Here are a few snapshots from last year’s wonderful holiday. Part 1. five short poems, almost haikus, but not quite – from England, Belgium, France. Many more to follow.
No 1.
once upon a lifetime ago,
yet only
last summer
*
we drove north
and sailed overnight
to Zeebrugge
*
drove on
through Belgium, France and Germany
and felt at home and free
*
No 2
Theux, dusty roadworks
heatwave, summer of 19
cycling into town
*
we eat Belgian chips
at a street table
the evening cools
*
no 3
forty kilometres
riding up a thousand feet
right up to the dam
*
we left the roadway
for a track, then sidetracked
through bramble and bracken
*
pause-café, picnic
homewards down a long hill slope
shower, food and rest
*
No 4
*
border-free to France
staying with a longtime friend
food weather company
*
walks, bike rides, drawing
cathedral, old streets, cafes
vine-embroidered hills
*
eating pastries
in her tree sheltered garden
while the heat played on
*
No 5
*
World Cup matches
US team defeated
both England and France
*
two days later
in a dusty French village
we stopped for a drink
*
in a biker’s bar
Stars and Stripes, Route 66
we swallowed our pride
*
with a smile and lemonade
poedoodles 