Parham Deer

Parham House was closed today
and the deer they knew it well
For they were out and evident
and contented, you could tell
Grazing ‘neath the leafy oaks
in groups and sometimes more
It was quite magical to see
and well worth coming for

With no-one else about but us
the Sussex countryside
exuded quiet and peacefulness
in which you could confide
And certainly the herd of deer
were confident that they
had the place ‘most to themselves
on this quiet late summer day

©Jemverse

Photo – wild deer, the grounds of Parham House, Sussex, UK – Jempics

Advertisements

Pavilion Gardens

In Brighton there’s a cafe
in a garden with a view
Overlooking the Pavilion
(to some, the palace new)

It’s famous for its rock buns
(though today we did decline)
as we are on a diet
with an eye on our waistline

But it was still relaxing
and quite special in the sun
Sitting drinking coffee
and watching everyone

©Jemverse

Photo – Pavilion Gardens, Brighton – looking across to the Pavilion – from the Pavilion Gardens cafe – Jempics. 

Beach Breakfast

Saturday morning came and
the sun was nice and bright
A beach breakfast was beckoning
so we rather thought we might
And just as luck would have it
not that far from home
there’s a restaurant right on the beach
(no need to book by phone)

So off we plodded, ‘cross the green
to ‘The Perch’ upon the beach
On the foreshore with a view
and within quite easy reach
And afterwards (well, wouldn’t you?)
we walked down to the sea
and paddled in the water
Holly, Grace and Sal and me

©Jemverse

Photo – ‘The Perch’ restaurant, Lancing Beach Green, West Sussex, UK – Jempics

Tangible

I was only away for just over a week
But that’s enough to get used to the heat
And enough now I’m home to feel at a loss
And that somehow things aren’t quite complete
It was tangible there, like something you touched
and present by day and at night
But back home in England, there’s a chill in the air
even though the sunshine’s still bright

Part of me thinks I could live with a summer
that in essence is with me all year
But I know I’d miss Sussex, the place I call home
as I really do love living here
Yes, tangible heat all year round would be great
But of course there’s always a price
For there’s nothing to better the green I have here
In Sussex, my home, which is nice

©Jemverse

Photo – the expanse of Sussex green – Jempics

Beach Huts

Stretching to infinity
Beach huts on Beach Green
Painted many colours
Brightest you’ll have seen

Here on the coast in Sussex
a haven on the beach
A little bit of paradise
there in easy reach

And don’t they just look gorgeous
Their colours bright on show
Quintessentially English
all there in a row

©Jemverse

Photo – beach huts, Lancing Beach Green, Sussex, UK – Jempics

A test of time

Against the blue the old Town Hall
with yellow ochre walls
Declares aloud his history
from ageing hallowed halls
In Brighton now amidst the new
it stands aloof to change
Whilst all around the architects
make plans to rearrange

And yet its walls have stood the test
that time has often posed
So here it is with confidence
and will stay put, I suppose
A pleasing thought to keep in mind
as history remains
With old and new together
and memories retained

©Jemverse

Photo – Brighton Town Hall, Bartholomew Square, West facia – Jempics

In Constable’s footsteps

Went to Brighton to see the original
on short loan from the Tate
It’s quite a lot bigger than the one on my wall
and to see it there was great

A Constable retrospective
representing four years’ toils
When he lived right here in Brighton
with some drawings and some oils

It was a special privilege
to see these works all here
and in particular for me
the original ‘Chain Pier’

©Jemverse

Photo – my print copy of John Constable’s ‘The Chain Pier, Brighton’ (1826-27) ; Tate Britain – Jempics

John Constable took lodgings in Brighton between 1824 and 1828 during which he drew and painted a lot of what he saw around him. ‘In Constable’s Footsteps’ at Brighton Museum brings all of that output together for the first time in an exhibition running until 8 October 2017.

The Chain Pier was Brighton’s first pier. Built in 1823 but destroyed by a storm in 1896, you can still see remains of its oak pilings at very low tides today.