Poems by Bettina Van Vaerenbergh

The woods are ablaze with golden light,
And the sky seems painted by a child
In the deepest blue, an impossible hue.

It's a festive explosion of colors so warm,
With red-yellow-green-brownish charm -
Of leaves swirling by, a feast for the eye.

People sitting on benches, enjoying the sun.
Children skipping and running, having fun.
It's peaceful, this moment; perfect, blissful.

Myriads of leaves are floating on the pond.
Memories are made, happy and fond
As the cameras click on the selfie stick.

No need for a scarf, or mittens, or a vest;
And winter, that feared, unwelcome guest -
He's nowhere near, still miles from here.

Have you ever wondered
Why dogs don't live that long?
It's because their souls are true
And their love is strong.

Dogs give their heart away
Totally for free.
They love us as we are,
Unconditionally.

We people are slow learners,
So we need many years
To figure out life's purpose,
What we're doing here…

How to be gentle and kind,
And to be rich in love,
And how to live a good life -
Dogs know well enough.

Our loyal canine friends
Can teach us lots of things,
Like taking delight in nature;
The simple joy it brings.

Dogs enjoy the smell of grass
And the warmth of the sun.
They dig a restful midday nap
As much as a good run.

They're always very eager
To welcome a brand new day;
Always full of enthusiasm
For whatever comes their way.

All they ask is our attention;
Just a cuddle or a touch.
To be happy and content,
They really don't need much.

Dogs greet their special humans
Very passionate and loud;
They're not the least bit afraid
To let their emotions out.

No matter their age,
They keep a keen sense of play.
Dogs live mindful, in the now,
Seizing each and every day.

Dogs are always faithful;
The love they give is true;
That's why dogs don't have to live
As long as humans do!

Snow is falling, as quiet as a mouse;
On people and on dogs, and on our house.
A fluffy blanket now covers the street -
The cars are white, and that is neat.

Quickly I dress and run a comb through my hair.
No time to lose, there's magic in the air.
School's off, so I've got all day -
To go on adventures, to roam and to play.

Mama is in the kitchen, baking pancakes -
But I'm not hungry, I want to catch snowflakes.
And just when I have so much to do;
She's got scrambled eggs and bacon too.

With a sigh I sit down and empty my plate;
To venture outside I can hardly wait.
The garden looks pristine, and oh so inviting;
My very own Wonderland, how exciting!

Mama has a pair of furry snow boots for me;
To make my footsteps extra crunchy.
The moment has come, I step through the door -
I'm going where no man has gone before.

I'm an astronaut, my space rocket has just landed;
It ran out of fuel, and now I'm stranded.
How will I survive in this alien, white place?
There's so many dangers I bravely must face.

This planet has ferocious, flesh-eating chickens;
And a poisonous fog that slowly thickens.
The tiniest hole in my outer space gear
Means certain death; it's my biggest fear.

The temperatures here are far below zero -
If I make it out alive, I'll be a superhero!
I gather all my courage, and I set out to explore;
Until I'm so cold I can't go on anymore.

It's slowly getting dark, and the wind is howling.
My nose has frostbite, my stomach is growling.
Then mama calls, on earth it's time for dinner -
And I hurry back to base camp, feeling like a winner.