Transient people on the
move exchanging places.
Babies over parents’
shoulders, bleary faces.
Food you’d never normally
buy, inflated prices.
Nicknack stalls and wonky
stacks of bright suitcases.
Warning by the loos
attendants of both sexes.
Children bribed with chocolate,
caffeine shots ingested.
Stopped at the M4 services on the way to Bristol today.
(27.07.25)
© Ben Quant 2025
Photo by Gerardo Bonifacio on Unsplash
‘When I was in Morocco’,
You’ve often heard me start,
Recalling long ago,
My adventures of the past.
I haggled in the souk,
Swapped tales in Marrakesh,
I walked forgotten routes,
Put physics to the test.
I fought with crazy gangsters,
Chased Nazis on train tops,
Sought fabled ancient treasures
And secrets time had lost.
I faced my deepest fears,
In pits of writhing snakes,
And crossed precarious wings
On acrobatic planes.
I navigated maps,
Acquired through games of chance,
Survived the booby traps
And puzzles of the past.
But now I’m getting old,
I’m told those days are gone,
But in memories I’m still bold,
And in dreams, they still live on.
Watching the final Indiana Jones film tonight, it merged with my father’s ‘infamous’ stories of his time in Morocco.
(05.07.25)
© Ben Quant 2025
Your smell alone restores
Your taste invigorates
My lagging brain demands
A hit that stimulates
Your smoothness on my tongue
And heat reaching my heart
I was feeling undone
But now I can restart
Driving home late after a long couple of days. Had to stop for a caffeine kick…
(04.07.25)
Driving home today,
my brain has turned to mush,
I’ll be hard pushed to say
anything that makes sense.
The Sun did not relent,
remaining loud, despite
the cloud, that meant it was
not quite as hot as thought.
I’m writing as I ought,
but nothing much profound
is found, within my head,
for me to say today.
And so I think I’ll stop
and sleep the night away.
It wasn’t as hot as we thought it might be today, but driving home from visiting family frazzled me somewhat nevertheless.
(21.06.25)
© Ben Quant 2025
Photo by Rajiv Bajaj on Unsplash
A cacophony of smells assaults me,
seducing me with savoury scents.
Fresh cheeses pair with delicate herbs,
sitting by artisan breads and rolls.
Pies with flavours strange and familiar,
entice in rows of crisp gold cases.
Strawberries sell by cups or punnet,
(chocolate sauce is optional).
A brazen rainbow envelops me,
its racks of exotic, colourful fruits
transport me to a foreign land.
Within these streets life is compressed,
our bodies densely stirred together,
a heady cocktail of taste and language.
We were in London today for a show at The Globe today. Arriving early we wandered over to Borough Market, a first time for me.
(17.05.25)
© Ben Quant 2025
Photo by Taylor Keeran on Unsplash
Like Race Around the World,
we’re traveling through life,
adopting different speeds,
and taking different routes.
Each life that’s lived’s unique,
a one off gift of time,
blending both choice and chance,
making us who we are.
The victory I’ve found
is not in these but those;
in those with whom I’ve travelled,
and those I’ve loved and served.
Tonight Alpha met Race Around the World.
(15.05.25)
© Ben Quant 2025
Photo by Nejc Soklič on Unsplash
Today I’m travelling backwards
Facing the wrong way around
Reversing to Cambridge by train
The present flees before me
Doppler effect in years
Returning to my home
Revisiting forgotten passions
Middle age flies by
Resurfacing our childhood
Trips to Cambridge always make me nostalgic. Aging does that too.
(08.05.25)
© Ben Quant 2025
The studied silence of commuters,
Construction workers crushed with suits,
Upholstered seats in faded colours,
Ear-pods, phones and dog-eared books.
An orthodox Jew and white haired woman,
Young men crushing energy drinks,
A foldable bike and terrified dog,
Covid masks, the missing link.
Abandoned news and empty cups,
Suitcases held, anticipation,
As one we brace against the brakes,
A carriage waiting for the station.
A poet writing daily verse,
Romeo seeking Juliet,
All of life crammed in one train,
From Montague to Capulet.
I had to travel into London for a meeting today. As always the tube was full of characters.
(26.03.25)
© Ben Quant 2025
Photo by Pau Casals on Unsplash
Even though
The end draws nearer
The passing miles
All seem the same
Trip to my parents today. The journey seemed quick in daylight, longer at night – worth it to see them though!
(24.03.25)
© Ben Quant 2025
Photo by chmyphotography on Unsplash
Nine mile loop on foot
Through woods, fields and viaducts.
Above model planes
And red kites glide the thermals.
Back just as the Sun goes down.
After lunch we decided to go back and do the second loop of the Hertfordshire Chain Walk, knowing that we would be getting to the car as the sun went down. No time to hang around!
(08.03.25)
© Ben Quant 2025
Ode for the Day 