htebenl N °STALGIA For deen 96 '°° ks deserted t genes of y^ery^arT"^ but "»® ! au ^g faces •^pSSE** Zf&xr° lde ' TO dr " tM «-" chewed -™- 8i »» ^r t But one th/ng / h /° Uth a *ay — < ^ R ^ S S S ^ •—^ 7 ~ OLr VE TH MANY THANKS TO^ ^ COMMUNITY ^as^® &LEGE st - SPECIAL THANKS FOR YOXALLS ESTAT E AGENTS ESSST®™™" SSSg'S"" ^OKBR.DGE GARAGE ^"'FFUDC^D ^ S S S & S S C E N T R E T H HE E °EAN|S R HOUSE A N O O F F DOOR AND WINDOW UCENCE TALCRAFTS S S S R WATCH AND CLOCK ^ ^ S «^SERV,CES g^SSr" srsusmo""" m m * * * * * * MY Friend " " And times that were sad, Of worthy companions, my share I have had. Some are now gone, and my eyes fill with tears A Umfi r ^ 9 °° d timGS ' in the flown away years, Whei th^ Y ? Ung ' and had not a c *re, the sun always shone, and life was so fair. I BU do£°t think'rf l0 v! Gr ' i $' a Sti11 just as ^ood, T h*!L 1 d chan 9 e it, if ever I could, Jv!!!:?? regrets, they're just wasting time My ambition s contentment, with you'love sublime, y° u ' Tr ® the ^st friend I have, And i don't ask for more, iS a " unclosi ng <*oor, tf vr* think, we ever may part, f you ever left me, it would break my heart. Still I know you are true, Though the years they may flee, if^thfnk 1 ™ love you ' just like y° u love mG ' You're an o? Pa ^' With tears e y es f °9> of my world, my wee woolly dog. O.D. SEDMAN COUNTDOWN We are going on a trip to the stars, Shall we visit Jupiter or Mars? Are you ready, are you steady one, two, three. Fasten your seat belts and come along with me. One Our journey has begun, Two The planet earth has taken on a golden hue. Three Shall we go to another galaxy, Four (Bang) Beware of the meteor, Five Were on our way, glad to be alive. Six We're just passing the constellation Pheonix, Seven Our spaceship speeds across the heavens, Eight We're behind schedule, running late, Nine Picked up time, doing fine, Ten Our destination reached, we dock again, Eleven Hello GodS Is this Heaven? PAT BERRY MADNESS OF MAN From the beginning of time since the birth of man We've had conflicts and clashes, then wars began. Man killed the animal in order to survive He had to eat meat to stay alive. This we call hunting it was part of life. Sometimes his prey changed to another mans wife. Troubles started amongst the clans This led to takeovers of his brothers lands. Man made axes and clubs for his strife These our first weapons were used to take life. The clans they grew larger as man multiplied He built towns and villages which he fortified. Armies were formed with a king in charge Then man he marched and pillaged at large. He then crossed the seas to foreign lands In search of gains with his barbarous bands. He took his fellows treasures and his life He killed his children and also his wife. Some were captured and in markets sold In exchange for money, and sometimes gold. Empires were formed from his new finds He invented new weapons with the change of times. Rifles and guns came onto the scene More lethal armour there had never been. These were used, held in the hands of man To plunder and kill, also maim if he can. We then had cannons drawn by the horse These were the first of our mobile force. They could hit a target from afar Then came the tank and the armoured car. Now mans arms to automatics change Rockets were created for long distance range. Replaced by the missiles on the launching pad These are the deadliest man's ever had. The cost of these rockets are very high By the push of a button they soar to the sky. they only take minutes to travel to earth They could mean the cessation of man's future birth. A small exocet missile sank a large ship It killed young men, some on their first trip. It sent those lads to a watery grave And our proud leaders said, "Those chaps were brave". There are satellites in orbit in the sky These are mans answer to the nuclear spy. They watch the earth and monitor man And judge our movements as they turn and scan. Men should be brothers and be more akin instead of inventing all this human sin. 4 The Greenham Women have been jeered and scorned Hail, rain and snow long lines they have formed. They can face reality, but they fear devastation They worry about famine and starvation. These g i r l s are proud they have a good cause They want the arms race to have a long pause. When will the race end and who will gain? If the bombs drop, l i f e won't be the same. We hear of droughts in other lands I t ' s time we woke up and made a stand. There i s misery, disease, and dire poverty So why don't we share more equally. There are people hungry, some have no home others are being bombed and l e f t to roam. People pray for peace and an end to war, I t ' s the madness of man we should all deplore. The earth i s full of magnificent things Man should be grateful and see what l i f e brings. He i s born with a brain and a creative mind With a l l his education he s t i l l acts so blind. He should have more feelings for his fellow men If we destroy one another, will life start again? As the world advances into the Nuclear Age He becomes less trustworthy at every stage. There has been lots of talks, about the arms ban But man he's suspicious, and man won't trust man. CAN VOU HEAR THE CHILDREN ? Can you hear the children crying in this country of the free? Death calls to the old like a lover but the child cries bitterly, And they cry so loud in silence, a silence that has no rhyme. Condemning all their elders that they die before their time. The blast will be so loud they say, and our ears are only small. And what gives you the right, they ask, to stop us growing tall The winds will be so strong we know, and our bones are very weak And if we live all burned and broke what future will we seek. Can you hear the children crying in this country of the free? And the chances of them growing old how slight the odds must be, A child with no future hopes is a child so very low, How do we tell them that tomorrow was sold so long ago? So very few steps we have taken and still you would steal our years, And don't talk to us of limited wars 'cos that won't stop our tears, The sun is so very warm, you see, and we think death must be so cold And we are so very young and surely graves are for the old. Can you hear the children crying in this country of the free? Where now Angels fear to tread because we pretended not to see, That the essence of the future was scrawled on the toilet wall Now can you hear the children dying as the bombs start to fall? TERRI BRENNAN REMEMBER ? Remember the days,? Now think back hard To the time when the loo was down the yard When you ran a mile to earn a penny And space invaders, we hadn't any, The picnics we had with water and butties Out in the street for a game of footy The bobby would come and chase us away But still we'd be back the following day The walking days, the annual treats The corner shop where we bought our sweets The chewy machine stuck on the wall Remember the bobbies? twelve feet tall Remember the houses all back to back? Remember the cars all painted black? Waiting for tadpoles to turn into frogs What were they doing, those two dogs? Going to school in a gaberdine mac Walking it there, running it back The dinners where yukky the milk was free And all the teachers seemed seventy three Wishing your mum would stop making a fuss "A penny one please" for a ride on the bus Sunday tea when your mum made the cakes Remember that bike that had no brakes? Saturday mornings down at the flicks When toomany sweets made you feel sick Remember shillings and threepenny bits? Remember the school nurse looking for nits? Brown football boots, the ball had a lace The shorts that stretched from knee cap to face Was all this real or was it a dream? Were there really trains that ran on steam? Believe it or not the answer is yes Was it better or worse? it's anyones guess. Derek Jones 7 R O A D SAFETY Mrs Greenwood was giving half her attention to her companion at the bus stop and half to her watch. The Post Office would be closing soon. "What time is it?" asked the boy. She told him. "Nine due." the boy said rather than asked. The rain beating on the roof of the shelter and the noise of the motor cycle engine running nearby didn't help. "I beg your pardon?" she offered at last. "Nine. Has it gone?" he repeated. "Oh!" she said, eyeing his earring and spikey hair. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I don't know about the number nine." "Expect there's one due, there's always plenty this time of day." he murmured half to himself. "Gotta light?" he asked suddenly. Mrs Greenwood noticed the tattoo on the back of his hand as he held the cigarette. "I think so." she replied, undoing her raincoat and feeling in an inside pocket. She found her lighter and offered it to him. He took it and as he used it he looked at the bike. "Always have a Toyota," he remarked. "Had a licence once. This old trout jumped out in front of me. Tore me leathers, too, scraped the road." Mrs Greenwood looked at the dent on the nearside fairing and thought of the time when she.... "She wasn't badly hurt, either," he interrupted her train of thought, "but the fogey on the bench said it was all my fault. He would." He looked at her and put the lighter in his pocket. She gripped her carrier bag nervously. She was growing more and more apprehensive. Trying to seek casual conservation, she observed that he was standing under a leak in the guttering. "Me mate did that." He examined the damaged roof. "I'm not bothered about the water, it'll make the flowers grow. He was referring to a lurid painting on the back of his leather jacket. "Going for me dole." he told her. Mrs Greenwood suddenly noticed that he was playing with a large pile of lOp pieces. She remembered reading somewhere that these made a good weapon when wrapped in a handkerchief, or even knuckledusters when held between the fingers. She looked again at the motor-cycle and reflected that with the engine running it afforded an easy getaway. She tightened her grip on her bag. "Oh, I'm doing the same." she said. "Well, at least I 'm going for my pension." Her thoughts strayed again to the running engine. "Ah! Then you'll be worth robbing." He smiled. At least it could have been a smile. "What is it you get nowadays? Hundred and fifty?" Now she really was worried. 8 She had thought that if she said she was going for her pension he would presume she had no money on her and leave her alone. She was also worried about her lighter and wondered if she dare to ask for it back. "No, nothing like that." she stammered. "Besides" - a flash of inspiration - "I'm going to buy my television licence today so there won't be much left." "Us, we can't afford one." he said, adding "licence, not telly. He was still fingering the coins. "See that?" he held his fist to her face. Feeling her time had come she stepped back as far as the confines of the bus shelter would allow. He was showing her the tattoo. "Me mate did that, too." •Mother', it said. "Oh yes, very nice." Well, what did one say about"amateur tattoos? He was looking at the bike. She thought once more about the running engine and the quick getaway. Even if she really had no money, sometimes they did it for kicks, didn't they? Just then the bus came. He put his hand it? his pocket and discovered the lighter. He looked at it, puzzled, then smiled at her. "Oh, sorry, ma" he said, handing it to her. "Thanks for a great chat." And no long holding a potential weapon, he got on the bus and held out his fare to the driver. Mrs Greenwood realised the rain had just about stopped, took her helmet out of her carrier bag, put it on and roared off to the Post Office. There she collected six weeks pension and put it with the rest in the old envelope she had been fingering in her raincoat pocket while she had been talking to the boy. "That's nearly £2000 now." she reflected happily as she 9 Y o u c a m e i n l a s t n i g h t , i n a t e r r i b l e s t a t e , C o m e o n g e t u p , g e t o u t o f t h a t b e d . A n d I h o p e w h e n y o u d o , y o u ' v e g o t a b a d h e a d , • C o s y o u ' v e b r o k e m y h e a r t , y o u e l e p h a n t f a r t , I d o n ' t k n o w w h a t I e v e r s a w i n y o u , I m u s t h a v e b e e n b l i n d - G o d t h a t ' s t r u e . Y o u r b r e a k f a s t ' s r e a d y , i t ' s o n t h e t a b l e . G e t d o w n t h e s e s t a i r s , t h a t ' s i f y o u ' r e a b l e , Y o u d r u n k e n p i g , y o u ' v e b r o k e m y h e a r t . Y o u r o t t e n s t i n k e r , y o u e l e p h a n t f a r t . D ' Y o u k n o w I w i s h I ' d n e v e r m e t y o u , I w i s h w e ' d n e v e r m e t , H o w c a n y o u d o t h i s t o m e , w h e n e v e r y t i m e I t h i n k , I w i s h I c o u l d f o r g e t , H o w m y m o t h e r t r i e d t o w a r n m e , T r i e d t o m a k e m e s e e . T h a t l i f e w i t h y o u w o u l d b e a p a i n , a r e a l m i s e r y , B u t I w o u l d n ' t l i s t e n , I t h o u g h t I k n e w t h e s c o r e , G o d i f I h a d m y c h a n c e a g a i n - I ' d t h r o w y o u t h r o u g h t h e d o o r . W a k e u p t h e r e , c o m e o n , i t ' s g e t t i n g l a t e , M y G o d l a s t n i g h t - y o u w e r e i n a s t a t e . O h m y G o d , l o o k i t ' s t h e w a l k i n g d e a d , S o y o u ' v e f i n a l l y s u c c e e d e d i n g e t t i n g o u t o f b e d , W h a t ' s t h e m a t t e r , h a v e y o u g o t a b a n g i n g h e a d , A h h , w e l l I ' m a w f u l g l a d , A n d n e x t t i m e I h o p e , i t ' s e v e n t w i c e a s b a d , ' C o s d o y o u k n o w w h a t y o u ' v e d o n e , y o u ' v e b r o k e n m y h e a r t , Y o u d r u n k e n p i g , y o u e l e p h a n t f a r t , W h a t d i d y o u s a y - y o u ' v e g i v e n u p d r i n k , I t h i n k y o u ' d b e t t e r g o t o t h e t o i l e t - m y G o d y o u s t i n k . M . J . G O S N E Y A FLY You! fly sitting upon my chair, What d'you think you're doing there? Get off at once, before I shout, Before I hit you and flatten you out, I've never seen such a cheeky pest, Get outside with all the rest SOCKS THE SEAL The North Pole is not for you or I, But poor Socks was born there, And he doesn't like the cold weather either, Even if he is a seal. Socks|s mother is always knitting woollen clothes, for him to wear and she worries so much about him. He can't even swim for his own food, Because the water is toocold for him. Although Socks cannot really fend for himself. He does really try. "How can I help my friends"? he asks himself. "They do so much for me". One day Socks had an idea. He collected up all the old knitting needles. His mother had thrown out, And made a fishing rod with them. Socks took along six cushions, So that he wouldn't have to sit on the cold ice. In the past, Socks had seen the Eskimos fish, Just by cutting a hole in the ice, But Eskimo people had been fishing this way for many years. Socks thought it looked so easy. How wrong he was. Quite a spell went by and icicles formed all over him and he turned blue with the cold. Now having been away for so long, all the other Seals formed a search party and set out to look for him. What a shock they got when they found him. He was even frozen to his cushions. Quickly as possible everybody pushed him home, for a fire was needed to thaw him out. Sock's father was also very good. One day while he was swinunimg for food, he spotted a small fishing boat. As it came nearer a young fisherman shouted out "Hey look there's a seal". All of the men on board the boat came to the side and waved to him but Sock's father started to act very strangely, which puzzled all the fishermen. The captain of the boat stood and scratched his head. "I've never seen a seal act like that before", he said. "There seems to be something wrong " "I think he wants us to follow him". 12 How right the captain was, for Socks father had an idea. Quickly, he led the fishermen towards home. On reaching the ice, he jumped out of the water and started to bark very loudly, so that the fishermen wouldn't lose him. By this time, the fishermen were following in a rowing boat. "I cartt help thinking someone needs our help", says the captain to his men. Once on the ice, the fishermen followed on foot. By the time they reached Socks igloo, poor Sock's was thawing out by a fire after trying one more time to help his friends. "Well I'll be blowed", the captain said, "just take a look at that". Could you imagine what a surprise the men got, finding a seal, wrapped up in woollen clothes, shivering in his socks. He was blue with cold and huddled in front of a fire. "So I was right, someone did need our help after all", said the captain. Right away the captain decided what was to be done. Socks, his mother, and his father waved goodbye to their friends and thanked them for all their help. The fishermen took them aboard their boat and set off for England. When the boat arrived back in port the captain told his story to the Mayor of the town and the Mayor promised to let the little seal family stay at the zoo. There was a special heated pool especially for Sock's. The zoo keeper found it hard to believe the story he was told until he actually saw Socks., dressed in his woollen clothes. Now Socks and his parents live happily in the zoo and Socks loves to make the children laugh. They have become so popular, that the zoo is making lots and lots of money. So now Socks and his family can send plenty of presents to their friends at the North Pole,and guess which fishing boat delivers the parcels, yes, you are right the good captain's who saved Socks life. 13 FOETUS Here I lie so warm and cosy. When all around is wet. I eat and drink, but have no problems, for I am not born yet. A chip, a cake go flying past, But may I ask a question? Why the hell does she eat so much If it gives her indigestion? I'll have to-move, I'm full of cramp. I'll turn and stretch and kick. Ah, that's better. What was that? Oh no, I've made her sick. The time has come for me to go, Although I'd rather stay. What's the point of trying to argue. When I am on the way? Ow: That hurt my little bum, And I feel quite cold. But it's time to start life's journey In this ugly, outside world. MAUREEN S. JONES 14 WHERE DID I COME FROM ? W h e n I w e r e a K i d j u s t n i n e y e a r s o l d I l o o k e d a t m y m o t h e r w i t h e y e s s o b o l d . H e y m a m I d i d s a y " W h e r e d i d I c o m e f r o m ? " S h e l o o k e d a t m e w i t h a f a c e l i k e a b o m b a b o u t t o e x p l o d e i n d i r e c t i o n s g a l o r e a s s h e p u s h e d m e o u t t h r o u g h o u r b a c k d o o r . I s a t o n o u r b a c k s t e p , m y m i n d j u s t a b l a n k a s I l o o k e d a t d a d ' s c a b b a g e s , h o w t h e y s t a n k . S o s t e a d i l y I w a l k e d , s o n o o n e c o u l d s e e a n d s t a r t e d t o p e e p u n d e r e v e r y t r e e , a n d w h e n I g o t t o t h e t o p o f t h e y a r d I p u l l e d a t h i s c a b b a g e s v e r y h a r d . T h e r e w a s n o w ' t u n d e r n e a t h , I c a n t e l l t h i t h a t o n l y a d i r t y o l d c a t e r p i l l a r a n d a m o u l d y o l d c a t m y h e a d f u l l o f f e a r s o f w h a t h e m i g h t s a y w h e n h e c o m e s o u t t o m o r r o w o n i n s p e c t i o n d a y . M y k n e e s w e r e a t r e m b l i m g I h a d t o s i t d o w n ' c o s m y b o t t o m w a s s m a r t i n g b e f o r e t h e a l a r m . S o s l o w l y I w a l k e d u p o u r b a c k y a r d , t o k n o c k o n t h e d o o r " n o t v e r y h a r d " W h a t d e r y e r w a n t ? , h e r f a c e d i d a p p e a r W h e r e ' s t h a b e e n t h a d i n n e r ' s h e r e . G e t t o t h e s i n k a n d w a s h t h o s e h a n d s , a n d i n f u t u r e " D o n ' t a s k q u e s t i o n s t h a d o n ' t u n d e r s t a n d ! ' E d n a F a r r e l l v 15 A TRAMPS TALE I had nothing to do one day, I was totally at a loss, I went for a walk in the park, And what did I come across? A dirty scruffy old tramp, In rags, and with hair that was matted, He looked so lonely and lost, So I sat beside him and chatted, I had to ask him these questions, The answers I wanted to know, Why did he lead this life,? How could he sink so low,? This tramp he told me a story, By way of a reply, A story I've never forgot, Told with a tear in his eye, About a girl called Jenny, A girl who's heart he won, An angel in disguise he said, Always smiling and full of fun, A beautiful girl with long flowing hair, On Jenny he was sold, Then came the day he'd waited for, On her finger he placed a ring of gold, But his happiness didn't last, He came home from work one day, To find a note from his wife, Jenny had gone away, She didn't say where, She didn't say why, Just sorry my love, But this is goodbye, His heart was broken beyond repair, He didn't know which way to turn, Days became weeks, weeks became months, Jenny didn't return, Further and further he slid, Down the slippery slope, Booze was his constant companion, In life he'd given up hope, The bills they went unpaid. To the booze he became addicted, Then the inevitable happened, From his house he was evicted, And since that day he's searched, 16 In every town he's been, But it seemed his darling Jenny, Was never again to be seen, He said goodbye and walked away, Didn't bother looking back, With all his wordly goods, Tied up in a dirty old sack, He'll still be looking for Jenny, As he roams from place to place, That dirty scruffy old tramp, With tears still staining his face. DEREK JONES 17 £OMEQNE& FATHER Hey old man don't give in Being old i s not a sin Get your pipe and bit of bacca Wink your eye a t some l i t t l e cracker Hey old man don't give in Don't l i e in bed as if yoiire dead Get up and wash and I ' l l see you fed Think of the days when you were young When your coalface feats where often sung Hey old man don't give in Think of the day you met me mam In those rough old days of bread and jam In your blue serge suit and your miners scarf Cap at the t i l t and a gleam in your eye Hey old man don't give in When you strode down the street with your head held high Your pride and bearing turned many an eye My mam was the one who took your fancy But approach by you seemed very chancy Hey old man don't give in With her tiny figure and long dark hair To reach your shoulder she'd need a chair Your reputation for fighting and drinking Certainly got her thinking Hey old man don't give in Twelve months later you were wed Poverty and hardship was the l i f e you led You had to go out to earn the bread So that we a l l could be fed So old man don't give in Don't l i e in bed as if youYe dead Don't close your eyes, don't droop your head Don't open your mouth G 18