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

A Watery End!

August bows out, washed in rain

Exhilarating plants again!

Dame Nature brings us to our knees:

Flooded roads - drains blocked with leaves!

 

Without our brolly, we are lost!

While burnt-out Fagnes*-land counts the cost;

Its forlorn landscape, blackened, bleak

Recalls three heatwaves at their peak…

 

But uncertainty is Nature’s way,

She keeps us guessing every day!

To politicians we now turn

Ecology – our top concern.

 

The Army starts recruitment drive

To help dear Belgium to survive;

Budget shortfall, talks intense:

But we need firemen, not Defence…

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

*Les Fagnes, Eastern Belgium

From Nepal to Norway ...

I’m flattered when you find my blog!

The Internet maintains a log

Of all the countries that alight

Perhaps, by chance, on what I write…

 

I keep a handle on world news

But carefully avoid strong views

As you must make up your own mind;

Poets do try to be kind.

 

But it is clear the world’s a mess!

Disasters of all types cause stress;

Witness flooding in Nepal*

Where Man can't take the blame at all!

 

Poor country, where the living’s hard;

Hapless souls now deeply scarred;

Survivors faced with mud display

As fragile homes are washed away…

 

Wars rage on – a truce is sought

But selfish interests lead to nought

Young lives, full of promise, die

While petrol prices leap sky-high!

Death comes to stars** and kings alike;

Norway’s King Harald** *died last night …

The world we loved and knew, departs

Before us now – a new game starts!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

* Over 2000 deaths on night of 26-27.8.2026

** i.e. Dolly Parton aged 80, who died on 25.8.2026

*** King Harald V of Norway, aged 89, who died on 27.8.2026

He is succeeded by his son King Haakon VIII

The Repurposed Box!

Though retired, not unemployed;

Auntie is quite overjoyed

When new family photos come …

My photogenic niece is fun!

 

Not jack-in-the-box – but Jill!

A nursery rhyme – a modern thrill

As Isabella is encased

With laptop and a smiling face!

 

You can’t stop progress, come what may

Her office, all-in-one today

Proves imagination thrives

And enhances mundane lives!

 

Fully plugged in, up to date,

The joy upon her face is great

But what she watches, I can’t see

I tiptoe off, and let her be!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

R.I.P. Dolly Parton (1946-2026)

She was no “9 to 5” type girl

Her hair - a forest full of curl

From “dirt poor” down in Tennessee

She made it to top of the tree!

 

Petite but buxom, a live wire

“Jolene” set our hearts on fire!

Mrs. Carl Dean, kind, warm-hearted

A reading scheme for poor kids started.

 

Ebullient on the silver screen

Of Country Music – uncrowned queen!

The public, faithful, loved her stuff

A real trooper, she was tough!

 

Now eighty - she has turned the page:

The footlights dim, she leaves the stage…

But Dolly Parton’s songs survive

And make us glad to be alive!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

Her Imaginative library was founded in 1995

The Possession Obsession

Please don’t try to sell me things!

What I have is quite enough

I dread sales calls when the phone rings

We’re often overwhelmed with stuff!

 

Owning more means living less;

With shelves and cupboards packed jam-tight

Fast fashion causes endless stress;

Too much choice just can’t be right!

 

De-clutter websites flood the Net;

See hoarders burden their own nest!

Which kitchen gadgets to collect?

Perhaps a simpler life is best …

 

I do not judge, but contemplate

This mindset where goods are the goal,

As clearing clutter out is great

And pours warm balm upon the soul…

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

Little Blessings

Do you count your blessings? I dare say

You take for granted life each day;

When things go wrong, as oft they do,

The French phrase - “C’est la vie!”  - rings true…

 

But when something good takes place

You just click on ‘smiley’ face!

I like to think this means I see

Small miracles occur – for free!

 

A book, lent long ago, comes home;

A pal turns up when you’re alone;

A fond track played on radio

Awakens memories – you glow!

 

You realise people mean so much

When long-lost friends get back in touch;

A compliment out-of-the-blue:

Eureka!  Someone esteems you!

 

O.K., We don’t know why we’re here

But when shown signs that friends care,

Our hearts vibrate with a new spark,

And banished are bleak moments dark!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

A Visit to the Design Museum

Let’s talk DESIGN in letters proud!

Near the Atomium’s milling crowd

Down a small path, tucked away

Avant-garde style on display!

 

Up red, yellow and black steps

Bold presentations, helpful text.

Val-Saint-Lambert coloured glass

Whose name recalls a fabled past!

 

Strong focus here on Fifties’ chic:

Tubular furniture was "it"!

These moulded works of art show guile

Their clever shapes - a certain style…

 

Cute furniture for tiny tots!

Each chair and table neatly slots

Into smart forms – with such flair

I almost wish I could sit there!

 

Rue Ravenstein was once its home,

But over time, with space outgrown,

It now resides, for our delight,

Near the TradeMart on the right! 

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

Place de la Belgique 1 (Laeken)

Temporary exhibition on children's furniture

When Rain is Welcome!

Drought-ridden Belgium? Surely not?

This thudding rainfall hits the spot,

As over two months have gone by

With heatwaves rocketing sky high!

 

My plants perk up, quite overjoyed

But navvy workers are annoyed;

Asphalting means re-routed bus;*

All done, we hope, for the school rush …

 

Just days ago - a burning sun ...

My hand-held fan was Number One

With bottled water in my bag;

I wish right now hot tea I had!

 

A wise Greek** centuries ago

Worked this out and so we know

Life is awkward to arrange

As our sole certainty is – change!

Poet in the woods 2026

* or buses (N° 17 and 95) as road surfacing work is carried out at Place Wiener for a week.

** Heraclitus of Ephesus (active circa 500 BCE), said that change is the only constant. While the exact modern phrase is a paraphrase, it summarizes his core teaching that the universe exists in a perpetual state of flux.

An Incident on the Track

Let’s take a train to see a friend!

No crowds, no queues, so I expend

A modest sum with “Senior Plus”;

It should take less time than a bus!

 

“S” class – nothing untoward

Means stopping train; I climb aboard;

Except, and this is nothing new,

"Track incident”  bars our way through!

 

A crackling Tannoy fills the air...

How long to wait? It isn’t clear…

“Moensberg” station looks deserted

Does this mean we’ll be diverted?

 

The passengers, and we are few,

Grumble, as all Belgians do!

This is indeed a “stopping” train!

At last, we pick up speed again.

Guess what? We  halt a second time:

More scenic views in bright sunshine!

Irritation, resignation...

Post  Linkebeek, next rural station.

My friend awaits, in bright red dress;

But I alight, so end of stress!

Down leafy lanes we make our way

Amused, perhaps by this delay!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

Quaint Rhode-St. Génèse station

 

All Records Broken!

Summer this year wears new guises:

Heatwave Number Three surprises!

The Belgian Fens* combust and blaze

Mass exodus in black cloud haze…

 

We like it warm, but not this hot!

Smart aircon cafés hit the spot;

The start perhaps of a new trend?

Streets deserted – long weekend …

 

Rain is promised, but I tread

On pavements apt to fry an egg!

Large water bottle is a must;

Even weeds die - dry as dust…

 

Uccle**– weather records tumble;

Meanwhile, no sign of a rumble;

So, hot and bothered now are we

As the skies remain cloud-free …

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

* Les Fagnes, Eastern Belgium - over 3000 hectares destroyed since 14th August

** Belgium's weather Observatory

Highest temperature ever recorded! 41.8°C : 107.2°F

Great Awe In August!

The birds are silent; there’s a pause;

As thousands gather out of doors

Eager to observe the sky

And see the valiant moon glide by.

 

‘Inconstant orb!’, so said the Bard*,

Curse making women’s lives so hard!

Source of wonder, hope and dreams …

Which acts today as strong sun screen!

 

“Protect your eyes!”, broadcasters shout;

Queues quickly form and stocks run out

As special lenses fly off shelves;

Punters must safeguard themselves …

 

Spain is the hot spot for best views

Today’s** eclipse is headline news

Observers gather on high ground

Bathed in atmosphere profound…

 

Wars and politics be damned!

All eyes on the heavens scanned

For just an hour – life put on hold

Suspended in an arc of gold!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

* In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, written c 1594-6

**  on 12th August, 2026

Shake-up for Columbian Coffee?

Columbian coffee gets the shakes:

7.4 on Richter takes

The local populace by surprise

Crumbling buildings and high-rise…

 

Sharp tremors felt in Panama

And in Ecuador so far!

Nature’s rage can’t be curtailed

In an instant, lives derailed!

 

It’s true we live in shaky times;

I hear today the death toll climbs*

So many - taken unawares

The nervous voice of local mayors…

 

We humans think we know the score

But Tectonic Plates know more!

We’re helpless to avoid our fate

Each day, new troubles fill our plate!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

* 132 deaths reported on 11th August, 2026

Western Columbia - coffee plantation area

Screen Idlers!

How often have you heard it told:

It’s a challenge – growing old?

We take our lives for granted, then

Health issues crowd in– bye, bye zen!

 

Long-term friends still keep in touch:

So, WhatsApp /Email – thanks so much!

But nothing beats a face-to-face

Though health concerns slow down life’s race …

 

I marvel how we’ve lived so far

Born under post-war lucky star

With full employment, family joys

Before A.I. our peace destroys!

 

We savour memories of youth

When life seemed simpler, less uncouth

When photographs were ours alone

And no one tried to scam our phone.

 

But life is NOW and burn-out reigns

Stupid adverts jerk our chains

Via flickering small screens of blue:

Has “1984” come true?

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

Golden Moments?

Clouds gather but there’s still no rain

Sleeveless T-shirts worn again!

I declutter, dust and cook

Decamping cobwebs from their nook!

But life is so much more than chores;

Time to have a stroll outdoors

Where this drought has taken hold

I notice tree leaves tinged with gold…

 

Rue Neuve puts Autumn styles on view

But those who go inside are few;

Who wants new sweaters in this heat?

While ice cream sales go down a treat!

 

Burglaries and fires make news;

Are Brussels streets still safe, I muse …

But tourists swarm here in great hordes

Enjoying what Belgium affords!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

A CATalogue of Events!

On many days I do not write

As inspiration does not strike

My brain or tweak my thought

It’s like stardust – can’t be caught.

 

Mood, emotions, some weird thing

Will sometimes prompt my words to string

Along in natty rhymes;

But I am not a clock that chimes

 

At regular, predictive times;

Muse Calliope still defines!

To play with words, tease with a pun

(Which you all like!), is just such fun!

 

Some factoids echo in my soul:

Larry-the-Mouser - on a roll

True Guardian of Number Ten

This smart and wily cat stays zen!

 

In dried-up Danube - NAZI ship*!

In fire-raged France - munitions pit!**

Even ‘quiet’ August fires my Muse …

My eager fingers tap out news!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

* near Prahovo, Serbia, the NAZIs scuttled their Black Sea Fleet in 1944

** Over 400 WWII  unexploded shells found in Le Porge (Gironde)

Larry-the-Cat  - Chief Mouser  at Number 10 - since February 2011.

In the Slow Lane

We’re promised storms – but not just yet

Though overnight my plants got wet

Which means one chore I can delay

My watering can on shelf can stay!

 

But weeds love heat; see nettles climb

Round wooden bollards, hiding grime …

While Nature plays a trick or two,

I’ve heard a new eclipse is due!

 

My friends? Gone AWOL – it’s their right;

But a velvet, star-filled sky at night

Always takes my breath away

Harbinger of a torrid day …

 

Why must we rush?  Is burning heat

Nature’s way to let thoughts seep

Into our brains to take life slow?

 Time taken out helps us to grow …

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

A Heated Argument or Two!

So much is 'cut and paste', 're-hash';

Take stupid adverts to make cash;

Or inane quiz games; (low IQ)

That any bright spark can see through …

 

That sometimes I despair of Man;

I entertain, best as I can!

The Internet is a great tool

But NEVER will it replace school!

 

July ends in a blaze of heat

Early morning – empty street ...

I think of those keen to depart

And those whose journey home must start…

 

'Crossover' weekend – signalled red;

Long traffic hold-ups lie ahead …

While I gaze at peerless sky

And watch a single bird swoop by…

 

Low summer sales have caused dismay

The heat, I hear, kept crowds at bay;

For so long we have prayed for heat …

Extremes, alas, our plans deplete!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

Improving the Shining Hour!

Where are you all? Most are away;

My inspiration stores are grey;

Raging fires, war-torn graft …

Am I alone to think news daft?

 

Good news barely makes the cut

While of disasters – there’s a glut!

I turn to long-forgotten chores

But barely see the dust on floors!

 

Believe me, this July we roast

The only “cool” place is the coast!

With traffic madness, airport stress

I realise that home is best…

 

So, Iet’s take time to do things right;

Organising may seem trite

But oh, what joy when all is done

And I can read my book – in sun!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026

The title comes from  the famous 1715 poem "Against Idleness and Mischief" by English minister Isaac Watts, commonly known as "How Doth the Little Busy Bee". 

  

Snooze News!

‘Tis Belgian summer … What, no rain?

The temperature goes up again!

The weeds, delighted, grow apace

Between dry paving stones they race!

 

My window-boxes water crave;

But … Hey! I am no garden slave!

Full sun at midday burns their leaves…

Nightfall watering - a breeze!

 

We cope the best we can in heat

Into that thrilling book let’s peep,

Or watch wee insects climb the wall

Or maybe doze off – it’s YOUR call!

(c) Poet in the woods 2026