22 Apr 2020
by Jem Croucher
in photo, poem, Poet, Poetry, Sussex, Travel, wordsmith
Tags: Jemverse, lockdown, poem, poet, Poetry, poetry blog, rhyme, Sussex, travelling, verse, wordsmith, writing poetry

In my mind’s eye I have travelled
to the places I love most
here in lovely Sussex
on the charming Southern coast
Places I can’t visit
in these strange days we are in
but yet I know each one so well
for clear remembering
So though I am restricted
to the places close to home
I can still recall the pleasure
which freedom gives to roam
And with these recollections
I can travel far afield
to the places closest to my heart
above the Sussex Weald
©Jemverse
Photo – the Sussex Weald from Ditchling Down, South Downs, Sussex – Jempics
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07 Feb 2020
by Jem Croucher
in Newcastle, photo, poem, Poet, Poetry, Travel, wordsmith
Tags: Bridge Hotel, Jemverse, Newcastle, places, poem, poet, Poetry, poetry blog, rhyme, travel, verse, wordsmith, writing poetry

Down the back steps is a courtyard
overlooking city walls
high above the valley
from where the Tyne it calls
Adjacent to High Level Bridge
its namesake for to trace
The Bridge Hotel in Newcastle
quite special to this place
©Jemverse
Photo – High Level Bridge from the courtyard of The Bridge Hotel, Newcastle, UK – Jempics
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03 Feb 2020
by Jem Croucher
in Newcastle, photo, poem, Poet, Poetry, Travel, wordsmith
Tags: Jemverse, Newcastle, photo, poem, poet, Poetry, poetry blog, rhyme, travel, verse, wordsmith, writing poetry

Of the places that I travel to
surpassing all the rest
I have to say with hand on heart
Newcastle is the best
It has a certain ambiance
a ‘je ne sais quoi’ I’d say
Can’t quite find the words
but it appeals in every way
And though my visits often
just see me passing through
I’ll always do my level best
to see the river view
©Jemverse
Photo – Jempics
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27 Jan 2020
by Jem Croucher
in beauty, photo, poem, Poet, Poetry, Sunset, Travel, wordsmith
Tags: beauty, lovely, poem, poet, Poetry, poetry blog, rhyme, Southend, sunset, verse, wordsmith, writing poetry

There’s something to be said
when travelling to Southend
of the sunset on the water
on the estuary of the Thames
Catching glimpses like this
of the things around I’ve seen
reminds me of the beauty
in the places I have been
And even though a fleeting glimpse
as the train sped on its way
it filled me with a wonder
on this fragile winters day
©Jemverse
Photo – Jempics
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14 Dec 2019
by Jem Croucher
in Life, photo, poem, Poet, Poetry, Travel, Winter, wordsmith
Tags: cold, Jemverse, Manchester, poem, poet, Poetry, poetry blog, rhyme, verse, wordsmith, writing poetry

Awoke to a cold morning
But the rain had gone away
So putting on a braver face
I set out to greet the day
Unfamiilar are these streets
but my path is fairly clear
and the place that I am going to
is reasonably near
Warm inside my winter coat
AirPods bring comfort sound
coupled with the promise that
I’ll soon be homeward bound
And somehow it’s more bearable
cold weather close to home
A cheering thought to cling to
when in Manchester alone
©Jemverse
Photo – Manchester, December 2019 – Jempics
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08 Dec 2019
by Jem Croucher
in photo, poem, Poet, Poetry, Travel, wordsmith
Tags: Jemverse, poem, poet, Poetry, poetry blog, travel, words, wordsmith, writing, writing poetry

And as I travel metal sings
cocooned here in the warmth
night passes swift outside
where winter chill escapes me
Slumber beckons but I resist
taking pen to paper instead
I while away time passing
as the miles melt away
©Jemverse
Photo – Jempics
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05 Dec 2019
by Jem Croucher
in poem, Poet, Poetry, Travel, wordsmith, Work
Tags: Jemverse, morning, poem, poet, Poetry, poetry blog, rhyme, sleep, travelling, verse, wordsmith, writing poetry

The dawn’s not yet broken
and I’m travelling again
on the road for one more business trip
With birds still asleep
as the night is yet deep
I tip toe up the road lest I slip
The street lights are out
and everything’s dark
the silence is still and complete
And I quickly go
so no-one will know
and the world remains safely asleep
©Jemverse
Photo – Jempics
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13 Nov 2019
by Jem Croucher
in photo, poem, Poet, Poetry, Sunset, Travel, wordsmith
Tags: Croatia, holiday, Jemverse, lovely, poem, poet, Poetry, poetry blog, rhyme, Split, sunset, travel, verse, wordsmith, writing poetry
12 of 12 in ‘The Adriatic Affair’ series from Jemverse

Sitting on deck six
with Split across the way
Picturing all the things
that have made this holiday
It has been all we hoped for
and though we fly home on the morrow
It is with happiness we’re leaving
and not one tinged with sorrow
For we’ve criss-crossed the Adriatic
seen sunshine and some rain
Visited new places and
been back to some again
We’re just a little browner
than we were a week ago
which judging by the time of year
is quite nice to have on show
And we’ve memories a-plenty
captured by the things we’ve seen
and the very many lovely
places this past week we’ve been
So now with quiet reflection
as the ship prepares to sail
returning to Dubrovnik
all these things here I regale
Split, this lovely city
perfect Swansong to this time
so I’ll end this little series
with that thought upon this line
©Jemverse
Photo – sunset over the Adriatic from Split, Croatia – Jempics
[‘Split II’ concludes the series of twelve poems capturing our autumn 2019 ‘Adriatic Affair’ cruise aboard the Marella Celebration. From 24 through 31 October we visited…
24/10 – Dubrovnik, Croatia (‘Finding Summer’ (02/11) and ‘Dubrovnik Divine’ (03/11))
25/10 – Hvar, Croatia (‘Hvar’ (04/11) and ‘Hoorah for Hvar’ (05/11))
26/10 – Ancona, Italy (‘Ancona Encore’ (06/11) and ‘Ancona II’ (07/11))
27/10 – Koper, Slovenia (‘Koper’ (08/11))
28/10 – Venice, Italy (‘Venice (touch & go)’ (09/11) and ‘Venice II’ (10/11))
29/10 – Rijeka, Croatia (‘Rijeka’ (11/11)), and
30/10 – Split, Croatia (‘An unexpected tricycle ride’ (12/11) and ‘Split II’ (13/11))
…before sailing back into Dubrovnik for the flight home on the 31st]
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11 Nov 2019
by Jem Croucher
in photo, poem, Poet, Poetry, Travel, wordsmith
Tags: Croatia, holiday, Jemverse, poem, poet, Poetry, poetry blog, rhyme, Rijeka, travel, verse, wordsmith, writing poetry
10 of 12 in ‘The Adriatic Affair’ series from Jemverse

In Rijeka in the market
whilst making little fuss
a lovely lady sold us socks
hand-knitted just for us
Yellow painted buildings
suggested that this city
once held a lot more grandeur
now faded more’s the pity
Still, we had a little walkabout
soaked up the local flair
celebrating somewhere different
and simply being there
©Jemverse
Photo – Rijeka, Croatia – Jempics
[‘Rijeka’ is the tenth of twelve poems capturing our autumn 2019 ‘Adriatic Affair’ cruise aboard the Marella Celebration. From 24 through 31 October we visited…
24/10 – Dubrovnik, Croatia (‘Finding Summer’ (02/11) and ‘Dubrovnik Divine’ (03/11))
25/10 – Hvar, Croatia (‘Hvar’ (04/11) and ‘Hoorah for Hvar’ (05/11))
26/10 – Ancona, Italy (‘Ancona Encore’ (06/11) and ‘Ancona II’ (07/11))
27/10 – Koper, Slovenia (‘Koper’ (08/11))
28/10 – Venice, Italy (‘Venice (touch & go)’ (09/11) and ‘Venice II’ (10/11))
29/10 – Rijeka, Croatia (‘Rijeka’ (11/11)), and
30/10 – Split, Croatia (‘An unexpected tricycle ride’ (12/11) and ‘Split II’ (13/11))
…before sailing back into Dubrovnik for the flight home on the 31st]
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09 Nov 2019
by Jem Croucher
in photo, poem, Poet, Poetry, Travel, wordsmith
Tags: cruise, fog, holiday, Italy, Jemverse, poem, poet, Poetry, poetry blog, rhyme, travel, Venice, verse, wordsmith, writing poetry
8 of 12 in ‘The Adriatic Affair’ series from Jemverse

The fog came down, it was quite thick
and we weren’t moving far
and dropping anchor out at sea
was unspectacular
Then the captain on the tannoy said
Venice was closed today
which as you might imagine
was met with some dismay
But then out there to starboard
a pale sun made a show
and as the pea soup dissipated
the ship prepared to go
A loud ‘hoorah’ erupted
when the captain later on
said that Venice had re-opened
and it wouldn’t be that long
before the pilot came and joined us
and we’d be underway
into Venetian waters
on this lovely holiday
©Jemverse
Photo – a fog-bound Marella Celebration – Jempics
[‘Venice (touch n go)’ is the eighth of twelve poems capturing our autumn 2019 ‘Adriatic Affair’ cruise aboard the Marella Celebration. From 24 through 31 October we visited…
24/10 – Dubrovnik, Croatia (‘Finding Summer’ (02/11) and ‘Dubrovnik Divine’ (03/11))
25/10 – Hvar, Croatia (‘Hvar’ (04/11) and ‘Hoorah for Hvar’ (05/11))
26/10 – Ancona, Italy (‘Ancona Encore’ (06/11) and ‘Ancona II’ (07/11))
27/10 – Koper, Slovenia (‘Koper’ (08/11))
28/10 – Venice, Italy (‘Venice (touch & go)’ (09/11) and ‘Venice II’ (10/11))
29/10 – Rijeka, Croatia (‘Rijeka’ (11/11)), and
30/10 – Split, Croatia (‘An unexpected tricycle ride’ (12/11) and ‘Split II’ (13/11))
…before sailing back into Dubrovnik for the flight home on the 31st]
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