Walking contented again

4 of 7 in the Jemverse series ‘Shoreham again’

These cobbled lanes, a thousand years
Where countless souls have trod
This hallowed ground where now I walk
On sparkling dew-clad sod

This sleepy town, its flinted walls
Where fisherfolk resided
And the comfort that the parish church
Reliably provided

This history, this pleasure
Given by this place
I walk in now with privilege
A smile upon my face

©Jemverse

Photo – Shoreham at low tide by W Standen

Jemverse first posted “Walking Contented” on 18 September 2014

St Mary de Haura again

3 of 7 in Jemverse series ‘Shoreham again’

The river Adur’s changing course
To its tidal estuary
Bereft now of its shipping past
As it meets the changing sea

The oyster beds lie barren now
Their commerce lost to time
But St Mary’s bells in beacon tower
Still regularly chime

And though a thousand years have passed
That church tower still stands tall
A landmark to this town that I
Am proud, my home, to call

©Jemverse

Photo – Shoreham at low tide by W Standen

Jemverse first posted “St Mary de Haura” on 12 September 2014

Glowing again

2 of 7 in the Jemverse series ‘Shoreham again’

Ethereal glow hangs over Shoreham
Through the mist, ‘neath yellow skies
With the promise of September warmth
The sleeping town in silence lies

‘Neath the bridge the river water
Meanders slowly to the sea
Boats lopsided in the shallows
Oyster Catchers in their lee

And as azure blue refills the palette
Of the mantle overhead
Another early Autumn day appears
As from Summer it is led

©Jemverse

Photo – Shoreham at low tide by W Standen

Jemverse first posted “Glowing” on 11 September 2014

Shoreham by the sea again

1 of 7 in the Jemverse series “Shoreham again”

I have a beach of shingle mixed
With golden sea-washed sand
Its grandeur and its mystery
Forged by God’s own hand
I have a river winding through
The valley from the sea
Its tidal water carrying
Swans and seabirds oft to me
I have a range of rolling hills
The green of Sussex fair
And there really isn’t anything
With all this to compare
My home is here with all of this
It’s a special place to be
The river, hills and beach that is
My Shoreham by the Sea

©Jemverse

Photo – Shoreham at low tide by W Standen

Jemverse first posted “Shoreham by the Sea” on 26 April 2014

 

Tottington Wood

To Tottington Wood
in the mud and the rain
resolute and determined
we seven we came
And with best foot forward
we entered the trees
squelching through mud
which came up to our knees

The rain was incessant
and got in everywhere
but we all had fun
and didn’t much care
Because we are the Crouchers
for ever and ever
with fun times and frolics
as family together

©Jemverse

Photo – Emily Rose Croucher

This town of mine

Someone sent a photograph
of how it used to be
Shoreham when I was a lad
Evoked a memory

Walking home from school each day
climbing up the wall
Jumping on the old bomb there
never once to fall

The den up in the manor
on the edge of Buckingham Park
where we’d hide and read our comics
and stay ’til it got dark

The sea defences on the beach
near to the harbour’s arm
Ignored our parents’ warning
though we never came to harm

The ruined house in Kingston Lane
its air-raid shelters gave
us reason for adventures
in the dark just like a cave

So many memories I have
of times now gone before
when Shoreham was a different place
this town on Sussex shore

But something nurtured way back then
has stood the test of time
As I’m still here and call this home
This lovely town of mine

©Jemverse

 

Bramber

Bramber castle in the rain
just as dusk was falling
walking in the muddy moat
as the night came calling

The tower was quite ethereal
with moonlight shadow cast
An image we’ll remember
as a memory to last

©Jemverse

Photo – Bramber castle, West Sussex – Jempics