Looming grey

From the window of my office
looking south o'er Worthing town
a looming grey above me
told of rain soon coming down
and yet the glow beyond that
where the sea joined with the shore
told of brighter things to come
with sun shining once more
and as it turned out t'was the latter
which prevailed at end of day
November chill with sunshine
and no rain on homeward way

I waved a long shadow

I waved a long shadow
by a favourite tree
in a favourite field
where I love to be
the sunshine was bright
but with rain in the air
though sadly no rainbow
was evident there

But as usual the joy
of the wander we had
in Seven Tree Field
just made our hearts glad
and our little dog, Obi
he ran and he ran
with exuberant gait
with which all dogs can

Music Days IV

Days listening to music
the most cathartic ones I know
to while away a lazy day
and watch the hours go
And my varied and eclectic taste
will many genres see
from rock and pop and classical
all there to keep me free
And then when spine's been tingled
and tears of joy I've spilled
the knowing look behind my eyes
shows I have been fulfilled

John Harvey

And down the Bridge Wharf twitten
the brewhouse brews beer and wine
standing proud there for tradition
now since eighteen thirty nine

John Harvey forty years before
in Bear Yard across the way
started brewing Harvey's beer
and does so to this day

Yellowing glow

From my window up high
and out to the east
the glow of the morning
was a visual feast
Yellowing there with
the sun yet to rise
the blues and the pinks
hid little surprise
as I knew that in store
was a beautiful day
from this yellowing glow
and this lovely display

Public Service Broadcasting

Brighton's Dome, a place I've missed
whilst Covid's kept us in
for live music's long hiatus
which has bordered on a sin

But though the virus is still with us
freedom has now found a way
to open up the doors again
'Thank Goodness' hear me say!

As last week with good friends I'd not seen
for two long years returned
to Brighton's Dome for a live gig
a treat we all have earned

The Plan (Part VII)

No. 7 in the continuing Jemverse series ‘Allotment’

The plan came to fruition
and gave us more than we had dared
and now that it's November
I am really pleased we cared
For the produce it has yielded
from the 'no dig' plan we made
has come in its abundance
so I'm pleased with it we stayed

One III

3 of 12 in the Jemverse ’12 months V’ series

I can't quite believe November is here
the year has sped by so fast
the Spring and the Summer merged into one
with a warmth we all hope will last
Not going to happen for much longer I fear
as Winter waits in the wings
and Jack Frost's remembered his repertoire
with the cold stuff all of that brings
But for now with green just starting to turn
and the sun still strong in the sky
I'll cling to the vestige of summer still here
and not wish the Autumn rush by

The turning revisited

Concluding the Jemverse ‘Autumn 21’ series (7 of 7)

Turning now
the green will fade
to liquid gold
of Autumn shade
Past equinox
less sunlight hours
But warm enough
for many flowers

There’s colour here
to hold at bay
the looming months
of Winter grey
But turning now
the fading slow
as Autumn has
still much to show

Another walk in the woods

6 of 7 in the Jemverse series ‘Autumn 21’

Dappled sunlight filtered through
the green tunnel up ahead
as carefree there we wandered
uncertain where it led

Not that we were bothered
for we cared not for the time
on such an afternoon as this
with autumn weather fine

Conkers (revisited)

5 of 7 in the Jemverse series ‘Autumn 21’

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

Red II revisited

4 of 7 in the Jemverse ‘Autumn 21’ series

Surrounded by Autumn
I saw red and a tear trickled
But no malice here
No discontent
For here beauty’s extravagance
in simplicity lay
Inspiring a tear
for the green of summer
spilled at my feet

The evening of the year revisited

3 of 7 in the Jemverse series ‘Autumn 21’

Beauty wears a frown
as Autumn colours fade and die
The Summer’s warmth now distant
as the year it hurries by

November looms. Finality
the year is almost done
Now in the throws of Winter
the Spring has far to come

Yet all is not lost for soon the chill
will see Jack Frost’s return
when beauty’s frown will disappear
and new winter wonders learn

Interesting (slight return) revisited

2 of 7 in the Jemverse ‘Autumn 21’ series

Show me a colour, one that describes me
Look at my face – the colour behind my eyes
It cries for the sun and pines away on these rainy days
Curled in a ball and shivering,
It longs for a blue that paints the skies

I have a paintbox here somewhere; it has a bright palette
One I have used many times, mixing over and over
as old and dusty colours
lend their way to young ones bright and new
Blending easily with the marks I have made

Remnant of Summer (revisited)

1 of 7 in the Jemverse series ‘Autumn 21’

On the breath of a morning
I caught in the air
a lingering fragrance
subtle and rare
A remnant of summer
to cherish and hold
and remain with me as
the autumn turns gold

Tri-haiku XXXV (the sun, hooray)

And here for Sunday
the sun still has its hat on
Hip, hip, hip hooray

Golden for autumn
it still shines yellow and warm
Hip, hip, hip hooray

Shining still brightly
it stays and it continues
Hip, hip, hip hooray

I’ve been writing

I've been writing now for ages
my pen just can't keep still
and I'm certain that will be the case
for more years yet until
I've lost the plot entirely
and the words, dried up, are done
(I'll rue the day) but then accept
that day has finally come

But I'm pleased to say for now at least
I still write every day
as life it still continues
and has plenty more to say
So that's what I use my words for
to paint the life I see
in all its many nuances
as it evolves 'round me

A week of adventures

Concluding the Jemverse series ‘Down in Dorset’ (12 of 12)

We've had a week of adventures
but it's good to be home
full of the joy of
the pleasures we've known

We've had seven more days
of summer and sunshine
and although mid-October
the weather's been so kind

Last day in Lyme

No.11 in the Jemverse series ‘Down in Dorset’

On our last day we went back to Lyme
to look for fossils on the beach
heading westward from the town
to one in easy reach
And found them, oh I think we did
some massive ones at that
in boulders far too heavy
to take home and that's a fact

So I built a sculpture with flat stones
I found and balanced there
quite pleased with my achievement
took photographs to share
And the sun as it had been all week
shone down and warmed and beamed
as we sat down and rested
on the sand and looked and dreamed

Fish supper on the Cob

No.10 in the Jemverse series ‘Down in Dorset’

A fish supper on the Cob
at Lyme Regis evening time
not so many people now
though the weather is still fine

Watched the fishing boats return
with flocks of seagulls there
watching out for morsels
or wayward fishes spare

October Summer II

No.9 in the Jemverse series ‘Down in Dorset’

With the sunshine on the water
and the blueness of the sky
you'd be forgiven for believing
this was summer and July
But no, it's mid-October
and yet the sun's still very strong
bringing with it warming rays
which to summer should belong

Seaton Beach Tree

No 8 in the Jemverse series ‘Down in Dorset’

By the orange cliffs at Seaton
on the beach is a dead tree
looking like a natural sculpture
beside East Devon's sea

Of course I had to get a closer look
so I walked along the beach
til I was close to where it was
with it in easy reach

It really was quite lovely
sculpted there by nature's hand
A little sad that it was dead
yet still it's proud to stand

A morning hike

No. 7 the Jemverse series ‘Down in Dorset’

So we all walked back to Charmouth
early morning 'round sunrise
with mist in all the valleys
and a glow atop the rise

Took us about an hour
then we walked right back again
as the sun climbed higher brightly
in the east from whence it came

Lyme Regis & Snow

No.6 in the Jemverse series ‘Down in Dorset’

It was snowing in Lyme Regis
except it wasn't, it was fake
Warner Brothers filming there
a new movie for to make
Willy Wonka 2 so we believe
and they'd made a winter scene
but although they'd finished filming
we could see where they had been

Charmouth Jurassic

No.5 in the Jemverse series ‘Down in Dorset’

So we wandered down to Charmouth
beside the River Char
bathed in October sunshine
with views spectacular
around about three miles
so it didn't take us long
and it was really rather warm
as the sunshine was quite strong

Exploring

No.4 in the Jemverse series ‘Down in Dorset’

Walked out for some exploring
early morning of the day
found the Five Bells atop the hill
saw sheep and lambs at play
the sun gleamed on the tower
of the church down in the village
as a big tractor passed me close by
avoiding country spillage

Wandering Tranquil

No. 3 in the Jemverse series ‘Down in Dorset’

Before the Dorset sun retired
at the end of a fine day
we went for a small wander
down the lanes around this way
At the crossroads we went straight ahead
as it seemed the thing to do
passed by the Crooch Farm courtyard
'neath a cloudless sky of blue

Courthouse Farm

No.2 in the Jemverse series ‘Down in Dorset’

In Whitchurch Canonicorum
here at Courthouse Farm
we six came for adventure
in a big converted barn
Deep in the Dorset countryside
but not far from the coast
for a week of fun and frolics
of which we'll make the most