The Land of Grimney - The Illustrated Adventures of Cora Pearl, aged 12

Lad, is Loco One on the main platform,
Still king at old Bank Top?
Is it yet to Yarm by Oak Tree farm,
And to Park Place for a cop?

“Locomotion’s been hauled away, old man,
To a Museum almost new.
And as for Yarm, it’s lost its charm
But Heighington’s still a view.”

Now where do you go to play your sport?
For soccer, squash or golfing?
“Except for the last, get yourself
Down Houndgate to the Dolphin.”

And is the Skerne still diluted, lad,
With once-used Blue Star ale?
Do the Elizabethan grammar school kids
Still fill Cuthbert’s pews and wail?

“Aye, St Cuthbert’s far away, old man
And the Skerne seeps on without you.
But the sons of your marrer at Elizabeth’s grammar,
They’ve got no cause to doubt you.”

Well, I’m old lad, but I’m happy.
“I’m young and I’m not sad.”
I travelled south long years gone by.
“I’ll stay a Durham lad.”

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"Never look down on a man unless you're helping him up." Jessie Jackson

What poets inspire you, Redvilst?

Housman, mainly. Then Owen followed by many from Yeats to Nigel Forde.

Same question to you.

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"Never look down on a man unless you're helping him up." Jessie Jackson

To be honest I've only shown more interest in poetry since about the last year or so. I like robert Herrick, John Donne, Wendy Cope-mainly. I've been writing since about spring this year. Trying to widen my reading!

Here's one of my favourites from Housman's "A Shropshire Lad". Many of his poems are untitled and go by their order of appearance in Roman numerals.

XXXIII

IF truth in hearts that perish
Could move the powers on high,
I think the love I bear you
Should make you not to die.

Sure, sure, if stedfast meaning,
If single thought could save,
The world might end to-morrow,
You should not see the grave.

This long and sure-set liking,
This boundless will to please,
Oh, you should live for ever
If there were help in these.

But now, since all is idle,
To this lost heart be kind,
Ere to a town you journey
Where friends are ill to find.

Many of his poems are a little downbeat. I did a spoof Housman once, which I may post later.

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"Never look down on a man unless you're helping him up." Jessie Jackson

Ive got a bk of modern poets, with that in. The cd that came with it has an awful recording of Dylan Thomas-he wasn't pleasant to listen to

Grim!

I've heard a recording of Tolkien reading poems from "The Adventures of Tom Bombadil". He sounded like an old hobbit, so it was good.

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"Never look down on a man unless you're helping him up." Jessie Jackson

glad someone else is a Johm Donne fan!

'The Flea' is one of my fave's