Genval Lake

A half-hour drive in springtime sun
Out of Brussels - can be fun
Commuters go the other way
And miss the countryside display.

Rosières, Genval, Rixensart
Leafy lanes with scarce a car
It’s peaceful, birds swoop overhead
Their daily rush hour quietly spread.

Fair Nature’s April cloak is green
Through febrile fronds can still be seen
Tiny birds’ nests woven neat
In lofty boughs - a safe retreat.

Genval Lake – a tranquil spot
Split by language; No, don’t mock!
A “castle” where businessmen reside
Has a plashing fountain just outside.

Man’s imprint on this place is slight
Old homesteads nestle out of sight
But I get the feeling there are many
Whose mansions cost a pretty penny!

Along the hedgerow a small gate
A gentle push – I step through straight
A grassy damp before me lies
With rustic bench, rough-hewn surprise.

Time now to chill, take in the view
Ponder on life – as poets do
I reflect upon this lakeside scene
A palette of fifty shades of green.

For a moment I slip back in time
And let an artist’s eye be mine
Inspiration for a Flemish weaver
This could be Belgium’s Lake Geneva!

(c) Poet in the woods 2014