Blue Brighton

Brighton pier was glowing blue
as the waves fell to the shore
as we all six up on the prom
watched it and asked for more
And that we got in spades
as we always do right here
in Brighton on the Sussex coast
beside its famous pier
Even precipitation didn't
much get in the way
as the beauty was so evident
at the evening of this day

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

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Back to the old and new (haiku)

Concluding the ‘About Brighton’ series (12 of 12)

Through the grandiose
a glimpse of today’s Brighton
History merges

©Jemverse

Series photo is from the front cover of a first edition of the book by Anthony Dale (1951)

‘Old and new (haiku)‘ was originally posted in December 2020

Back to Jem’s new hat

Penultimate (11 of 12) in the ‘About Brighton’ series

Wandered round in Brighton
brought a brand new hat
Blue to match my sunglasses
Sylish (that’s a fact)
Felt much like a rock star
walking round the place
with lovely Brighton people
and a smile upon my face
It only cost a tenner
but it’s not about the price
For Jem’s new hat is perfect
and it’s really rather nice

©Jemverse

Series photo is from the front cover of a first edition of the book by Anthony Dale (1951)

‘Jem’s new hat‘ was first posted in July 2018

Back to oasis

The antepenultimate (10 of 12) in the ‘About Brighton’ series

Sat in St Nicholas’ churchyard
high up on the hill
overlooking Brighton
with all around me still

Sipped a bold, strong coffee
the sunshine breaking through
with history around me
which from my past I knew

There’s change around about of course
new buildings stark and cold
yet Brighton’s essence here remains
quintessentially old

A haven with a tranquil peace
God’s hand is present here
A little bit of heaven
with the bustling city near

©Jemverse

Series photo is from the front cover of a first edition of the book by Anthony Dale (1951)

‘Oasis‘ was first published in June 2018

Back to the Viaduct

9 of 12 in the ‘About Brighton’ series

The viaduct on London Raod
Brighton, late at night
lit up blue with vibrancy
is a lovely sight

High above the city streets
with Victorian pride
to carry trains up there on which
so many people ride

But down here close to midnight
just a passing car
and me with phone to capture
this spectacular

©Jemverse

Series photo is from the front cover of a first edition of the book by Anthony Dale (1951)

‘Viaduct‘ was first posted in February 2018

Back to Pavilion Gardens

8 of 12 in the ‘About Brighton’ series

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

Series photo is from the front cover of a first edition of the book by Anthony Dale (1951)

‘Pavilion Gardens‘ was first published in September 2017

Back to Bob Marley Seagull

7 of 12 in the ‘About Brighton’ series

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

Series photo is from the front cover of a first edition of the book by Anthony Dale (1951)

‘Bob Marley Seagull’ was first posted in July 2017, again in January 2018 and thirdly today

Back to a test of time

6 of 12 in the ‘About Brighton’ series

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

Series photo is from the front cover of a first edition of the book by Anthony Dale (1951)

[‘A test of time‘ was first posted in July 2017]

Back to Constable’s Footsteps

5 of 12 in the ‘About Brighton’ series

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

Series photo is from the front cover of a First Edition of a book by Antony Dale from 1951

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 brought all of that output together for the first time in an exhibition between June and 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.

'In Constable's Footsteps' was first published in June 2017

Back to Lazy Day Tanka

4 of 12 in the ‘About Brighton’ series

Breakfast in Brighton
November morning sunshine
follows after rain
Both providing sustenance
for lazy Sunday slowness

©Jemverse

Series photo is from the front cover of a First Edition of a book by Antony Dale from 1951

'Lazy Day Tanka' was first published in November 2016

A tanka is a five-line non-rhyming poem of Japanese origin dating back almost 1200 years. Using simile, metaphor and personification, the five lines must follow a syllabic sequence of 5, 7, 5, 7, 7.