belgian border the next phase?
La Panne quakes; armed guards to the fore!

(c) Poet in the woods 2016

The Consecration of Bob Dylan

A word on those who feel, like me,
That words life's key meaning free
Songwriters who encapsulate
In succinct terms our mental state.

Who capture images in sound
With rhythms often Heaven-bound
They lift our souls and warm our heart
And kindle once again our spark.

Belgium's Jacques Brel haunts us still
And Leonard Cohen always will
Troubadours of the modern age
Their lyrics burn holes in the page!

Yet Bob Dylan's voice speaks to us all;
Holding America in thrall
Guitarist, shock-haired, piercing eyes
Sought now for the Nobel prize!

(c) Poet in the woods 2016

Awarded on 13th October, 2016 - no reaction for 5 days from Dylan ...

 24th May, 2021 - Bob Dylan's 80th birthday!

Iconic Bob Dylan

With Obama - 2016

Open Secrets!

Eavesdropping is a practised art
Casual comments can impart
Surprising knowledge and advice
And add to our dull journeys – spice!

When Smart phones trill in bus or tram
We're curious, aren't we – to a Man!
Confidential chatting soon ensues
We “log in” to our neighbour's views ...

On politics or shopping list,
Marital row or secret tryst
Depending whom you're standing near
It's fascinating what you hear!

With earphones, answers can't be heard
But with practice – much inferred!
With Facebook, Face-time, Instagram
News effervescence - like Tam-Tam!

We throw discretion to the winds
And unbeknownst, broadcast our sins
So it's hard to keep facts under wraps:
Take Trump and Hillary and tax!

(c) Poet in the woods 2016

Rain stops Play!

My terrace floods, deep pools reflect
Dark grey skies – it's pouring wet
So my straggly plants droop in despair
As they cower in the Autumn air.

Have you noticed how the rain is loud?
Pearl-like droplets form a crowd
Of crystals streaming down the wall;
One happy thought – dust is no more!

The floor tiles, once bright red, are dull,
Wind-blown-in leaves sure need a cull
Should I sweep? No, let it ride
My trusty broom stays dry inside.

Whoopee! Here comes more pelting rain
So it's slippery underfoot – again!
Brolly aloft, I'm on my way
The clean-up's for another day …

(c) Poet in the woods 2016

Homeless in Brussels

It's Poverty Day* but did you know?
Lonely souls with dogs in tow
Are homeless on our rain-splashed streets
With cardboard boxes their retreats...

Or in Metro gangways lie
Ignored by rush-hour passers-by
What has brought them down so low?
It's clear they have nowhere to go...

Many appropriate their spot
Each paper cup hopes coins will drop
When they catch a sympathetic eye
At least inside they're in the dry!

With unemployment on the rise
And higher rents, it's no surprise
That many slip through safety net
As normal needs cannot be met.

The phenomenon seems set to stay;
Computers make our lives today
Faster but impersonal too;
There but for fortune – me or you …

(c) Poet in the woods 2016



*International Day for the Eradication of Poverty - 17th October

The Greening of Thomas

Each batch of photos that I see
Depicts a Thomas new to me
The chubbiness and wistful phase
Has given way to thoughtful gaze.

Blonde-haired cherub? Not so sure
He's learning to lay down the law
Granny has to tow the line
What Thomas says, now goes - this time!

Sure-footed now - strong powers of speech
Many options lie within his reach
Food likes and dislikes he can voice
Exhilarating to have choice!

His wardrobe changes as he grows
A constant stream of trendy clothes;
Take the green jacket that he wears -
A guarantee of fan-club stares!

Tough and determined, active mind
Thomas his own path will find
Meanwhile, what joy to watch him grow
He gives his Auntie a warm glow!

(c) Poet in the woods 2016

In Full Colour

Nature's largesse blows my mind
With their luscious fruits of every kind
And hand-picked vegetables on show
Local markets are the place to go.

Gold, burnished sunshine afternoon
Last gasp before the winter gloom
Crunchy, crisp leaves strewn on paths
Full blown display – not done by halves...

This year late summer still persists
So walks are fun for dogs and trysts
Ripe chestnuts hurtle to the ground
Look carefully! Mushrooms can be found.

One suspects the chill will soon set in;
As shadows lengthen, we'll stay in
The TV and the Internet
Will sorely tempt us, but - not yet!

(c) Poet in the woods 2016

Smash and Grab in Place Keym!

It's 9 a.m. on Friday morn
Into Place Keym police cars swarm
“Don't pass” blue tape blocks precinct bay
Shoppers asked to stay away.

Bemused and cold, some passers-by
Ask of each other, “What's awry?”
Forensic experts hove in sight
There's been a break-in overnight!

High-tech computers lured the thieves
The twice-unlucky owner seethes!
His tempting wares – well-lit display
Have attracted those who will not pay...

The Square's abuzz; I think of Keym
A councillor who gave his name
To this quiet, on-the-bus-route, square
Where violence is very rare.

Watermael quakes – its nerves are raw
A backwater? Not any more;
Down corridors of splintered glass
The very worst has come to pass!

(c) Poet in the woods 2016

A Tricky Balancing Act

Give me one reason we should smile
When our Western life is such a trial
Based on owning to excess;
Twisted values – more is less...

The love of acquisitions reigns
Artworks mean insurance claims!
Possessions own us, not we them
Though they flatter our conceit pro tem.

Life's short - why garner so much wealth?
More precious is our state of health
Taken for granted until it fails
And sends us hurtling off the rails …

Stop! Think! Step back so you can see
The simple beauty of a tree,
Graceful birds on southbound flight
And twinkling stars on Autumn night...

(c) Poet in the woods 2016

Glowing Autumn

The nights are drawing in so fast
It's double-duvet time at last
There's a chilly “nip” back in the air
Like animals, we seek our lair...

Lazy Sundays - under sheets
Recovering from busy weeks
A stroll in Autumn afternoon
Where gentle sunshine lifts the gloom...

Sandals shelved, now boots and shoes
A wealth of snug, warm scarves to choose
They add a brightness to our day
As much-loved summer fades away.

Bold flower boxes catch my eye
They bloom regardless, do not die
Their vibrant colour warms my heart
Nature's lanterns in the dark!

(c) Poet in the woods 2016

Linked In - or Not?

Gosh, what you learn when you surf the Net:
Past battles, floods, balloon flights - set
In a world long gone, when links were few
Many months before the news got through...

Among the arcane facts I scroll
Two names pop up; each play a role
Which exceeds their origins by far
Each in his way, a troubled star …

Both Librans - 7th October boys
Heinrich Himmler, a big Nazi noise
Who died before Putin was born
In a Soviet Union crushed and torn

By the trauma of six years of war
When an Iron Curtain hit the floor...
Détente and Gorbachev to come
Ere Vladimir was Number One.

These Astro-twins have marked our lives
Destinies in another guise
So was their birth date a main cause?
Astrology still gives me pause ...

(c) Poet in the woods 2016

Thomas - at 34 Months Old

He observes his ever-widening arc
The weeks go by, new routines start
He checks the rubbish bins at Church
One wonders why he makes the search...

Swift commands he can compute
His sense of trust is absolute
He learns that Daddy will be there
When he throws himself into the air.

Fireball of energy I've heard
Less babbling speech – more spoken word
A determined little Capricorn
Who takes his audience by storm.

As to talents – well, the jury's out
But Thomas knows what he's about
Assertive - confident with stuff
At nearly three, this guy is tough!

(c) Poet in the woods

Something to Ponder ...

Skip the light fandango, touch the stars
Dare to break down prison bars
That stop our spirit soaring free
Take on this crazy world – just BE!

Why have our youthful dreams gone west?
Mediocrity – a life sans zest
Our enthusiasm dampened down
Time to break out – paint the town!

That life is finite, we well know
We cannot stop the sands that flow
Or squeeze more hours in our day
How come we squander time away?

We can't go back – the race grinds on
Love of money is an empty song
At least that's how it seems to me:
The best things in this life are FREE!

(c) Poet in the woods 2016

On an Engagement

We need a lift; my thoughts I mull
Monday – grey skies – business lull
The blank screen quite defies my muse
On what theme can I now enthuse?

Bored, at Facebook posts I gaze
A brief encounter on most days
Weird new compulsion we've acquired
So much is silly, uninspired ..

Then – happiness! A smiling pair
I don't know him, but do know her
Announce that they will tie the knot
Good news is rare so this is hot!

In a business climate off the rails
Two people now have wind in sails
I tap into this golden seam
And all the greyness turns to green!

(c) Poet in the woods 2016

for my friend Sinéad ...

An Inner Dialogue

“No poem today, my thoughts won't rhyme!”
“What? Can't you spare a little time?
We, your readers, keenly wait
To see what subject you'll debate.

Intriguing, thoughtful, in the news
Unexpected sometimes, without clues
A date, a person, violent weather
Assorted themes all crammed together …

It's a mystery, just how you fill
That restricted metre with such skill...”
“My on-line blog cries out for more -
Come, Inspiration to the fore!”

(c) Poet in the woods 2016