Poetry at the Harbour Lights Café

Photos of the river shown today were taken by my daughter Jacqueline Rackham.

The  second meeting of poetry scribblers who hang out under their new name  of Harbour Lights Poets will gather  next weekend on Remembrance Sunday November 12^th at 2pm in the meeting room of the Look and Sea Visitor Centre on the floor above the Harbour Lights Café , overlooking the almost spiritually beautiful River Arun half a mile from where it meets the sea in Littlehampton.

Meanwhile, since nobody else has sent me any of their own writing I have filled the space with two of my own meanderings.

The Egyptian Escalator

When I go to Harrods store

the escalator will to me call

and I do not know why for.

It gives me pleasure.

Fabulously extravagant décor

Egyptian splendored hall

ostentatious to the chore.

A feel-good treasure.

The filthy rich this store explore

but I’m held in its thrall

so many visits I’ve lost score.

It has my measure.

As I glide from floor to floor

a balcony singer in a shawl

whose hands reach to implore.

It gives real pleasure.

Up to the top and down to the door

past sphinx masks, Egyptian scrawl

hold court whilst I just adore.

My feel-good treasure.

Hieroglyphics symbols more

slowly once again I crawl,

built to decorate and restore.

Fools false treasure

An owner’s origin and lust for more

Egyptian symbols and columns tall

all wrong reasons I am sure.

Pleasure, measures pleasure.

It holds a magic for rich and poor

in atmospheric bondage I fall

as shoppers to the top all pour.

It has my measure

and gives me pleasure,

my secret treasure.

 

 The World and His Horse

The world and his horse were out today

equestrians tacked up on trusty steed,

out in the woods or on the hilltop way

groomed ready to grasp a ride with greed.

Most woodland outings one see’s a few

All winter fine horses still needs a trot,

today so many groups four or three or two

so starved of fine days that nature forgot.

What more pleasing sight can there be,

than the most perfectly turned out horse.

What more of animal perfection can one see?

out for a hack through the trees and gorse.