Poetry - June 2019

Terminal Failure

I check in at Terminal 3
All is set for me to fly
But there is something happening
Where things go awry
It's the computer systems down
But with no one informed
You just see screens delayed
And nothing to keep you informed
It's a sorry show really
And one I could do without
All I want to do is take off
The plane is here, I shout
Nonetheless the management
Aren't bothered in communication
Everyone walks around
Almost ignorant but in frustration
It seems like eventually we'll go
But so many things not right
Manchester Airport, hang your head in shame
It's another bad experience for a flight.

(Things happen, things go wrong. However, be nice to be kept informed and have passenger communication that is actually useful, you know? Manchester Airport's management need to have a long look at what went wrong..)

Niçoise Tram

The new tram line is shiny and red
Taking you from the airport instead
Of the horrible number 98 bus
Where six euros each was such a fuss
All the new trams are nice and clean
With space for you and your luggage, serene
You glide along the tracks towards town
Knowing that you'll soon be underground
Heading under the centre you go
Being able to go fast and not slow
Arriving at Jean Médecin and all good to go
As your holiday starts off in full flow.

(The new Nice Tram line 2 has reached the city centre from the airport. It was a pleasure to ride it (and for free) let me tell you.)

Alassio's Ace

I must admit I was looking forward
To head along the Ligurian coast
To a place that had been recommended
Where people seemed to like most
A small town but with plenty of sea
And beaches everywhere to sit
A feeling of Mediterranean class
With a tower breaking up the beach a bit
There's also the Muretto wall
With all of its tiles signed by everyone
It was a sight to see them all so neat
And a real sense of culture, for one
I also adored the narrow streets
That the Budetto revealed in store
So many lovely little shops along the way
And I was tempted to go in many more
Lovely squares for having lunch
And a sense of feeling so happy
This is the fabulous Alassio
I'd love to come back here one day.

(It was a pleasant and lovely surprise heading to Alassio, and certainly added an Italian flavour to the holiday.)

Views From The Hills

Heading up the corniches out of Nice
And being able to head up the cols too
Seeing the tops of the hills high up
And having a wonderfully stunning view
Going up the Col de Villefranche
And up to the summit near Fort Alban
Showed the loveliness of Villefranche-sur-Mer
Where admiring the view was a given
I just loved also the view in Monaco
From the gardens at Jardin Exotique
Seeing the whole of the rocher and areas
Superb views of the principality, unique
I also had the view from the monastery
The gardens in Cimiez which are so peaceful
It gave me a chance to shelter from the sun
And admire a view and be so restful.

(As nice as being by the sea is in Nice, the view from the hills to the sea and the towns below is so beautiful along the whole of the French Riviera.)

Heatwave Haiku

Temperature so hot
Hitting thirty seven now
I just want a drink!

(It was unbelieveably hot!)