The monthly poetry reading group meeting was lost during 2020. In its place, a poetry blog was created where poems written by people with some local connection (not a necessary condition) are posted. This is just to make them freely readable by anyone. More are always welcome. A few appear below:
MIDNIGHT STAR
Last night I saw a midnight star
in Heaven's timeless space
And I recalled those days gone by
of moments I'd retrace.
In deepest time within my mind
my memories brought delight,
and - like that starshine in the sky -
they lingered through the night.
Just like an angel - as I slept -
it watched me for a while,
and when I woke at break of dawn
my star had left a smile.
But as I gazed towards the sky
t'was as I somehow feared...
with morning light and sunshine bright
my star had disappeared.
© Carole Rogers
DEAR GRANDMA
She sits alone, small and frail,
childlike in an adult's chair.
But there is life inside that wizened shell.
Her heart and soul burn on untouched.
🌺 But that soul cries to be free from strains of age;
she's lived her life, why should she struggle on?
🌺 But for me, I cannot be free, let go of ties that bind,
of memories of those times gone by
when I was young and small and weak,
and it was she who cared for me.
Many years later, when with my baby boy I returned,
great grandma was so proud.
And just as if clocks had turned back in time,
she rocked his cot and fed him by her hand.
Full of love she bought him toys and proudly called him 'my little man'.
🌺But as he took his first few steps, as he grew strong,
her legs grew slow, she felt her age.
And as once ago she'd led me by the hand,
now I pushed young and old together in one chair....
🌺The years soon passed by and too long I stayed away.
When I returned my heart it shook, I felt the love that overwhelms,
but most of all, my heart it cried for all it hadn't done.
Michelle Jamal
SOUTH CHINGFORD SPRING 2020
The line of senior stoics moves slowly past the trees
whose beauteous blossom white trembles gently in the breeze.
Till eventually, bit by bit, the queue disperses in the store,
while nearby 406 traffic thunders past with mighty roar.
Once inside we quietly shop while warily keeping our distance,
two metres it is, who can forget, but announcements give assistance.
When on our daily walk, one is allowed, most roads are near deserted.
Pedestrian crossings now redundant, no crowds, just people skirted.
To keep apart, can walk in road, weeks ago, who knew?
just cyclists, bird-song, lovely sun, and time to say “thank-you”.
Then in the park, more runners now, they need to keep in trim.
Ducks on the pond still come to me, thinking “what’s the matter with him?”
Exercise equipment covered, sports areas locked or gated,
just like for naughty children, whose toys are confiscated.
Except for food and medical, most other shops aren’t open,
for other things we buy online, our spirit is unbroken!
Meanwhile, giant yellow crane on construction site stands tall,
vertical and unmoving, signalling caution to us all.
Despite it all, some good has come, so smile and don’t despair,
new Skypers and Zoomers are appearing everywhere!
With meetings virtual now the norm for people near and far,
never again need for so much travel, just stay where you are!
And new hero has appeared, the wonderful Captain Tom,
whose efforts have inspired us all to boldly carry on.
A library volunteer, I managed books and made the tea.
Now I’m suddenly aware of others willingly helping me!
Store staff, postmen, contractors, transport, these workers never flap,
and, of course, NHS staff and carers, all merit a weekly clap!
At last these stalwart workers are really in full favour,
let’s hope, in future, respect remains, it really must not waver!
We will survive this, most of us, the lucky ones, but keep in mind
all those we’ve lost so tragically, and the grieving left behind.
After cheering VE day, life begins to return again,
let’s hope some peace enjoyed, kindness, and goodwill will remain.
And as the giant yellow crane moves, like a signal turning green,
we’ll slowly and uncertainly emerge to a different world never seen.
Richard A. Ashen
LIFE- SERVES 7,530,103,737
First pour Mum and Dad into a bowl,
then stir in a few years,
add birth, then leave to cool.
Remove the infants after 4-5 years.
Soon add school, teachers, and friends,
laughter, fun, teamwork, and education,
and leave to settle.
Mix family holidays, days out, and birthdays,
plus a pinch of Christmas, and a touch of Easter.
Add some drama, responsibility, and pain.
Add some tears and change.
Pour a tablespoon of new school.
Sprinkle some fear, joy, and sadness.
Heat it up and blend some friends and new faces.
Add a 7, then replace it with an 8.
Pour a Summer,
then place it in the oven.
Let the ingredients mix and combine.
Serve with friendship,and enjoy.
William Cratchley 8U
THE JOURNEY OF THE CHING
The Ching is not a mighty river, indeed she’s rather small
being merely around 8 km in length from source to far outfall
She starts life as a dampish patch, near pool that’s rather black
by Pear Tree Plain in Epping Forest close to the Green Ride track
Mere ditch at first, she travels Southish with no flow
with holly as a prickly friend, so small, she needs to grow
before wide hiatus comes to view, through the thinning trees
a massive aneurysm!
but this one’s good, it’s Connaught Waters, a delight for all to see
enjoyed by everyone, a favoured spot, for over a century
Can walk all around, a new car park, ducks, geese, swans, and moorhens
and often there’s an ice cream van, it’s crowded at weekends!
She leaves at the south west corner, via grating that’s water shredding
a respectable size now, for Rangers road she’s heading.
Walkers, bikers, riders all cross the busy road just here
while she passes demurely underneath close by
on Chingford, Essex border on other side to appear
Once there, path passes stables, on very slight incline.
She assumes meandering course here for first time
in valley passing under forest canopy again.
Then stays inside the trees, alongside Whitehall Plain
Crossing Whitehall Lane, her very best section now unfolds
A few hundred metres of twist and turns , with pleasure one beholds
beloved of mountain bikers with ups and downs adjacent to her edge
Kingfishers have been seen here, but new star I will pledge
is brilliant white Little Egret, a stunning little bird!
As approach the Hatch some changes over the years
The cheers have gone but, old football ground appears
It’s Newgate Street, in truth, no more than path or track
where Chingford Town FC used to play way back in time,
now new arched entrance to nowhere, behind barriers green
what has happening here, something planners had not foreseen?
Then roundabout, where once black horseless carriage stood
resplendent in front of pub thus named. Then Wheelwrights, today
modern flats replace, now just memory distant
For first time here she enters suburbia proper, Waterhall Avenue
Then small wooded meanders below Chingford Glade, before through
by beautiful Higham’s Park Lake she flows quietly by
As though not wishing to upstage the tranquil scene we espy
again, there’s coots aplenty, and Canada geese, and gulls and swans
A wonderful job done here to now restore bygones.
Exit under Charter road, wide here, and flow on behind Gordon Ave, more speed
There’s green spaces here, bridges, allotments, as Vincent Avenue’s accompanied with a wide green sward, past play area opposite Joseph Clarke school proceeds
where wonderful work is done for visually impaired and special needs.
Cross Hale End Road, in scrub , behind Beech Hall crescent,
she now passes under Beech Hall Road, quite pleasant to River walk, under railway bridge where we see unexpected sight,
it’s Jane’s glorious barn owl mural clutching heart in splendid flight!
behind Haldan and Cavendish roads she travels out of sight
appears again crossing under Cavendish Path soon more changes come to light
In days gone by, Stow greyhound stadium ahead we saw
when Tuesday , Thursday, and Saturday evenings we heard some mighty roar
now gone, but parts remain, tote building, white with famous letters red
and geyhound kennels, poignant reminder of former times.
Now tastefully instead incorporated in Stadium Place developed by L & Q
a café shop, called Hugs with Mugs , where you can have a brew
Apartment groups with appropriate names, like Lingfield, Chesham, Goodwood debut
and house groups with names Norfolk, Brook, and Waltham too
How the world has changed!
In days gone by she misbehaved on Chingford Road by stadium’s side, with flooded stream,
but now she helps, accepts water, in revolutionary permavoid drainage scheme.
Under Chingford Road, she enters now the supermarket section
from Sainsbury’s to Morrisons, round here we need some action.
She shares her bed with all sorts now, but really she’s not keen
romantic or sexy it is not, more fifty shades of green!
After Morrisons, it’s sort of purdah, her future’s now not great
as she’s lost to sight for quite a while under Chingford Hall Estate
Then under North Circular, quietly out of sight
While up above its constant noise of traffic day and night
Reappears with new look bestowed, opposite petrol station on Harbet Road
She’s constrained by concrete corset now, all personality repressed
it’s man’s fault that at this end her appearance is not the best
by Banbury reservoir in straight line channel for the final leg , no fun
Before emptying into river Lea, her job now finally done.
Her lifeblood at last is fully drained, maybe we should feel ashamed?
Her contents discharged to the Lea, then Thames, and finally the sea.
She deserves cleaning up, no dumping ground, she’s suffering from neglect
O Chingford people, pray treat our little river with more respect!
Richard A. Ashen
If you have a poem which you have written yourself, which you are happy to make available for anyone to read, then please email it to scclfeedback@gmail.com, with a little bit of biographical information about yourself. Thank you
You can read all the poems by visiting the South Chingford Poetry blog.