Six new hagstones, Mother's Day
one for every Bean
drawn and inked by Lee the star
Best hagstones ever seen
Symbols of longevity
crafted by the sea
Of love and fortitude and zest
for everyone and me
©Jemverse
Six hagstones
14 Mar 2024 2 Comments
in Beach, family, painting with words, photo, poem, Poet, Poetry, Sea, wordsmith Tags: hagstone, Jemverse, poem, poet, Poetry, poetry blog, rhyme, writing poetry
Gratitude
20 Feb 2024 1 Comment
in family, painting with words, poem, Poet, Poetry, wordsmith Tags: gratitude, Jemverse, painting with words, poem, poet, Poetry, poetry blog, rhyme, verse, wordsmithing, writing poetry
If it wasn't for my wife and children
I am not sure where I would be
as it's purely for their devotion
that I'm anywhere now actually
It's unreserved and complete and boundless
given freely, born fully of grace
and I have no words that would carry
the thanks I'd like to embrace
I've accepted (though it's taken a while)
that I'm ill and in need of their care
but the spades by which that's been given
is way beyond all to compare
So these few words by very small token
I just had to write down today
to express in inadequate measure
my gratitude here in some way
©Jemverse
Half a century
19 Feb 2024 2 Comments
in family, painting with words, photo, poem, Poet, Poetry, wordsmith Tags: family, Jemverse, painting with words, passing, poem, poet, Poetry, poetry blog, rhyme, wordsmithing, writing poetry
Half a century since your passing
can't fathom it's that long
fifty years ago today
since the fading of your song
Pops, I have outlived you
but never is a day
when you don't cross my thoughts
in your own special way
So here upon the nineteenth
I remember it each year
You've been gone a long, long time
but I wish you were still here
©Jemverse
Photo – My Pops. My younger brother Charles pushing. Me in the blazer. Pops passed aged 39 on 19 February 1974.
We sing
18 Feb 2024 Leave a comment
in family, Friends, Happiness, healing, Life, painting with words, poem, Poet, Poetry, wordsmith Tags: family, Jemverse, normal, painting with words, poem, poet, Poetry, poetry blog, pub, rhyme, sing, wordsmithing, writing poetry
Back to the Buckingham, freedom at last
it's good to be normal for a bit of a blast
Alcohol zero of course as the pills
don't mix too well with my ails and my ills
But this new trusty steed, my blue wheelchair
and the feeling better got me back there
with friends and family, it's a marvellous thing
as life and normal return and we sing
©Jemverse
Twelve weeks
20 Jan 2024 3 Comments
in cancer, family, healing, Life, Love, painting with words, poem, Poet, Poetry, wordsmith Tags: children, family, healing, Jemverse, love, painting with words, poem, poet, Poetry, poetry blog, rhyme, verse, wordsmithing, writing poetry
Soft words of comfort I heard from left field
with Emily's hand there in mine
Her voice was a rest
when not at my best
So I knew things would work out just fine
Ed's tower of strength, a shoulder to lean on
metaphorically, physically too
Gave me a strength
which I felt at some length
when I needed it most to imbue
The wisdom of years way beyond her youth
Considerate, firm, erudite
From Bezza to me
in my dark hours of need
Were particularly welcome at night
And Grace's care, unreserved and complete
meant more than I have words to say
The love of my child
unique, reconciled
is replete when you know it each day
Twelve weeks now passed since everything changed
and our uncertain future began
have been doable just
with the love, care and trust
which my children have in their gameplan
©Jemverse
Photo – Bezza Croucher
The promise of hope
06 Jan 2024 1 Comment
in cancer, family, Life, painting with words, poem, Poet, Poetry, Sea, sun, wordsmith Tags: family, hope, Jemverse, painting with words, poem, poet, Poetry, poetry blog, promise, rhyme, verse, wordsmithing, writing poetry
Bezza and me, the sea and the sun
looking out to horizon as noontide is done
synonymous here of the New Year begun
The promise of hope, it is here
The sea all a-silver, precious and new
captured as both of us take in the view
and embrace a bright future bequeathed to the few
The promise of hope, it is here
It's a picture of promise this New Year we hold
as we face the new future steadfast and bold
and know in our hearts of the message that's told
The promise of hope, it is here
©Jemverse
Photo – my youngest daughter, Bezza and me, Brighton seafront, end of 2023.
Role reversal
03 Jan 2024 Leave a comment
in family, Life, Love, painting with words, photo, poem, Poet, Poetry, Sussex, wordsmith Tags: care, family, freedom, Jemverse, love, painting with words, poem, poet, Poetry, poetry blog, rhyme, verse, wordsmithing, writing poetry
Tables were turned
as once I pushed her
But on Boxing Day Brighton
to Grace I deferred
Temporary though
this disablement
as out of this chair
is my firm intent
Still, amusing with
Grace pushing me
as the opposite once
in her pram you'd see
Role reversal
the reliance I need
But their love and care
means I am here freed
©Jemverse
Photo – Grace pushing me in my wheelchair on Brighton’s Palace Pier, Boxing Day 2023
Christmas day music
26 Dec 2023 1 Comment
in family, healing, music, painting with words, poem, Poet, Poetry, wordsmith Tags: Christmas, dancing, healing, Jemverse, music, painting with words, poem, poet, Poetry, poetry blog, rhyme, verse, wordsmthing, writing poetry
Christmas day music, boiler room classics
rhythm into the night
The sound so cathartic
Healing me there
Loud and uplifting and bright
And we whooped and we danced
On the latter in spirit at least for me
prone at this time
But the unified pleasure
we all got from the vibe
was tangible as it was fine
Christmas day music, what better thing
to conclude a magical day
Shared with best people
finding zest in it all
In a joie de vivre exuberant way
©Jemverse
Photo – Jempics
Away for Christmas
23 Dec 2023 2 Comments
in cancer, family, healing, Life, painting with words, photo, poem, Poet, Poetry, wordsmith Tags: Christmas, healing, Jemverse, painting with words, poem, poet, Poetry, poetry blog, rhyme, wordsmithing, writing poetry
Away for Christmas
we're going this year
Not far - just to Brighton
for respite and cheer
The whole family together
for five days away
Starting this morning
back next Wednesday
And I'm hoping that healing
these few days will be
as I fight this insidiousness
growing in me
©Jemverse
Photo – Emily Rose Croucher
Pebbles
15 Dec 2023 2 Comments
in Beach, cancer, family, Happiness, healing, Life, painting with words, poem, Poet, Poetry, Sea, wordsmith Tags: beach, cancer, family, healing, Jemverse, painting with words, poem, poet, Poetry, poetry blog, rhyme, sea, verse, wordsmithing, writing poetry
To Bracklesham Bay, the star attraction
six of us came for a distraction
Four days to take our minds away
from the cancer here to stay
Pebbles gave us that in spades
a perfect weekend for us made
Walks on the beach for fossils found
Hagstones and driftwood to sea sound
And those waves when pounding on the shore
were such a calming voice for more
Making for a special time
when we six left all feeling fine
Thank you Pebbles, you have provided
all we'd hoped for and confided
Memories forged of happy times
which we will treasure in our minds
©Jemverse
Photo – Bezza Croucher
‘Pebbles’ was the name of the Air B&B at Bracklesham Bay
Jemverse 