Ditchling Beacon

Ditching Beacon in late summer
with views of Sussex Weald
walking slowly in the heat
cast by the sun’s strong yield

Wolfgang’s with us trotting slow
sniffing here and there
Inquisitive, excited
the moment here to share

By and by we’ll head on home
but an ice-cream first I think
Eating quickly, lest they melt
whilst Wolfgang has a drink

©Jemverse

Photo – from the the top of Ditchling Beacon, West Sussex – Jempics

[Wolfgang is our daughter’s 10-month old Patterdale Terrier]

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From diamond seas

To the east the seven sisters
to the west the Isle of Wight
around this sweeping Sussex bay
I have within my sight
And in front of me out to the south
the diamond glinting sea
reflecting southern sunshine
is with me here and free

So no wonder that from time to time
I’ll come and sit and gaze
on Lancing beach for hours
at the ever moving waves
For this is as close to heaven
I can be I’d safely say
here in my perfect haven
on this Sussex coastal bay

©Jemverse

Photo – looking east to the Seven Sisters from Lancing beach, West Sussex – Jempics

Bignor

Two Roman villas
Two Mondays past
we’ve visited and found several ways
to lose ourselves here
with plenty of cheer
a cure for any malaise

Bignor this time
Mosaics again
under thatch to par excellence
Discovered when farming
at the time quite alarming
in the nineteenth century perchance

Had the place to ourselves
with no-one else here
so we took time to take it all in
Inspired here to capture
in awe and some rapture
this Bignor palace will bring

We took lots of pictures
with details to use
in things that we make when back home
Sculptures and drawings
of mosaic floorings
that antiquity to us has shown

©Jemverse

Photo – detail from a 2nd century mosaic floor, Bignor, Sussex, UK – Jempics

Fishbourne

And so it was with Romans
Fishbourne finally today
saw Sal and I this morning
venture out and come this way
England’s mosaic glory
tessellated on the ground
tells a tale of history
when in the sixties found
And now this treasure prospers
revealed for all to see
Especially today for
my soulmate Sal and me

©Jemverse

Laid in AD 160, this is the mosaic floor of one of the main dining rooms in the north wing of Fishbourne Roman palace, near Chichester in West Sussex. Discovered by accident in 1960 during the laying of a mains water pipe, excavations have since revealed it to be the largest Roman palace in the UK. [Photo – Jempics]

Long Mile Walking

Long Mile walking
Darkening sky
Sun a warm glow in the west
Toe in the water
Cool lapping sea
Smiling at nature’s behest

Smooth sand rippled
from undertow’s pull
revealing a rich treasure trove
I pick up a pebble
washed by the sea
as along the Long Mile here I rove

Driftwood abandoned
cleaned by the sea
Caressed by its loving hand
I’ll take and will treasure
as a gift from Long Mile
here on the fine Sussex land

©Jemverse

[Inspired by ‘The Long Mile‘, posted on Jemverse on 18 August 2014]

Sheffield Park II

We wandered fields at Sheffield Park
Wolfgang, Sal and I
Finding paths where no-one trod
beneath a cloudy sky

No sign of rain and very warm
Muggy, I would say
But it seemed to have the best effect
as crowds had stayed away

So mostly all the open fields
we had just for us three
Along with cows and several sheep
up there roaming free

©Jemverse

Photo – Sheffield Park, Sussex – Jempics

The Wheel

In Worthing last weekend us two
rode proud on Worthing Wheel
It was massively exciting
and brought a lovely feel
We had three revolutions
it really was a thrill
with views across to Brighton
the sea below quite still

And on horizon to the west
the Isle of Wight we spied
Out across the sea of blue
around the headland wide
Down below up from the top
the world around us small
This is a first for Worthing
and a joy for one and all

©Jemverse

Photo – Worthing Wheel, West Sussex, UK – Jempics