We coddiwompled in the mud
up at Barcombe Mills
all eight of us together
amidst the Sussex hills
The rain held off but underfoot
the mud was thick and wet
but we all had the best of times
so never cause to fret
The Anchor Inn was closed
but we really didn't mind
as this was just the perfect walk
coddiwompling here to find
Photo – “The Beans at Barcombe – December 2022” – Jempics
[In the ‘Colloquy’ series, I’m exploring some the of English language’s more obscure words. Some little used, some no longer used but all recondite. ‘Coddiwomple’ is slang for travelling in a purposeful way towards a vague destination]
Around a table with Cluedo and Red Leicester cheese
with good conversation, precious days these
Laughter and merriment the six of us here
these are the days for which we all cheer
As it's all about family and closeness together
for the bad times and good, the known and whatever
For we all are as one, best of friends and of kin
arms linked with a smile through the thick and the thin
Sitting in a London pub
waiting with a jar
seemed the right thing there to do
the meeting place not far
Carnaby Street and Kingly Court
around the corner there
where in a bit I'll wander
a lovely meal to share
Two offspring London working
and me here for the week
so meeting up one evening
a no-brainer so to speak
But I got here quite early
so I'm killing time a while
with a London tipple
and a poem for a smile
Sitting on a windy beach, the sky's a leaden grey
down here at the beach hut for a family day today
It's a pity that the sunshine didn't wear its hat again
But then this windy weather suggests coming of some rain
And that won't dampen spirits, we'll still have a lovely time
Cos it's all about the company in wind or rain or shine
Born to the sun and born to a beach
which I'm going to now 'cos it's in easy reach
and today is my birthday and I'm sixty-three
so a day in the sun makes good sense to me
I'll be there with the Beans so it will be the best
for good conversation, some laughs and the rest
and this evening much later to Brighton we'll go
for a meal and some beers to conclude the show
At the Buckingham Arms with my Bro for a beer
Our local, our pub - we both love it here
Conversation will flow and we'll have a good time
with a chat and a game over beer or a wine
It's our mindfulness tonic for mental health's sake
so we'll waste not a moment this pleasure to take
We made the best sandcastle
that a beach has ever seen
it took us several hours to make
a mark where we had been
Little children paused to stare
and admire it with a smile
for it was truly massive
and took all of us a while
It had a moat and curtain walls
bridges, steps and towers
and when we'd finished it we knew
that it was wholly ours
We'd made the best sandcastle
Camber sands has ever seen
and whilst it stands you'll surely know
that Crouchers there have been
For a birthday treat our children
took us to Camber Sands
a weekend at Badger Cottage
neath the sand dunes tall and grand
They'd all kept it a secret
but it's known and open now
as the six of us are here
with our dog cos he's allowed
Wagamama's with my girls
midweek, a Tuesday night
feeling rather famished
so to do this was quite right
no particular reason there
but life to celebrate
so really you don't need one
when you've that to satiate
Having said that we all raised a glass
to several things we'd done
all good cause to celebrate
and the reason we'd all come
Above the eighteenth century village
through yellow gorse and sand
on the edge of Ashdown Forest
neath shady beech trees grand
we climbed to top of Ashbourne Hill
walked past the airman's grave
silent in memorial
this bright day April gave
then back down through Campfields rough
crossing Small Brown's brook
to conclude this four-mile circle
at the starting path we took
...all about me and my life in words. I write most days, carrying an ideas book around in which I capture a word snapshot of life around me. So there's a lot here about Sussex and the sea and anything else I see that inspires.
The pictures are mine too. Some taken to match a poem; some poems written to match a pic; others chosen because they work well with words written.
Jemverse is life in words. Hope you enjoy the reading as much as I enjoy the writing...
Jemverse 