The Heron

Today I saw a heron,

A majestic sight so rare,

But it flew away

When it knew that I was there.

Huge grey wings outspread

Soaring through the air

Nature's aeroplane

So I stopped to stare.

A little further on

Towards the waterfall,

I saw another heron

Fly above the trees so tall.

I wished that they would stay

So I could have a closer look.

Yet they had to fly away

But I'll find them in a book.

Elizabeth Tomlinson, Richmond.

SEASONS

Now that autumn is on the way,

the children make the most of play.

Leaves are falling from the trees,

fluttering around in the breeze.

The leaves are so enchanting

as they fall down dancing,

Every colour lying around

making a carpet on the ground.

Then it's winter and the north wind blows

like fairy petals comes the snow

To make faces all aglow.

Frozen hands and runny noses,

all waiting for the summer roses.

Then the daffodils start to spring

and the birds begin to sing.

It's time for laughter and good cheer

When we know that summer is near.

Sarah Denham, Newton Aycliffe.

The Devil Makes A Living

The devil makes his living

As everybody knows

By laughing in your face

And stepping on your toes

While decent folk are starving

And others on the dole

The devil makes a living

On the follies of your soul.

The devil makes a living

On those who will succumb

Gets you where he wants you -

Underneath his thumb.

He never waits behind you,

He always jumps the queue

The devil makes his living

On the likes of me and you.

The devil makes his living

From sinners, crime and vice

You can't level with the devil

For he isn't very nice.

He's Beelzebub and Satan

Known also as Old Nick

The devil makes a living

But he buys stuff on the tick.

To catch the bus to Heaven

You must not go astray

From everything Christ taught us

And live from day to day,

Sharing and forgiving,

Temptation to resist,

The devil's on the breadline

If badness can't exist.

But the devil makes his living

On whisky, fags and gin

He ties your mind in knots

And fills the world with sin

He lives off others' losses

And he permeates your soul -

The devil makes a living

When he should be on the dole.

Linda French, Hartlepool.

Mario Lanza

Many of them came to be

Great tenors of a bygone century.

Names such as Caruso, Gigli, Tauber,

Bjorling, Pertile and Lauri-Volpi.

Add to these Mechior, Martinelli

To follow such elite company,

Required something special

And quite rightly.

Round about 1949 another

Came to be.

Made his MGM film debut

In Hollywood did he.

Introducing Mario Lanza

The film did portray.

Serenading Kathryn Grayson

The leading lady he did sway.

Of radio shows and recording studio

His performance was grandiose.

Many of his greatest hits

The list was his to boast.

La Scala and the Met

Alas never came to be.

But his second film proved

What a toast indeed was he.

Another role he played with glee

Was to sing as Caruso to a tee

Ann Blyth his pretty co-star lady

This was film number three.

Never did a voice ring so bright

And for around ten years

It was sheer vocal dynamite

But problems came to light.

Zap-pow a studio row

To the bosses he would not kowtow.

And the food he ate

Oh wow!

And although he never lived

To be so very old,

His RCA recordings

Still continue to be sold.

Peter Hanley, Ferryhill.

Autumn Days

Autumn once again is with us,

Fields are filled with golden grain,

And fruits are there to be gathered

Before the coming of frost and rain.

The sun is high in the heavens

The sky is a hazy blue,

Trees ablaze with bronze and gold

To be enjoyed by me and you.

The tranquil English countryside

Gives pleasure in a special way,

Its meadows, woods and hills provide

Wealth for a lifetime, come what may.

I welcome the coming of autumn

The colour and beauty that it brings,

Bringing days that we'll remember,

Filled with many special things.

Wilf Harris, Fishburn.

Golden Days

'Tis the smell of autumn, nuts and fruits and roots,

That earthy smell, misty morns and lightly-frosted roofs.

A sudden nip, reddened nose, days becoming brief,

Acorns on the stately oak, gold on gathered sheaf.

Crickle, crackle, snapping twigs, flittering rainbow leaves,

Rambling vines and nettle sting and dopey drooping bees.

Festoons of dewy cobwebs, purple plums and orange hip,

Grasping briars round one's feet, beechnuts for the snuffling pig.

Autumn is the plenty time, 'tis Mother Nature's pride,

On a chestnut horse in a crimson gown o'er the hills she'll ride.

Fran Vincent, Richmond.

Gymnastics is Really Great Fun

Going to the gymnasium,

You know, is what I like to do.

My daddy takes me to my class

Nearly every week I practise

And try to improve my balances,

Standing on my head.

Then we do forward and backward rolls.

I like to have a try at doing

Cartwheels but they are tricky and

Sometimes, I end up in a heap on the floor!

I have been going to gymnastics for

Several weeks now and it is great fun.

Reaching the bars is hard for me to do,

Except the instructor lifts me up

And then I can do the exercises.

Luckily, I have had only one accident

Last month I fell off the beam and

Yelled loudly when I banged my leg on the support.

Good warm-ups are important to do

Relaxing all my muscles,

Especially before working on my vaulting.

Also I bounce high on the

Trampoline and up on to the box.

For exercise and enjoyment, gymnastics is

Unbeatable. I recommend it, so

Now, why don't you have a go at it?

Ciaran Jasper, Sedgefield.

Child of Libra

A child of Libra,

I hang suspended

Upon a silken thread,

Swung by a pendulum,

Victim of indecision -

Governed by the Scales.

Ever-lastingly weighing -

Adjusting to the needs of others.

Trying to be fair

And wondering why

Life should be so demanding.

If I'd been a Leo

No one would care

If I roared occasionally,

Or, as a Scorpio

They might expect me to sting.

But Librans are thought to be

Level-headed -

Justly balanced.

Oh! It's hard being born

Under the Scales.

Betty Robertson, Hipswell, Richmond.

Clouds

Clouds tinged with brown in a

rose-pink sky when the sun

is sinking low.

Fluffy white clouds in a

sky of blue and the mountains

are covered with snow.

Dark grey clouds in the

sky when it rains and the

sun is nowhere in sight.

Black, streaky clouds in an

indigo sky when the moon

is shining bright.

Downy pink clouds when

the morning awakes and

birds sing from the trees.

No clouds at all in a clear

blue sky - blown away by

a soft, summer breeze.

Sara Newby, Darlington.