Today's poet

[Harry H Howgill]

recipe

for a perfect day
take one good friend, a crisp day,
bike, hills and cafe

That answers my question! Sounds like you had a great day.

[Hes]

That answers my question! Sounds like you had a great day.

Hi HHH, it was a lovely day. I managed a killer hill near Pateley Bridge and a cafe and cake so it was pretty much a perfect cycling day. The weather was lovely too. Hope you had a good day?

[Hes]

Ode to Bicycles

I was walking
down
a sizzling road:
the sun popped like
a field of blazing maize,
the
earth
was hot,
an infinite circle
with an empty
blue sky overhead.

A few bicycles
passed
me by,
the only
insects
in
that dry
moment of summer,
silent,
swift,
translucent;
they
barely stirred
the air.

Workers and girls
were riding to their
factories,
giving
their eyes
to summer,
their heads to the sky,
sitting on the
hard
beetle backs
of the whirling
bicycles
that whirred
as they rode by
bridges, rosebushes, brambles
and midday.

I thought about evening when
the boys
wash up,
sing, eat, raise
a cup
of wine
in honor
of love
and life,
and waiting
at the door,
the bicycle,
stilled,
because
only moving
does it have a soul,
and fallen there
it isn't
a translucent insect
humming
through summer
but
a cold
skeleton
that will return to
life
only
when it's needed,
when it's light,
that is,
with
the
resurrection
of each day.

Pablo Neruda

[Harry H Howgill]

Hi HHH, it was a lovely day. I managed a killer hill near Pateley Bridge and a cafe and cake so it was pretty much a perfect cycling day. The weather was lovely too. Hope you had a good day?

Sounds fantastic. I just get so cold toes when cycling that for me it is a summer sport. Maybe with more cafes and cake they would be warmer.

[Hes]

October Warm

I cannot turn
down the road
to the house
where dinner waits

The morning's frost
into October warm evaporated
and the road stretches through red and gold
to a sky as blue as the black of space

The rhythm of heart and lungs
of legs and cranks
the whisper of chain and gears
of tires on pavement
form a mantra that chants

There is no past
no future
there only
is.

by Michael Blotzer

[Harry H Howgill]

This happened tonight. The first time ever that I've actually ran into a car whilst running. No harm done, but I think the driver was more worried than me.

Car stopped. I could not!
Dukes of Hazard bonnet roll.
Carried on running.

[Harry H Howgill]

Aah. Cycling poetry! Now there's a topic we've not covered. I like that.

October Warm

I cannot turn
down the road
to the house
where dinner waits

The morning's frost
into October warm evaporated
and the road stretches through red and gold
to a sky as blue as the black of space

The rhythm of heart and lungs
of legs and cranks
the whisper of chain and gears
of tires on pavement
form a mantra that chants

There is no past
no future
there only
is.

by Michael Blotzer

[Hes]

Sounds fantastic. I just get so cold toes when cycling that for me it is a summer sport. Maybe with more cafes and cake they would be warmer.

I can understand that HHH. I once got so cold on my bike that my fingers went so numb and painful, my friend had to undo my buttons so I could have a bath to warm up! Today it started cold and my eyes ran so much I looked like I had just had my heartbroken but the first hill had me heated through in no time. The answer is the same as it is for running...you have to break through the pain barrier!

[Hes]

This happened tonight. The first time ever that I've actually ran into a car whilst running. No harm done, but I think the driver was more worried than me.

Car stopped. I could not!
Dukes of Hazard bonnet roll.
Carried on running.

Oh my god...that sounds awful, are you sure you're ok?

[Harry H Howgill]

I can understand that HHH. I once got so cold on my bike that my fingers went so numb and painful, my friend had to undo my buttons so I could have a bath to warm up! Today it started cold and my eyes ran so much I looked like I had just had my heartbroken but the first hill had me heated through in no time. The answer is the same as it is for running...you have to break through the pain barrier!

Ha ha. I'm sure there would be a queue of volunteers from here to help you out another time!

I'm just a wuss and can't stand getting cold tootsies!