The Haunting Gait

of Mr Winter

Footprints crunching on virgin snow,

Stalwartly in North Road Station,

Thomas Munroe Winter repeats

His steps of mundane occasion.

A strange gaunt presence chills the air,

A conjured-up apparition,

Here because of suicide

And not of bizarre volition.

A black retriever by his side,

Trying to materialise

And mark time in an atmosphere

That once engaged their solid ties.

A shot snuffed out his manic head,

This tired-of-living ticket clerk,

They dumped him in a coal cellar,

Hid him away in hacky dark.

They took out his corpse at twilight,

And scrubbed from sight the last red stains.

Then left behind this tragedy,

A ghost whose restless soul remains.

David Coates, Shildon.

Money

Money is more than one item,

We cannot do without it,

We grumble plenty about it,

And it makes people just scowl.

Many things can be bought with money

But there are things it cannot buy

Happiness, health or love,

But many things cannot be done without.

It's the smallest pleasures in life,

That makes it still unable to buy,

For with such a lot in our lives,

Money can make one cry.

It's the smallest price to pay

For little pleasures out of life,

And the greatest reward is

To be able to pay.

So money can be a problem,

If one does not take care of it.

For indeed money is more a problem

When one has none at all.

For we may as well just spend it

While we are alive to enjoy it,

As one cannot take money with them

When they die.

So the moral is,

It does not always pay to

Save for pensions or rainy days.

Michael Clarence, Peterlee.

The Spider

Spider, spider on the wall,

I wish you would die and fall,

I wish that you would disappear,

Never, never come back here.

But I know, and this is true,

That I, myself must deal with you.

So I got a mop and hit it hard

Had I caught it off its guard?

It plummeted, lay on the rug,

A little helpless dying bug.

Then suddenly it ran away,

Lived to return another day.

But it must be crippled, feeling weak,

So I let it go and didn't seek

To find it again that night,

But when I woke I had a fright.

For as I lay upon my bed,

There it was above my head.

I steeled myself for the attack,

Got my slipper, gave it a whack.

It dropped like a duck from the sky,

No more my enemy way up high.

I felt quite bad for after all,

It was nothing but a small black ball.

So, fears, which loom as mountains tall,

Can, in reality be quite small.

And God will give sufficient grace,

Every enemy to face.

Elizabeth Tomlinson, Richmond.

Happy Father's Day

Help is here, whenever I need

A request for knowledge you feed

Played the role exceedingly well

Pieced together, there's so much to tell

You cross the road to put things right.

Faithful, my trust is watertight,

Able to see all points of view.

Treat me like I am part of you

Heal the wounds when I'm in despair

Exercise tolerance, always fair.

Rest assured I'll never forget

Skills taught, goes through the alphabet.

Definitely the best, an asset,

Arms' length you ain't, we're very close,

You're the best by miles, not by a nose.

John Neal, Chester-le-Street.

Mona, A Lady of Social Distinction

She is sweet, and she is kind,

And she is only 84.

She is a lovely lady that lots of people will know.

Mona lives at Bearpark.

Of this she is very proud,

And she's very well respected

To all of us around.

We all love her without a fault,

If you come to the club bingo

You may hear her shout.

We sit there with our aches and pains

The weather outside may be pouring with rain,

Then in she comes with a smile on her face,

Walking stick in hand, 'till she finds her place.

Soon she is seated with her friends at her side,

Ready to play her game with pride.

Her family, I know, are very proud

Because her life has been filled

With her duties all around.

And even now she doesn't stop

She still runs her trips and all her friends flock.

So come folk, let's make a toast,

To Mona Smith for she is the most

And like the words of that hymn

That we all love

(How great thou art)

Goes well with this toast.

Ellen Walt, Bearpark.

Dear Dodgy Trader, Darlington,

It is an awful shame

How your antics do besmirch

This Quaker town's good name.

Your double glazing does not last,

The plastic bends and so

The condensation leaks inside

The place it should not go.

But still you trade with conscience dead,

With silly fools like me,

Rubbing hands like Uriah Heap

With undiluted glee.

But do beware, one day the trade

Will seek to clear their name,

And add you to the list of rogues,

Of traders with no shame.

Les Parsons, Darlington.

Sorry

I'm sorry for the things I say,

And for all the things I do,

For all the times that I upset,

But never meant to do.

I'm sorry for the way I act

Or the things I do to others,

For sometimes the words I use

Are not fit for girls or mothers.

Sorry for the jokes I make

Although they're all about me,

Sorry about the way I dress,

But I'm afraid what will be will be.

Sometimes I wish I was someone else,

If I could I would change today,

Then I could start to enjoy myself,

And never would I have to say - Sorry.

Terry Stockill-Owston, Rillington Malton.

Nana's Poem

Find yourself a place to rest your sleepy head,

May the fluffy clouds be a soft, comfy bed,

We know you're always there,

We know you always care.

And we will never forget you wherever we are,

At night you will watch us while sitting on a star,

For today our hearts are filled with sadness,

Let the day we meet again be gladness,

And let us remember you as the fit nana we all once knew.

Lucy McFadden, South Church, Bishop Auckland.

Expressions

Love is: like a warm blanket

It envelopes you; and keeps you warm,

You feel safe and protected.

Love is: giving, making sacrifices willingly,

Love is compassionate and forgiving.

Happiness is: to be thankful for your blessings.

To look at the good things in life,

At the good people in this world.

To be contented with your lot,

Not to yearn for what you haven't got.

Hate is: like an acid.

It corrodes your mind, it makes you hard,

Selfish and uncompassionate.

Hate is poison, it destroys your soul.

Greed is: always taking, never giving.

Taking people away from others,

Taking materials things, never your time.

To do an act of kindness, they never have time.

Faith is: to believe in the power of God.

To talk to him in time of need and stress,

To thank him when you are blessed.

Emma Thomas, Darlington.

Prayer

Liken prayer to a pure white lily

Scenting the evening air.

Adding an essence of sweetness

For all to share.

Incense from Heaven's garden

Sprinkled on the world.

Thus is the love of Our Father

To those who hear his word.

Sweet is the air of deliverance

From sin cast away.

Blossoms the heart as the lily

At closing day.

Caressed by heavenly glory

The perfumed petals glint.

As gentle raindrops spangle

A moth's wings print.

Liken love to the moon a-lounging

On silken silver bed.

An iridescent splendour

When day has fled.

Night is Nature's prayer time

When hurdy-gurdied day,

Hushes in busy hedgerows

The songbirds gay.

High, high in ethereal heavens

Where all prayer is heard.

The worship of the faithful

Wings like a mythical bird.

Oh virginal breath of the lily

Drift soft as an evening sigh.

Light as the touch of an unseen love

That answers a penitent's cry.

Fran Vincent, Skeeby