Today is timid, a tender movement,
But in its whispered silence sounds
The echo of a crack. Cautious we
We walk amongst the mighty trees
And see a battered bough. Now bent,
It rests its unearthed roots ripped high.
We stop and stand, staying awhile,
To mourn before this fallen friend.
Today we took a walk through Lee Valley. The storms of the last couple of days have quietened, but everything feels tense in case the winds return.
(25.10.26)
© Ben Quant 2026
Somewhere, someone, flicked a switch
and with that twitch the world was dimmed.
The nights drew in, the Sun withdrew,
and piercing rain began to pour.
What’s more, a blanket fell upon
the world around. The sound of bird
song ceased, the seasonal peace that comes
from migrational shift, as noises drift
elsewhere. We draw the curtains and don
warm jerseys and dreams of hibernation.
Suddenly Autumn is upon us. The warmer duvet is on and the heating will soon follow.
(21.10.26)
© Ben Quant 2026
Photo by Daniel Frank on Unsplash
The alarm sounds, intruding the other world.
At first, resisting, I lie between two states,
An inhabitant of both and citizen of neither.
It’s dark, the autumn night still lingers.
Weary, I rise and stumble down the stairs,
Hiking into an undiscovered land.
Outside is not yet sharp, instead suggested,
An uncertain realm of possibility waiting
To be determined, sharpened by interaction.
I rub my eyes and seek to see the truth.
Slowly the darkness peels away
The spell of night is past, at last the day is come.
Waking today it was dark, the days are shortening.
(16.10.26)
© Ben Quant 2026
Photo by Lukasz Szmigiel on Unsplash
Man-made mountain range
Tectonic plates surge upwards
Gratitude ridges
Another busy day with the foodbank, not just arranging parcels, but receiving so much food from our generous Borough. I don’t think I can lift another crate today, I’m totally exhausted but so grateful.
(06.10.26)
© Ben Quant 2026
Autumn is nowhere to be found.
It was here last year, but looking for
it now it seems to have been misplaced.
I wonder, have you seen it?
Where are the gold and red of gently
transitioning leaves upon the breeze?
The lingering chill that leaves us reaching
for our warmer clothes?
The nights are drawing in it’s true,
but the only brown is that of sun-
burnt vegetation and bare ground,
the earth’s become quite tanned.
I worry that we’ll wake one day
to find we’ve skipped a beat and all
is crispy white – or will we find
that Winter’s missing too…
An ‘autumn’ walk in Lee Valley today but it seemed nothing of the sort.
(03.10.26)
© Ben Quant 2026
Photo by Srini Somanchi on Unsplash
A dash of dusty pink
that skims across the bushes,
clipping their crennelations
until it dips within.
Cleft black and white it flies,
a penetrating arrow
homing upon its target,
vanishing from sight.
Spotted on an overcast walk through Lee Valley this afternoon.
(03.10.26)
© Ben Quant 2026
Photo by Doncoombez on Unsplash
Tonight the world went pink,
A blood transfusion from a dying Sun.
An evening gift of life.
Heading over to the church for an evening meeting tonight, the world was transformed by an eerie light. The group waiting by the door were all bathed with light, reminding me of my Grandad after his regular blood transfusions.
(24.09.26)
© Ben Quant 2026
Photo by weyfoto loh on Unsplash
As predictable as ever,
The evening commute begins,
The vaguest hint of hum.
At first a sole outrider,
Quick to leave the office,
Keen to miss the queue.
The sound of a distant thrum,
Becomes an urgent flutter,
A squabbling squall of sound,
A churning flying mass,
A kaleidoscope of grey,
Remorselessly pushing forwards,
A riotous raucous throng.
As quickly as it started
The thundering flock have gone,
Until tomorrow comes.
Just as the light started to dip, the evening murmuration flew over as the starlings returned to Lee Valley for the night, echoing the human commuters who similarly travel in and out on a daily basis.
(20.09.26)
© Ben Quant 2026
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
The blaze of summer is now a fading wick.
Lawns, once overcooked like forgotten toast,
are turning green again, fragranced by rain.
Under the cover of our apple tree
spontaneous cyclamen have started to cluster,
delicate in contrast to the former sun.
Finally, the nights are drawing in.
Change is definitely in the air today.
(18.09.26)
© Ben Quant 2026
I find
I find myself
I find myself feeding
I find myself feeding frogs
I find myself feeding frogs with my fingers
And I fear they fink my fingers are the food!
They’re not the brightest of creatures…
(14.09.26)
© Ben Quant 2026
