Over Brighton Tonight

A sky atmospheric
over Brighton tonight
met us on the beach
reflecting the light

Spectacular was
the view there that we
had to pause for a while
by the night-blackened sea

Old and new (haiku)

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

Brighton pastel (haiku)

Reflecting Brighton
bathed in pastel colour here
December sunset

A 60th tale

A day out in Lewes
with the girls in the sun
Browsing antique shops
and all having fun
Here for Sal’s sixtieth
Celebrations start here
Two months for us all
in this special year

i-360

Went for a flight
in Brighton today
British Airways
but not in a plane
Five hundred feet plus
straight up in the sky
on the i-360
ever so high

Fire and Glass

Sat a while in Junkyard Dog
to hear the music play
Guitars, fiddle, vocals too
September Saturday

Good conversation flowing
here for private view
Fire drawings by my daughter
Sal’s glass for something new

Got a new pen

What once was Brighton’s bead shop
now sells stationary
Upmarket and pretentious
but good enough for me
For on a shelf, bright colours
a row of writing pens
So I just had to have one
as I do that now and then

Jem’s new hat

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

Oasis

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

Viaduct

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

Spectral

Spectral and outworldly
the lights up in the sky
Here on Brighton seafront
as at night I wander by
The i-360 tower
a carbuncle to some
remains a star attraction
and brings a lot of fun

Bob Marley Seagull (reprise)

1 of 6 in the Jemverse ‘Seagulls’ 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

Pixelated Smile

On Rose Hill Close in Brighton
on the corner by the wall
A pixelated smiley face
colourful but small
we spied as we were waiting
for the traffic lights to change
Not something you see every day
it really was quite strange

Just as well

It felt just like the weekend
and for me that’s what it was

Brighton Greenway

High above the Brighton streets
on the old railway bed
Through the locomotive works
the Brighton Greenway led

The engines left here long ago
but their memory remains
Homage paid by sculptor’s hand
to Brighton’s long lost trains

A last word from the sun

To the west was the gold
over Brighton tonight
It was simply breathtaking
and a wonderful sight

The heavens were black
Cloud cover complete
except in the west where
the golden had seeped

Bob Marley seagull

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

A test of time

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

In Constable’s footsteps

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

The fly-past

Gulls above the Metropole
a fly-past just for me
Here in Brighton in the sun
next to the deep blue sea

Sultry

Mid May and springtime evenings
with warmth still in the air
left over from the sunshine
that has been shining there

A long walk to the pub

We went on a long walk to Lewes
Along the old Drovers way
Following the ancient Trail of Juggs
on a wonderful sunny day

Brighton for Brunch

To Brighton for brunch on a Sunday
egg muffins and hot cups of tea
Meeting some Crouchers who now live close by
Holly, Grace, Sally and Lee

i-360

I walked this way so many times
the route I made my own
Knew everything about it
from where I worked to home
Yet, walking there this morning
there’ve been changes over time
Not least of which the view I see
on the Brighton city line

Music – sedoka

Life without music
is like a tree without leaves
sadly bereft in winter

and left without warmth
or the promise of summer
to awaken it to joy

Lazy day – tanka

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

A fall from grace III

I found it on the high tide line
after a night of fire
the grand old lady of the sea
destroyed by spite and ire
Never proved but always known
her final hours presumed
the work of arsonists with flame
the pier now lost, consumed

i in the sky

Towering like a monolith
up into the sky
Brighton’s i-360
is really, really high
Dwarfing the remains
of the ruinous West Pier
it stands alone just waiting
for the summer to appear