The Family Tree.

In the topmost shoot, we see, the beauty of new life,

Now other buds will blossom, each child for man and wife

And, as the years progress, the branches onward creep

New shoots and branches thicken, the canopy to keep.

When winds and storms impose their stress and branches feel the rain

Not often do we look below, to see what takes the strain,

But there we find great roots emerge, a trunk both strong and round

Transferring all the buffeting, through great branches to the ground.

So let us now remember, beneath the aging bark

The trace of every Ancestor, for each one made a mark

A ring for every year; Lives permanently enshrined

Effectively preserving, the history of our kind.

No death is insignificant, Ancestors cease to live

And for the Tree of Life, there was nothing more to give

But in the newest bud, the sap to form the leaves

Flows through the older channels, made by people such as these.

George Potter

Incredible!

Some say ‘I can’t believe it!’
Others, with eyebrows raised,
Or, mouths open wide
Express how they are fazed!

So much of the current news
Defies, sensible belief,
We need something trustworthy,
To give us some relief.

America has a President
Who lies ‘most every day
His self- importance, clearly
Is all that’s on display.

Netanyahu, is so insecure
Twixt Left and Right extremes
But sadly in his confusion
He creates inhuman screams.

Then to the North, where Putin lives
In secret, out of sight,
Desperate to retain his pow’r
Now teaches kids, to fight!

In China, no-one says a word,
We fear this silence much,
But with the general lack of trust
Who displays the ‘Statesman’ touch?

We are the calm and thoughtful souls,
Who, with aggression, don’t relate
But when will these so called leaders
Their selfishness abate?

George Potter

Friendship

Fellow Travellers

There are six thousand Million on this Earth today
We recognise a handful, but that is not to say
That those we do not know, and those we haven’t met
Are any less important on this Earthly scale, and yet,
Some present Religion as the faultless guide
To those that we should fear, or gladly stand beside.

As no-one fears a new born child, whatever blood or creed
Whence arrives the Evil, that makes some feel the need,
To destroy what Gods and Prophets, universally declare
That equal right of each of us, to live and prosper here.

So my Fellow Traveller, I may not know you well,
But we should start by being friends. As far as I can tell
We have no fight between us, nor God that disallows
Our friendship, while we try to keep our charitable vows.

Live in peace and prosper, be happy as you can
If we meet, we will embrace as man with fellow man
And if our meeting is delayed until the life hereafter
Let’s make sure, our actions now, deserve future love and laughter.

George Potter

Carparking

Let me share a thought or two

With those who wish to park.

I know that cars are ever here

But the outlook is quite stark.

First a space you have to find

A form of dodgems, you may play,

And then the payment machine

Is in the distance, too far away.

But there’s another challenge yet,

The screen, often invisible, I say,

Demands your car registration

And how you want to pay.

Card or cash? – I had the coins

But the slot was closed to all,

So now I try a second time

(As the rain begins to fall).

No-go again, so try a card,

(With fingers now quite wet),

Speed is of the essence

Lest, the registration, I forget.

‘Approved’, I am, the payment made

I return, with time to spare

But now the greater question is

Why did I first, go there?

George Potter

Reading School 900 years

12 July 2025

What a surge of goodwill, as i take up my quill,
To describe a recent display_
Of great endeavour, (in perfect weather)
For Reading School’s Special day.

Through nine hundred years, the success of our peers,
(Their plaques, in Big School explain)
Improving the life, of those suffering strife,
Memories for us to retain.

Much has changed, buildings rearranged,
As the growth of the school proceeds
Let us keep in mind, as part of mankind,
To provide what humanity needs.

George Potter

In appreciation of Writers

Seems to me the World is short of calm consideration,

No time to think things through, and sound conclusions, find

Let us encourage those, who have the ‘rush’ temptation,

To pause, and read, and then discuss, the ideas in their mind.

The advantage for our Authors, is the time that forethought takes,

Their books of great variety are created deep and slow,

They deserve our attention, for they avoid mistakes,

And we can learn, assuredly, from what they already know.

So while we, the words enjoy, let us their secrets glean,

Admire humanity wherever it appears,

Remember our small place, in the Worldly scene

And ensure our actions now, create more smiles than tears.

What is life all about?

It is easy to say if only, when sadness comes along
If only it was different, I could sing a happy song,
If only, it hadn’t happened, I’d be happier today,
If only I knew the future, I’d know, now, what to say,

But no-one in our history, has had complete control
Of what the future brings us; we’re all just on a roll’
Like a game of dice, while the Earth turns slowly round
We’re born, and live, and work, and play, and end up under ground!

Only if, we grab our chances, can we make our story stronger
Only if, we do our best, can we live well, and live longer
For only if, we live each day, can we meet the challenge new
And when the next day beckons, just see what you can do!

When you’re older, there could be more, “If only, might have beens”
All pointless, for, I cannot change, what I did in my teens.
But what we can do every day, for how ever long we’re here,
Is say, ‘Only if’, ‘I’ll have a go’, each day, each month, each year.

                George Potter

A ‘Thank you’ to the NHS

I am well again, but how?

Ten days ago, I wondered what was going wrong, 

The usual sense of comfort nearly, nearly gone.

A normal day now, was clearly out of sight

And George surmised that things were clearly far from right.

So with some foreboding, now to A&E

With all the big decry about its history,

There followed many questions from experts new

As they sought answers, to see what they could do.

Wards change, nurses form a near constant parade

As decisions  urgent, are so thoughtfully made

Now I am the passenger, the train is on the roll

I am the VIP, but not now in control!

’Tis fortunate these folk, are ready day and night

To respond, attending to Each, in every plight.

And as they work, committedly, there’s no  chance to say.

A fulsome word of thanks for what they did that day.

So Good folk, I thank you all, and the NHS

You took me, quite unknown, and helped me in distress.

Where else could I expect, such comprehensive aid?

And then, to cap it all, no invoice to be paid.

Sadly too, I have few names, that I can retell,

To match the smiling faces that I remember well,

Doctors, Nurses, HCA’s and the students, too,

I do not have your names, but I will remember you!

George Potter.