The Monday Poem; Walking into the past

On my walk I took my daughter's dog, Dukey,

A big black Lab, Oh what a beauty!

On behind the factory, down the old railway line

Sadly overgrown by the passage of time.

On down the lane, a wondrous sight,

A thousand English roses a'bloom in their might.

Over the fields between barley and wheat

The dog ever faithful, there at my feet.

The barley sways like waves on the sea,

The ears standing upright, the sun for to see.

Onward we go to Stainton Grove,

The sun shining down from the heavens above.

Up Gipsy Lane to the Jersey House Farm,

The dog and I, both start to get warm.

Along Westwick road to the top of Green Lane,

The view from this place man never will tame.

On we go down this lovely lane,

But look left on the Stang, there's a build-up of rain.

Across more fields now, we're on our way back,

Through another lovely barley field, there's a very narrow path.

I lose sight of Dukey in this barley sea,

But when I get to the stile, he's waiting for me.

We're at the school fields now,

There's no way you can stray

They've put little yellow arrows every foot of the way.

At the bottom of the lane, there's Green Lane School,

Where I used to take my grandkids to learn the rule.

I've took Dukey home now

He's drank his bowl dry,

Jumps up on to the settee

And closes his eyes.

F Wallis, Barnard Castle.

Meditation

When the evening listens so do I,

At the quiet time of the day;

To catch the whispers of the earth,

The love and wisdom of the way.

It seems that knowledge, I have none

Of worldly things and deeds,

Yet I am part of some great scheme,

That completely fills my needs.

A divine light of love and peace,

Shines out towards all men.

To envelope nature's living things,

'Neath the spell of Eden's garden.

When comes the dawn and I will see,

The world of men roar on,

Towards its greedy destiny

But for a short while I've been home.

And loving friends in Heaven's state

Confiding there in me,

Would not return through Eden's gate,

And again a human be.

Ken Beetham, Newton Aycliffe.

If I Were A Goldfish

I wish I was a goldfish

Swimming in a pond.

But for that to happen,

I'd need a magic wand.

I'd swim around in circles

Searching for some dinner.

Racing through the pond weed,

I'd always be the winner.

When chased by larger fish,

I wouldn't start to cry.

I'd swim up to the surface

And catch another fly.

I'd talk to all my friends

And tell them all the news

Of what I did at school -

There'd be no time to lose.

An interesting life,

Living in the waters

With my fishy husband

A son and lots of daughters!

Ciaran Jasper (aged 5), Sedgefield.

Be Healed

The healing starts within our hearts

As we let go and love

When we give without expecting

From the earth or from above.

The healing starts when we let go

When we truly can forgive.

For it doesn't matter what's in the past

And the future is yet to be lived.

The healing starts after all the tears

Our bruised hearts have bathed.

Then love comes deep inside

As we accept others who forgave.

Don't let bitterness rule your life.

For that's all you'll get back.

Truly love each other

And you'll receive everything you lack.

Marge Mason, Newton Aycliffe.

The Riverside

I love to go down by the riverside on my own

And leave all my worries and cares at home.

It's nice to be out in the lovely fresh air,

As the warm breeze glides past you

And gently pulls at your hair.

I like to lie on the river bank and close my eyes

And let the rest of the world go sailing by.

I sometimes imagine all the flowers around,

What a beautiful pattern they make

As they seem to dance and sway on the ground

To the tune of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake.

And to hear the birds signing

And the river rushing by,

And the sun pops out and catches your eye.

As for all my worries and cares,

That warm gentle breeze blew them out of my hair.

A Bennett, Esh Winning.

The Vote

They did not vote, they could not vote,

For they were not yet twenty one.

Then came six long years of war,

No voting for anyone.

They did not vote, they could not vote,

For they were said to be too young.

Yet old enough to answer the call

For the war had to be won.

Old enough to fight on land, in the air and on the sea,

Old enough to face the foe, to defend democracy.

Old enough to lay down their lives, to keep our country free,

Old enough to make the great sacrifice, to keep us from slavery.

Age did not count at El Alamein, or in Sicily,

At Salerno, Cassino, the beaches of Normandy.

In the jungles of Burma, as prisoners of war,

To suffer atrocities, on the railway, Changi and Singapore.

What would they say of us today, this generation,

Some thought it too far to walk to the polling station.

Others said: "I couldn't care less, I'm making no decision."

Many chose to stay at home watching television.

What would they say, all those who lie

In foreign fields alone.

The only cross against their name

Is the Cross that's carved in stone.

MP Blackwell, Newton Aycliffe.

If Only...

If only things were better in the world

If only there was peace, instead of war,

among nations.

People could live happily

and smile in jubilation.

If only there were no more earthquakes

and eruptions of volcanos,

no more floods and droughts

instead, enough food to feed people's mouths.

If only people obeyed the law

and lived an orderly life,

it would be a lot safer to walk the streets

for your husband or wife.

If only people had principles and kept their word

when they promised to deliver something,

to stay in the house, and wait, all day,

and then you see nothing.

If only people had some manners

and apologised when an error has been made,

but pride must get in the way

so they say nothing instead.

Has it gone out of fashion

to say the words "Thank you"?

it would make such a difference

it would please me, and you.

If only we could cure the sick

but only God can do His magic trick!

E Thomas, Darlington.

Train Sickness

I met him as the train pulled in

My dear old Uncle Mick.

He said he wasn't very well

And had been travel sick.

He frowned and said it was because

He'd sat there all the while

His back towards the engine

Mile after flipping mile.

I said: "You should have asked someone

To swop. Most people would

Agree to change their seats with you

If that did any good."

"I would have done just that, my son,

But it was hard, you see

The only other passenger,

Was sitting next to me."

Bill Cooksey, Newton Aycliffe.

Time

They say time heals,

But no!

Time may heal some hurts

But not all,

Pain can go so deep

That time cannot reach it.

And suddenly it will surface

And the pain will come again.

Daphne Donaldson-Jones, Bowes.