What is poetry?

A collection of words with juxtaposition
Crafted into some lines
That speak of my life and the things that I see
To capture a few of those times

It’s the nuance they have and the mystery too
that capture imagination
And the joy of finding a stanza to fit
Within gift and my arbitration

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

Inspired by the Go Dog Go cafe posting ‘What is Poetry?‘ on 3 August

Bob Marley Seagull

It was raining in Brighton
and, strolling back to the car
parked there in Ann Street
from the centre, not far
We paused to admire
on the wall, ‘cross the way
some graffiti scrawled quickly
but with something to say

And in contemplative mood
we pondered the depth
penned by those words
whilst at our feet, quite perplexed
A young seagull ran by
so as not to intrude
For to spoil this fine moment
would have bordered on rude

Was there metaphor here?
Bob would have been proud
‘No woman, no cry’
is still shouting loud

©Jemverse

Photo – Ann Street Graffiti, Brighton, Sussex, UK – Jempics

The beauty of language

I’m happy when writing
It fills me with joy
and it’s done this for ages
(since I was a boy)
I’ve written most days
sometimes just a few lines
to capture the years
the moments and times

It’s the nuance of words
and their juxtaposition
And then fitting them in
to each composition
And the finding of rhyme
to capture my mood
Occasionally cheeky
but never plain rude

It’s the beauty of language
and telling a tale
in just a few lines
each day to regale
So I’ll carry on writing
for it’s something I do
And I’m pretty you’d
do the same, wouldn’t you?

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

Nature’s thrash-metal show

A clue when the sun
hides away from the day
and the mugginess grows
as the sky becomes grey
Then, as evening approaches
a splatter of rain
It looks like a storm
is brewing again

A rumble of thunder
as the night-time comes round
But in the gaps and the stillness
there’s barely a sound

Then from over the sea
a bright flash in the sky
as, restless, the storm
seeks to electrify
And we count down the seconds
as the thunder moves in
The cacophony grows
and turns into a din

And then we are there
with excitement and thrills
as the rain hammers down
and the floodwater spills

And the lightning’s as bright
as a daytime light-show
and each thunderclap deafens
and excites, as you know
Our whoops of excitement
are lost in between
as the storm gathers pace
with a whoop and a scream

It’s frightening and scary
and wonderful fun
But we’re always relieved
when a thunderstorm’s done

The claps become rumbles
and are less agitated
as we smile and relax
because now we are sated
And as the storm moves away
‘Til it’s hardly in sight
We will go back to bed
and turn in for the night

©Jemverse

Photo – http://www.shorehamphotos.com

Indigo Six

Seven colours, seven days
and indigo’s in sight
The sixth one in the rainbow
reminiscent of the night

Deepest blue as evening fades
and quieter hours reign
Holding banquet to the hours
‘Til morning comes again

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

Part 6 of 7 – ‘The rainbow series’

Writing at night

In the small hours when
silence is my company
And my pen scribbles words
as they flow fancy free
The verse and the rhyme
to the page come with ease
So this is the time that
the poet will seize

My craft in the making
no distraction to cast
The silence consuming
the prose firm and fast
These are moments to cherish
to have and to hold
The words captured here
more precious than gold

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

The Blank Page

Awoke to a new day sunrise
like a blank page in a book
And with my pen there poised and ready
paused for a lingering look

This week there’ll be new words written
though they’re a mystery right now
But I’ll know them each as they appear
and reach my page somehow

It’ll be five days in the waiting though
before you, the reader, share
as I’m off to Cardiff down in Wales
and will be out of contact there

A week away from e-type things
but it’s good to have a rest
And it will not stop the writing
so it’s all then for the best!

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

[Sorry – but the next Jemverse posting won’t now be until Saturday 18 March]