Just for fun

Poem 132 – Shhhh….

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Let’s all keep mum, keep schtum
‘Cause careless talk costs lives
So cross your heart and hope
To die, don’t let the cat
Out of its bag

Please keep it under wraps
Don’t tell a soul, just tap
Your nose with knowing look
A wink perhaps no more
I plea, than that

And if not wraps, perhaps
A hat will do the job
Along with poker face
To keep it in its place
Our secret, shhh….

Work has kept me occupied of late, diverting creative juices, but when my Dad announced the theme of his next poetry groups meeting, I couldn’t resist.
(16.06.22)

© Ben Quant 2022
Photo by Kat Smith: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-placing-her-finger-between-her-lips-568025/

Poem 109 – A Sea of Life

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The doors open and in they flood
Like waves some crash with confidence
Relentless tide displacing toys

Whilst others, human barnacles
Cling to their carers’ legs constrained
Fearful of blundering bulldozers

Finally in the flotsam drifts
Worn down by lack of precious sleep
And full of care and caffeine highs

Every Wednesday our church holds its toddler group and I get to play and call it work. Its amazing how within moments a carefully set up room can look as if it has been hit by a tidal wave.
(23.03.22)

© Ben Quant 2022

Poem 86 – WORDLE

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Infuriating TEASE!
This DAILY challenge comes,
Made out of thirty BOXES,
In six rows, each a GUESS,
With five letters to SPELL,
The word concealed BELOW,
And BOAST of victory.
Which word will you try FIRST,
And hope they all turn GREEN?
If not and SPACE permits,
Go WRITE another one!
However, if the FINAL,
BLOCK is filled and you’ve,
Not got it RIGHT, it is,
Too late you’ve lost Wordle.
SHAME….

Late to the game, I’ve discovered the daily fun/torment of the game Wordle, where you have to deduce the day’s five-letter word. Writing this, got me wondering why the creator opted for the name WORDLE when that has six letters. Odd.
(09.02.22)

© Ben Quant 2022

Poem 83 – Covid Guidelines

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I’m still working on ‘The Visitation of Black Shuck’, it’s coming along nicely. In the meantime today I was challenged to rewrite the church’s Covid guidance to those hiring it for parties in verse. Over I quick cup of tea, I hastily threw this together… a bit of light relief

Our doors are open
Please come and visit
But don’t forget
We’re in a pandemic

Here are the guidelines
For us to follow
Please pop on a mask
And open a window

It’s not so wise
To gather in the middle
Don’t overcrowd
Spread out a little!

But if in the end
You’re stuck isolating
We’re more than content
To help rearranging!

(03.02.22)

© Ben Quant 2022

Poem 73 – Maintenance Illumination

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The manual makes it sound so easy,
‘Loosen the clip, unscrew, replace.’
Experience shows it rarely goes,
As smoothly as this might suggest.
Where does the boot release switch hide?
Should the clasp casing hang like this?
How can I get my hand round there?
Which way is it supposed to twist?
In light of this, there’s no surprise,
That when our headlight faded fast,
I did not fix it on my own,
But asked the garage, I’ve learned at last!

I think this one speaks for itself! Car maintenance is never as straightforward as the manuals make it out to be…
(16.01.22)

© Ben Quant 2022

Poem 41 – Water, Water…

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The cliché
It’s only when its gone you that you value what you had is no
Fabrication
One day the taps were running full flow, the next just
Expectation
A dribble, a seepage, anticlimax, there’s so much
Frustration
A quick flush requires an hour to refill needing
Coordination
Definitely a mystery worthy of Hercule Poirot’s
Investigation
But I doubt even he could solve it, so I’ve summoned a
Plumber

Waiting for the visit of a local plumber after an air bubble (I hope!) has caused an airlock in the system…
(22.11.21)

© Ben Quant 2021

Poem 17 – Finally, Time for Bed

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Past the pumpkin hour
And I’m dead beat
All day long
I’ve been on my feet
My bed is calling
A duvet treat
I’ll see you in the morning
Wash, rinse and repeat!

Day one of a three day conference I help run for our church movement. Always fantastic, an inspiring family gathering, but always full on…

© Ben Quant 2021