Sal sings the song a month before me
'cos I in my youth am still sixty-three
But today on her birthday the chorus rings true
so we'll sing it together as that's something we do
The question, rhetorical; clearly and more
'cos of course there's the need now one's sixty-four
Forty-two birthdays both shared together
but the sixty-fourth one means we can be clever
And of course there's the love and of course there's the need
now we've made it to this one (well almost indeed)
So here's to your birthday and for many more
when at last we can sing 'Now I'm sixty-four'!
From Rodmell via Southease, a loop of three miles
as the warmth returned once again
Us four with our boots
'neath the blue of a sky
walking to keep ourselves sane
There were sheep in the rape munching blithely away
and cows lowing there in the field
as the Ouse on the ebb
flowed out to the sea
in the heart of the Sussex Weald
This circuital wander, just enough for us four
to brush all the cobwebs away
and see us all well
for a marvellous time
on this lovely warm late April day
The sun shone on Good Friday morn
as we went walking for some fun
Two sisters, father and a dog
as this good day has just begun
Started in fair Arundel
then through the castle ground
up through the South Stoke country park
where marvellous things were found
Views that took our breath away
with skies of deepest blue
this was a time to revel in
which we all four there knew
As it happened the eight miles we planned
turned into something more
though none of us we minded
with the wondrous things we saw
But the Black Rabbit pub it was
a welcome thing to see
as down the river path we came
footsore and thirsty we
Some fourteen miles of Sussex
for a walk which was the best
though when back home for buns and tea
we welcomed then the rest
Dog walkers walking with plenty of dogs
some running free some on leads
the river meandering down to the sea
with ducks hiding there in the reeds
A grey sky above but the chill is now gone
and there's no wind at all here today
There's even a hint of blue through the cloud
out there in the spread of the bay
The fishermen's cottages so often filmed
are prominent there on the cliff
as we with best foot forward walk
with legs from winter, stiff
And this is a day of the magical kind
the ones with a 'je ne sais quoi'
for joie de vivre, for zest and much more
the one's to shout loud 'et voila!'
Little short poems here by the day
doing their bit to keep blues away
from the mind of a poet with something to say
as he has done of these years
A pen staying still hardly ever at all
of the circumstances that will daily befall
and come to the fore with a hark and a a call
as they have done all of these years
Some that will rhyme and some which will not
but all born of love as that's all that he's got
throwing all to the reader as part of his lot
as he has done all of these years
Took myself for a walk
around and about
my gait having purpose
as it's nice to get out
Down to the beach
the broad walk for me
breathing in deep
salt air from the sea
Nodding a greeting
to people I passed
responding in kind
to others who asked
Getting my steps in
but it's more than that
as it brings a purpose
for matter of fact
Wellbeing of mind
and body and spirit
which in walks by the sea
fills up in a minute
So the privilege isn't
in any way lost
and I'm thankful for that
with no price or cost
As all of this wonder
is given for free
in a walk on the beach
down here by the sea
Once many years ago a girl and a boy
in the pottery room with some clay
had a play fight, threw some and laughed
fell in love with each other that day
Grew into soulmates, kindred spirits to last
got married in the summer and then
saw many years together as one
and best and inseparable friends
So here in the year of the water rabbit
and forty-five valentines later
the boy to the girl in their sixty-fourth year
knows their love is now only the greater
Around a table with Cluedo and Red Leicester cheese
with good conversation, precious days these
Laughter and merriment the six of us here
these are the days for which we all cheer
As it's all about family and closeness together
for the bad times and good, the known and whatever
For we all are as one, best of friends and of kin
arms linked with a smile through the thick and the thin
Sunshine returned, it's cooler now
but the beach beckoned silent to me
and I heard its voice and quickened to that
with a wander down to the sea
Catching again the glimmer out there
as the sun on the water it shone
reminded me that these moments in time
need capturing lest they are gone
So I wandered a while on the shore with my friend
as the shingle crunched under my feet
watching the waves as out there they danced
at one with the world and complete
For it's there that I'm always the best I can be
I'm content in my happy place here
just watching the ocean, salt in the air
unbridled exuberance of cheer
October shadow, Obi's field
in the heart of Sussex Weald
barely was the warmth concealed
in the autumn now
Walked a mile around the place
felt again familiar grace
with the sunshine on my face
in the autumn now
Obi ran, he always does
round in circles there because
this is how he gets his buzz
in the autumn now
Spent up there our usual hour
underneath the oaken bower
turning trees above us tower
in the autumn now
...all about me and my life in words. I write most days, carrying an ideas book around in which I capture a word snapshot of life around me. So there's a lot here about Sussex and the sea and anything else I see that inspires.
The pictures are mine too. Some taken to match a poem; some poems written to match a pic; others chosen because they work well with words written.
Jemverse is life in words. Hope you enjoy the reading as much as I enjoy the writing...
Jemverse 