Category Archives: Geography, environment and places

Poems about places and the environment

Utilities

UTILITIES

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What are Utilties? You may well ask
Surely their name suggests they must be something useful
And indeed they are
We miss them dearly if they fail us

Utilities affect each of our lives as they are the means
By which we receive electricity and gas
And the vital services of water and sewerage
Imagine a world with no taps or flushes!

In economics, utility is a measure of preference
Between different sets of goods or services
Utility represents the degree of satisfaction
Experienced by the consumer in choosing that good

A public utility is an organisation that maintains
The infrastructure for a public service
But nowadays many of these public services are
Sold to us by huge private sector enterprises

Control of utilities is a matter of public concern
And throughout the world various Regulators
Try to control these mighty behemoths
That provide us warmth, and power to our computers

And of course, utilities can have a huge influence
On environmental issues, pollution and global warming
So utilities are not simply useful things
They are the framework supporting (and sometimes threatening) our modern life

So next time you flick a switch, or turn a knob, or access the web,
Or step into the shower, or snuggle up to the electric blanket
And instantly the service springs into life
Give thanks for the utilities and pray they never let you down!

Ken Fisher

Divine Illumination

Divine Illumination

Stained Glass windows of Cologne Cathedral

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Long before the age of computer graphics
Or even the gentle art of ‘lantern slides’
The stained glass windows of our great cathedrals
Shone their mellow light revealing God’s eternal truth

The stories of prophets and apostles
The deeds of patriarchs and Kings
The incarnation, life, death and resurrection
Of the Lord and Saviour of the world

Thus was revealed to simple souls
To whom the art of reading was yet unknown
The testimony contained within the Bible
From Pentateuch, through History and Poetry
The rebuke and chastisement of the prophets
As they sought to speak the truth to power

Then to the Gospels telling of the Nativity
The earthly pilgrimage of our Lord
His healing work and saving power
His trial and cruel death upon the cross
Towards the empty tomb
And His ascension from this world

Finally the writings of Paul, James, Peter and John
And then the Revelations

Each and all of these episodes in our Bible
Brought to life and given powerful impact
In the art and craft of stained glass
No more commanding testimony than this
As sunlight filters through projecting the Message
Not only to our eyes but piercing deep into our heart

Ken Fisher

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Let the Train Take the Strain

Let the Train Take the Strain

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Recently I found myself on a variety of trains for a prolonged
Rail journey through various European countries
It’s amazing how many organisations are now in the
Rail transport business.

Apart from UK providers like Virgin Trains (however did he chose that name?)
We have Eurostar, SNCF, Deutsche Bahn, Thales, Rail Jet to name but a few
There are Pendolino trains and ICE (Intercity Express) and Alstom high speed
In fact the options are almost infinite and no-one can complain of lack of choice
And I haven’t even mentioned the Orient Express!

But there is something romantic about travel by train, something
worth preserving despite the other options available to the traveller

So here is a little rhyme to capture that mood

Check the Departure Board to confirm the time
On the right platform, next to our line
Search for our coach number, in the right class
Seated passengers gaze back through the glass

Mount the steep ladder to enter the coach
Hoping that no-one has our space encroached
Remember we have booked a nice reserved seat
So we should not with others have to compete

Why is our seat number always at the wrong end?
As up the passage we haltingly wend
At last we have found it – it must be still free
A window seat with a view fills us with glee

Our luggage loaded neatly up onto the rack
The siren sounds, we feel movement of wheels on the track
We are off on our journey no matter where
And soon we forget all of our dull cares

Not long in our progress we feel need to refresh
And tasty snacks and drinks our pangs soon repress
Free newspapers are issued by one of their staff
Of course we get them ‘cause we travel first class!

As the miles disappear under the wheels
And the country and townscape to us are revealed
We thunder through stations as if out of control
Determined to reach our great journey’s goal

Eventually we arrive at the terminal station
In brief hours we have traversed across the nation
All this without effort if one travels by train
Cast aside all our woes – let the rails take the strain

Ken Fisher

 

Austrian Delights

Austrian Delights

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Salzburg from the Hohensalzburg Fortress

As one who has never visited these parts before, Austria
provided an endless cascade of new images, new sensations,
new experiences, new stimulus to the eye, and for the ear.
Altogether a challenge to all the senses, a delight to the spirit

The nation nurtured the talents of Mozart and more than one Strauss
And two Gustavs each lived in a Viennese house
Mahler the composer and Klimt who painted ‘The Kiss’
Found in that city all they might wish

And we must not forget or sublimate to avoid
The great musings of psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud
The Emperor Franz Joseph was a significant figure
But the Viennese disliked being ruled with such rigour

Not withstanding the importance of this capital city
To neglect all the rest would be rather a pity
The banks of the Danube yield treasures in store
In the Wachau valley Melk and Krems will help the wine pour

Without doubt a visit to Salzburg will bring great delight
Mozart was born there, its baroque buildings a wonderful sight
Stroll through its Mirabell Gardens, or to its high fortress ascend
From every invasion its walls could defend

But there is so much more to enjoy in this magical land
The lyrics of ‘The Sound of Music’ are always at hand
In that enchanting tale which the world captivated
It seems the real charm of Austria is encapsulated

Ken Fisher

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The Kiss – Gustav Klimt

The Tomato

The Tomato

[An edible fruit which belongs to the Nightshade family]

 

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You may have noticed my most recent verse
Might make you think I am obsessed
By nature’s gifts of veg and fruit
God’s contribution to our good

Poems of praise of apple and carrot
And unless tomatoes be forgot
Cast your eyes upon this bowl
As these glorious reds I now extol

I am told their family is nightshade
But there is no need to be afraid
These tomatoes are not the deadly kind
And they should never be maligned

So simply admire their visual charms
And far from causing any harm
Your taste buds will soon know the measure
Of a crop that brings you such great pleasure

Ken Fisher

The Isle of Arran

The Isle of Arran

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Beauty and grandeur set in the silver sea
The Isle of Arran, in the Firth of Clyde
The Brodick Ferry lands us safely on its shores
Opening the gate to this world of charms

From the lofty peak of Goat Fell’s rocky summit
Down steep sided slopes through its many glens
To the shoreline’s sandy beaches and buzzing towns
Or seek spiritual renewal at the Holy Island

The rural paths for walkers and for climbers
Testing terrain for energetic cyclists
Golf courses in excess and every other sport
Accommodated within this isle’s circumference

Brodick Castle showcases the life aristocratic
While seaside pubs and shops cater for us plebs
But none feel excluded in this land of infinite variety
Which for centuries has welcomed all who come

So thanks to the residents of Brodick, Lamlash and Whiting Bay
The ‘northerners’ at Lochranza and their other ferry
And the denizens of Pirnmill, Machrie and Blackwaterfoot
Who face across the Sound of Kilbrannan to distant Kintyre

To all the sights and sounds of this majestic isle
We beckon those who have not yet here ventured
Come and discover all that Arran offers to your soul
And let your heart be captivated in its spell

Ken Fisher

North Wales – A Holiday Treasure

North Wales – A Holiday Treasure

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A recent visit to this northern edge of the Cambrian coast
Makes it quite clear why its natives may be inclined to boast
For its towns and its coastline grant infinite pleasure
And it’s no over statement to call it a treasure

For along this northern strand of the “pig’s head” that is Wales
Whence the Irish steamer from Holyhead sails
We find land and sea-scape of wide variation
To match any existing throughout the whole nation

From the mountains of Snowdonia with its great lofty heights
To green valleys whose river falls cascade shining bright
To the sun-drenched beaches of its seaside resorts
And its wide-open spaces for walking or sport

And Wales has a great legacy from what has been extracted
From it mines and quarries over years long protracted
These industrial sites have since been transformed
So of the story of slate and coal mining we can be fully informed

Take Telford’s spanning bridge across to the Isle of Anglesey
O’er the Menai Straits and you will have crossed the doorway
To find quaint little towns and rural beauty in blend
Even one whose station name seems never to end!

One notable feature of the north Wales population
Which sets them apart from most of the UK nation
Is ubiquitous use of the Welsh speaking tongue
And not just the old folks but those ever so young

So my message to you who have so far stayed away
Get over to Wales, at least for a day
But a longer visit would bring much greater reward
For here is so much that is yet unexplored

Ken Fisher

[see pictures below]

 

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The longest station name

 

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Blaenau Ffestiniog

 

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Menai Bridge to Anglesey

 

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Port Meirion

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Criccieth Castle

 

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Llandudno sea front

The Beach

The Beach

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Washed by the tide’s relentless ebbs and flows
The beach, powerless those forces to oppose
For millennia, its tiny grains accumulate
No agency its growth can frustrate

Thus forms the shoreline of these isles
The border of the land for endless miles
Determining the limits of our habitation
A hem on the garment of the nation

Yet sandy strands form only part of our long coast
Often the pride of resorts who of them boast
For rocky bays and coves, and harbour walls
More commonly the mariner’s landfall

But whatever constitutes our lingering seaboard
Smooth greensward, jagged rocks or steep fjord
The encircling seas make manifest
The island status of which we’re blessed

Ken Fisher

 

 

The English Riviera

The English Riviera

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Torquay

 

This coastal gem, twixt Exeter and Plymouth
Since Victorian times beloved of pleasure seekers
And renowned for the healthful climate
Its atmosphere, that of a continental clone
Has long enjoyed the sobriquet of the English Riviera
Perchance a poor shadow of Nice or Cannes?

However in these modern days when all seek to maximize their air miles
Many more fly high over Torbay than ever sample its ground level charms
Thus its air of fading gentility not yet gone beyond maturity to terminal decline
But who knows – as this nation enters isolation mode over Europe
And foreign travel once again seems more of a risk than adventure
Let’s hope the resurging trend of ‘staycation’ will bring revival

But is this judgment on the delights of South Devon just too hasty?
On closer examination I was reminded that there is much to savour
On this southern coastline, whose strand encompasses tiny coves
Expansive beaches, garish promenades, and flotillas of shiny yachts
Bobbing at anchor, or riding the waves, under the eagle eye of the Coast Watch
And, even yet, throngs of holidaymakers, bent on pleasure come what may

So let’s not too readily dismiss this southern coast, skirted by
The reclaimed railway line as it speeds through Dawlish, Teignmouth
And onwards, via Newton Abbot, to Plymouth and far Penzance
Recall with affection the quaint village charms of Shaldon
Or worship the sun in sheltered bays at Babbacombe and Goodrington
A ferry to Dartmouth’s port, then Totnes, or see craftsmen work at Cockington

For those who still hanker for the Mediterranean shores
Should try just one more time to find their pleasure near at home
The English Riviera may conjure up an image less exotic
But the unbiased visitor will find that for food and wine,
For sport and leisure, and for stimulation of the mind and heart
No need to span the Channel, or escape these native isles

Ken Fisher

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Summer Solstice

Summer Solstice

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A glimpse of sunshine warms our heart
Flowers and leaves reflect the light
The gentle rays caress our brow
Our lips widen with a smile

For now the daytime stretches out
Filling each hour with gentle light
Dark days of winter long forgot
We rejoice in life outside

From this ‘crows nest’ of the year
We scan the horizon fore and aft
Behind long hours of winter gloom
Then spring pregnant with promise

Ahead the prospect of summer warmth
And autumn’s gold and russet tints
But winter’s spectre lurks beyond
Vaguely threatening summer’s peace

Ken Fisher

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Spanning the Forth

Spanning the Forth [Three Bridges]

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[Artist’s impression of three bridges]

In a world where we hear of so much division and strife
It is good to reflect on what our world might unite
And rather than vague abstract causes and notions
Here’s a suggestion quite devoid of emotion

When in the physical world we discern a real need
To bring people closer so that trade might succeed
Or that friendship can grow to their mutual gain
And such blessings may know a wider domain

Then the river or valley that those peoples divide
Creating a gulf that is ever so wide
Demands a response from some ingenious man
That in due time that great chasm be spanned

The earlier means to unite both sides of the Forth
Found the ferries no doubt of considerable worth
And for decades this method met most of their needs
Progress was steady but of limited speed

But when the age of the railway took the nation by storm
The growth of new industry demanded reform
Thus the great iron horses would have ground to a halt
For lack of a bridge that great gap to assault

And in similar vein in much later decades
Motor transport supported our myriad trades
And the trunk road network that commuters so love
Spanning the Forth from suspension above

So first we had the rail bridge stretching more than a mile
From 1890 renowned for its iconic style
In 1964 the road bridge opened its (then) tollgates
Doing sterling service only just maintaining the weight

And soon we look forward to the new Queensferry Crossing
The concept of bridges thus clearly endorsing
And so long as we seek to bring improvement to travel
These engineering triumphs will still make us marvel

Ken Fisher

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[Panoramic photograph of three bridges]

Is There No End To It?

Is there no end to it? [The Universe]

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Musings on the enormity of the Cosmos

 

It all began with the “singularity”
The origins of all, packed into one
A point in” space-time” when gravity
caused matter to have infinite density
but at that same time, to have zero volume
This the initial state of the Universe at the
very beginning of the Big Bang!

From that moment onwards
All that was, and all that was to be
kept on expanding, outwards and onwards
That explosive initiation was a long time ago
Indeed the current view is that
It was 13.77 billion years ago
Measured by checking the temperature!

And with the help of the ‘hiss’ from
the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation
Scientists have worked out the cooling time
of the Universe since the Big Bang.
Thus we can measure the expansion rate of the universe
And by a deft process of extrapolating backwards
Lo and behold – we have its age!

Then we have our Solar System
The planets orbiting round our star the Sun
You know them all I’m sure
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars,
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
[forget little Pluto now!]
And Neptune is 2,795,084,000 miles from the Sun!

Now we have to wrestle with this cosmological behemoth
How do you get to grips with its vastness?
Well if we shrink the distance from the
Earth to the Sun to equal one inch
(It is actually 93,000,000 miles!)
Then the nearest Star would be 4.3 miles away!
And there are about 200 billion stars in the Milky Way

Stretching beyond the spiral arms of our Milky Way
Thanks to the legacy of Edwin Hubble
We can detect infinite galaxies each populated
By a never ending number of stars each progressing through
Their life cycle from Stellar Nebula through Red Giant
to Planetary Nebula to White Dwarf and perhaps even Black Hole

How many Galaxies in the Universe we ask?
The Hubble Space Telescope seeks out the
very edge of the Observable Universe – light that has
had a chance to reach us within 13.77 billion years
And by extrapolating from a sample we come up
With the almost magic number of – wait for it –
225 billion Galaxies in the cosmos

So what is the whole thing made of?
The CMBR helps us to quantify the content of the universe
And the result is rather mind-boggling
atoms, all the things we perceive, accounts for only 5%
24% is Cold Dark Matter – sub atomic particles
And most of the universe (71%) is labelled as
Dark Energy – with its gravitationally repulsive effect

And thanks to this Dark Energy the universe still
hangs together despite continuous inflation
The Universe is homogeneous and isotropic
It is the same and looks the same in every direction
This is sometimes called the Cosmological Principle
Which means that viewed on a large enough scale
“The Universe looks the same whoever and wherever you are.”

Ken Fisher – with information from a wide variety of sources.

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Map of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation