Miscellaneous verses

 

 

On Worcestershire Beacon

(for David, Mary and Jessica)

 

On Worcestershire Beacon at one in the morning;

There’s plenty of time till the day will be dawning.

 

We’ve bidden farewell to the old –

The last of the year that is gone;

And now it’s two thousand and seven,

To greet us and beckon us on.

 

The earlier rains have departed –

Those furious storms of the day;

The westerly winds, blowing strongly,

By midnight had swept them away.

 

The moon is approaching its fullest;

We can just see the path by its light.

The ground may be muddy and slippy,

But a torch is not needed tonight.

 

Our eyes get attuned to the darkness,

Discerning each boulder and log,

The labrador-black of the shadows,

The shadowy black of the dog.

 

Malvern and Worcester beneath us;

The Droitwich transmitters alight;

The Cotswolds are outlined, and Bredon,

But Wales is dark in the night.

 

Above are the midwinter stars,

The Pole Star and Cassiopeia,

The Bear, and Orion the hunter,

All shining to welcome the year.

 

On Worcestershire Beacon at one in the morning;

Don’t linger too long, or the day will be dawning.

 

January 2007 

 

 

We’re off to Darfur on a Donkey

(written for the charity ‘Kids for Kids’)

 

We’re off to Darfur on a Donkey,

There’s her, and him, and there’s you.

We’re starting today; it’s a very long way,

But we know that we must see it through.

 

We’re off to Darfur on a Donkey;

We’re taking two vets and a nurse;

The Donkey looks wobbly – ‘Remember Tom Cobbley’,

I tell him, ‘it could have been worse.’

 

We’re off to Darfur on a Donkey –

My Goat and her kiddies and me.

My Goat has a boat which she sails on the moat;

We’ll need it for crossing the sea.

 

We’ll get to Darfur on our Donkey;

No matter how long it will take;

We’ll show that we care for the folk who are there;

We’ll get to Darfur for their sake.

 

We’ll get to Darfur on our Donkey;

There’s work to be done in that land;

The kids in Darfur are so desparately poor –

You know that you must lend a hand.

 

We’ll get to Darfur on our Donkey,

A land that is riven with strife;

Oh let the kids play! In their homes let them stay!

They’re children: they just want a life.

 

We’ll get to Darfur on our Donkey;

My Goat is at home in that land;

She has lots of kids, and they’ll meet all the kids –

Together they’ll play in the sand.

 

We’ll get to Darfur on our Donkey;

Its dry – there are wells to be drilled

There’s midwives to train. Then along comes a plane

Or some bandits and people are killed.

 

We’ll get to Darfur on our Donkey;

He knows how to carry a load!

He’ll carry your daughter – or firewood or water;

He’ll patiently follow the road.

 

We’ll get to Darfur on our Donkey;

He’ll learn how to carry the sick;

How gently he’ll pull, even when the cart’s full;

The smoothest of paths he will pick.

 

We’ll get to Darfur on our Donkey –

And then we’ll come back in a plane;

Our Donkey is wise, and his destiny lies

In Darfur, so it’s there he’ll remain.

 

January 2008

 

 

Marigolds on the moon

 

I was listening to Radio 4 today;

I was listening carefully; I heard them say

They’re just coming up with this marvellous scheme

(I’m sure that I heard it – it wasn’t a dream);

They know it will work, and they’re starting soon:

They’re going to grow marigolds on the moon.

 

They’re going to grow marigolds on the moon!

Imagine the desert, with marigolds strewn!

Perhaps there’ll be poppies; delphiniums too;

I don’t really know, but this much is true –

They’re going to grow marigolds on the moon.

We’ll go there and see them this afternoon!

 

Radio 4 Today Report, 18 April 2008. Marigolds grown on material with composition of moon soil, plus bacteria

 

 

Ode to the Wellington Monument

 

Wellington Monument, Wellington Monument,

Shaped like a bayonet, piercing the sky!

Built for the Duke, the great soldier, Prime Minister,

Hoping perhaps he'd call in, by and by.

 

Wellington Monument, Wellington Monument,

High on the hills over Wellington Town!

What shall we do with you, aged and crumbling?

Can we just wait till your stones tumble down?

 

People of Wellington, people of Wellington,

Why did you build, and yet not make it strong?

Why did you build a triangular monument,

Weak at the sides and extended too long?

 

Wellington Monument, Wellington Monument,

How shall we aid you? How can we repair?

Buttresses, flying, with symmetry trigonal,

Offer a profile distinctive and rare.

 

People of Wellington, people of Wellington,

Did you foresee, when you built on the hill,

Did you foresee the expense astronomical,

Trusting the future to pick up the bill?

 

Wellington Monument, Wellington Monument,

Tribute triangular, towering, tall,

Folly felicitous, problem precipitous –

Have you a friend who is rich, you could call?

 

Wellington Monument, Wellington Monument,

How shall we care for you, proud on the hill?

How shall we strengthen you, aged and crumbling,

So our descendants may see you there still?

 

January 2009

 

 

Road safety

 

Remember: never drink and drive;

Keep sober as you go your way;

It’s better, far, to think and thrive.

 

The breathalyser can deprive

You of your licence. Let it say,

 ‘Remember: never drink and drive’.

 

Or else your car may take a dive

And end up all in disarray;

It’s better, far, to think and thrive.

 

When beer or wine or gin connive

With friends in leading you astray,

Remember: never drink and drive.

 

Take pleasure in the road, and strive

The skills to learn, the laws obey;

It’s better, far, to think and thrive.

 

Till ever two and two make five,

Till cows above the moon display,

Remember: never drink and drive;

It’s better, far, to think and thrive.

 

March 2009

 

 

Democracy

 

The democratic system is the best;

We know it’s so much better than the rest.

It means that we must hear what people say.

If we do that, the votes will come our way.

 

We strive to please the voters all the time

We watch the polls to see our ratings climb.

We know the people want more stuff to buy –

And more and more; a truth we can’t deny.

 

You tell me we are damaging the Earth:

We’re using up the oil for all we’re worth,

Polluting air and water, land and sea,

Bequeathing desert to posterity.

 

You tell me that we ought to buy less stuff;

And use less oil and power: enough’s enough.

For that’s the only way to save the Earth

For generations yet to come to birth.

 

It may be as you say, I do concede;

I cannot argue with you when you plead

The cause of generations yet to come,

But we must march to the present voters’ drum.

 

The voters need to have their cars, their planes,

Their every want: consumerism reigns.

It’s economic growth that steers the boat,

It’s not the future, for the future has no vote.

 

The future may be bleak, just like you say,

But we must go the democratic way:

We can’t escape – as you will surely note –

This simple truth: the future has no vote.

 

The future of the Earth is under threat.

The evidence is there, I know; and yet

I cannot heed your cry, I can’t promote

Your cause; you see, the future has no vote.

 

If voters tell us what they want is wealth,

It’s not for us to seek the planet’s health.

The future plight of Earth is too remote,

We must face facts: the future has no vote.

 

April 2010

 

 

Do not disturb

 

You’ve no idea how tired I get,

On duty every day and night.

I’m never given any rest.

It isn’t fair; it isn’t right.

 

If someone near me says a word,

I always have to answer back.

I can’t pretend I haven’t heard;

When someone quacks, I have to quack.

 

I’ve had enough. It’s time to act.

The situation’s out of hand.

I’ve had enough, and that’s a fact.

The time has come to take a stand.

 

I’ll make a sign and put it here,

Carefully crafted out of lego.

I’ll write the words in letters clear,

‘Please do not disturb the echo’.

 

April 2010

 

 

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