A wander through the weekly Wednesday street market of my town reveals much to stimulate the observant poet. It's the stimulus of place and the colour and movement within.  Here are a couple of poems that owe their origin to this market space with its wide array of stalls and curious shoppers. Girl at the Market   I walked by her On Market day Wednesday in Mornington.   She was browsing raspberries And blueberries Her hair, Remarkable. -The colour of ripe oranges. Alan j Wright Street Performer   A small girl Stands on the street Amid the passing shoppers Scratching out hesitant notes On a brave violin Her open case attracts A smattering of pitiful coins Tossed in by tolerant supporters And the tone deaf.   Her mother sits close by -but not too close Offering a stoic smile.   A mother’s love Shines through And the sun peeks out From behind the morning clouds And birds return to the nearby trees ...

  Have recently spent two weeks in Bali. It provided some respite from our Australian winter and afforded me the opportunuty to read, write and relax. We spent 10 days in tranquil Sanur and four days in the more highly populated area near Seminyak.  Spending time in a new or different location never fails to stimulate my thinking around writing. This time in Bali was no exception. I had just started a new writer's notebook. This further heightened my writing urge. I was keen to capture ink and ideas.  Here is a sampling of some of the short verse that emerged across those hungry pages during our vacation in the island of the Gods. Sanur Haiku   Outrigger canoe Glides easily through the waves Painted hull shining.   Red kit dips and weaves Its plastic frame whirring loudly As it sky dances.   Tropical garden Lush growth of leaves and flowers Such fecundity.   The tide slinks away Revealing the rocky reef Marine life expos...