Sunshine and smiles

To a far flung horizon
beneath a blue sky
Far away in the distance
where warmer climes lie

From a beach on an island
where one day to another
You can never be sure
if it’s winter or summer

Trespassers, delay and rhyme

Waiting for a railway train
to take me to my home
I’ll sit and write a poem
on the station on my own
It’s peaceful here, conducive
to find a little rhyme
and scribble down a verse or two
line by line by line

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

The beauty of language

I’m happy when writing
It fills me with joy
and it’s done this for ages
(since I was a boy)
I’ve written most days
sometimes just a few lines
to capture the years
the moments and times

That lavender time again II

It’s really quite strange
but this time last year
I picked all my lavender
and posted right here
On this very same day
In the mid-July sun
when the first set of flowers
were ready and done

Many happy returns II

Many happy returns
lives up to its name
With ever more roses
again and again

Lilac Lovliness

They grow in abundance
by the railway bridge line
And their fragrance in summer
is completely divine
Their heady perfume
just intoxicates me
So I took this quick picture
for you all to see

Nature’s thrash-metal show

A clue when the sun
hides away from the day
and the mugginess grows
as the sky becomes grey
Then, as evening approaches
a splatter of rain
It looks like a storm
is brewing again

A rumble of thunder
as the night-time comes round
But in the gaps and the stillness
there’s barely a sound

One of those days

It’s been one of those days
when the lingering heat
makes everyone glisten
from heads to their feet
And there’s nothing to do
when the weather’s like this
Though I know that for many
it borders on bliss

Counting the days II

I’m not past my prime
yet sometimes I feel
it takes longer these days
to recover and heal

And I know that the sun
should help me feel well
But sometimes it seems
very much the hard sell

So I think what I need
is a break well away
A bit of a rest and
a nice holiday

Contrasts, a big pond & an affinity

As a rule you will find me
surrounded by green
I’m often the nicest place
you’ll have seen

The winter skies are
blue/grey and bright
The reflection of snow
glimmers by night

Beach Huts

Stretching to infinity
Beach huts on Beach Green
Painted many colours
Brightest you’ll have seen

Here on the coast in Sussex
a haven on the beach
A little bit of paradise
there in easy reach

A ray of sun captured

I captured the sunset
at the beach hut today
Late in the evening
with a golden display

Morning and a paddle

Went boating of a morning
Early birds out with the sun
When everything was quiet
And the day had just begun

The water was idyllic
With just a gentle swell
And the temperature was lovely
As by the picture you can tell

Dappled

Last night the moon shone bright within
a sea of dappled grey
As speckled night clouds gathered
at the end of a hot day

Abundance

There’s an abundance in my border
and it’s shouting loud at me
It’s telling me of summer
and it’s wonderful to see

It has orange there and yellow
reflective of the sun
And it greets me every morning
as each new day’s begun

Violet Seven

Seven colours, seven days
Violet’s turn at last
The seventh in the rainbow
and the star of this fine cast

Epitomising royalty
Nomenclature this noun
Nothing more I need to say
Save Violet wears the crown

Indigo Six

Seven colours, seven days
and indigo’s in sight
The sixth one in the rainbow
reminiscent of the night

Deepest blue as evening fades
and quieter hours reign
Holding banquet to the hours
‘Til morning comes again

Blue Five

Seven colours, seven days
It’s blue today for me
The fifth one in the rainbow
and the colour of the sea

A place as much a part of me
as I am part of it
which by its calming waters
I will often simply sit

Green Four

Seven colours, seven days
and green’s the next in line
The fourth one in the rainbow
and one that’s very fine

For it speaks to me of life itself
and the good things oft bestowed
on each of us ‘most every day
from all that nature grows

Yellow Three

Seven colours, seven days
Yellow’s here today
The third one in the rainbow
and my favourite, I’d say

Orange Two

Seven colours, seven days
Orange follows suit
The second in the rainbow
it really is a beaut

It’s right there in a sunset
at the end of a long day
A testament to wonder
in every single way

Red One

Seven colours, seven days
beginning here with red
The first one in the rainbow
So, forging right ahead

Here’s to its long wavelength
with pigment deep and warm
Just like that in the poppy
Perfection made to form

Greenhouse

I have a little greenhouse
in a lovely sunny spot
It’s covered in green plastic
and inside it’s pretty hot

At present I am growing
several things from seed
Some courgettes and some lettuce
and some parsnips that we need

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

Sumptuous

They inspire in me a wholesomeness
as a new day is begun
Summer flowers in full array
awakened by the sun

First Lavender II

Summer brings a fragrance
which is heaven in a scent
Sweet lavender, my saving grace
my senses to augment

Produce (aka ‘Allotment V’)

Imagine our amazement
when this evening on Ham Field
we discovered our allotment
had delivered its first yield
Some courgettes and a squash or two
which in the sunshine haven’t lingered
Leading us to think that we
may well be quite green-fingered!