What's new in May: Poems for our times

Written by April Carlin.

I hope that this finds you all well and coping with the restrictions on your lives.
This note is to give you an update on where we are with the plans to restore our lovely church to its former glory.

We have an active Buildings and Grants sub-committee who are busy going over plans for the work to be done. Unfortunately the result of this is that the amount of money to be raised has increased to somewhere in the region of £750K, so we need to crack on as soon as we possibly can. The buildings team are in discussion with the architect so that as soon as possible the immediate work to make the church safe can be done. Then once this current crisis is all over we will be able to have a service in the church to give thanks for coming through.

The Publicity committee is also very active, setting up information on the Forncett info website and creating Facebook and Wikipedia pages. When these are in full swing I will give you the log in details so that you can view the info yourselves.

The Events sub-committee have also met to discuss any way that we can further the social side of things during the current crisis. We are very keen to still have our bric-a-brac sale and hope that we may be able to hold this in late summer or early autumn. Its impossible to make positive plans but we are very keen to get the ball rolling as soon as we can. If any of you have ideas for events to be held, either during or after the crisis, please let me know. We are very aware that many people are experiencing financial restrictions and so asking friends to pay for virtual events would be wrong. There are so many charities in severe need of funds and ours is just one of many. However, I have been surprised to receive some donations for the fund even at this time.

If there is anyone who would like to donate please make cheques payable toUpper Tas Valley All Saints PCC Project and send to me at 26 The Poplars, Forncett St Peter, NR16 1HP.

Last time I asked for poems about the current crisis. I received three and here they are:

In the Time of Covid (with apologies to Gabriel Marquez Garcia)            

 Claire Jordan                 

In the time of Covid
Spring slipped in behind
Death's dark juggernaut.
And while contagion blind
Its victims sought,
White laced blackthorn and blossom
Brushed with pink, and primrose banks
Bloomed to songs of tiny birds.
And when screens remorseless ranked
Numbers, pain and grief,
The buds of tenderest green broke from their sheath.

Claire Jordan Photo Mike Jordan
Photo: M Jordan

 

Going with the Geese  

Margaret Wilde

My eyes were on the shirts and socks and pants,
My mind was thinking "Oh, I'll have to put a stitch in that,
The knees on those were looking bare
I don't know where I'll get another pair!"
And then I heard from overhead,
A sound that made my heart turn over
And such a longing for - I don't know what - take over
The geese were flying where the planes once were,
Making their arrows in the air.

They were so fine, so purposeful and so intent,
And I was just a speck below them, by a washing line,
With all my powers of human intellect and thought,
Standing in a garden, hanging out a shirt - a dot.
I would have gone to them,
And soared around the world with neck outstretched,
Beyond the edges of my discontent.
We'd share the morning's end and evening coming,
And circle all the earth with heartbeats drumming,
And breathe the high, cool air of empty places,
And feel the wind of freedom in our faces.

I wanted wings, and think they nearly came,
But then I heard a human voice,
"Are you OK?"
And all my geese have flown away.

 Margaret Wilde Photo John Wilde

Photo: J Wilde

 

Untitled       

Nigel Youngman

These covid limitations   
Do push me to the edge
If I see another cyclist
He's going in the hedge.

Glastonbury's been cancelled
But no tears for that I shed 
The bands who are my favourites
Well, most of them are dead.

Wimbledon is off this year
However much we begs
       We're left with thoughts of Bjorn Borg
and Chrissie Evert's legs.

I'm practising my mindfulness
Whilst in the co-op queue
Now I know why Noah's Ark
Restricted it to two.

Is your trip essential sir?
Your journeys should be fewer.
               I can see why you need bread and cheese
But not the horse manure

The etiquette for meets on Zoom
Is "wear smart shirts or blouses"
And if you get the angle right
There's no need to wear trousers.

You can learn new skills from telly
Such as Grayson making things
Or you can watch Nigella
Grease her ramekins

Ladies of the nation
Are getting hot beneath their cardie
Listening to the dulcet tones
Of an actor called Tom Hardy

Greta Thurnberg's stuck at home
Which is a bit ironic
Not allowed to go by boat
Or flying supersonic

"Cows-they kill the planet"
Climate changers did declaim
But the skies are so much cleaner now
Cows mooing just the same

The crisis has some benefits
Our values seem less wanton
It's a relief to not get lectures
From the likes of Emma Thompson

My garden is much tidier
I've been busy in the border
And all the items in my fridge
In alphabetic order

I'm learning to learn algebra
Equations and the fraction
I've listed all the weather girls

I'll finish on a happy note
Please don't think me hateful
My loved ones are all safe and sound
The NHS? I'm grateful.

 

Nigel Youngman Photo Di Youngman
Photo: D Youngman

 Well there you have it, the Bards of Forncett live on!

(You might like to check out our connection with Dorothy and William Wordsworth - https://www.forncetthistory.net/dorothy-wordsworth/ - A Rae)

Keep well
April Carlin
18 May 2020