Yorkshire

So I’m back up in West Yorkshire
God’s own country so they say
But my preference is for Sussex
which I prefer ‘most any day

Yes, here there are attractions
unique to Yorkshire and the north
But home’s still where the heart is
when one travels back and forth

So I’ll gladly come for business
or to visit for a while
But take me back to Sussex
as it always brings a smile

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For a smile

There are times such as these
when alone with my pen
and lavender scent in the air
I will, pensive of mind
sit here and unwind
and think of some verses to share

May

No.9 of 12 in the Jemverse ’12 months II’ series

May arrives with emerald glow
When Spring is here and in full flow
And oft to walking we will go
In the warm sunshine

May arrives as summer’s child
With warmer days and weather mild
On which we all will oft have smiled
With the warm sunshine

Last day of the hols

And here I have just one more day
to spend and use in my own way
I’ll lie in for a little then
write some words with my new pen
over coffee with some toast
and Marmite maybe (make the most)

Our new Alexa, music plays
on this the last of holidays
A playlist of my favourite songs
to which I’ll dance and sing along
Then maybe I will play a game
Red Dead Redemption 2, the same

October

No.2 of 12 in the Jemverse ’12 months II’ series

October comes and days are shorter
Autumn’s settling in
Soon the clocks go back an hour
The light gets pale and thin

Summer in Mind

A patch of wild flowers growing
in the churchyard yesterday
Reminded me that summer
wasn’t all that far away
And yes, I know it’s over
by the chill that’s in the air
Felt now come the mornings
seen by coats worn everywhere

The Poet’s Gift

Beauty in a little verse
Never sad and never terse
Words to cheer and bring a lift
All within the Poet’s gift

Versing

When I find a word I like
I’ll caress it for a while
before committing it to verse
for pleasure and a smile

Eyebrow of the sun

15 of 16 in the Jemverse ‘Venetian Vistas’ series

The expression of the sun
as it set on our last day
across the sea out to the West
was a marvellous display
The gold across the ocean
on the water spoke to me
as I heard the voice of sunshine
and the echo of the sea

Holiday IV

We’re Adriatic sailing
Be gone for several days
Hiatus from the Jemverse vibe
Whilst he’s out on the waves

Brightening

Just a few words is all it takes
to change the way I feel
Escapism? maybe sometimes
but they have the power to heal

Just a few words each morning
finds a way to say
something new to bring a smile
and brighten up my day

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

Friday afternoons

Friday afternoons are great
‘Cos I don’t have to work too late
I’ll aim to finish at Midday
the weekend starts, Hip Hip Hooray!

My Place

Can I just say, yes one more time
‘This is my favourite place’
As you’ll not find me here
without a smile upon my face

Long weekends

The welcome of the long weekend
when sun is shining
And, with coffee in hand
I smile to the day and
realise that I am not working

Yellow Poppy

Yellow poppy
growing wild
Pretty there
like it I smiled

Right time, right place

In London quite early
(I was up with the lark)
So it’s still very quiet
in St James’ park

And just there by the lake
as I happenchanced by
A picture of heaven
for a smile and a cry

Yellow Butterfly (for Emma)

Every moment gives a gift
An opportunity to see
A yellow butterfly lands
On the pool deck to give
The daughter a smile
She seemed to have lost.

Yellow Butterfly (for Emma)

All Colour

I am all things colour
I look for a smile
Especially when
they’re not seen for a while
But it’s easier when
the sunshine comes out
and there’s things like
Spring and Summer about

A little yellow…

A little yellow’s what I need
Springtime needs to be here now
Winter’s overstayed its welcome
time to leave and take a bow

Diamond Days

Some days are diamond
the sea and the sky
azure blue with the sun
up there on high

Some days are damond
more precious than gold
when a sunshine embrace
brings me in from the cold

Breakwater sunshadow

Breakwater sunshadow
inspiration to me
speak of a time
I recall vividly

When Victorian lines
to the low water reach
with sea-sculpted grandeur
adorned every beach

My Mum

Just like the summer sunshine
My Mother shines for me
As she has done throughout the years
Unreservedly

The stranger came…

The sunshine came and visited
today for just a while
Somewhat like a stranger
but gave us cause to smile

With the year that’s still quite young
her warmth has yet to grow
But Spring is not that far away
and will soon be here you know

Pyramid to sky

The inverted pyramid ceiling
Friends Centre, Euston Road
Reached up to an iron sky
(the window up there showed)
Rain pitter-pattered gently
with peace upon the place
as I turned my eyes up skyward
with a smile upon my face

The thing about yellow (revisited)

5 of 6 in the Jemverse ‘Yellow’ series

The thing about yellow
is that no matter how grey
the sight of it’s likely
to brighten your day

Answer Zero

Asked only
A little of life
Life offered
Myriad temptations

Oasis of Lovely

Amongst the towering walls of glass
the concrete and the steel
a sculpture hanging in the trees
is calming and genteel