Month: Jan 2026

Poem 773 – A Winter Walk

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The sky’s translucent. A milky haze of mist
gives substance to the air, a thin and sloppy
semolina. It cloaks us and the land
beneath our feet. I shiver bitterly.

Beside this winter garb, the earth is bare,
with not a bloom or waking bud in sight.
Standing mutely watching us go past,
the sheep appear resigned, their fleeces stained.

Above, a glider sails the milky sea.
It moves in circles, like a silent bird
of prey, only it never swoops. Below,
I turn my collar up and press on home.

Went for a walk around my parents’ house today. Lovely, but it’s taken much of the rest of the day to warm up again!
(26.01.26)

© Ben Quant 2026
Photo by SAJAD FI on Unsplash

Poem 772 – Cyberbarn!

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It was only the size of a postage stamp,
a pixelated blur that came and went
with sound that didn’t match the picture,
but it was a kind of magic back then.

Transported to your Surrey garden,
six-hundred thousand strangers streamed
down phone lines crossing continents
into this tiny buffering barn.

We held our breath and squeezed into
that distant doorway, willed the image
to appear until its spluttering
sounds and colours burst to life.

In awe we cheered distorted sounds,
squinting to make you out across
the many miles that lay between us,
clapping, we hoped, in unison.

Could we be hyperlinked? Connected
through our screens? It seemed surreal.
But now HD, the wonder’s leeched
become mundane and yesterday.

I’ve been working on a painfully slow internet connection today. This reminded me of watching Roger Taylor’s record-breaking concert ‘Live at the Cyberbarn’ on dial up internet. How quickly things have changed!
(See: https://www.rogertaylor.info/facts-and-trivia/accolades/the-guinness-book-of-records/)
(25.01.26)

© Ben Quant 2026

Poem 770 – Rest Awhile

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The winding week is done, its work is over
The veiling night draws near, now dim the light
Its time to take account of all its triumphs
And put its problems prayerfully aside

Once ready, rest awhile and rediscover
That peaceful place that every person needs
Recall your core, your heart, your cornerstone
And gladly let the God of grace within

It’s Friday night!
(23.01.26)

© Ben Quant 2026
Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash

Poem 769 – Round Table Quandaries

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The knights are gathered
With swords unsheathed
A castle divided
Round table split

Plans have been hatched
The end comes soon
Destruction draws near
Its seeds have been sown

The Traitor and the Faithful
Are sat in their seats
Mordred and Arthur
But which is which…

Watching the penultimate episode of Traitors with no idea how it’s going to open out…
(22.01.26)

© Ben Quant 2026
Photo by Pascal Bernardon on Unsplash

Poem 768 – European Nights

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The team sheet’s on the radio,
It’s time to start, the whistle blows,
As one the crowd stand up to roar,
The ball is kicked and off they go!

Like eager dogs fly from the doors,
Their fleeing feet pounding the floor,
To chase the mark, a spinning ball,
And swift to shoot, a goal to score.

It’s time for heroes to stand tall,
And answer adultion’s call,
In shooting straight the winning shot,
And with their nimble feet enthrall.

A goal tonight, the perfect plot.
The winner’s prize? Take home the lot.
So go on boys, give it all you’ve got!
So go on boys, give it all you’ve got!

I had no idea what to write tonight, so took another look at different poetry forms, and opted to try an interlocking rubaiyat. Liverpool were playing in Europe at the same time, so the two inevitably came together.
(21.01.26)

© Ben Quant 2026
Photo by Daniel Norin on Unsplash

Poem 766 – Once Upon a Time

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One day long ago, (Afrikaans)
Or so the story starts,
When tigers used to smoke, (Korean)
And serpents lies impart, (Gen. 3)

There was and there was not, (Arabic)
A river of mighty torrents,
Beyond seven mountains,
And beyond seven forests, (Polish)

In that corner of the world,
Where everybody had a nose, (Catalan)
In a Galaxy far away,
A long, long time ago, (Star Wars)

Where the water was being strewn
And the sand was being poured, (Slovak)
A knight once won his spurs (song by Jan Struther)
And stories were adored.

Watching a round on Countdown last night, my attention was caught by phrases other countries use for ‘once upon a time’.
(19.01.26)

© Ben Quant 2026
Photo by Andreas Weilguny on Unsplash

Poem 765 – Hope

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Hope, the belief that things can change,
that just as night turns into day
these troubled paths can be rearranged.
Hope, the belief in a better way
than we experienced yesterday.
Hope, the belief that despite the past,
there’s more to life than fickle chance.

I wasn’t sure what to write tonight and so picked out a form I hadn’t tried before, a Chaucerian Stanza, which uses an ABABBCC rhyming pattern.
(18.01.26)

© Ben Quant 2026
Photo by Ryan on Unsplash

Poem 764 – The Three Companions

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Three gentlemen stood perched along the bank:
the heron, egret and the cormorant.
The first, an aged fellow, grey and boney,
so motionless he seemed already dead.
His beard hung limp along a saggy throat,
contrasting with those penetrating eyes,
alert and constantly alive to us.
Beside, a smaller man not grey but white,
the translucent white that only comes with time,
serene and wise. Two unexpected river-
bedfellows. But is this stillness just
their cover? Up above their carer pearched,
high upon an ivy clad lookout.
Wry grin upon his long, compassionate beak,
he watched wondering what mischief lay ahead.

Walking along the New River today, we spotted the unexpected sight of a great heron, little egret and cormorant next to each other. Surprising and somewhat comical.
(17.01.26)

© Ben Quant 2026
Photo by Jessica Moss on Unsplash