Complete

6 of 6 in the Jemverse ‘Shoreham’ series

There’s a view which here in Shoreham
is complete in every way
as it epitomises
all about the place, I’d say
It looks across the river
to the church up in the town
Enough to always take away
a trace of any frown
It’s a view which brings me pleasure
coupled with a sense of pride
of Shoreham here in Sussex
the place where I reside

©Jemverse

‘Complete’ aptly completes the Jemverse ‘Shoreham’ series. In September that year, the old 1920’s footbridge was closed, demolished and eventually replaced by the new Adur Ferry bridge. The footings for the new bridge differ, changing the view of the town. Still good but not quite as iconic.

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Church

5 of 6 in the Jemverse ‘Shoreham’ series

Nine hundred years I’ve been here
in Shoreham’s ancient port
A Catholic church turned Anglican
the parish to support
My cruciform original has
crumbled over time
But what is left still standing
is still within its prime

©Jemverse

Continuing the Jemverse ‘Shoreham’ series, Church is about St Mary de Haura (St Mary of the Harbour) – the parish church of New Shoreham –  founded in 1096 by William de Braose, 1st Lord of Bramber. 

Shingle

4 of 6 in the Jemverse ‘Shoreham’ series

The shingle covered beaches
mightn’t be your cup of tea
But they’re all a part of Sussex
so that’s good enough for me
You might prefer the feel of sand
Well Shoreham has that too
For at low tide there’s great expanse
extending from the land

And the shingle has its treasures
revealed from time to time
A lovely bit of driftwood
or a seashell rare and fine
But best of all for me at least
are the pebbles which I find
Especially the ones with holes
to which I am inclined

So whenever I am down there
(a lot I’ll have you know)
I’ll search for one which has a hole
and homeward it will go
Shingle treasures cherished
and kept in easy reach
Tactile and quite beautiful
and found on Shoreham beach

©Jemverse

 

Quirky

3 of 6 in the Jemverse ‘Shoreham’ series

And I am a community
fascination here to pique
All along the river bank
quirky and unique
Houseboats here in residence
tradition to bizarre
Conformity is alien
I’m not particular
But I’m as much a part of Shoreham
as the townsfolk either side
Here on Adur’s mudflats
where my people all reside

©Jemverse

Continuing the Jemverse ‘Shoreham’ series, Quirky is all about the houseboat community on Riverbank. Moored along the mudflat banks of the River Adur estuary at Shoreham, the boats vary from the traditional to the not-so-traditional. 

Convenient

2 of 6 in the Jemverse ‘Shoreham’ series

There’s a house whose walls were green
but now they’re painted grey
Where for quarter of a century
we have been every day
It’s positioned in a little street
just up from Shoreham station
Fifteen minutes from the beach
if you’ve the inclination

It’s convenient for shops in town
and pubs for food and beer
So we know we are quite fortunate
to be living quite so near
And yes, you might have guessed it
from the many lines I’ve written
that Shoreham has a special place
with which we are quite smitten

©Jemverse

‘Convenient’ is 2 of 6 in the Jemverse ‘Shoreham’ series celebrating the little town on the south coast of the UK where we live. 

Everything

1 of 6 in the Jemverse ‘Shoreham’ series

It has the downs, it has the sea
with a river running through
It has a thousand years of history
for the memories it grew
It has my heart, it has my love
with home right at the centre
It has excitement every day
for a spirit of adventure
It has unique, it has sublime
with everything for me
It has a name, synonymous
with Shoreham by the Sea

©Jemverse

Today sees the start of another Jemverse mini-series, this one being six poems about aspects of my home town of Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, UK. 

Just as well

It felt just like the weekend
and for me that’s what it was
as these days I need a bit more time
to recuperate because
the travelling I’m doing now
takes it right out of me
and much as I enjoy it
long rests are what I need
But in Brighton in the sunshine
you really couldn’t tell
that this was just a Friday
which I guess was just as well

©Jemverse

 

Golden

It had the power with beauty
to make you stop and stare
and simply marvel at it
or take a picture there
Golden, proud and splendid
not a one passed by
Everybody slowing and
breathing a deep sigh
For here was autumn’s glory
available and free
presented here with wonder
in this lovely London tree

©Jemverse

 

Big Ben’s bell is silent

Big Ben’s bell is silent
no chimes upon the hour
And all wrapped up in scaffolding
right around the tower

It needs a lot of TLC
to bring it back to scratch
but is missed by all commuters
who have a train to catch

For Big Ben’s peel, familiar
gave them the time of day
and helped them keep to schedule
as they went upon their way

But now they’ll need to wait four years
’til Big Ben chimes again
Except for extra special times
which happen now and then

©Jemverse

Big Ben is actually the nickname for the Great Bell of the clock in the tower at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London. The tower is now officially the Elizabeth Tower, renamed to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 2012; previously it was known simply as the Clock Tower. In August 2017 a four-year period of renovation of the tower and the clock began, and the bells were silenced. They’ll still peel on special occasions like New Year though. 

 

Autumn’s Glory

It’s lovely in St James’ Park
around this time of year
As all the trees are turning
now the autumn time is here
It’s golden everywhere I look
with leaves upon the ground
Autumn’s glory captured
in the treasure here I’ve found

©Jemverse