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Poem 1025 – Harvest Hills

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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

Poem 1010 – A Sonnet to Time Management

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Today’s a day that’s dedicated to
A list of tasks that I must undertake,
Completing them before the day is through,
Whilst not missing any out by mistake.
I’ve drawn up lists with boxes to be ticked
And diarised my tasks with coloured code,
Been ruthless with my focus – that’s the trick,
Or so by online gurus I’ve been told
It doesn’t matter how fast that they’re ticked,
There’s always more approaching from behind,
Relentless ranks of jobs come marching briskly,
With urgency and importance intertwined.
But thankfully this is not who I am,
It’s character not tasks that makes a man.

Thought I’d write a sonnet today and this is what tumbled out.
(21.09.26)

© Ben Quant 2026
Photo by GABRIEL CARVALHO on Unsplash

Poem 1009 – The Evening Commute

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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

Poem 999 – Just Before

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The calm before the storm.
I’m taking a deep breath,
Gathering my thoughts,
And feeding on my nerves,
Preparing to take the plunge,
The chance to turn has gone,
It’s time to build momentum
And take a running JUMP!

I made it to my assembly early this morning, and had a few minutes to scribble these few lines.
(10.09.26)

© Ben Quant 2026
Photo by Richard King on Unsplash

Poem 977 – Contentment

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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 972 – It’s Hot

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It’s hot.
So hot that I’ve started to melt.

I find myself dreaming of
a long refreshing drink,
hallucinating visions
of a pint; can you see it?

And so, upon returning
home, I find I am
inevitably pouring myself…

…onto the sofa and leaking
absolutely everywhere.
It’s hot, so very, very
hot.

It’s been a tad warm in the foodbank warehouse this week…
(14.08.26)

© Ben Quant 2026
Photo by Timothy Dykes on Unsplash