Easter Egg Hunt

I’m devising an Easter egg hunt

it’s a giggle

as I had to squeeze into some spots

with a wiggle

too cunningly hide the eggs

with some guile

as my children have been at this

for quite a while

so they all know the places that

I pick for hiding

which means that deception

is now residing

to find nooks and crannies and

difficult places

to keep them all busy with

smiles on their faces

as all of my children are

grown adults now

the clues have got harder

and harder somehow

But they’ll use their wisdom and

collective endeavour

to solve all the problems I’ve set

‘cos they’re clever

And when they are done and all

eggs have been found

we’ll share some Bucks Fizz with

good cheer all round

For the joy of delivery comes straight

from the heart

and the prize of completion is

just taking part

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

Beans ‘n’ Broccoli

Beans ‘n’ Broccoli
we have grown
from tiny seeds
when they were sewn

Now our produce
will instead
be eaten up
now harvested

Beans ‘n’ Broccoli
they were yummy
All gone now
and in my tummy

©Jemverse

Simply a sixpence

I once had a sixpence
that was shiny and new
and was full of the joy
of the good it would do
But its devaluation
over time was intense
as now it is worth
just over two pence

Back then it could get me
a brand new toy car
or a big bag of sweets
from my favourite jar
But now there is nothing
that alone it can buy
An indictment to life
so sad I could cry

But putting time to one side
for the moment at least
there is plenty besides
on which we can feast
For that memory brings back
a smile for the years
Days of innocence shared
with laughter and tears

And though the sixpence
won’t purchase anything now
It’s intrinsic value
is greater somehow
For its memory holds treasure
making me a rich man
in more ways than money
ever did or still can

©Jemverse

Here’s to Christmas

The concrete sheep have reindeer ears
in Shoreham where they’ve been for years
There are shiny bikes out in the street
and dogs in jackets looking sweet

The paper mountains ripped and torn
revealed their gifts on Christmas morn
And smiles on faces match the glee
that comes with this festivity

This is a lovely time of year
One for sharing with good cheer
And as it’s Christmas here’s to you
I hope yours is simply lovely too

©Jemverse

Conkers

I’d turn back time
(If only I could)
For I’ve a bag full of conkers
which I found in the wood
Recalling the days
of muddied scuffed knees
Long days in the sunshine
and the climbing of trees

‘Borrowing’ a skewer
from the kitchen drawer
when stringed conkers in pocket
was what life was for
We threw sticks to the branches
to see what would fall
and the thrill of the find
was just part of it all

The ‘fallers’ were rare
but we searched just the same
Always out in the woods
when the autumn time came
But that art has been lost
for today on the ground
There were hundreds of conkers
just lying around

And the only boy there
was the one in my mind
As it re-lived the days
that time tries to find
I-phones replace conkers
Imagination consumed
And simple pleasures like this
could well now be doomed

Yet all is not lost
For the conkers remain
for collecting by me
every year just the same
As now they are used
to keep spiders away
And as happy reminders
of a halcyon day

©Jemverse

Pride

Brighton saw a rainbow
but there wasn’t any rain
Throngs lined all the city streets
And Pride shone bright again

A myriad colours dancing for
the many people there
with a hundred thousand rainbows
we were very proud to share

©Jemverse

 

Solstice

Summer Solstice Father’s day
longest daytime too
Sunshine brought the magic
for this middle day of June

We sort of played some golf
and hit some balls around
But they went in all directions
mixed with laughter sound

We’re really not that good at it
but that doesn’t matter much
‘Cos it’s all about the fun we have
not the game itself as such

Summer Solstice Father’s day
It’s all about the fun
Spent with my four children
’til the longest day is done

©Jemverse

Little ribbons

The festival is over
The music’s faded for a while
But thirty thousand wrists
have a memory for a smile

Little ribbons full of colour
Worn with pride until they fade
Tokens kept and treasured
For nostalgia stored and saved

©Jemverse

Kept a secret

Kept a secret, it was mine
I looked at it from time to time
I put it in a special box
with hinge and lid but no firm locks
But it was hidden well from view
and rarely seen by just a few

But as time passed more secrets came
some by pictures, some by name
And my special box with secrets there
became something to show and share
Its purpose changed, the secrets stayed
But opened now and oft displayed

Its memories to have and hold
now bring a smile as we grow old
Every single one a treasure
Beyond a value or a measure
Something special bringing cheers
A captured glimpse of passing years

©Jemverse

[A-Z April – day 11 – #K]

Reunion

We last
saw our
only son a long year gone
but yesterday reunion brought us all
together again
as one
Big smiles

Ten thousand
miles apart
Far too many degrees of separation
(Thank goodness for FaceTime and Skype)
Yesterday ended
that need
Big smiles

We six
now one
Completed family, friends together, united again
like Christmas and Easter and birthdays
at the
same time
Big smiles

©Jemverse

This written in ‘Trinet Poem’ form – three verses of 7 lines, centred and with a repeated sequence of 2, 2, 6, 6, 2, 2, 2. Together they form the shape of three crosses.