Bringing Smiles

[#16 in the ‘Past to Present’ series from Jemverse]

One hundred sixteen years ago
'Old B' he wrote some lines
and sent them to Molteno
in those now long distant times
I can't quite read his writing
but I know so well the scene
on the postcard that he used
as it is a place I've been

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Ticking the box

Walked a circle round the airport
the rain was in the air
and it was fairly windy
but we loved being there
The three of us and Wolfgang
ten thousand steps then home for tea
is always going to tick the box
in Shoreham by the sea

Mapping the past

No. 15 in the ‘Past to Present’ series from Jemverse

Found an old map in Emmaus
worn and dusty and old
thought to myself 'I'm having that'
went out of the shop with it sold

Familiar but different
there are things long gone away
a past the history books have claimed
from our quaint yesterday

Four spans across the Adur

Part of the ‘Past to Present’ series from Jemverse

Four spans across the Adur
at its mouth at Shoreham town
on the road on into Lancing
at the foot of Sussex Down

Four spans of steel construction
admired for sixty years
'til Norfolk Bridge mark II's demise
'midst many local tears

The kissing gate

Part of the ‘past to present’ series from Jemverse

Parallel to Oxen Avenue
the ancient trackway lay
from Mill Lane to Upper Shoreham
as a pedestrian way
Elm trees at its southern end
stood by the kissing gate
which though the trackway is still there
has long since met its fate

Of horses and lions

Part of the ‘past to present’ series from Jemverse

When the Norfolk Bridge first opened
the High Constable had the key
for the old toll bridge in deference
in eighteen thirty-three
The Duke of Norfolk he was present
for a procession up the street
'neath both surmounting arches
and the horse and lion's seat
Designed by W Tierney Clarke
it was the first of three
to bear the name of 'Norfolk Bridge'
in Shoreham by the sea.

Homeward bound II

When away in a city that's far from my home
a comforting thought there to hold
is that homeward I'll head and I'm never removed
too far from the warmth of that fold
For no matter how much pleasure derived
or enjoyment from being away
it's always the best to be homeward bound
I would say at the end of the day

Old Buckingham walls

Part of the ‘past to present’ series from Jemverse

As a boy I used to play there
inside the burnt out walls
for hide n seek and other games
within its hallowed halls
once we ventured to the basement
down dark and dusty stair
oblivious to danger
with innocence to dare
But now all these years later
it is a block of flats
though with outer walls remaining
preserved and still intact

Bungalow Town

Part of the ‘Past to Present’ series from Jemverse

Just east of the church on the foreshore
bungalows once on the beach
presented a vista of Shoreham
history has put out of reach
Popularised by early movies
actors built many homes there
salvaging old railway carriages
the carriage works then had to spare
Mary Loftus, a music hall favourite
Florrie Ford, Ernie Mayne, Marie Lloyd
all of the lovelies who flocked to the beach
making it hard to avoid

Malduppinne

Part of the ‘Past to Present’ series from Jemverse

'Malduppinne' as it was first called
in thirteen forty-seven
by grant from John le Pottere
to his wife in his succession
Its purpose now long lost to time
a museum now it hosts
in the oldest secular building that
the town of Shoreham boasts
From 'Malduppinne' to 'Marlipins'
this build of Caen stone
with flint-knapped chequered walls remains
the oldest one still known

The Lanes

Part of the ‘Past to Present’ series from Jemverse

Up at the top of Buckingham Road
the elms, mature, still stand
a reminder of the distant past
when the manor house stood grand
part of a bygone Shoreham
a remnant of 'The Lanes'
with triangle of trees and shrubs
is all that now remains

Two bridges

When in flight over Shoreham
a hundred years ago
two bridges you would see
'cross the river down below
The Norfolk and the railway
but no footbridge crossing yet
for the town and all its people
had that pleasure still to get

Tarmount Shepherds

Now where people park their cars
on tarmac for some shopping
once stood an open field where
you'd oft see sheep a-hopping
A shepherd's hut stood to the south
close to its southern border
fenced in with wooden latticework
to keep the sheep in order
On Tarmount Lane in Shoreham town
the shepherd's field you'd see
for many years with grazing
for the sheep that wandered free

Ferry cross the Adur

On the corner of East Street the Ferry Rigg
keeps history alive with its name
though the vista to South with a century past
will never now quite be the same
For once cross the Adur the ferryman pulled
his oars for the people to cross
from the beach to the town for business and such
with a gain to the past and our loss

Shoreham my home

Through a gap in the bushes
I spied Shoreham town
nestled there under the Downs
twixt me and the sea
safe there in the lea
the bearer of treasure and crowns

Greenship

There's a green ship in the harbour
up the river quite a bit
much further on than usual
so I took a pic of it
Rarely dredged of course these days
the building silt means most
will rarely venture up this far
at Shoreham on the coast
A far cry from my yesterdays
when every berth was full
so good to see the odd one still
with time's incessant pull

The silence of ancient walls

Beside old Railway Gardens the old flint wall has stood
built two hundred years ago but still it's looking good
And if its stones could talk and tell the history of the years
of Shoreham since the railway came of all those toils and tears
What a merry tale that would be for us who live
in this town beside the sea and what we wouldn't give
For history books are great to have but the interesting essence
can only come from something that has stood from past to present
So sadly we will never know for these old walls are still
and silent from the years they've seen as they forever will

Probably should

Probably should go walking
but my legs feel hollow still
almost as if they're not quite there
a vestige from the 'ill'
To be honest it is grey out there
but Shoreham beckons me
so I'll follow best foot forward
and see what I will see
Besides I can still rest when I
return home later on
'cos fresh air is what I need to prove
the 'illing' here is done

©Jemverse

A grin at nightfall

Caught a last glimpse on the river at dusk
of the sun as it ended the day
the evening came fast
now the daytime was past
and I couldn't expect it to stay

So I watched as the river down there in the gloom
slowly turned on the tide
as the night time set in
meeting there with my grin
which like it was silent and wide

For the eleven

Memorial for eleven who passed that fateful day
looking to the airport where, across the Adur way
the plane that fell out of the sky seven years now past
took off but never landed save by that fiery blast
Yet now on this east river bank eleven arches stand
and catch the rays of setting suns for those eleven and
serve as fitting testament in Shoreham here so we
do not forget their passing as this sculpture here we see

Mist walking

Found myself walking along the Broadwalk
heading into the mist
the sunshine was there above me somewhere
as the sky and the shingle there kissed
Ethereal silence descended as I
strode eastward along on my walk
giving passers by room as they grew from the gloom
with whispers there as they talked
and it was cathartic and pleasant for me
with barely a ripple of breeze
winter cold still but healing the ill
as I wandered close there to the sea

Sunset in symmetry

Sunset in full symmetry
over Shoreham yesterday
as we drive back down from Lewes
heading homeward on our way
Golden beams across the sea
from sunshine in the cloud
made for a special moment
and announcement there aloud

Stations

With its long reach
this station clad
with many journeys
I have had
Over the years
to different places
some with airs
and some with graces
Quiet, it exudes
a charm
which here has never
done me harm

Pretty Sails

Nestling in the harbour
at the yacht club yesterday
a jolly pretty sailboat
I espied whilst on my way

So I made a little detour
across the Adur Ferry Bridge
so that I could take a photo
as a special privilege

Living in Shoreham

On the last day of August
I crossed the bridge from the town
as this view of Shoreham
brings a smile not a frown
and whenever I see it
a pinch I must give
to myself to remind me
that here's where I live

St Mary’s at night

St Mary's at night time
against black of the sky
looked really impressive
as we wandered by

So I whipped out my iPhone
and with time delay on
took a snapshot to capture
the view this was from

And it came out just fine
as I think you'll agree
from the picture I've added
to this brief poetry

The plan (part VI)

No. 6 in the continuing Jemverse ‘allotment’ series

For the first time I sat back
and knew that 'we'd done good'
at our allotment established
as we'd hoped that it would

And now we can harvest
the produce and fayre
of the things we have laboured
for and groom right there

And keep up the momentum
to see it prosper and grow
and keep on producing
with grandeur to show

Ubi Sunt

As a boy these docks, this harbour
was a playground for adventure
fascination for a mystery
with no interest in debenture
Freedom then to roam and play
in summers with no ending
gave birth to a long love affair
with Sussex there befriending

But that was a long time ago
and though docklands here remain
the yearning for adventure
I have long learned to refrain
Transitory was that time
yet still there's vestige here
with sun-bleached memories of my youth
rekindled by the year