Salad Days in Lock-Down

All rendezvous are for the birds
Appointments now on line – with nerds
We 'Zoom', we 'Skype', we Facebook 'chat'
Proficient now with every App.

Erstwhile consumers, we reflect
What do we really need to get?
Fruit and veg now top the list
And Belgian chocolate, I insist!

Good news! Now flour can be found
Baking helps morale rebound!
There are chicken breasts to spare
But as for eggs – they are not there!

Loo rolls and bin bags? Back in stock
Crisps have vanished, wine has not!
Marshmallows come and go with ease
But what do people do with these?

Not lured by tins or frozen meals
I feast on fresh food - such good deals!
An enticing, colourful display:
A different salad every day!

(c) Poet in the woods 2020

Cherry and Lilac

This is a year of drastic change
Forgive the pun, it's passing strange!
When people find themselves 'enclosed'
There's less need to wear smart clothes.

At home indeed, not many will
Track bottoms seem to fit the bill
Pyjamas stay a cosy fit
As beer and chocolate do their bit!

Not all are lazy; we can run
Do yoga, or gym in the sun
Or maybe bike to shopping street
Ignoring those we chance to meet!

Our busy lives had lost the plot
So plants remind us what is what
Cherry blossoms catch our gaze
Lilacs burst forth and amaze!

Life is roundabouts and swings
Mother Nature tells us things;
The message echoes loud and clear:
We're guests, not masters, of our Sphere!

(c) Poet in the woods 2020

Cherry Blossom

Flowering Lilac

Masked Manneken!

Our little ketje dons a mask*,
A brand new costume - need you ask?
But representing, as he does,
Brussels, he must make a buzz!

Stoofstraat or Rue de l'Etuve
Is where our Manneken is viewed;
All love to take his picture home
Keen tourists whip out their smart phone!

But not today - the Virus stalks
Our cobbled streets on lonely walks
Perplexed, he pees and no one stares
What a sad state of affairs!

(c) Poet in the woods 2020

* against catching COVID

A Bit of a Stretch!

The things you hear on morning news!
All shops to open – mixed reviews
On May 18th (not set in stone)
We can venture out from home.

The Economy prevails!
The High Street gears up for new sales!
Small shops, alas, feel unprotected
As distancing must be respected.

In tram, train, bus – masks must be worn
But for how long? What's the norm?
Home-made, in scraps of cloth, OK
Double-stitched so they don't fray...

Several layers recommended
And neatly round the ears extended
With nose and mouth hid out of sight
Elastic loops to hold it tight.

But rather late this order comes!
Seamstresses and harrassed Mums
Cut, stitch and sew for kith and kin
Elastic, now gold dust, runs thin!

Soon demand outstrips supply
And price-per-metre sees a high
As in Wartime, when it's scarce
You dig deeper in your purse!

(c) Poet in the woods 2020

POTUS et al.

Let's hide behind an acronym
Far from poets to name names
In this murky pool we swim
Sarcasm meanwhile rears and reigns!

Stuck in our homes but oft online
We've time to think and meditate
How our world leaders spend their time:
Locked in endless health debate?

A Zorro-nation we shall be
All masked like robbers on the bus
As from confinement we break free
While the Virus laughs at us...

The use of UV-rays or bleach
To kill the pest that blights our lives
Is a Rubicon no one should reach;
Scientists all roll their eyes!

Sky News keeps us all on track
Where should we apportion blame?
Some leaders go and some come back
Once again, I make no claim ...

(c) Poet in the woods 2020



US actor Guy Williams (1924-1989) played Zorro (1957-59 TV series)

Thoughts on Longevity

All religions have their point of view
But in this crisis, what is new?
Man is fragile and finite
For all, there is an end in sight.

But modern life with all its lures
Appears to offer long-life cures
There's Botox, creams that hide the signs
Of those ageing, wrinkle-lines ...

False teeth, prosthetic limbs, new heart,
Deaf aids; What else? Where to start?
Pills for brains on the decline
And many wonder cures – on-line.

Immortal? Only the Greek Gods!
Yet Man persists, despite the odds
So charlatans don't hesitate
To offer long life on a plate!

Elixirs, potions, magic spells?
Names change but hope reigns and still sells
And yet we know, deep down inside
Our life on earth is a short ride...

(c) Poet in the woods 2020

Post-confinement - Belgian-style!

Though for most it's «Stay at home!»
Sophie Wilmès* sets the tone
In Belgium we can de-confine
In several stages – over time ...

Public transport: O.K. with a mask
Schools open – but not every class
Hairdressers can wash, cut and set
But hold your horses, not quite yet!

To nurseries gardeners can go
Expect long queues, they can be slow.
Home improvements? Yes, allowed
All 'Brico' shops expect a crowd...

For sales of fabric, sewing thread
And elastic – go ahead!
In Belgium – all rules are arcane
So life is different – but the same!

(c) Poet in the woods 2020

* Current Belgian Prime Minister

Musicians in Lock-Down

In times of stress, music affords
Balm to lonely souls indoors
First come cassettes, tapes and CDs
As performances are now on freeze.

Or via an App on your Smart phone
Music can be streamed at home
You listen to a favourite track
And mellowed out, drink and sit back ...

But nothing beats a concert live
When musicians in the flesh arrive;
The anticipation, the lights dim
As then the magic can begin...

Be it orchestra with wind and brass
Guitarist whose skill is first class
Or well known pop star with a band:
Music in the round is grand!

In lock-down - concerts are on hold
No festivals, no tickets sold
With the eager public kept at bay:
Musicians go on line to play!

(c) Poet in the woods 2020

23rd April - World Book Day!

Parchments, codex, palimpsets,
Rolled-up scrolls with ancient texts
An invention, pre-Christ, by Chinese
Paper - made from cloth and trees!

Our recorded history takes shape
Replacing cuneiform and slate;
What magic in the written word
Think Dead Sea scrolls and hearts are stirred!

Reading feeds and cheers our minds;
Understanding well-formed signs
Allows us humans to explore
The thoughts of those who've gone before.

So, on this day in Ninety-Five,
«World Book Day» truly came alive
Now round the world we celebrate
The joy of books that make life great!

(c) Poet in the woods 2020



Dead Sea Scrolls

In Defence of Culture

The silence wraps me like a cloak
Self-isolation is no joke
So let us take a look on line
And see how others pass the time ...

For singers, actors, theatre crew
And ballet dancers, it is new
To have no reason to perform
This lack of audience – the norm!

When festivals, opera and art
Are absent, Culture loses heart;
Theme parks like Walibi stay closed
Horse rides off-piste, and so it goes ...

Deep rumblings of discontent ...
Vast subsidies must needs be spent
To keep these shows upon the road
The public purse screams «Overload!»

Even in War it lights a spark
And keeps the public in good heart
Without its impact, what are we?
Not even useful like the bee!

(c) Poet in the woods 2020





Walibi Theme Park, Belgium

Animal Messengers

Weird and wonderful, our world delights
In giving us surprising sights
Social media spins the dice
Nature makes us all think twice!

Awareness dawns when we're at home
How Nature comes into its own
With no vast ships or streams of cars
To scare them off, our wildlife stars!

Take the week that's just begun:
A host of animals have fun
Through Adelaide jumps a kangeroo
In Brussels - foxes roam anew!

And as no cruise ships mar the scene
Venice once more is serene
Instead of waves, a gentle swish
The lagoon now sports a jellyfish!

The fog and smog, polluted pall
Caused by India's city sprawl
Has vanished like an ugly dream
Himalyas in the sunshine gleam!

In Thailand with the tourists banned
Baby turtles roam the strand
For twenty years they kept away
What joy to see them back today!

Birdsong replaces honking cars
At night we now can see the stars
Nature tells us «what is what»
But can we halt the ticking clock?

(c) Poet in the woods 2020



Venice



Beach in Thailand

For Those who Grieve ...

At their last breath we were not there
We could not say how much we care
We could not stand still by their side
As they embarked on their last ride ...

The unwelcome Virus stood on guard
And cut all contact; it was hard
No loving touch, no gentle smile
No fond farewells in time of trial...

Bereft, we could not ease their pain
We knew we would not meet again ...
An overwhelming sense of grief
As funerals, perforce, are brief ...

So sudden, we were unprepared;
We recall the happy times we shared ...
This is the teaching that He gave
Our souls unite beyond the grave ...

(c) Poet in the woods 2020

The Joy of Reading!

Space can be tight when stuck at home
Kids, parents and one's mobile phone
Not all of us are teachers born
When rain stops play on garden lawn...

There's a need for personal space
And a busy kitchen's not the place
We cannot nibble snacks all day
Make tea or just stack plates away...

There's a need to switch off, be alone
While Mummy works, bored kids may moan
Sometimes the running has to stop
And not all jigsaws hit the spot...

But as if in answer to a prayer
Our intrepid two have found their lair
Both take a picture book to bed
But neither is a sleepy-head!

With his imagination fired
Thomas reads, he is not tired
Isabella, not to be outdone
Finds looking upside-down is fun!

(c) Poet in the woods 2020

Thomas and Stolen Pleasures!

Locked-down at home brings special joys;
When kids get tired of all their toys
Mum finds some baking to be done
Dough, like plasticine, is fun.

Thomas watches Mummy bake
This time it won't be a cake
Instead a large batch of small buns
Just the right size for small tums!

Tray in the oven - starts to cook ...
The timer buzzes; ooh, let's look!
Fresh baking means a special snack
Soon proudly left to cool on rack.

Thomas, now six, can present
This wicked pleasure – it is Lent!
We share his thrill and wish that we
Could join him for this tasty tea!

(c) Poet in the woods 2020

The Conversion - Causing a Buzz!

The sun's out and wee bees a-buzz
My window boxes sprout frond fuzz
Wisteria sports a purple hue
And brazen weedlets now poke through!

Alas! The peace that I've enjoyed
These past weeks, has been destroyed;
Beside my neighbour's bench retreat
Huge planks, unstacked, now line the street.

The Polish van has just squeezed through
And blocks large potted plants from view
The workmen, dressed in green, appear
Their tools soon scattered here and there ...

Passing prams will be waylaid
As our cul-de-sac gives way to 'trade'
«Action Stations!» on the site ...
That buzzing saw makes birds take flight!

The neo-wainscotted facade
Intrigues, and passers-by look hard...
Blue skies indeed as I look out
But disturbance I could do without!

(c) Poet in the woods 2020

A Financial Spring?

Buried deep in Earth's thick crust
Hidden germs make lethal thrust
When Man drills down to make oil flow
Long-buried bugs see light and glow...

We fight the Unseen every day
Microbe nasties float our way
Through sneak mutations, they invade
And put frail masses in their grave.

Smallpox and anthrax have died out;
Surely there's no cause for doubt?
We've vaccines and inoculation
No one feared contamination ...

But COVID-19 does its worst
And devastates the public purse
Job losses, falls in stocks and shares
Morgages now in arrears ...

Our «new normal» puts aside
Profits – businesses have died ...
In wild, uncertain waves we drift
Sea change in sight and quantum shift...

Beset by risks beyond the norm
Solidarity re-born
The Powers-that-Be, pushed to the wall,
Release funds to assist shortfall!

(c) Poet in the woods 2020

Mind Blowing!

All channels home in on sad news
This virus theme gives us the Blues
For other themes to tempt my Muse
I cast about ...
We've done to death this year's sweet spring
We're sick and bored of staying in
Our health may suffer – too much gin?
This year's a rout ...

I think I know how caged lions feel
Or hamsters locked on spinning wheel
As isolation's a big deal;
Weird times, I guess.
Though we can go on line and chat
This lack of movement makes us fat
Sans human contact we feel flat
And suffer stress.

Our mental health is dealt a blow
Psychologists fear overflow
As everybody aches to know
When we'll be free
But the Virus keeps us on our toes
In fifty countries borders close
Where the wind blows, no one knows
It's «Wait and See!»

(c) Poet in the woods

Terrace Musings at Easter

Suddenly, the clouds have lifted
With lovely warming sun we're gifted!
A change of mood brings thoughts of bees,
Picnics, walks and dainty teas!

I deck a tray with cup and plate
It's Eastertime – let's celebrate!
I add a chocolate or two
A friend's kind thought – I bless her too!

Ensconced upon my clean white chair
I think of those no longer there ...
So much has changed in this short space
The world now seems a scary place.

But friends and family keep in touch
And old acquaintances mean much
Our high-tech skills we need to hone:
Skype, Zoom and FaceTime on our phone!

Household tips flood internet
Old recipes an outing get
Balconies and gardens bloom
Riotous colour promised soon!

I stir my second cup of tea ...
A flying insect stares at me
OK, so I am stuck at home,
But for a moment – not alone!

(c) Poet in the woods 2020

Daytime Passion in Lock-Down!

Being locked-down breeds ideas,
Overeating and health fears
With routines cancelled, we must find
Other ways to fuel our mind.

With children also in the mix
Home schooling maybe a quick fix
Board games can played on line
Or great books read to pass the time.

Spring cleaning can become an art
And D.I.Y. can really start!
Little walks or sport at home
Yoga can be done alone.

Confinement also brings surprises:
Pandas, left to their devices
As Zoo visitors are banned,
Now let nature take a stand!

For years this Shanghai pair stayed cool
Now close and personal's the rule
Only time will tell of course
If humans follow – or divorce!

(c) Poet in the woods 2020

A Reflection on Good Friday 2020

With Churches forced to close their doors,
This world-wide lock-down gives us pause:
Good Friday's heartfelt sense of loss
And tragedy upon the Cross

Reminds us we are all alone
With only Jesus to atone
For all our sins which grow so great ...
A time perhaps to contemplate

Our raison d'être, our soul's wellbeing
No one escapes, God is all-seeing ...
From Eden's Garden long ago
With our Planet's finest gifts on show

Flattered by the serpent's tongue
We took a bite, a fatal one;
Though warned, we wanted more to know
This act of folly brought us low...

A Bible myth – or metaphor?
Philosophy - or something more?
A way to link with the Divine?
Perhaps the Virus is a sign ...

(c) Poet in the woods 2020

From Little Seeds ...

So happy as I start the day,
My tiny seedlings bob and sway
In this gentle, warming breeze
Their proud heads bow - a living frieze.

Against a background of birdsong
A cacophony, a joyous throng
I observe the catkins floating free
Spring-green branches wave at me!

Gardening tips on internet:
Plant veggie roots in pots soaked wet
And watch new growth from carrot frond;
Leek, mint and celery respond

To a touch of T.L.C.
I hope my rows of beans will be
In due time a tasty crop
But I must water them a lot!

The days get longer, April glows
Birch and willow sport new clothes
My terrace doors are open wide
My day's work I survey with pride!

(c) Poet in the woods 2020

14th century proverb: "Mighty oaks from little acorns grow"





Sprouting chives and mint!

Isabella - our LIttle Mermaid

Isabella, seen here from behind:
The «Little Mermaid» springs to mind
Written by that famous Dane
Hans Christian Andersen by name.

No fairy princess our sweet miss
Who's never happier than this
Parading in a guise brand new
Her feet unseen, her tail on view.

The house is small but well affords
Space enough to tread the boards
Behold, she strikes a regal pose
What a crowd pleaser – and it shows!

Too young, we hope, to understand
The lock-down strictures now in hand
She takes her #stayhome time as read
Enjoying 'make believe' instead!

A film in Eighty-Nine was made;
For love, the mermaid her legs gave
To enchant forever with her voice;
Isabella needn't make this choice!

(c) Poet in the woods 2020

A Rotten Core?

I do not know what you believe
Each one of us has our soul-weave
We form truth patterns of our own
Traditional Faiths or some unknown.

So as we face this time of trial
We need to halt, step back a while
And try to form our own conclusions
Is our modern life illusions?

We're all in this mess together
Our present on the 'never-never'
Our debt to life quite under-paid
Our sovereign values much decayed.

The cult of self and #mefirst reigns
Our planet suffers many strains
Endangered species die unmourned
Where are the bees that erstwhile swarmed?

The Virus teaches us to think
What has brought us to the brink ...
We question now our core belief
And meditate upon our grief ...

(c) Poet in the woods 2020

Managing the Curve?

Nature bursts forth, Man retreats
Deer and foxes roam our streets
Those yesterday who felt unwell
Have caused our modest morgues to swell.

We pray the curve will flatten soon
Exodus en masse - sad tune ...
Dear neighbours, colleagues, family friends
Whose funeral rites no one attends...

Huge waves of sorrow flood our minds
Scant respect, just slow church chimes ...
No last goodbyes, no poignant wreath
No friends with whom to share our grief...

Fever, breathing compromised
Many battle for their lives
Hurried treatment, gloved and masked
Each nurse, too busy with her task...

Joy! Some make it - let's be fair!
But we can't let down our hair;
The Queen makes an impassioned speech
As her P.M.* is out of reach ...

Health Minister in Scotland quits
Hypocrisy? The label fits!
Marianne Faithful and Tom Hanks
Are now enrolled in COVID ranks...

Thirteen countries unaffected
Or is the virus undetected?
Trump's scepticism now is plain:
Our "normal" won't come back again ...

(c) Poet in the woods 2020

* Boris Johnson



Bergamo, Italy

A Seasonal Bride

Bold April in her green attire
Sees buds burst open into flower
Daisies stride forth on our lawns
And yellow jasmine paths adorns.

Beetles smart in shiny coats
Brave the cold, inspiring poets:
Shakespeare, Chaucer, Burns and Keats
Rising sap makes blossoms sweet...

We stay in lock-down - but outside
Nature, dressed up as a bride,
Scatters petals on the ground
This is a wedding in the round!

Catkins frame her noble face
Magnolia perfume lends her grace
Ushered in with warbler cries
Her canopy - deep velvet skies.

No rain falls on her parade
Solomon* put in the shade
One more week, then Lent is over
Soon – the sight of four-leaved clover!

(c) Poet in the woods 2020



* St. Matthew's Gospel: Chapter 6, verse 28 ...

At Firing Point?

Despite the day, no April Fool
Not even Nazis, made this rule
«You will be shot, if you go out!»
A top flight threat which carries clout...

A country in Asia's south-east
Where virus inroads have increased
Declares it now will open fire
On people in the streets; how dire!

Like Emile Zola's famed «J'accuse!»
Which also splashed across the news
Extreme reactions born of fear
Are symptomatic of this year...

This crisis brings out good and sordid
Brave volunteers should be applauded;
While many help and give their time
Others order food on line.

Common sense grows and dictates
How we should get food on plates
As distribution lines are taut ...
Do we buy more than we ought?

Sane restrictions put in place
Thank God - no gun points in our face
But those who live in hotter climes
Have much to fear these troubled times ...

(c) Poet in the woods 2020

Virus Stops Play!

Athletes, both amateur and pro,
Need at this time to lie low
Careers abruptly put 'on hold'
Events called off - a hundredfold!

First, football: local and league games
No match betting - no Pools gains!
Grand Prix races follow suit
The Olympics, as we know, are moot.

Royal Ascot won't take place
Forget Aintree and steeplechase
For our Virus loves a milling throng
And sport en masse helps it along!

Thus manicured lawns stay green
In S.W.19
No July strawbs and cream on plates
As Wimbledon must close its gates.

To keep your muscles well in tone
All sport must now be done alone;
To stop Corona's lethal tracks
The word is: «Stay home and relax!»

(c) Poet in the woods 2020



Centre Court, Wimbledon

A Juicy Conundrum!

Have you noticed certain words don't rhyme?
'Orange' and 'Purple' come to mind;
To check out this phenomenon
I was challenged – Bring it On!

Poets love with words to dabble
Selecting those that fit – like Scrabble
Double-entendre or clever pun
Like a millefeuille cake, is fun.

Verbs, nouns and foreign sounds are game
And, on occasion, a strange name ...
Our 'naranj' has a Sanskrit source
Denoting this ripe fruit of course.

In bygone times the people said
This nuance was just 'yellow-red'
But when the early traders came
To Europe via camel train

Putting basketfuls on view
It morphed into a colour too...
Delicious yes, but I regret
I haven't found that rhyme – just yet!

(c) Poet in the woods 2020

Bare Necessities

As my supplies are running low
To the Delhaize I must go
I choose my time - mid-afternoon
Not rush-hour, so self-distance room!

Scarce a soul out in the street
But neighbours' windows are a treat:
One has a child-like rainbow sketch
«Tout ira bien» is bannered next!

Hopscotch chalked on paving stones
So kids must hide out in these homes ...
Dog walkers, few and far between,
We give wide berth – Police are mean!

Fresh fruit and veg are piled up high
Eggs and milk we now can buy
While flour and binbag shelves are bare
Loo rolls a-plenty - and to spare!

Meanwhile, grim news from TV blares
More deaths but also volunteers
Who swell the ranks of those who care;
Is flattening the curve now near?

(c) Poet in the woods 2020