Whimsy rests

And similar these late-night hours
the silence out there now
with solar-captured radiance
lighting there the bough
My window looks down to this scene
as to slumber most resign
yet for a moment whimsy rests
upon this view sublime

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

The quietning time

These early mornings
I’ll attest
are good for me
the very best
The gentle rain
just after dawn
with still the air
of new day born
And solitude
where here about
a whisper sounds
just like a shout
I relish this
the quietning time
as it is almost
wholly mine

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

For the bringing of joy

A song which brings a tingle
Grayson Perry on TV
two little things in life
which bring joie de vivre to me

Something coloured yellow
Yaki Udon, ginger spice
A really lovely beer
Marmite crisps (they’re very nice)

My little dog called Obi
my wife and children too
Walking in the country
which I often like to do

The beach and sea in Sussex
I have know since just a boy
Our beach hut down at Lancing
all these things will bring me joy

And the bringing of that joy
is a part of life that I
could never really do without
and need it to get by

That joie de vivre, the spark of life
dare I say ‘raison d’être’?
A quintessential part of me
in French, the word ‘soumettre’

An expression of God’s goodness
deep rooted, simple, free
this peace of mind, this happiness
the joy that’s brought to me

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

Things to do on hot days II

Sitting in the garden
in my favourite chair
in my favourite shirt from Greece
watching wildlife there
Little birds a flutter
tasting birdseed by my side
and other times a squirrel
have here I’ve often spied

For this is quiet, a haven
here of solitude and peace
unspoilt by nose of traffic
not often here at least
So as long as I keep still
and just watch a little while
I’m sure to be rewarded
with a visit for a smile

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

Evening of the day

Tonight I found a sunset
as the river trickled slow
and the deeper blue of night arrived
above the golden glow

It was peaceful there and quiet
not another soul around
so I revelled in the moment
of that special place I’d found

And breathed the air around me
watched the light slip-slide away
as the sunset disappeared
at the evening of the day

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

Serendipity

I found myself writing
About somewhere I’d been
And all of the wonderful
Things there I’d seen
The joy and the richness
Of life beyond measure
Captured and held just
Like having treasure
It was special and wholesome
With comfort and ease
To serve as assurance
Unrest to appease
So I drifted away for
A moment to where
I knew that contentment
With pleasure to share
And held on to the wisdom
From this memory
For a moment akin
To serendipity

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

The constant sea

These wanders here each evening
when the night’s about to fall
are I think the moments
which we will most recall
When this madness is all over
and we find ourselves again
with whatever becomes normal
and whatever still remains

For there’s one thing here that’s certain
the constant of the sea
which no matter what else changes
will still and always be
So we treasure all our wanders
by the sea in these strange days
for they bring a sense of freedom
and respite from the malaise

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

An unexpected tricycle ride

11 of 12 in ‘The Adriatic Affair’ series from Jemverse

Mario on his tricycle
caught us with his grin
Charmed us so much that we
agreed to go with him

Took us up through Marjan Park
round the headland of the bay
Showed us lots of things that
we’d have never seen today

The peace up in the forest
with pine fragrance in the air
was absolutely lovely
so we’re pleased he took us there

Showed us castles built into the rock
high up above the trees
as we caught glimpses here and there
of peaceful flat-calm seas

Then via Kasjuni beaches
Mario brought us back around
safely on his tricycle
to the walls of the old town

And shaking hands we parted
Split company you could say
(A play on words permitted
for this poem here today)

©Jemverse

Photo – lookout castles built into the rock, Split, Croatia – Jempics

[‘An unexpected tricycle ride’ is the penultimate 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]

Inner soul singing

Many years have I sat here
alone in the sun
from early in morning
until day is done
I have sea and the seagulls
kite surfers and more
the sun and the view
which I love and adore

And yes times have changed
the years see to that
but I don’t have a problem
with that as a fact
For it’s all part of life
and one lived to the full
encouraged I’d say
by this beach and its pull

For it draws and it beckons
me back to its wings
and when I am here
my inner soul sings
There’s a ‘je ne sais quoi’
just something that is
that brings me a peace
which borders on bliss

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

With Gold

7 of 8 in the Jemverse series ‘Circular Sussex’

Got up early
Went for a wander
as the sun rose on Frogmore Lane
Retraced my steps
to the path on the hill
on my own and peaceful again

There were sheep in the field
looking at me
with a quizzical look on their face
Wondered I guess
what I was about
so early in this lovely place

There was birdsong to hear
high up in the trees
a wonderful music and sound
So idyllic here
at this early hour
with no one but me here around

I walked down the path
to sit on a stile
and watch as the morning took hold
And the warmth of the sun
as it rose in the east
painted all that I saw with gold

©Jemverse

Photo – Early morning – Meon Valley, Hampshire, UK – Jempics.

[Every year in May, my brother Dave and I go out for a week’s walking. This year we took in a series of circular walks based around our favourite long-distance trail – the South Downs Way through Hampshire and Sussex]