Poem 650 – Truth

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A hidden beauty disguised beneath
time’s veil, erosion and graffitti,
tucked behind irrational fear and
under hope’s blind shadow sat.

Hatred rails against it, whilst
vainglorious proclamation rants,
but come what may, in quiet
stillness, unmoved and firm it stands.

But just because we wish its change
and close our eyes, place fingers into
ears and make such childish noises,
there is no metamorphosis.

And from its judgement seat the truth
returns our judgement back on us
and casts its verdict cold and clear,
untouched by lies and ignorance.

A response to recent assertions in the public arena.
(25.09.25)

© Ben Quant 2025
Photo by Hennie Stander on Unsplash

Poem 649 – Impossible Tightrope?

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Attempting to both
Move into the neighbourhood
And be a pilgrim

Walking the tension
Between putting down deep roots
And living lightly

Trying to invest
In other people whilst not
Losing his footsteps

I’m currently reading Joanne Harris’ new book Vianne, which explores the risk of losing freedom by putting down roots, and in so doing captures the tension as some Christians present it between being ‘in this world but not of it’.
(24.09.25)

© Ben Quant 2025

Poem 648 – A Surprise Visitor

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This morning, as I walked through town
I unexpectantly bumped into
a wizard walking down the street.
I’d never seen him there before,
or come to think of it the shops
that suddenly surrounded me.
He shrieked and fell, his purple cloak
enfolding him, a flighty flame
that lifted him back to his feet,
and with a flash and violent bang
he vanished out of sight, his spell
fading, normality returned.

Much to the neighbourhood’s surprise, Hoddesdon was transformed today as filming for the new Harry Potter series came to town.
(23.09.25)

© Ben Quant 2025
Photo by Artem Maltsev on Unsplash

Poem 647 – Embracing Awkwardness

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The respectful awkwardness
When something is said that everyone
Disagrees with and yet
The decision has been made
That all are welcome here.

The love that says we’ll hear
Your views and not dismiss
You or your right to speak
Because we value you
And therefore what you say.

The tension that we live with
Because we are a family
And that’s what families do
As relationships are more
Important than being right.

I love watching groups embracing awkwardness instead of insisting on their own interpretation, political view or doctrine.
(22.09.25)

© Ben Quant 2025
Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

Poem 645 – Come and Rest

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Sometimes, it’s good to stop and while away
some time in nothing’s welcome hands and rest,
to idle like a river at the behest
of no one but the lazy flow, and play
in gentle eddies, splashing like a child.

These leisurely delights appear so mild,
belying the strength that lies beneath the surface,
accumulated over years of mirth,
as our habitual sabbath play gives guile
to stand despite the force of whim and toil.

This rhythmic life provides enriching soil,
the necessary nutrients for growth,
sink in your roots and deeply drink to clothe
yourselves with crowning leaves and trunk, a royal
oak. Come rest and leave behind the fray.

Reading Edith Wharton’s poem’ Elegy’, I thought I’d try and write something that used the same rhyming form. After another busy week, something on rest seemed appropriate.
(20.09.25)

© Ben Quant 2025
Photo by Jeffrey Hamilton on Unsplash

Poem 643 – Three Sandwiches

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A Bacon Sandwich:
Two slices of bread with meat in between,
The perfect blend (forgive me veggies),
Both perfectly complementing each other.

A Marken Sandwich:
Two gospel stories intertwined,
The second tucked inside the first,
Giving meaning to each other.

A Human Sandwich:
The symbiotic network
That comes from living in community,
Identify found in relation to each other.

We’re looking at Mark’s Gospel at church and how he structures his narrative to communicate to us. Tonight we talked about the Marken Sandwich.
(18.09.25)

© Ben Quant 2025
Photo by amirali mirhashemian on Unsplash

Poem 642 – Belief

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I hear they’re calling it Slottage Time,
That moment in the dying breath,
When time stands still and waits and waits,
Until the ball flies in the net.

Perhaps we’re riding on a wave
Of luck that surely must run out,
But until then we wait and wait,
And wait for it without a doubt.

It might be nice for once to win
Before the extra time is shown
Not needing to wait on and on
Until the final kick flies home.

‘But where’s the fun in that?’ I say
There’s nothing like the adrenaline rush
From tension building up and up
Exploding with the final touch.

For the fifth time in fife games, Liverpool somehow managed to win tonight in the final moments of the match. It’s now no longer a surprise but expected.
(17.09.25)

© Ben Quant 2025
Photo by Chris Knight on Unsplash