Amid grey
stones and ancient walls,
This bridal veil
of white now falls;
While undercover
insects lurk
Encroaching on
man’s handiwork
In this glossy mass
of leaves,
Nature’s beauty
blessed by bees.
Eternal Bruges;
this bustling town
Devoid of tourists,
long shut down
Now sees keen
hordes invest the streets
In search of
much-loved chocolate treats;
By train, by
coach, on foot they come
By 10, the
city’s overrun!
Once busy port,
now peaceful pool,
Strolls past
the Beguinage are cool
Here regal
swans, both cob and pen,
Glide by, epitome
of zen.
UNESCO jewel, now
Belgium’s pride
Where old and
new vie side-by-side.
Home to trading
nations Europe-wide
Before Columbus
sailed on tide
And silt its
seaways put to sleep,
Bruges
slumbered long; its role effete…
Post-Waterloo new
travellers came
Encouraged, sans
doute, by the train.
This warm June Nature
holds its own
As plants as
well as tourists roam
In bright
profusion everywhere
Round palace,
spire or canal stair.
Scenes picturesque
in every street
All for your camera
lens compete!
(c) Poet in the woods 2021
Photo courtesy of Anne Bondue - a fellow tourist guide
