Poem 982 – Za Za’s Bazaar

/ BenDQ / Leave a comment

Senses are assaulted by the noise
and colour in this street of food.
It seems as if a thousand tongues resound
around us along with colour, scent and sound.
A flash of flame elicits gaps of joy
as frying noodles are skillfully tossed for show.
Children pile their plates with beige while adults
are tempted to test their pallets with something new.
Somewhere Za Za must be happy watching
customers in his raucous world of food.

Enjoyed a stunning lunch at Za Za’s Bazaar today.
(24.08.26)

© Ben Quant 2026

Poem 981 – Solsbury Hill

/ BenDQ / Leave a comment

We climbed the slopes of Solsbury Hill,
So steep, they made our hearts go boom.
But oh, the view! No eagles here
But rolling hills beneath the blue

And twinkling lights reflected on
The windows far below, the crisp
And crescent shapes of Bath, a song
of angelic soul and limestone bliss.

Enjoyed a walk with friends up Solsbury Hill today (yes, that Solsbury HIll!). What a glorious view.
(22.08.26)

© Ben Quant 2026

Poem 980 – The Wake’s Men Laugh (The Ballad of the Wake cont.)

/ BenDQ / Leave a comment

‘The Conqueror has it surrounded,
This dreary isle of Ely,
His men have marched around its bounds,
No one is free to flee here.

Before too long they will drawn in
And squeeze this human noose,
Be wise your fools and join with us,
Or gasping you will lose!’

At this the Wake’s men laughed aloud
At Warenne’s men’s attemps,
To lure them from their loyalty
To Hereward, to across the sea,
An impotent act of conspiracy,
That inevitably failed to ferment.

‘How long, you wretch, will you moan on,
And try to turn our heads,
We won’t betray our Lord, be gone,
And whine at him instead.

Withdraw in haste and tell your man
The one he seeks is here,
Now run away as fast as you can,
Or our javelins you’ll fear!’

Hereward’s men are not for turning!
(21.08.26)

© Ben Quant 2026
Photo by Bohdan Hyrovych on Unsplash

Poem 977 – Contentment

/ BenDQ / Leave a comment

Sat in the back of a foodbank van, the sun
is beating on my face. Right now this is
a happy place. I note the irony.

I tell myself it doesn’t matter what
you have, that things don’t fill a soul or make
you whole. That’s easy to say when you have things.

I have things. Too many things it’s true.
So many things I freely throw them in
the dump. That’s not a boast but a confession.

Once, a wise man found the secret of
contentment in plenty and in debt. Perhaps
I need to find it. …But maybe not just yet.

Musings whilst sitting on the back of the foodbank van today…
(19.08.26)

© Ben Quant 2026
Photo by Autotrader UK on Unsplash

Poem 975 – Wanted, One Traitor (The Ballad of the Wake cont.)

/ BenDQ / Leave a comment

‘If only one who stands with him,
Would willingly betray,
That rascal deep in bog and sin,
Before late in the day.’

‘We do not wish to dwell in marsh,
Amongst the dismal reeds,
The penalty will be too harsh,
If we are forced to seek.’

‘His foolish men should have no doubt,
We’ll have to kill the lot,
If we are forced to seek him out,
And leave their limbs to rot!’

The Earl of Warenne’s men seek to persuade Hereward’s to betray him.
(17.08.26)

© Ben Quant 2026
Photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash