A curated gathering of poems, vignettes, and small moments.
A chance introduction to a writing workshop brought me into a room where people weren’t just writing — they were enjoying themselves, leaning into the simple pleasure of shaping words. Something in that atmosphere opened a door in me. I wrote a small poem for my granddaughter, and without realising it, I began gathering memories that had quietly shaped my life.
This collection is made of those moments.
They come from different seasons — some bright, some difficult, some still tender. A few were written in the very breath of their happening; others arrived years later when memory finally loosened its hold. In my blog, they aren’t arranged by date. They sit where they resonate, drawn together by the quiet gravity that brought them into being. Some truths take their time. Some recognitions wait for us. Some words only find us long after their first spark.
Here, I’ve gathered them in chronological form, or at least I have tried to. Some are numbered, so a reader may follow a timeline if they wish.
This collection doesn’t need to be read straight through. Each piece stands on its own, and you’re welcome to begin wherever something gently calls to you — a title, a memory, a season of life. Some readers may choose to follow the chronology; others wander by instinct. There’s no right path. These moments surfaced in their own time, and you’re invited to meet them in yours.
I’m still building this page. Over time, I’ll gather my poems, vignettes, and reflective pieces here so they’re easier to explore. It’s a work in progress, growing slowly, and you’re welcome to wander through it as it unfolds.
Recently, I have been breaking up some of my longer posts because I discovered accidentally that they were quite challenging to view on a smartphone screen. I hope that giving each story its own space makes it easier on the eye and allows my writing more room to breathe. I’m still working through this, so if you find any errors or breaks in flow, I apologise in advance.
Thank you,
Sincerely,
Gary.
Author’s Note / Disclaimer: This memoir reflects my personal memories, experiences, and perspectives. Some names and identifying details have been changed to respect the privacy of individuals.
Visitor Years — Before I Knew I Was Staying
Between Poproszę and Dziekuję — Food and Friendship: I
Symbols, Snow a a trip to Wrocław – Rail Travel Story I
The Grammar of Hospitality – Food and Friendship II
The Living There Years: Becoming Part of The City
The beginning — a change of life
A bicycle, a beginning, and a quiet kindness
Dutch Bike, Polish Roads, and Everything In-between
Naked Ben and Library of Buckwheat
Fog, a Mercedes and Bulldogs: A True Polish Odyssey
Bar Teatralny — Act I: Curtain Up
Bar Teatralny — Act II: Smacznego
Bar Teatralny — Act III: The Menu in Her Hands
The One That Stayed/Obraz, który został
It Wasn’t Just The Coffee — KAFO
Returning Echoes — Words That Arrived Late
Memory in The Absence of Pixels
Further Memories Beyond This Point
Three Short Stories — International Beer day 2026
A Ship, a Salty Old Girl of the Sea — and Tschüss, Hamburg
Small Bright Things — The Unsorted, the Playful, the Unexpected
Port, Starboard and Visible Kindness.
Ciepły hołd dla „Świata według Kiepskich”
Night Drift – A Short Playlist
Bili’r Brôga ymhlith y llygad y dydd
Kalimankou Denkou — A One Track Playlist
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Ghosts to Carry, Stories to Keep 