August…

Pen to paper, three weeks back
when cruel July weather
far from the summer sun we'd known
abandoned altogether
to wind and rain and chilly air
grey skies and sodden ground
Which is not what we'd expect
to see this time of year around

So I'm rather hoping passing time
when these words see light of day
finds summer gracing us again
with sunshine out to play
For really that's what August
with no fickle nuance there
should be to us in summer
for the warmth we love to share

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

 

(revisiting) Lewes

5 of 10 in the ‘Places & Pleasing’ series

It’s not raining in Lewes
which is refreshingly nice
As we have lunch by the river
with coffee and pies

There’s a warmth in the air
but we still wear cagoules
as there’s threat in the sky
by the calm river Ouse

For the present, the sunshine
tries to come out
as we browse the antique shops
and wander about

We’ve all the time that we need
so it’s lovely to look
Although we did buy a postcard
and a lovely old book

By and by, when we fancy
we’ll head off to the car
But we’ll come back to Lewes
as it’s not very far

©Jemverse

[With traceable origins back to the 6th century, Lewes is the county town of East Sussex and home to Harveys brewery, established in 1790]

Photo – Jempics

[“Lewes” was first posted to Jemverse in August 2015]

(revisiting) Whiling away

3 of 10 in the ‘Places & Pleasing’ series

Took a trip to Mordue’s
North Shields in Tyne and Wear
Rather rude I thought to not
So I bought an Amber beer

Caught a Metro down in Jarrow
But I’ll not be walking down
Three hundred miles, tad far for me
To get to London town

Sat a while at Central Station
Had a coffee, wrote again
Whiled away an hour or so
Whilst waiting for my train

©Jemverse

In October 1936, with the Shipbuilding industry in severe decline,  207 workers marched from Jarrow to Westminster in London, a distance of over 300 miles, to lobby Parliament against unemployment. It became known as “The Jarrow Crusade”

Photo – ‘Spirit of Jarrow’ by Graham Ibbeson – Viking Centre, Jarrow, Tyne & Wear

[“Whiling away” was first posted to Jemverse in January 2015]

Another level day (aka ‘Tiger Moth’)

In what started out as quite a surprise
On Friday just gone I took to the skies
In a Tiger Moth biplane from Perry Air
full of excitement, aplomb and some flair

This was a day on another level
forging memories strong in which I'll long revel
And with icing on cake, I took the controls
and laughed and whooped through two barrel rolls

An hour sublime, this was simply the best
from an open cockpit flying with zest
A time I will treasure for many a day
to relive the moments in every which way

©Jemverse

The 1934 de Havilland Tiger Moth biplane is owned and run by Perry Air, based at Shoreham Airport in West Sussex. The pic is with me in it (front seat) taxiing to take off. I took the controls for all of half a minute and the pilot (Cedric) performed the barrel rolls! 

(revisiting) Seemed appropriate

5 of 12 in the ‘Melting 23’ series

So I laid out in the sunshine
let my thoughts just drift away
Seemed appropriate to do this
on such a lovely day

The sunshine it was warming
and it was peaceful there
quietly in my garden
to relax without a care

It bordered on subliminal
exquisite and replete
a moment shared with no one
out in the summer heat

©Jemverse

‘Seemed appropriate‘ was first posted on Jemverse in July 2020

Series pic – Jempics

(revisiting) And II…

2 of 10 in the ‘Malleable 23’ series

And I’ll tell you one thing
And this is quite good
And it has a good ending
And it’s right that it should
And though there’s a chill
And it’s still hanging on
And there’s no way of knowing
And you feel put upon
And your thoughts turn to Spring
And your voice turns to song
And you know it’s now March
And it won’t be that long
And then things will blossom
And the trees will turn green
And the days will be warm
And be the best they have been

©Jemverse

Series pic – Jempics

‘And II…‘ was first published in March 2020

Footprints

3 of 12 in the ‘My very best’ series

In the sand we saw footprints that led to the sun
and we followed them true for a while
but then a distraction called from one side
so we scurried away with a smile

But the smile of distraction soon turned to a frown
and could never hold us for long
as we realised its shallow deception
and grew tired of its welcoming song

So we knew then the footprints were where we should be
to follow them on to the Son
for the truth, when it hit us was evident then
as the place where life was begun

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

‘Footprints’ was first written back in July 1996 but hasn’t been published anywhere until now