Mangolicious

Had a Mangolicious Laines
a lovely IPA
fruity and refreshing
at the end of a long day
Eating at the Open House
all my girls and me
and a lovely Wolfgang
for a delicious tea

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

Definitions: ‘Mangolicious’ is a fruity IPA from the Brighton brewery ‘Laines’. The ‘Open House’ is a Brighton gastro-pub where one of the main brews on tap is ‘Laines’. ‘Wolfgang’ is my middle daughter’s Patterdale terrier.

Rain came

Rain it came
and soothed my soul
with rhythm there
to make me whole
Refreshing
after days of dry
it watered
and began to cry

Many tears 
on streets below
to heal the earth
new life to grow
and though now grey
the sky above
when comes the rain
is one I love

As there with
pitter patter sound
the raindrops fall
upon the ground
And puddles form
and children play
they splash around
throughout the day

Yes rain it came
its sound unique
awoke me early
from my sleep
and just like
other sunny days
it broke the mould
from my malaise

And helped me
here to realise
not with discomfort
or surprise
that life in many
turns will take
and what it gives
is mine to make

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

Music doing its thing

Sometimes a quiet tune
playing softly satisfies
catches the mood and softens
quietly around ragged edges
calming me completely

But sometimes only loud fits
AirPod Pros resonate
with the volume north of eleven
it still catches and calms and glistens
calming me completely

With magical qualities music grabs me
understands exactly where I'm at
and finds a tune to do all it's meant to
sometimes quiet, sometimes loud
calming me completely

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

September storm

Watched whilst bathed in sunshine
as the storm it gathered strength
and the sky out there grew darker
knew it'd soon arrive at length

So we packed away the beach hut
in sunshine heat still strong
as we both knew it would change soon here
and there'd be rain before too long

Still, it had been a jolly good one
this mid-september heat
tho the thunderstorm still lurking
would not admit defeat

As before we made it safe back home
though now sheltered in the car
the rain arrived in buckets
thunder rumbling from afar

And lightning lit the darkened sky
as with cacophonic sound
the storm we'd seen at distance
consumed everything around

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

Summer’s swansong II

On this September morning
sunshine greeted me again
and as this could be the summer's swansong
no one could lay the blame
if today instead of working
to the beach I went instead
to seize the opportunity
and by my heart be led

So that's what I resolved to do
'no brainer' some would say
as it's not often in September
that it's as hot as this today
Ne'r a cloud above in sight
the sky the deepest blue
with a breeze from early summer
I'd forgotten that I knew

And of course I found a hagstone
for my collection of such things
another treasure from the place
that pulls at my heartstrings
This beach, this perfect haven
here in Sussex by the sea
which at the summer's swansong
is the only place to be

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics (a ‘hagstone’ is found pebble with a natural hole right through, sculpted by the sea). I have not left a Sussex beach without at least one for as long as I can remember. So I have a great many hagstones now!

Sunglare shine

Sunglare shine on longshore drift
the rippled sand aglow
down here in early evening
as the sunshine sinks down low

Cool the lapping wavelets
from the brilliance of day
as barefoot here I wander
whilst around me seagulls play

Sunglare shine on longshore drift
low tide sand revealed
a pleasant change from shingle crunch
for secrets here concealed

And combine all this together
on this long September day
for this extended summer
is just perfect I would say

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

I am the beach

Days like today
may be short lived indeed
but they're part of my rhythm
and part of my creed
For I am the beach
and the beach is all me
as part of my essence
is to be by the sea

So as long as the sun
has its warmth and its strength
I'll be down at the beach
for some time and at length
to while many hours
with my friend here the sea
because I am the beach
and the beach is all me

©Jemverse

Photo – Jem being the beach – Sally Croucher

90 and rising

The temperature crept above ninety
so I thought 'that's enough for today'
and, grabbing a go-bag ready to go
to the beach again, made my own way

The breeze from the sea was most welcome
but it was still in the eighties down there
Though as this wasn't work and I had a cold beer
I wasn't too minded to care

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

Last Rays

We've a bench out the front which will catch the last rays
of the sun as it sets in the west
and though the view we get there is not very good
the warmth of the sun is the best

So I'll sit there a while when the evenings draw in
and, north-facing, the garden's in shade
so pleased that we've kept our front garden bench
as with foresight best plans are made

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

September sun heat

September sun heat
no denial of fact
twenty-five degrees celsius
attesting to that
So it was back to the beach
to sit in the sun
at Saturday teatime
til evening was come

Sound of the waves
breaking surf on the shore
as we 'hutters' enjoy
what the beach is here for
and the ambient peace
something we always find
helps us relax
as we sit and unwind

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics